SOUTHEND United legend Freddy Eastwood is backing the Shrimpers to bag automatic promotion this season.

Blues head in to tomorrow’s crucial clash with Luton Town sitting level on points with third placed Wycombe Wanderers.

But Eastwood, who bagged 77 goals in 209 games during two separate spells at Roots Hall, believes Phil Brown’s side will overtake the Chairboys in their remaining two matches.

“I think the momentum is with Southend now and you really have to fancy them to finish in the top three,” said the 31-year-old.

“I’ve obviously been keeping tabs on it all and for the boys to have won six games in a row along with seven clean sheets in a row is fantastic.

“Wycombe seem to have hit a bit of a blip as well and the pressure is more on them too because they’ve been in the top three for quite some time.

“Southend have come back into it but a few weeks ago a top three finish really didn’t seem possible.

“I even got in touch with Michael Timlin to sort out some tickets for the play-offs but I’m hoping I won’t be needing them now.”

Eastwood was a huge success in his first spell with the Shrimpers, scoring 65 times in 134 appearances.

Those strikes also secured back to back promotions for Steve Tilson’s side.

And he now wants the current team to sample a similar experience.

“I still talk to a lot of the lads and obviously Adam Barrett is back now too who I know and I would really love for them to go up,” said Eastwood.

“We lost out in the play-offs to Burton last season and to Crewe a couple of years before that and it really does hurt.

“It’s not a nice feeling for the fans either and obviously Southend is a club which means a lot to do so I want them to do well.

“I want the lads there now to enjoy the kind of experiences we had when we went up during my first spell with the club because it’s brilliant.

“Funnily enough, the best way to do it is probably through the play-offs because you get a big day out which is really special.

“But nobody at Southend will be wanting that at the moment because they have a real chance of making the top three.”

Eastwood, who retired after being released by Blues at the end of last season, will be tracking progress of tomorrow’s game with Luton.

And the former Shrimpers striker revealed he does miss lining up in the big matches.

“You can’t replace that kind of atmosphere and you certainly can’t get it anywhere else so of course you miss it,” said Eastwood.

“But football can be really stressful and I’m really happy doing what I do now.”

Eastwood, whose 13-year-old son Freddy remains in the youth set-up at Blues, runs his own building company and has been encouraged by its popularity so far.

“I’m running my own company called Eastwood Building and Roofing and it’s been going really well,” said Eastwood.

“It’s something different and it’s something I’m really enjoying too.”