Memory Lane 50 Years ago Today- 1971-72 Promotion Season - Wednesday 3 May 1972 - We finish as runners up! - Southend United 2 Gillingham 2

[LBBlue]

Sorry, but you’ve got it wrong with your “week’s rest before Easter “.
There was another important 1st team fixture: Essex Professional Cup Final,first leg,v Chelmsford at New Writtle Street on Monday 27th March,kick-off 7.30 pm.We won 1-0, I don’t have full details but our line-up,despite our busy promotion push,was very close to full-strength:

Chelmsford City : L.Taylor,D.Lawrence,V.Gomershall,J.Stevenson,W.Foster,P.Delia,D.Horrey,P.Ferry,M.Loughton,T.Price,B.Thornley. Sub: L.Tomkins
Southend United :
J.Roberts,D.Hogg,A.Smith,D.Elliott,B.Albeson,D.Barnett,T.Johnson,B.Best,G.Moore,R.Ternent, P.
Taylor. Sub: S.Dyer

Chelmsford were the country’s top non-league team at that time.They won the Southern League that season , ahead of Hereford,and were the Essex Professional Cup holders, having beaten us 4-3 in the 70-71 Final.

Thank you for that! Doesn’t get a mention in any programmes.
A run out for Johnson and Elliott who had been injured. For Smith, Albeson, Best, Moore and Ternent and unnecessary risk that wouldn’t happen these days.

My Rothmans tells me Chelmsford scored 109 goals winning the Southern League Premier by 2 points. Grant and Peterson scored 53 of those goals.

 

[Zeuss]

Yes,Chelmsford ,like us,were doing their utmost to get promoted (the dubious re-election process was to deny them a place in League Division 4).So ,to the relief of John Roberts and our defenders,they couldn’t risk either Frank Peterson (ankle) or Colin Grant (thigh) for the First Leg. Peterson even had to miss the Second Leg.

 

[sufc_statto]

Yes,Chelmsford ,like us,were doing their utmost to get promoted (the dubious re-election process was to deny them a place in League Division 4).So ,to the relief of John Roberts and our defenders,they couldn’t risk either Frank Peterson (ankle) or Colin Grant (thigh) for the First Leg. Peterson even had to miss the Second Leg.

Match report from Tuesday's Echo:

Southend are set to relieve Chelmsford of the Essex Professional Cup.

Last night's win in the first leg of the final at New Writtle Street should the springboard for overall victory in the Root’s Hall leg, set for May.

The goal from man-of-the-match Spud Taylor two minutes before half-time.

Right winger Scott provided the spade work, attacking full back Dave Hogg took over and a neat pass gave Taylor the chance to explode a left foot shot past his namesake in the Chelmsford goal.

Southend’s lead was rather against the run of play, with Chelmsford unfortunate not to have had at least a couple of goals from all their pressure.

The Southern Leaguers, who retained trophy by beating Southend in last season's final, called the tune throughout first half.

But although City created attack after attack they lacked the lethal finishing of top scorers Frank Peterson Cob and Colin Grant, both out injured.

Using Dave Elliott to boost their Mid Week League Side, Southend came seeking survival, but that looked far from possible.

Goalkeeper John Roberts had to sprint from his goal on several occasions as the home forwards burst through, but luck was on his side when he completely missed a back pass, in the 11th minute, Dyer saving the day with a timely tackle as Price rushed in.

Taylor got through some splendid work in seeking to swing the balance Southend’s way, yet little was seen of the visitors as an attacking force.

George Duck got little change from City king pins Mick Loughton and Winston Foster. In fact, just two serious threats all night, Taylor’s goal and a second half shot from Scott that rattled the home crossbar.

On both occasions Chelmsford were punished for their slackness at the back, something they failed to exploit when the roles were reversed.

The home side brought on nippy Tommy Coakley as replacement for Price at the start or the second half, but it was the same old story as their forwards squandered chances.

Chelmsford City : Taylor, Lawrence, Gomershall, Stevenson, Loughton, Foster, Horrey, Ferry, Tomkins, Price (Coakley), Thornley.
Southend United: Roberts, Hogg, Jenkins, Elliott, Piekalnietis, Barnett, Scott, Dyer, Duck, Taylor, Lewis.

