SOUTHEND United manager Phil Brown will not be lowering his standards in the transfer window.

Brown remains frustrated in his pursuit of new players.

But he insists there is no point making signings who will not improve the Shrimpers.

“We have to make sure we’re bringing in players who are good enough to make the right kind of impact here,” said Brown.

“I don’t think I’m being unrealistic in my targets but I want the right people coming to the football club.

“I could easily bring in a defender, in fact I was offered two yesterday.

“One is with a Championship club and the other in League One but we’ve scouted them before and don’t feel they are good enough.

“It’s the same with strikers too.

“We’ve seen what Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has done for Gillingham and we’ve seen what Nile Ranger can do in 25 minutes for us at Sheffield United.

“We want people who are going to make a positive impact and a real difference not just signings who are going to make up the numbers.”

Brown remains in talks with three defensive targets – who could yet be loan or permanent signings – and three strikers, two of which are loans.

Leyton Orient’s Jay Simpson is believed to be the other target.

But Brown believes the transfer window may not spring into the life until the very last day.

“It’s been like a game of cards and you have to hold your nerve,” said the Shrimpers boss. “It could well come down to the final 24 hours until things start to happen.

“I think maybe I’ve been guilty of misreading the window and the impact the new loan rules would have.

“But we’ve identified our targets and we’re all doing absolutely everything we can to bring them to the football club.”