LEAGUE One midfielders beware - Alan McCormack is close to being back to his best.

The tigerish midfielder missed the start of the season after suffering a serious knee injury.

But, speaking ahead of tonight’s trip to the Cheltenham Town, the 24-year-old Irishman confirmed he was starting to regain his sharpness.

“I was pleased with my first 60 minutes against Oldham on Saturday,” said McCormack who produced his best performance of the season so far against the Latics.

“I was enjoying it and felt like I was getting back to how I was playing last year. I faded a bit towards the end but that’s going to happen until I’m finally 100 per cent fit.

“I’m getting there and I’m probably around 80 per cent at the moment.

“You need games to get it back completely and the more 90 minutes I get then the quicker it will come back to me.

“I’ll always give my all and work hard and it will be no different this evening.”

Blues have won just one of their six visits to Whaddon Road and that came on McCormack’s Shrimpers debut back in March 2005.

Two goals from Wayne Gray and another from Freddy Eastwood secured a 3-0 win that afternoon.

And McCormack is hoping for a repeat this evening.

“I’ll always look back on my debut with great fondness and it was an excellent day,” said the tough tackler.

“We want another win tonight but we will have to be able to deal with the long balls they will be pumping forward.

“They have two lively strikers but our plan is to set the tempo and try and dictate the match. If that happens then we should win.”

After losing to Oldham Athletic 2-1 on Saturday, Southend are now ninth in the League One table.

But McCormack insisted spirits should still be high in the Shrimpers camp.

“For the 90 minutes I thought we were the better team at the weekend,” he said.

“We were excellent in the first half and could’ve gone in four or five goals up.

“In the end the missed chances cost us but it’s a learning curve.

“You win some and you lose them and there is no point in sulking about suffering a second defeat in 14 games.

“We’ve been doing well and have to get back on form tonight.”

Blues must make one change against the Robins and that will goalkeeper Steve Mildenhall come in for Adam Federici who has returned to Reading after completing his two month loan spell at Roots Hall.

Striker Lee Barnard is still out with a hamstring problem but manager Steve Tilson hopes to have his top scorer back for Saturday's FA Cup clash with Luton Town.

Francis Laurent completes his three match suspension after being sent off at Tranmere while Paul Furlong (thigh) and Dougie Freedman (thigh) are both still missing.

Freedman is expected to be back in full training next week.