 

[Stuart W]

Match report from Tuesday's Echo:

Southend are set to relieve Chelmsford of the Essex Professional Cup.

Last night's win in the first leg of the final at New Writtle Street should the springboard for overall victory in the Root’s Hall leg, set for May.

The goal from man-of-the-match Spud Taylor two minutes before half-time.

Right winger Scott provided the spade work, attacking full back Dave Hogg took over and a neat pass gave Taylor the chance to explode a left foot shot past his namesake in the Chelmsford goal.

Southend’s lead was rather against the run of play, with Chelmsford unfortunate not to have had at least a couple of goals from all their pressure.

The Southern Leaguers, who retained trophy by beating Southend in last season's final, called the tune throughout first half.

But although City created attack after attack they lacked the lethal finishing of top scorers Frank Peterson Cob and Colin Grant, both out injured.

Using Dave Elliott to boost their Mid Week League Side, Southend came seeking survival, but that looked far from possible.

Goalkeeper John Roberts had to sprint from his goal on several occasions as the home forwards burst through, but luck was on his side when he completely missed a back pass, in the 11th minute, Dyer saving the day with a timely tackle as Price rushed in.

Taylor got through some splendid work in seeking to swing the balance Southend’s way, yet little was seen of the visitors as an attacking force.

George Duck got little change from City king pins Mick Loughton and Winston Foster. In fact, just two serious threats all night, Taylor’s goal and a second half shot from Scott that rattled the home crossbar.

On both occasions Chelmsford were punished for their slackness at the back, something they failed to exploit when the roles were reversed.

The home side brought on nippy Tommy Coakley as replacement for Price at the start or the second half, but it was the same old story as their forwards squandered chances.

Chelmsford City : Taylor, Lawrence, Gomershall, Stevenson, Loughton, Foster, Horrey, Ferry, Tomkins, Price (Coakley), Thornley.
Southend United: Roberts, Hogg, Jenkins, Elliott, Piekalnietis, Barnett, Scott, Dyer, Duck, Taylor, Lewis.

So in fact there was only one player playing who had been in the side for the Aldershot game, namely Bernie Lewis, plus Dave Elliott who had been on the bench.
Hardly a first team game……

 

[Zeuss]

So in fact there was only one player playing who had been in the side for the Aldershot game, namely Bernie Lewis, plus Dave Elliott who had been on the bench.
Hardly a first team game……

Assuming the Echo’s reporting to be accurate in this case,we did indeed have a late change of mind and didn’t for once field our strongest possible line-up as intended —see previous post 420.
The only non-regular first-teamer originally selected was young right-back David Hogg,whom we’d just managed to snap up from the mighty WBA.

 

[westie]

I remember an Essex Professional Cup game at New Writtle Street in 1968. Several members of the SUFC Supporters Club football team, Young Blues FC were in attendance in the stand behind the goal. A wayward shot landed amongst us and the brand new Mitre match ball was duly acquired via one player's jumper and used for the rest of the season's Sunday League home games at Eastwoodbury Lane ... happy days!

 

[LBBlue]

Good Friday 31st March 1972 - Southend United 2 Doncaster Rovers 1

We went into Easter with our best chance of promotion since 1968 when with 8 games left as we went into Easter we had 50 points and were odds on to get promoted. That year we had two fixtures against Doncaster at Easter albeit the home fixture had been moved forward to the preceding Monday. Two days before at bottom club Lincoln we had ended an 8 game unbeaten run with a 4 -2 hammering. Things didn't get any better and we lost home and away to Doncaster and as we all know didn't win again until the last game of the season and missed out by five points.

So for the superstitious a Good Friday game against Doncaster did not bode well!

However this time with an unchanged team for the 5th successive game we recorded win number 6 on the trot.

Doncaster were still harbouring hopes of a late push into the top 4, had ex Man U player Maurice Setters as manager and had gone down the route of playing youngsters. They had 2 young forwards Paul Gilchrist and Mike Elwiss and had been picking up points until they sold Gilchrist to Southampton at the begging of March. Today they had another young forward Peter Kitchen playing. Both Kitchen and Elwiss went onto to play a lot of Second Division football.

