MEET Steve Bessant - Southend United's secret weapon this season.

The 32-year-old, from Leigh, has been brought to the club as strength and conditioning coach and he is already starting to make an impression.

Bessant has overhauled the players' diets and their overall fitness has also started to improve.

"It has been really good and I have had a positive response from the players," said Bessant who first worked with Blues during their pre-season schedules at Club Kingswood.

"I'm responsible for the fitness and condition of the players. I work on their core conditioning and posture as well as helping them recover from injuries.

"I will be involved with those who are not injured but not playing as well to make sure they stay fit."

But that will happen both on and off the training pitch though as Bessant has introduced a whole host of new ideas.

The team now meet before training for breakfast and they also eat pre and post match meals.

"We have introduced a nutritional plan which includes these new meals," he confirmed.

"Food is an important part in helping to control and recover from things and it all helps because football is won and lost on very small margins.

"That little bit more energy can make all the difference."

Bessant has ordered his troops to take on good wholesome foods, while also cutting out anything with high sugar content which are packed full of additives.

That advice has been taken on board and should provide a series of benefits for the Shrimpers players.

"It's more of a science these days and the older players have really taken on board what I have said," confirmed Bessant who trained in his profession in America.

"I think they see it as a way of extending their careers and because they've been so good about it the younger players have been good as well."

That has helped the Shrimpers' sharpness and Bessant was delighted with their fitness during the 4-1 Carling Cup triumph over Cheltenham Town which went into extra time.

"You could see against Cheltenham that the players were really fit because they scored three goals in extra time and had loads of energy," he said.

"That was the reward for all the work they have put in because Cheltenham started to tire. Southend didn't though and we want that to be the sign of things to come."