Innocent Duru is a first-year forward.

Danny Heath: "Innocent is new to the youth team after we offered him a place in the youth team in September 2024. Innocent is a positive forward-thinking player who likes to attack the opposition by dribbling and running with the ball to attack his opponent in 1v1 attacking situations. Innocent also demonstrates the ability to produce an end product at the end of his dribble/run with the ball to produce shots and crosses to ensure that a final/end product is produced to either take or create goal scoring opportunities."

Innocent: "My first ever EJA club was Southend Manor for the under-12 season, later on that season I joined Bowers for two years and then Aveley for one year. Now being in the Southend United youth team is a brilliant for me and my family. What I enjoy most is all the staff that put in maximum effort for us to train and for the matches we play. Another thing that is great about it is that I get to play alongside my friends and teammates on a day-to-day basis, which is brilliant.