Former York City manager Alan Little has targeted a return to football with former club Southend United.

Applied: Alan Little

The Evening Press can exclusively reveal today Little has homed in on the vacant manager's job at the troubled basement club a fortnight after his sacking from the City post.

The Shrimpers, who are lodged just above the Third Division relegation zone after perishing at home to fellow strugglers Hull City, are now without a manager.

One-time England and West Ham defender Alvin Martin quit the club at the weekend after that 1-0 defeat by Hull City. Martin had been in charge since July, 1997.

Little, remembered at Roots Hall as a combative midfielder in the mid-1970s when he made more than 100 appearances for the Shrimpers, has declared his interest in taking on the task of reviving the south-east coast club.

Said Little: "Yes, I am interested, very interested.

"I want to get back to work and so I have sent off my details to Southend. My CV is in the post."

Since his dismissal by City after six years in charge at Bootham Crescent, Little has been busying himself with various scouting duties for several League clubs.

But he admitted he is missing the day to day involvement with a club after finding himself out of permanent work for the first time in almost three decades.

"I would be certainly happy to consider a position with Southend if it was to be offered. Southend are in freefall. They are a First Division club in the Third Division and they need to be livened up. I would look at it - definitely."

While he and his family have been settled in York for more than 11 years now, the ex-City boss said he would have no qualms about linking up again with a club the other side of the country.

"I have never been afraid to move anywhere during my time in the game," he said.

"Remember I was only 19 when I left Aston Villa to join Southend. It holds no worries for me."

After four years from apprentice through to a professional at Villa Little joined Southend in December 1974 in a £10,000 deal.

He carved out a reputation as a fearless midfielder scrapper with the Shrimpers over almost the next three years before a move north to Barnsley and then subsequent stops at Doncaster, Torquay, Halifax and Hartlepool,

After retiring as a player in 1986 he graduated as Hartlepool coach before joining York as assistant to then boss John Bird in 1988. He was understudy too to John Ward before he was confirmed City manager in March 1993.

That reign ended almost six years to the day after his appointment as the Minstermen foundered on a run of ten games without a League win.

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