SOUTHEND United goalkeeper Ted Smith has revealed how winning the club’s young player of the year award has helped lift him ahead of a long summer of rehabilitation.

Smith - who lined up 21 times between the sticks - missed the last seven games of the season after suffering a wrist injury in training.

But picking up an end of season award has handed the former King John School pupil a timely boost.

“It was a privilege to win the award, especially as I’m local and it was a nice reminder of what I had achieved this season, despite the injury,” said Smith.

“It certainly picked me up because getting injured was really hard to take just as I was enjoying my longest ever run in the team.

“I wish it had come in different circumstances because I get on really well with Mark Oxley and it was horrible to see him get injured.

“But I got 21 games, 19 in the league which was just below my target of 20.

“Yet winning the award was certainly a better way to bring my first real season in men’s football to an end.”

Smith has now set his sights towards next season.

And he will be working hard throughout the summer in a bid to regain full fitness.

“I’m not someone who likes to switch off for a long time so I’ll be training for most of the summer but I would have been doing that even if I wasn’t injured,” said the 21-year-old.

“I don’t need to have an operation which is good news because that always carries a risk of suffering a reoccurrence at a later date.

“It doesn’t actually mean I’ll be back any quicker but hopefully I should be fit for the start of pre-season training.”

Smith with then be eager to impress and establish himself as the club’s number one choice in goal.

“My target next year will be to improve again and get even more games,” said Smith.

“But it will be hard because Mark Oxley is a brilliant keeper.”