Pat Baldwin, whose long-term future at Colchester United remains uncertain

PAT Baldwin has this afternoon completed a move from Colchester United to Essex rivals Southend.

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Centre-half Baldwin had been with the U’s since 2002, but had struggled to break into the starting XI this term, due to a number of injuries.

Ex-Chelsea trainee Baldwin has only made five league appearances, with his longest lay-off due to a fractured toe.

He has slipped down the pecking order of centre-halves, behind Magnus Okuonghae, Matt Heath and Tom Eastman.

Even so, Baldwin had been set to feature for the U’s at Leyton Orient tomorrow, either from the start or on the bench, due to Heath’s groin injury.

Now, however, he has switched to League Two club Southend, leaving manager John Ward with just two fit senior centre-halves in Okuonghae and Eastman, plus the untried Tom Aldred.

Baldwin’s contract was set to expire this summer, and he has been keen to secure regular first team football, something he has not been guaranteed at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

The 29-year-old Londoner chalked up 209 league appearances for the U’s, over the last 10 years, and actually had a loan spell at his new club Southend last season.

He has initially put pen to paper on a permanent deal until the end of this season, and will be hoping to go straight into the Southend side for their next game against Swindon on Tuesday evening.

See tomorrow’s East Anglian Daily Times for the full story.