SOUTHEND United manager Phil Brown believes his Shrimpers side will need to get at least 74 points to end the season in the League One play-offs.

Blues moved up to sixth in the table after beating Walsall 3-2 at Roots Hall this weekend.

But Brown knows Southend will need at least five more wins to extend their campaign.

“There’s a points figure you look at that has been enough to get into the play-offs for the last 20 years and that’s what we’re aiming for,” said the Shrimpers chief.

“If you look at it then it’s normally 73 or 74 points which gets you into the play-offs at this level but we’re aiming for slightly higher to definitely make sure of our place.”

However, while Brown has taken a look at what it may take to reach the play-offs, he will not be studying the fixtures of Blues’ play-off chasing rivals.

“Everyone becomes a mathematical expert at this stage of the season but I won’t be looking at the games the other teams have left to play because we need to be focused on what we’re doing,” said the Blues boss.

“It’s easy to get caught up in who is playing who and how you think the game might end up but if you’re not winning your own games then it doesn’t really matter.

“The only time I ever really look at the results is just before I go into a press conference after our games.

“I will have a look at who is picking up points, who is chasing us and who we could chase but I genuinely don’t pay too much attention to it.

“I don’t think we’re going to catch the top two, Sheffield United are out of sight and Bolton are doing well too but we know what it takes to reach the play-offs and it’s up to us to go and do it now.”

The Shrimpers, who have triumphed in their last two games, face seven of the bottom 12 teams in their remaining eight games and, on paper, have the joint third easiest run-in among all the teams pushing for the play-offs.

But Brown refuted those suggestions and expects a difficult run of fixtures for Blues.

“We have a lot of tough games left to play,” said the 57-year-old.

“I don’t ever look beyond the next game so all I’m thinking about is taking on AFC Wimbledon at the moment but I much prefer it when the opposition still has something to play for.

“I think the games you have against teams with not much left to aim for are the trickiest at this stage.”

Blues are currently sixth in the table with 60 points, a point more than they finished with last year.