Fears intensify over missing man

Police were said to be getting increasingly worried about the safety of missing man James Walker.

The former Charlton man has been on the missing list now for nearly a year since his glorious late equaliser against Orient. Despite reporting sightings in Hereford around September and October - and more recently around the Southend area - there have been no confirmed sightings of the talented front man.

In September we reported on how police were linking his disappearance to that of Essex business man Geoff King.

Suspicions intensified recently when Damien Scannell was used as substitute up front and out of position ahead of Walker against the McDons Franchise and then at Tranmere when the ineffective 86 year old Dougie Freedman was again preferred to start.

However recent developments have led police to conclude that Walker's personal safety is now in serious jeopardy.

Suspicions were first aroused at Yeovil when Ian Joyce was dropped from the bench to make way for loanee Sean Morrison. Subsequent hamstring injuries to untrusted left-back Johnny Herd and "enigmatic" Frenchman Francis Laurent that paved way for the loan signings of Scott Malone and Jabo Ibhere only served to strengthen concern for the well-being of fringe squad members.

Already young midfielder Stuart O'Keefe is under 24 hour police protection and police are now said to be "desperate" to find Walker to ensure his own safety.

Should you know the whereabouts of Walker, Geoff King or the infamous Warchest you are urged to contact crimestoppers immediately.

Southend in drive-by signing

Southend signed the first of what manager Steve "Tilly" Tilson hopes will be three loan signings when Essex's premier (and with all respect to Dagenham, only) team managed to pick up Swindon defender Sean Morrison on the way to Yeovil.

However with kick-off just three hours away Tilson's gamble that he'd manage to find en route three players who had brought their boots and were up for a game appears to have misfired.

The Wickford born Blues boss' last hope of filling the bench would appear to rest with persuading the coach driver to carry along the M4 to Bristol and hoping that Bristol City or Rovers have a spare player or two, but heavy traffic could scupper that plan.

Tilson revealed he was also in negotiation with the coach driver to go back a different route to the way they came to see if he could pick up anyone on the way back from Bournemouth, Southampton, Portsmouth or Brighton.