PROMOTION hero Wayne Brown says he is looking forward to pulling on a Colchester United shirt again – and taking on their old foes Southend United.

Brown, who made more than 150 appearances for the U's, was part of the squad that won the club promotion to the second tier for the first time in their history, in the 2005-06 season.

Phil Parkinson’s side finished as League One runners-up behind champions Southend United that year and the sides from that era will renew rivalries in the name of raising money for Havens Hospices charity at Roots Hall, on May 20.

Colchester face Southend in the Sid Broomfield Trophy in a game which has been organised as part of Blues' legend Adam Barrett and Echo sports writer Chris Phillips fundraising for the London Marathon.

The likes of Neil Danns, Kevin Watson and Johnnie Jackson are all set to turn out for the U's.

Former centre-back Brown, who is now the manager of Bostik League division north outfit Maldon and Tiptree, said: “It’s a great cause, first and foremost.

“I hope that we’re able to contribute and generate a lot of money for the charity.

“Adam has put a lot of work in and has gone to great lengths to organise things.

“I’ll get to see some old faces from that squad and also from Southend and I’m still in touch with the likes of Mark Gower and Kevin Maher.

“We’ve got a group together and it’s like we’ve not been away.

“That team definitely had the best team spirit of any I played in during my playing career and it’ll be nice to get back out on the pitch again.

“We’ve just had the 13th anniversary of the promotion and time flies – it makes you feel ancient!”

Tickets for the game, which cost £5 adults and £1 concessions can be bought on the Shrimpers Trust website or on the night of the game, which kicks off at 7.30pm.

Colchester United squad for Southend game: Mark Cousins, Pat Baldwin, George Elokobi, Wayne Brown, Sam Stockley, John White, Garry Richards, Karl Duguid, Neil Danns, Kevin Watson, Johnnie Jackson, Kevin McLeod, Mark Yeates, Chris Iwelumo, Craig Fagan, Gareth Williams, Kem Izzet and Craig Hughes.

Meanwhile Brown admits Maldon's penalty shoot-out defeat to Heybridge Swifts in the Bostik League division north play-off final was tough to take.

The Jammers lost out on spot-kicks at Park Drive last Sunday, after the game had finished 2-2 after extra-time.

Maldon found themselves trailing by two goals, after Nick Brown and Evans Kouassi put Heybridge firmly in control.

But two late goals in the space of a minute from Eddie-Louis Dsane and Kojo Awotwi sent the game to extra-time and a penalty shoot-out, which ended in heartbreak for the Jammers.

Brown said: “Any game that is decided on penalties when you’re on the losing side is a bit harsh.

“But when it’s the whole season of 38 games plus two play-off matches, it’s hard to take.

“It makes it even more disappointing and frustrating but is what it is.

“We prepared our players for penalties over six weeks but you can’t replicate a penalty situation, taking into account the other factors like the situation and fans behind the goal.

“Their (Heybridge’s) antics were disappointing at the end of the game, with the whole of their team singing ‘we hate Maldon’.

“We made sure that we clapped them when they got their medals because we want to do the right thing but you can’t control what other people do.

“On the day we weren’t at our best and the situation got to some of the lads but I still felt that we were the better team with the ball.

“They hit us on the counter which killed us a bit but the lads showed great character and belief and stuck together.

“We got two really late goals to recover a two-goal deficit and it was all us in extra-time.

“We dominated the ball and I think Heybridge were happy to take it to penalties, having taken their two centre-forwards off.

“We just couldn’t quite find that final goal to win it but I was chuffed to bits with the lads.”

Heybridge have not been promoted to the Bostik Premier due to National League restructuring this season and boss Brown says the situation is absurd.

“It’s farcical,” added Brown.

“It makes a mockery of the whole situation, with only one team going up.

“There are 20 teams in the division and probably six or seven of those at least have given it a right good go financially.”