Bill Garner put us in front after 14 minutes, Kitchen equalised for Doncaster but Billy Best got the winner in 59th minute. Garner went off injured 3 minutes from the end which wasn't good news with the game at Lincoln the next day.

This game ended up being Bernie Lewis's last appearance for us and indeed his last in the Football League at the age of 27.

I thought Bernie had been key in getting us where we were. He started 24 games, not getting into the side until the 6th game of the season when we started turning around the poor start that we had and he didn't play in the last 10 fixtures. Of those 24 starts we won 17 and drew 3 losing just 4 as two wingers took opponents apart.

He was released at the end of the season and joined Chelmsford City. Peter Taylor was seen as a better long term prospect and squads were not that large.

2 more points in the bag in front of the highest crowd of the season 15,814 and off to Lincoln the next day without Bill Garner, but Terry Johnson and Dave Elliott were fit again.


This might say Reading but it is Doncaster ...a prodigious leap

 

[ozzie]

Think it was" 70s" put a great photo on the Shr.Zone.IIRC,it was King Billys winner and you see the Pak/North bank going "ape"....bloody great photo.Hope someone (70s) can put it on this thread as well.Well worth looking at....now for Lincoln,but thats for tomorrow..then the long trip to Southport....what a great easter that was,3 games in 4 days..COYBB

 

[LBBlue]

Think it was" 70s" put a great photo on the Shr.Zone.IIRC,it was King Billys winner and you see the Pak/North bank going "ape"....bloody great photo.Hope someone (70s) can put it on this thread as well.Well worth looking at....now for Lincoln,but thats for tomorrow..then the long trip to Southport....what a great easter that was,3 games in 4 days..COYBB

What else is there to do on a cold, wet, windy day. Luckily it’s on Page 7 of the Old Photos thread….


Is this the one !

 

[sufc_statto]

Friday March 31, 1972 - Division 4
Southend Utd (1) 2 (Garner 12', Best 59')
Doncaster Rovers (0) 1 (Kitchen 48')
Venue: Roots Hall KO: 3.00
Attendance: 15,814

Southend Utd: D Bellotti, R Ternent, A Smith, D Booth, B Albeson, J Jacques, B Lewis, B Best, B Garner (D Elliott 87'), G Moore, P Woods.
Doncaster Rovers: G Johnson, I Branfoot, D Beardsley, A Irvine, S Robertson, S Uzelac, S Brookes, M Elwiss, P Kitchen, G Moore, S Briggs.

Match Report
THIS Friday game at Roots Hall before a season's record League gate of 15,814, proved once again, if proof was ever needed, that there is no easy way out of the Fourth Division, unless it is downwards, writes Alf Smirk.

There was never a great deal between the teams except for the opening stages. In the first minutes United looked a safe bet. Then they lost control just sufficiently enough to give the visitors a little encouragement.

From then it was ding-dong either way, with the result in doubt until Leicester referee Gordon Hill had blown the final whistle. But to record their sixth consecutive victory and with a points total of 15 out of the last 16, who am I to argue?

Billy Best had been foiled by a bad bounce after only five minutes when he was favourite to be first to a bad pass back by John Beardsley; 'keeper Glenn Johnson got there first.

But there was no mistaking the gold caret of United's first goal which gave them lead after 11 minutes. Alex Smith floated a king free-kick from the right into Rovers' area at the near post and there was Bill Garner, outjumping a couple of defenders and .Johnson to nod down inside the post for his 20th goal of the season.

Rovers' best chance came three minutes later when Mike Elwiss, in front of an open net only a couple of yards away, somehow failed to make contact as he went to head a cross from Ian Branfoot. Elwiss’s long hair could not have helped him sight the cross!

But Rovers still came back and the rest of the first half was about even. Peter Woods and Garner going close for United and Steve Briggs and Elwiss, no fault of his hair this time, doing their best to reply for Rovers.

Blues’ defence, after looking much sounder than for some time, had a temporary lapse two minutes after the interval which allowed the visitors to get on terms.

