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

[mfurok]

Thought Eastleigh had been at the same ground since the 50s when they left Swaythling ?

It appears you’re right Mick (as usual).

I played at Stoneham/Wellington for three years and never saw the Eastleigh ground - they weren’t really on the radar at the time as we had the likes of Ron Davies, Terry Paine, Brian O’Neil, Mick Channon, John McGrath, Jimmy Gabriel and Jim Steele to salivate over at the Dell. What a ground.

…….and what a team. Some sublime skills mixed with the hardest players in the league.

Went to Eastleigh in 2018 - good ground now but they had a decent team then that would certainly give our current team a difficult time.

Likely to be another tricky away fixture.

 

[sufc_statto]

Wednesday August 18, 1971 - League Cup (R1)
Aldershot (0) 1 (Walden 62')
Southend Utd (1) 1 (Johnson 23')
Venue: Recreation Ground, Aldershot. KO: 7.30
Attendance: 5,159

Aldershot: G Gurr, R Walden, J Grummett, R Joslyn, R Dean, H Bennett, R Walton, S Melledew, J Howarth, J Melia (T Pearce), M Brodie.
Southend Utd: J Roberts, K Lindsey, A Smith, D Elliott, B Albeson, J Jacques, T Johnson, B Best, B Garner, G Moore, R Ternent. Sub: J Piekalnietis.

Match Report
A "hole In the wall" prevented United from winning this first round Football League Cup game at Aldershot’s Recreation Ground. To be more exact, It was either a hole or the wall hadn’t been built properly In the first place! writes Alf Smirk.

It all happened 17 minutes after the interval when, after a scrimmage on the edge of the Blues’ penalty area, referee Mr. A. Hart awarded a free-kick to Aldershot.

Five blue shirts in the subsequent wall did not seem enough but it was the red Aldershot shirt On the end of the line that caused all the trouble.

Goalkeeper John Roberts moved his wall into position and placed himself in readiness for the chip over the top, but full-back Walden took three steps and then belted the ball just past his teammate into the net without a Southend player being able to move.

It was a pity, because United had controlled practically all the first half.

Joe Jacques’ return steadied the back four and Gary Moore teamed up in front as a double-striker with Bill Garner to good effect. Brian Albeson kept big Jack Howarth’s opportunities down to a minimum while Keith Lindsey and Alex Smith kept a firm control on the flanks.

But the real strength in the first half was the mid-field control exercised by Dave Elliott, Billy Best and Ray Ternent.

It was no surprise when United went in front after 23 minutes. The ball was swung over from the left, Moore nodded it down Into the middle and Terry Johnson was on it in a flash to hammer it low into the net.

Not unexpectedly, Aldershot hit back hard immediately after half-time, and United played right into their hands. Instead of steadying and slowing the pace by possession and accurate distribution to another blue shirt, there was too much aimless kicking to get the ball away as far as possible.

It achieved this objective but only meant that it came back quickly as most of the clearances went straight to the Opposition.

But Blues were certainly good value for their replay. There was a general tightening up right throughout the side and much more punch in the opposing penalty area.

 

[Whispering Bob]

Is that Jimmy Melia (the old Brighton manager) in the Shots line-up there?

 

[Mick]

Is that Jimmy Melia (the old Brighton manager) in the Shots line-up there?

Yes, player-manager at the time.
The partnership of Jack Howarth and Murray Brodie was probably the most prolific in their history playing around 900 games between them .

 

[CaptainSmudger]

This is my 50th Anniversary season ?

Golden Lady?

 

[Suffolk Shrimper In Dorset]

Does anyone have any clues re what happened to J Piekalnietis after he left us?

 

[LBBlue]

Does anyone have any clues re what happened to J Piekalnietis after he left us?

Signed for Yeovil I believe

 

[Ailsa Road Shrimper]

It appears you’re right Mick (as usual).

