SOUTHEND United manager Phil Brown has ended speculation linking him with a return to Bolton Wanderers.

The Blues boss had been odds on favourite to replace Neil Lennon in charge of the Trotters.

But speaking exclusively to Echosport Brown confirmed he would be staying with the Shrimpers.

“I want to say to the punters that I’m here for the next two games and I’m certainly going to be in charge for next season too,” said Brown.

“The players can also go away this summer knowing 100 per cent I’ll be in charge when they come back.”

Brown – whose side host high-flying Bradford City at Roots Hall tomorrow - held lengthy talks about his future with chairman Ron Martin and chief executive Steve Kavanagh on Wednesday evening.

But the 56-year-old remains fully committed to the club and admits to have been upset by the uncertainty surrounding his future.

“I hope the fans will understand that the speculation has hurt me as much as anybody else,” said Brown.

“It’s the same for my family in the north-west of England too.

“They’re four hours away and I don’t see them day to day. or often week to week.

“They’re reading local speculation saying I’m coming back towards them but I’m not.

“I’m in Southend for the foreseeable future, until someone tells me otherwise.”

Brown has been in charge of the Shrimpers since March 2013 and led his team to promotion from League Two last season.

Blues are currently 13th in the League One standings with just two games to go.

But he is determined to guide the club back into the Championship.

“The chairman wants to get this club back into the Championship and so do I,” said Brown.

“Ron Martin has been an outstanding chairman for me.

“We see a lot of things eye to eye and he’s very driven and motivated.

“I also want to see the new stadium get built just as much as he does.”

However, for Blues to progress and bounce back to win promotion Brown must find reasons for the recent loss of form.

The Shrimpers have triumphed just once in their last eight games.

And Brown believes the speculation surrounding his future played a part in his side falling down the table.

“The uncertainty about my future hasn’t helped the situation over the past eight games or so,” said Brown.

“I’ve looked at reasons why we got to 55 points after 33 games and why we’ve fallen by the wayside since then.

“The speculation was going to be there because I had 14 or 15 years at Bolton and they have a chairman now who was my assistant manager at Derby.

“The rumours were rife because of it but I’m staying at Southend.”