There should have been no danger from a left-wing centre, but Peter Kitchen went the blind side of two United defenders to hook his shot past Derek Bellotti. Kitchen was booked a few minutes later for showing dissent against a referee's decision.

The winner came after 59 minutes again Garner played a leading part with his ability to tower above the opposition. Ray Ternent crossed from the left and Garner got high enough to head back for Billy Best to push home from dose range.

To say that the game, thereafter, deteriorated, would be putting the case too strongly. To say it never reached any heights afterwards would just about sum it up.

The only playing incidents of note were a great Johnson save as Gary Moore shot on the turn and an equally brilliant save by Bellotti in the last minute when he somehow got to a piledriver from Archie Irvine to push the ball over for a corner.

It was a case of keeping one's fingers crossed when Garner limped off three minutes from the end to be replaced by Dave Elliott. All United fans must have hoped it was not quite as bad as it looked!

League Table

 

[LCBB72]

Good Friday 31st March 1972 - Southend United 2 Doncaster Rovers 1

We went into Easter with our best chance of promotion since 1968 when with 8 games left as we went into Easter we had 50 points and were odds on to get promoted. That year we had two fixtures against Doncaster at Easter albeit the home fixture had been moved forward to the preceding Monday. Two days before at bottom club Lincoln we had ended an 8 game unbeaten run with a 4 -2 hammering. Things didn't get any better and we lost home and away to Doncaster and as we all know didn't win again until the last game of the season and missed out by five points.

So for the superstitious a Good Friday game against Doncaster did not bode well!

However this time with an unchanged team for the 5th successive game we recorded win number 6 on the trot.

Doncaster were still harbouring hopes of a late push into the top 4, had ex Man U player Maurice Setters as manager and had gone down the route of playing youngsters. They had 2 young forwards Paul Gilchrist and Mike Elwiss and had been picking up points until they sold Gilchrist to Southampton at the begging of March. Today they had another young forward Peter Kitchen playing. Both Kitchen and Elwiss went onto to play a lot of Second Division football.

Bill Garner put us in front after 14 minutes, Kitchen equalised for Doncaster but Billy Best got the winner in 59th minute. Garner went off injured 3 minutes from the end which wasn't good news with the game at Lincoln the next day.

This game ended up being Bernie Lewis's last appearance for us and indeed his last in the Football League at the age of 27.

I thought Bernie had been key in getting us where we were. He started 24 games, not getting into the side until the 6th game of the season when we started turning around the poor start that we had and he didn't play in the last 10 fixtures. Of those 24 starts we won 17 and drew 3 losing just 4 as two wingers took opponents apart.

He was released at the end of the season and joined Chelmsford City. Peter Taylor was seen as a better long term prospect and squads were not that large.

2 more points in the bag in front of the highest crowd of the season 15,814 and off to Lincoln the next day without Bill Garner, but Terry Johnson and Dave Elliott were fit again.View attachment 19841View attachment 19842View attachment 19844


This might say Reading but it is Doncaster ...a prodigious leap
View attachment 19843

What else is there to do on a cold, wet, windy day. Luckily it’s on Page 7 of the Old Photos thread….


Is this the one !


View attachment 19854

If you look at the picture and follow the metalpost down , half way down you will see an old boy with a hat on . He used to stand in that place every game for a couple of seasons , he used to spend the game kicking his right leg as if he was playing RIP who ever you were .

 

[LBBlue]

Saturday 1st April 1972 - Lincoln City 0 Southend United 0

Lincoln had managed to avoid having to play on Good Friday so they came into the game not having played since the previous Saturday when they had won 1-0 at Reading. In their previous home game on 18 March they had beaten fellow Lincolnshire promotion chasers Scunthorpe 1-0 at home with a crowd of 16,498. They were in 2nd place after that game having played 2 more games than us, just 1 point ahead of us.

With Grimsby, Brentford and ourselves picking up points from games in hand, they had slipped to 5th place and the pressure was on them. Just 3 points covered the top 5. They had had a fantastic run between October 23rd and 13th March winning 12 drawing 6 and losing only 2 games. Just before Xmas they had sold their star player Phil Hubbard to Norwich and used the money to sign Dixie McNeill from Northampton and Tommy Spencer from Workington just after they had signed John Kurila from Colchester. Kurila was now playing in midfield!


