SOUTHEND United manager Kevin Bond feels the Shrimpers squad are still ‘scarred’ by previous struggles.

Blues avoided relegation by goal difference last season after beating Sunderland on the final day.

And Bond - whose side have lost all five of their League One matches this term - thinks it will take time to turn things around.

“I’m not making excuses because we ought to be doing better than we’re doing but this isn’t a situation which is foreign to Southend,” said Bond.

“We had a really difficult year last year and I know they were expecting more.

“Everyone expects more but maybe it was unrealistic to expect more, I don’t know.

“I know we suffered with injuries but it was a ridiculously bad season.

“We lost a ton of games at home and had 15 games without a win.

“We have a lot of those players still here who are scarred by that and the club is scarred by that.

“We have to get over that, we have to get a different mentality and some momentum.”

Bond is hoping that can start with a welcome win against Rochdale this weekend.

But he knows only hard work will enable the Shrimpers to put things right.

“We need to show resolve,” said Bond.

“We need to come to work with a smile on our face and be positive, which we are.

“We know the run we’re in but we can’t feel sorry for ourselves or be down because that will only make things worse.

“We have to get through it and when we do we can kick on but it’s all about hard work and determination.”

However, Bond - who was appointed on a permanent basis in the summer - remains certain Blues will soon start to work their way up the table.

“As sure as night follows day it will turn around but we just hope it’s sooner rather than later,” said the 62-year-old.

“It’s not something that Southend supporters haven’t seen before but we certainly don’t want it to go on for 15 games this time.

“At times you just need to take a deep breath but it can be very hard.

“I’ve spoken to a couple of people who have been at clubs recently who said it was extremely difficult for them when they came in and that it took three or four transfer windows to turn things around.

“But we have to show character, determination and it’s only us who can change things.

“We can’t rely on anyone else, we have to do it ourselves.”