Southend sign Ricketts

Last Updated : 30-Jun-2006 by

Ricketts joined the Clarets in January following the sale of Ade Akinbiyi. It was a loan deal until the end of the season and although there was no suggestion of a full time contract to follow it was though that a good loan spell could encourage Steve Cotterill to add him to the squad.

He started well enough, and scored twice in his first three games, but it was somewhat downhill from there and it is difficult to find a good performance during the last two months of the season. By the time we were bringing the curtain down on 2005/06 his place in the side was no longer guaranteed with Kyle Lafferty stepping up.

I don't think many Burnley fans would have been too happy had the club tried to bring him back during the summer and I don't believe that was ever an option that was considered. Today he's moved on from Leeds to Southend on a free transfer although there could be a fee depending on certain conditions.

He's joined the Essex club on a two year deal with an option of a third and he'll be back at Burnley on a Tuesday night in October when we play Southend at home in the league.