Striker Scott Vernon is looking forward to returning to where it all began for the Colchester United loanee on Saturday.

Vernon, 27, made his debut for Oldham Athletic as an 18-year-old under Iain Dowie.

And whilst staying in League One with Southend remains a long shot, the Blues forward hopes he can have another enjoyable visit to Boundary Park at the weekend.

"When this fixture comes out at the start of the season is one I always look out for - obviously earlier at Colchester and now at Southend," Scott told Blues Player on Thursday.

"When I just turned eighteen Iain Dowie gave me my debut and I scored a couple of goals.

"Oldham was the club that gave me my chance so I will be forever thankful for that.

"But hopefully I can go back there on Saturday and help us pick up three points."

A win is the only way Southend United stand any chance of staying in League One next season.

Blues are seven points from safety with three games left and know that even a victory might not be enough to prevent Steve Tilson's side from being relegated on Saturday.

"We didn't do ourselves any favours in the way that we played against Brighton and the feeling at the end was a horrible feeling," he said.

"That feeling is still there because it was the dreaded moment that we didn't want but we have had a couple of days to get over it and move on and we have to do that.

"We have to go out there and give everything that we have for the remaining games of the season.

"It could still happen for us even though it is a long shot. It's not looking very promising in terms of staying up but mathematically it is still possible and whilst that is the case we will still keep going."

And as Vernon comes to the end of a six month loan spell from near neighbours Colchester United he is unsure of what his future holds.

"I am out of contract in the summer so we will have to see what happens," he added. "I've not spoken to the Colchester manager since I joined here on loan so whether I will be speaking to him in the near future remains to be seen."