For the second day running we were playing a side managed by an ex Man U player – David Herd who was in his first season as a manager.

This was going to be really tough game as Lincoln were still undefetaed at home. 9 of the side who played the previous day turned out again. Bill Garner was injured and Bernie Lewis left out with Dave Elliott and Terry Johnson returning after injury.

A decent crowd of 12,199 saw the game which was described as tense and undistinguished with Albeson, Jacques and Smith keeping out Lincoln. A point was lot more valuable to us as it kept us just above them. A good day all round as Brentford had lost at bottom place Crewe and Scunthorpe at Hartlepool.

Both Lincoln and leaders Scunthorpe stuttered through the remaining games, with Lincoln ending up 1 point short of Scunthorpe in 5th place.

Having driven to Lincoln, it was onto Southport Saturday evening, find a B and B, Sunday in Blackpool before Monday’s equally hard fixture at Haig Avenue where we would come across the legendary Jim Fryatt again.......

 

[sufc_statto]

Saturday April 01, 1972 - Division 4
Lincoln City (0) 0
Southend Utd (0) 0
Venue: Sincil Bank, Lincoln. KO: 3.00
Attendance: 12,199

Lincoln City: J Kennedy, M Bloor, G Peden, D Trevis, T Spencer, T Branston, J Worsdale, J Kurila, D McNeil, A Gilliver, D Smith (P Freeman).
Southend Utd: D Bellotti, R Ternent, A Smith, D Elliott, B Albeson, J Jacques, T Johnson, B Best, G Moore, D Booth, P Woods. Sub: P Taylor.

Match Report
If there is still anybody who says football is not a man’s game, then they were certainly not among the 12,199 who watched the goalless draw at Sincil Bank on Saturday, writes Alf Smirk.

There may have been a great deal of football for the purists but there was enough blood and guts to satisfy even the Romans. This was a match which, right from the start, it was evident neither side wished to lose owing to their involvement in the Fourth Division Promotion race.

In fact, if this had been given the chance, I am sure they would have settled for a point apiece and not played the fixture at all. Instead they all had to graft for 90 minutes and graft it certainly was for United and they took their points total to 16 out of the last possible 18.

And while sharing the points ended the Blues' run of seven successive victories, this was one point really as valuable as any two they have earned all season. I have never seen them dedicate themselves to any task quite much they did to this one.

Players were crunched down and got up again often to the surprise of onlookers. No quarter was either asked or given and the only name to go into Coventry referee Norman Paget’s book was that of Terry Johnson for a foul on home goalkeeper Jack Kennedy. The only "sending off" was that of United’s physiotherapist John Lattimer who was ordered out of the officials’ dug-out on the line. His ire was understandable as Derek Bellotti had just floored by a Lincoln player in a manner similar to that which led to Johnson’s booking but the incident went un-noted.

And with due respect to other 10 players, Bellotti deserved medal for his brave display. Not for any magnificent saves from fine efforts - there weren't any - but for way he handled every cross and high ball coming into his area knowing that as soon as he caught it he was in for a buffeting.

Some of the belts he received were penalised, some were not. But they must all have hurt and he showed extreme courage by not funking one.

It was a defensive battle from start to finish and good scoring Chances were few and far between. Alan Gilliver and Dixie McNeil went close for Lincoln in the first half while a Billy Best overhead kick from a Woods cross was United's effort.

The best chance fell to McNeil 12 minutes from the end when he scooped the ball wide shortly after Percy Freeman had come on for Dave Smith.

United were without the injured Bill Garner and Dave Elliott and Terry Johnson both returned for their first full senior outings since their injuries.

Gary Moore took quite a buffeting up front but gave as good as he got, and full credit to all the United side, especially back four of Alex Smith, Brian Albeson, skipper Joe Jacques and Ray Ternent for the way they slogged to keep trouble down to a minimum.

