FORMER Southend United manager Phil Brown has revealed the players he most regretted losing while at Roots Hall.

Brown spent five years in charge of the Shrimpers.

And he feels Jack Payne, Daniel Bentley and Ryan Leonard were all sorely missed.

“We tried everything we could to keep Jack Payne but he was a big loss for us,” said Brown.

“He won’t regret leaving because he was earning lots of money when he left but his career hasn’t gone the way he planned but that can happen to anyone.

“It’s happening to Dru Yearwood now at Brentford.

“But with Jack we couldn’t compete with teams from a higher division.

“However, for the argument to be about pounds, shillings and pence I felt was wrong from Jack’s perspective.”

Payne joined Huddersfield Town in 2016 after turning down Blues’ offer of a new contract.

But Brown also felt he could have played a part in Payne’s departure.

“I was disappointed to lose that little key number 10 who can unlock a door when games are tight,” said Brown.

“I didn’t always grant him that and at times I didn’t play him which probably came back to haunt me.

“In hindsight you don’t know what would’ve happened in those games but it was just the decisions we made at the time.

“Losing Jack was a blow and we lost Dan on a tribunal too.”

Bentley joined Brentford in 2016 in a deal which saw Blues receive more than £1 million.

And Brown was a big fan of the shot-stopper.

“I honestly thought he was going to be England goalkeeper because of his ambition, his style of play and his lifestyle,” said Brown.

“I thought he would go right to the top but his career has stuttered a wee bit too.

“They were two players if we had kept we could’ve done a bit better with but that’s football.”

And Brown was also sad to see Leonard leave to join Sheffield United towards the end of his spell in charge back in January 2018.

“Losing Ryan Leonard was the straw that broke the camel’s back really,” said Brown.

“I don’t think there was any way back after that but he’s not really gone on to better things either.

“Sometimes you get players who are happy with their lives at a club and because of that they play better football.

“A lot of the time a comfort zone can be OK, they know the people, the team and the manager and they play their best football.

“I think Lenny was one of them.”