SOUTHEND United manager Phil Brown felt he did not have room in his squad to sign Owen Garvan.

The Irish midfielder, who had been training with Blues, has now joined Colchester United.

And Brown insisted he could not have justified bringing Garvan to the club.

“Owen is a very good player but he’s a left footed midfielder but we already have Michael Timlin, Anthony Wordsworth and Jack Payne in the squad,” said Brown.

“I didn’t feel as though we needed to bring in another midfielder at this stage.”