SOUTHEND United youngster Dru Yearwood is determined to shine for the Shrimpers - beyond the end of pre-season.

The 17-year-old midfielder has shone in Blues’ warm-up fixtures, scoring in a 4-1 defeat at Ipswich Town before catching the eye in a 2-1 win against Braintree Town.

But Yearwood wants his energetic displays to be the sign of things to come as he strives to become the club’s first player born in the 21st century to line up in the League for the Shrimpers.

“My goal is to stay with the first team as much as I can this season and my dream would be to make my debut and help with a promotion push,” said Yearwood.

“I’ve been enjoying pre-season and it’s been exciting for me to be involved in the first team.

“Last year went well for me and I’m looking to carry that on and do even better this season.”

Yearwood travelled with the Shrimpers squad to Spain for the first week of pre-season training.

But he could have already featured for Phil Brown’s side if it had not been for a knee injury suffered last season.

“I was training with them over Christmas last season but then my knee blew up and I was out for about a month,” said Yearwood.

“Maybe if that hadn’t happened I would’ve stayed with the first team.

“But I’m back with them and it’s really good.

“I’m enjoying training and playing alongside the first team players because they help me out.

“It’s massively different to the youth team but I like it.

“The speed of play is much quicker and there’s more communication but I think it’s brilliant and I’ll do all I can to try and stay involved.”

Yearwood’s next opportunity to impress could come against Bishop’s Stortford tonight.

But lining up for the Shrimpers is nothing new for the midfielder who first joined the club when he was an under-11 player.

“I was released by Arsenal but my favourite coach there went to Southend and rang my dad asking if I would come here for a trial,” said Yearwood.

“It all went from there and I got signed straight away.”

However, it was only last season that the Loughton-based Yearwood became a central midfielder, having previously lined up on the wing.

“Last year I moved into midfield,” said Yearwood.

“Before that I was a winger, but I just wanted to play and not be sub.”