 Hammell came to speak to Southend manager Steve Tilson after a conversation with former Blues loanee Alan McCormack – also of Motherwell.Hammell praised Tilson and the set-up at Southend and after a nervous 48 hours wait whilst Hammell brought his girlfriend down to Essex to check out the area, he agreed to sign a two-year contract.Hammell rejoined Motherwell in the January 2008 transfer window on deadline day for a fee of £110,000, replacing Jim Paterson at left-back.