Southend boss Brown says midfielder Jack Bridge is '˜going to Northampton'

Shrimpers boss Phil Brown has stated that ‘it looks like Jack will be going to Northampton’, but also stated that, whatever happens, he won’t be playing for the Cobblers when they host Southend in Sky Bet League One on Saturday.

Bridge spent time training with Town last month, having struggled to break into the first team at Roots Hall.

He is well known to Cobblers assistant boss Dean Austin, who worked with the player when he was on the coaching staff at Roots Hall last season and rates him highly.

There has been no comment from the Cobblers, but following Southend’s New Year’s Day defeat at AFC Wimbledon, Brown said: “There’s a deal to be done and it does look like Jack will be going to Northampton.

“I’m not sure when the deal will be completed but he won’t be playing for Northampton against us at the weekend whatever happens.”

Bridge is a Southend boy and worked his way through the ranks at the Essex club.

A midfielder who can play either centrally or out wide, Bridge has made just two appearances for Southend this season, once as a late substitute in a 1-0 defeat at Shrewsbury in Septmeber, and once as a starter in a 1-0 Checkatrade Trophy win over Reading Under-21s in October.

In all, Bridge has played 11 times for Southend, and he has also had separate loan spells at non-League Chelmsford.