SOUTHEND United manager Phil Brown is certain a four day training camp in Portugal will help his side start to shine on a more regular basis.

The Shrimpers, who have slipped to seventh in the League Two table after three games without a win, will be put through their paces in the Algarve before returning back to Essex on Wednesday.

And Brown is sure the trip will be a huge boost to his players ahead of Saturday’s home clash with Exeter City.

“We haven’t been able to train at Boots & Laces for a couple of weeks now so it’s the perfect time to have headed off for some warm weather training,” said Brown.

“I spoke to the chairman a little while ago about the possibility of having a budget for going abroad to train and it’s fantastic he’s been able to back us.

“We agreed to wait for a time when it would benefit us more and I think now is definitely right for us to do it.

“It will allow us to work properly on the team’s shape and a few other things we haven’t really been able to do due to the weather we’ve been having.

“But the facilities we have got out here are fantastic and coming over here can only be of benefit for us ahead of Saturday’s game with Exeter City when we really need to be getting back to winning ways again.”

Blues have taken just two points from the last nine on offer but Brown believes the time away will also help the team form a closer bond as they bid to secure a top seven finish this season.

“The spirit in the camp is already good but it’s only going to get stronger doing something like this,” said Brown.

“Going to Madrid in pre-season really helped us and I’m sure coming to Portugal will do the same.

“Hopefully we will see the benefits of it when we get back and we can start to string some good results together again.”