SOUTHEND United manager Phil Brown has revealed he let Gary Deegan leave Roots Hall after an ‘unusual’ conversation with the midfielder at the end of last season.

Deegan - who will face the Shrimpers with Shrewsbury Town tomorrow - opted to leave the club in the summer despite still having a year left on his contract.

And Brown insisted the Irishman chose to depart after being unable to promise him a regular place in the starting line up.

“I had a direct and unusual conversation with Gary at the end of last season but I wasn’t guaranteeing anyone a start because I never do,” said the Blues boss.

“He’s a good lad and a good character and I’m sure he will be running through brick walls again on Saturday because he will be an angry man because of their current league position.”

Shrewsbury sit bottom of the League One table without a win in 10 games but come to Roots Hall following the appointment of a new manager.

Paul Hurst - who came to the club from Grimsby Town - will be in charge for the first time.

And his arrival means Brown will be entering the unknown on Saturday.

“Before we play teams we like to have a look at the way the opposition do things but with the new manager coming in I have no idea what he’s going to do,” said Brown.

“I don’t know what he’s going to be thinking system wise or personnel wise as we don’t have anything to go on so it does make it a little bit difficult.

“But I do know that on paper he has a good, strong squad there with some good players who are certainly underperforming at the moment as they find themselves bottom of the table.

“They will want to put that right but we’re on the up again now and we have to make sure that doesn’t happen against us.”

Blues, who are 15th in the League One standings, are unbeaten in their last three games and have not been beaten at home in their previous six outings, something Brown is keen to continue.

“Our home form has been very reasonable of late,” said the Shrimpers chief.

“We want to keep it going and an early goal would be great.”