But with all the United players defending when necessary they all played a vital part in a match they will remember for a long time

League Table

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

Saturday 1st April 1972 - Lincoln City 0 Southend United 0

Lincoln had managed to avoid having to play on Good Friday so they came into the game not having played since the previous Saturday when they had won 1-0 at Reading. In their previous home game on 18 March they had beaten fellow Lincolnshire promotion chasers Scunthorpe 1-0 at home with a crowd of 16,498. They were in 2nd place after that game having played 2 more games than us, just 1 point ahead of us.

With Grimsby, Brentford and ourselves picking up points from games in hand, they had slipped to 5th place and the pressure was on them. Just 3 points covered the top 5. They had had a fantastic run between October 23rd and 13th March winning 12 drawing 6 and losing only 2 games. Just before Xmas they had sold their star player Phil Hubbard to Norwich and used the money to sign Dixie McNeill from Northampton and Tommy Spencer from Workington just after they had signed John Kurila from Colchester. Kurila was now playing in midfield!


For the second day running we were playing a side managed by an ex Man U player – David Herd who was in his first season as a manager.

This was going to be really tough game as Lincoln were still undefetaed at home. 9 of the side who played the previous day turned out again. Bill Garner was injured and Bernie Lewis left out with Dave Elliott and Terry Johnson returning after injury.

A decent crowd of 12,199 saw the game which was described as tense and undistinguished with Albeson, Jacques and Smith keeping out Lincoln. A point was lot more valuable to us as it kept us just above them. A good day all round as Brentford had lost at bottom place Crewe and Scunthorpe at Hartlepool.

Both Lincoln and leaders Scunthorpe stuttered through the remaining games, with Lincoln ending up 1 point short of Scunthorpe in 5th place.

Having driven to Lincoln, it was onto Southport Saturday evening, find a B and B, Sunday in Blackpool before Monday’s equally hard fixture at Haig Avenue where we would come across the legendary Jim Fryatt again.......

My one and only visit to Sincil Bank.
Games were few and far while at uni in Twickenham, but this one fell over the Easter break.
My father was a Football League referee and sat behind me and a mate.
At one stage he shouted in that loud voice loathed by all sons just out of their teenagerdom: 'Get a grip referee, they're taking the Mick!"
I also remember the Blues warm-up that involved players sprinting away from a circle and reforming that also got stick from Lincoln fans.
Interesting also, is the eight sides no longer in that league, including us; one no longer existing, and one in the Premier League!

 

[ozzie]

What else is there to do on a cold, wet, windy day. Luckily it’s on Page 7 of the Old Photos thread….


Is this the one !


View attachment 19854

Yep,LLB,thats the one

 

[ozzie]

When getting onto the coach at Roots Hall,the police were there warning the Southend fans about causing/getting into trouble at Sincil Bank.After Southend fans i believe "took" Lincolns end a few years before.
When leaving Lincoln,our coach got "bricked",so the backseat boys led by Micky.B got off the coach and chased who they thought had done it.Mick caught one and punched him...but then found out he was the wrong lad.This lad was walking to do his paper round,so Mick gave him his Southend badge as an apology.

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

Saturday 1st April 1972 - Lincoln City 0 Southend United 0

9 of the side who played the previous day turned out again. Bill Garner was injured and Bernie Lewis left out with Dave Elliott and Terry Johnson returning after injury.

These days some managers moan if their club have to play 3 times in a week!.

 

[ozzie]

Now for Southport away.Brother Grimm took two coaches to that game.I think im correct.There was a few Leigh Comm on them,plus i think two cars full of LC
Strange ground,we stood in the Southport end,but they had no lads.But thats still to come

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

Now for Southport away.Brother Grimm took two coaches to that game.I think im correct.There was a few Leigh Comm on them,plus i think two cars full of LC
Strange ground,we stood in the Southport end,but they had no lads.But thats still to come

A handful of Leigh Comm hitched it up there, which was a memorable story in it's own right. Alas Rick F who recalled it very well is no longer with us. I think (?) they started off on the Sunday.

 

[ozzie]

But i m sure im correct,two LC motors also went??? Being LC,the were much appreciated by the lads on the two coaches