I played at Stoneham/Wellington for three years and never saw the Eastleigh ground - they weren’t really on the radar at the time as we had the likes of Ron Davies, Terry Paine, Brian O’Neil, Mick Channon, John McGrath, Jimmy Gabriel and Jim Steele to salivate over at the Dell. What a ground.

I lived in Stoneham around 20 years ago and remember passing Eastleigh’s ground to and from trips to Wellington sports ground. Eastleigh’s setup then looked no bigger than a club the size of Southend Manor, I didn’t think we’d end up playing a league game there!

 

[Mick]

Signed for Yeovil I believe

Indeed he did, playing 21 games for the then, as now, non-league Yeovil.

click here for feature

 

[Mick]

I lived in Stoneham around 20 years ago and remember passing Eastleigh’s ground to and from trips to Wellington sports ground. Eastleigh’s setup then looked no bigger than a club the size of Southend Manor, I didn’t think we’d end up playing a league game there!

They were in the Wessex League 20 years ago and just about to embark on three successive promotions. Their ground was better than Southend Manor's. Not difficult.

 

[LBBlue]

Is that Jimmy Melia (the old Brighton manager) in the Shots line-up there?

He was a top player in his time. A scouser - he started at Liverpool won promotion to the first division with them and then got a League Champions medal even though they had sold him to Wolves in March 64 for their then club record fee of £48,000. He only stayed a year then he moved to Southampton for £30000 - a record fee for them. Got them promoted and kept them in the first division.

He moved to Aldershot as player/ coach in 1968 for £10k and got sacked in Jan 72.

When at Liverpool he won two England caps.

Just imagine these days someone with that pedigree rolling up in League 2 as player/manager.

He wasn’t the only ex International playing in the fourth division in 71/72.

 

[Mick]

He was a top player in his time. A scouser - he started at Liverpool won promotion to the first division with them and then got a League Champions medal even though they had sold him to Wolves in March 64 for their then club record fee of £48,000. He only stayed a year then he moved to Southampton for £30000 - a record fee for them. Got them promoted and kept them in the first division.

He moved to Aldershot as player/ coach in 1968 for £10k and got sacked in Jan 72.

When at Liverpool he won two England caps.

Just imagine these days someone with that pedigree rolling up in League 2 as player/manager.

He wasn’t the only ex International playing in the fourth division in 71/72.

John Roberts ?

 

[LBBlue]

John Roberts ?

One game for Australia.

John Connelly for Bury - there may be some more.

A few who subsequently went on and played for England too

Our own Peter Taylor and Terry McDermott and Phil Neal come to mind.

 

[mfurok]

One game for Australia.

John Connelly for Bury - there may be some more.

A few who subsequently went on and played for England too

Our own Peter Taylor and Terry McDermott and Phil Neal come to mind.

Ian Botham?

 

[Shrimperjohn]

This is my 50th Anniversary season ?

OldBlueLady. Me too.. !

 

[sufc_statto]

Friday August 20, 1971 - Division 4
Southend Utd (2) 3 (Lindsey 35' (pen}, Moore 40', Best 48')
Darlington (0) 0
Venue: Roots Hall. KO: 7.30
Attendance: 6,360

Southend Utd: J Roberts, K Lindsey, A Smith, D Elliott, B Albeson, J Jacques, T Johnson, B Best, B Garner (P Taylor 80'), G Moore, R Ternent.
Darlington: J Wealands, J Peverell, B Horner, K Hale, G Barker, P Carr, A Gauden, A Sproates, C Sinclair, P Graham, A Harding.

Match Report
The fact that it might have been six, seven or eight makes no difference to the fact that United won their first home league game of the season when trampling Darlington into the dust at Roots Hall on Friday night. While more goals would have been welcomed by the 6,360 fans, most of them seemed quite happy with the final result, writes ALF.SMIRK.

In fact, this was a contest for just over half-an-hour. But once United went in front 10 minutes before half-time and increased the lead five minutes later, it was all over bar the shouting. Another goal three minutes after the restart completed the scoring and killed off any chance of a Darlington revival.

