SOUTHEND United have just 11 fully fit senior players with less than a week to go until the start of the League Two season.

Goalkeeper Paul Smith (calf) and winger Kevan Hurst (knee) will both face fitness tests ahead of tonight’s friendly against West Ham United, while Michael Timlin is still working his way back from a broken leg.

Defender Chris Barker has been told he is free to leave the club.

And that leaves Brown with just 11 available senior players, with only five days to go until the opening League Two game of the season against Plymouth Argyle at Roots Hall.

“We just don’t have enough players at the moment and that would be my message to the chairman and Steve Kavanagh (chief executive),” said Brown, whose side were beaten 3-1 by Queens Park Rangers on Friday night.

“We had to finish the game against QPR with three trialists and young Jack Payne out there, so we have to bring more people in.

“I think we have about 12 or 13 senior professionals at the moment, if that, and it needs to be addressed.”

Brown still hopes to be able to complete deals for Gillingham midfielder Charlie Lee and Southampton striker Jonathan Forte.

And he will also be paying close attention to West Ham’s side at Roots Hall tonight after being told by Hammers boss Sam Allardyce that many of the players are available on loan.

“Sam is keen for his young players to get out on loan and get some senior games under their belts to help them improve so we’ll be having a look at them tonight,” said Brown.

“I don’t quite think it will be like Watford last season with all the Italian players they brought in on loan, but bringing these players in is an option for us and one we’ll be looking closely at.”

Brown still also has trialists – defender Julian Bennett, midfielder Conor Clifford and striker Don Cowan – at the club.

And he will soon be making a decision on their futures.

“If I had carte blanche to bring in who I wanted then I would have signed two of them by now already,” said Brown, who is likely to mean Clifford and Cowan.

“But if we bring people in then it could block things up for other players who become available.”

Bennett, a former Nottingham Forest defender, played just the final seven minutes against Queens Park Rangers on Friday after being stuck in traffic on the way to the game.

He did not arrive at Roots Hall until 7.30pm due to problems on the M25 and is set to feature more against West Ham this evening.