 After an impressive first month of his spell, assistant manager Paul Brush confirmed on 11 December that McCormack would transfer to the club permanently and he subsequently signed on a two-and-a-half-year contract.In what remained of the 2006–07 season, McCormack made 26 appearances and scored three goals, but he was unable to prevent Southend's relegation to League One.McCormack formed a central midfield partnership with Nicky Bailey during the 2007–08 season and the pair scored 20 goals between them, with McCormack scoring nine, which included a run of five goals in seven appearances in September 2007.