HOPES of striker Simon Cox making a return to Swindon Town have finally been quashed after the striker signed a new deal with League One side Southend United this morning.

Town boss Phil Brown had spoken of his interest in the former Republic of Ireland frontman, who he worked with during his managerial spell at Roots Hall, but admitted finances were likely to be the stumbling block for any possible deal.

However, Cox this morning signed a new year-long deal with the Shrimpers, with the option of another 12 months, to kill off any likelihood of him returning to Wiltshire.

The 31 year old scored more than 40 goals in two spells with Town between 2007 and 2009 and has netted 26 times in his first two years at Southend.

Cox, Southend's leading scorer for the last two years, told southendunited.co.uk: "It's been a long summer for me, I'm glad that the deal is done and I'm looking forward to Thursday, getting back into training and into the start of pre-season.

"We have a few new additions to the side but we also have all the players that featured in the final games of last season. If the lads put in the shifts that they did at the end of the season then it will bode well for us.

"If I'm honest I was disappointed with the return of goals and assists last season but I was happy with my all-round performance.

"I am hoping to get more goals than I did last year and I am aiming to strive to get more goals than I did in my first season here so next year will be all about the goals."