Soares, Coughlan and Evans agree Southend United deals

Soares played over 150 times for Aldershot

Louie Soares, Graham Coughlan and Rhys Evans have become the latest players to agree pre-contract terms at Southend.

The trio, like nine others at Roots Hall, cannot finalise their deals until a transfer embargo is lifted.

Defender Coughlan, 35, goalkeeper Evans, 28, and midfielder Soares, 25, have all agreed one-year deals.

Soares, who spent four years with Aldershot before leaving this summer, has played in the last two of Southend's pre-season games.

Evans made six Bristol Rovers starts last term before being released, while Coughlan was let go by Shrewsbury.

Coughlan spent two years at the Shrews, scoring six goals in 82 games and has also had spells at Rotherham, Plymouth Argyle and Livingston.

606: DEBATE

Must admit Soares looked a very tricky winger when I saw him play against Derby on Monday. Missed a sitter from a few yards but other than that, I was very impressed

GaryTSUFC

The Irishman's four-year stay at Plymouth saw him find the net 25 times in 191 appearances.

Meanwhile Evans, who started his career as a Chelsea trainee, will be most notable to Swindon fans, where he played 125 games between 2003 and 2006.

More recently he has featured for Blackpool, Millwall, Bradford and finally Bristol Rovers.

Southend manager Paul Sturrock has been busy assembling a squad since being named as the League Two side's new manager on 5 July.

Nine other players have already signed pre-contract agreements with the Essex side, who face an administration hearing in the High Court on 2 August.

Goalkeeper Glenn Morris, defenders Moshni Bilel, Sean Clohessy and Peter Gilbert, midfielders Craig Easton, Ryan Hall and Sofiene Zaaboub and forwards Barry Corr and Blair Sturrock are the other players who have joined Southend during the past fortnight.