But until Blues went in front the game had been one of defensive domination and stalemate which was sheer boredom. It may have resulted, of course, from the fact that defenders on both sides were playing against their former clubs.

In the Darlington back four was Geoff Barker, who was with United on loan from Hull City for the major part of last season. United’s back four contained skipper Joe Jacques and Brian Albeson, colleagues together at Darlington before joining the Roots Hall pay-roll.

Each side had boasted only one break in the first half-hour and neither led to anything. Then in the 35th minute. United were awarded a penalty which, like quite a few of referee Mr. A. A. Teal’s decisions, had the fans in a state of bewilderment.

It looked from the stands as though full-back John Peverell had held Gary Moore’s legs but Keith Lindsey didn’t stop to ask questions as he belted his spot-kick well wide of goalkeeper Geoff Wealands.

United’s second goal five minutes later was a much more clear cut affair. Bill Garner did the spade work out on the left before parting to Terry Johnson. His chip into the middle was headed home by Moore.

It was all over as a competition when Billy Best increased the lead after 48 minutes. A cross from the left was turned back by Moore, Johnson’s shot was going well wide when Wealands pushed It out for Best to hammer it back into the net.

It was all United from then on and they might have had a hatful of goals. but the nearest they got was a Best shot which was cleared off the line by Horner and a Garner piledriver from the edge of. the box which hit the post.

Darlington were never in the game from then on as a fighting force. Although Blues failed to add to their total, their superiority was never in question.

Once again the back four were sound and rarely in trouble. The mid-field trio commanded most of the space between the two penalty areas and the front three showed plenty of bite and spirit in their finishing.

A limping Garner was replaced by Spud Taylor 10 minutes from the end by which time it was simply a case of waiting for the final whistle.

 

[LBBlue]

So we had our first home league game Friday 20th August, just 48 hours after the League Cup Tie - it wouldn't happen these days - an unchanged side. We now had the best centre back pairing in the division - two of Ernie Shepherd's Darlington "animals". We'd won 4-0 at Darlington the previous April so a 3-0 win wasn't unexpected. They had a former Southend loanee Geoff Barker at centre half - he'd played in that win in April and replaced Brian Albeson who had joined us in the summer.

Just one photo of the action... I presume the guy on the line got in the way!

6,360 - not a great crowd -but we had just had two poor seasons.

 

[LCBB72]

So we had our first home league game Friday 20th August, just 48 hours after the League Cup Tie - it wouldn't happen these days - an unchanged side. We now had the best centre back pairing in the division - two of Ernie Shepherd's Darlington "animals". We'd won 4-0 at Darlington the previous April so a 3-0 win wasn't unexpected. They had a former Southend loanee Geoff Barker at centre half - he'd played in that win in April and replaced Brian Albeson who had joined us in the summer.

Just one photo of the action... I presume the guy on the line got in the way!

6,360 - not a great crowd -but we had just had two poor seasons.

View attachment 16405

Thats Ray Ternet having a shot , Jacques and Albeson was a great pair of center backs

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

So we had our first home league game Friday 20th August, just 48 hours after the League Cup Tie - it wouldn't happen these days - an unchanged side. We now had the best centre back pairing in the division - two of Ernie Shepherd's Darlington "animals". We'd won 4-0 at Darlington the previous April so a 3-0 win wasn't unexpected. They had a former Southend loanee Geoff Barker at centre half - he'd played in that win in April and replaced Brian Albeson who had joined us in the summer.

Just one photo of the action... I presume the guy on the line got in the way!

6,360 - not a great crowd -but we had just had two poor seasons.

View attachment 16405

I like the umbrellas at the back of the terrace!
Would they get confiscated these days?

 

[mfurok]

Thats Ray Ternet having a shot , Jacques and Albeson was a great pair of center backs

Hard or what?