FREDDY Eastwood remains arguably the greatest player in Southend United’s recent history.

But the striker could have pulled on a Shrimpers first team shirt far sooner than he actually did.

The goal-getter was with Blues in his youth.

However, he ended up at West Ham after not being offered a professional deal at Roots Hall.

"I was actually with Southend when I was about 15 but I ended up leaving just before I was 16," recalled Eastwood.

"Southend offered me a YTS but at the time I wanted a professional contract.

"I ended up going to West Ham instead.

"They gave me a YTS but we had a strong youth side.

"Glenn Johnson and Anton Ferdinand were in it.

"Elliot Ward played and Billy Mehmet went to Scotland and made himself a career so we had some good players."

Eastwood failed to feature for the first team while with the Hammers and was released by boss Glenn Roeder back in 2003.

And, upon leaving Upton Park, Eastwood momentarily lost his love for football and began working as a car salesman with his dad Freddy."

"To be honest I fell out of love with football for seven or eight months after leaving West Ham," recalled Eastwood.

"My dad has always been involved with cars so I was working with him buying and selling cars for a while.

"But football is in you and I ended up at Grays through one of my dad’s cousins.

"He was good mates with the Grays owner at the time, Micky Woodward, so that's how it first started.

"I went over to train and it went from there really.

"It suited me at the time because it was part time and it worked well.

"I scored 30 odd goals in a season for Grays so a few clubs came in for me.

"Southend were one of them and that’s the one which just felt right."

Eastwood was an instant hit with the Shrimpers, scoring a hat-trick on a memorable debut against Swansea City.

The striker scored 49 goals in his first two seasons at Roots Hall, both of which ended in promotion. And it is a spell Eastwood remembers with great fondness.

"It was a great team but I think the main thing was how good the team spirit was," said Eastwood.

"There were so many memorable games down the years and nobody will ever forget them. It was a great time for us and a great time for everyone involved with the club."

Blues worked their way into the Championship and that season memorably saw off Manchester United in the League Cup with Eastwood scoring the only goal of the game.

"That's still the goal that everyone talks to me about the most," said Eastwood.

"It's the goal that's mentioned most in my house too!"