SHAUN Hobson has signed a new two year contract to stay at Southend United.

Hobson, who made 48 appearances for Blues last season, was voted player of the year in an Echosport poll.

And the defender is pleased to have put pen to paper on a new deal. 

"I’m very happy to get it done," said Hobson.

"It’s been an up and down last week but I’m glad to get signed for next season.

"There’s a lot of unfinished business.

"For myself I need to learn more and get more experience.

"I thought it was disappointing last season.

"It started off bad and went viral for the wrong reasons and as a team we shouldn’t have been in the position we were in so I’m looking at next season to bounce back."

Hobson joined Blues from Bournemouth last summer and is now eager to help Phil Brown's side get back into the Football League at the first attempt.

"Promotion has to be the mentality from day one," said Hobson.

"Not even day one, but from now.

"Everyone has to do what they have to do to get back in the League where this club belongs."

And Hobson is pleased to still be working with Shrimpers boss Phil Brown.

"One of the reasons to come back was to work with the manager, an ex-Premier League manager with a lot of experience behind him from playing and managing," said Hobson.

"I feel like I can learn, I feel like I can develop as a person and also as a player under him."

"Me and the gaffer spoke before leaving for the off-season about clarity in the mind.

"In the past I’ve been all over the place and I felt like I needed to be settled, in my mind, to know this is my goal and this is where I’m going to be.

"This is what this contract does for me."