Any chance of having the North Bank back before we move ?

[Jam_Man]

I used to stand in the Northbank, about a qtr of the way in and there was never singing around that part, most of the noise came just from the middle.

I dont see the point in having the northbank back, it wouldnt be the same now its seating anyway.

 

[Beefy]

As much as I loved the North Bank back in the day, nowadays I love my seat in the South Upper too much to give it up. So selfishly I hope that nothing changes!

 

[Maldon Blues]

It'd be interesting to know how many 'Give Us Back the North Bank' threads there have been since ShrimerZone was created.

I'd take a stab at 341.

 

[Cricko2]

would be a very good idea i think. i remember sitting in the north bank when i really young. sat there again last game of last season. think we would much more vocal if it could happen. can this idea be put forward to rm?

Sitting ? In the old days we used to stand in freezing cold..Be lucky to get a cold hot dog..programmes were 6 pages . then we used to have to replant pitch after game ..Polish Boots... Lick Tramac, "if we were lucky" and then we would go home to our paper bag and our mum would thrash us to death with a hot fire iron .................U trying telling the kids of today!:)

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

When the club asked fans a few years ago the response they got was pitifully small & with justification they can say we've been through that. It isn't going to happen.

Back in 2002 Southend United FC inserted special forms into the matchday programme for the home game against Hartlepool United; there were also forms made available at every entrance into the ground. Of the 5,200 that attended the game, just 77 bothered to return the forms to the club and only 26 supported a move back to the North Bank: that's just 0.5% of that evening's attendance. "We realised that a lot of fans would like to back in the North Bank and we gave them a chance to show us that this was the general consensus," said Ron Martin. "But the feedback we received is nowhere near enough to get the wheels in motion."

The Shrimpers Trust embarked on their own poll using slips at the bottom of their newsletter. Scribe Nigel Rickard commented on the results in December 2002: "A song and dance was made, but in the end only 77 people could be ****d to reply to United via the programme. Meanwhile, the Trust cut-out slip in number 41 hardly had members breaking a world record to get their scissors out."

I wrote an article for a fanzine a couple of years ago; perhaps the final paragraph sums it up:

"On April 1st 2003, after much lobbying from fans, the North Bank turnstiles were flung open to the Southend faithful one last time for Steve Tilson’s testimonial match. There was still much persuasion needed on the night to prise open the gates and return to the “spiritual home”, and rumour was that the stadium manager was making it as difficult as possible for fans to enjoy the homecoming. About 300 of us gathered in the centre of the stand behind the goal, joined by many others who transferred from other areas of the ground once they realised that the North Bank was alive again. The old songs emerged, the banter returned, and there were several misty eyes as heroes of old stood on the pitch and purposefully saluted the North once again. But, with seats bolted unceremoniously to the old terracing, it didn’t feel the same. As we walked reluctantly from the stand at the end of the evening, many stopped and took a final look. There were a few knowing looks, familiar glances exchanged, and there were plenty of smiles. But there was also sadness. For we knew then that the North Bank of old could never return."

 

[Cricko2]

No the North Bank will never Return but they were great days !

 

[Cricko2]

Mind you it would apt if in the new stadium we return to our spiritual home.

 

[Kenny]

The old songs emerged, the banter returned, and there were several misty eyes as heroes of old stood on the pitch and purposefully saluted the North once again. But, with seats bolted unceremoniously to the old terracing, it didn’t feel the same. As we walked reluctantly from the stand at the end of the evening, many stopped and took a final look. There were a few knowing looks, familiar glances exchanged, and there were plenty of smiles. But there was also sadness. For we knew then that the North Bank of old could never return."

I remember those heady days well as Leeboy led a North Bank chant of "your just a bunch of actors! at the Harchester players"

 

[Sandbach Shrimper]

They could give it to us for Spencer Prior's testimonial, which is planned o be the last game at Roots Hall.

Only been in the north bank once and that was for Tilly's testimonial.

 

[prittlewellshrimper]

In answer to original thread the answer is a simple NO. Let sleeping dogs lie, as XS recalls thru those misty eyes it was very much from a bygone era. I purposely stayed off the North Bank for Tillys Testimonial cos I knew it wouldnt be the same , the memories i have from those days when it was a terrace are great and in some ways its a shame that the new younger fans dont get that same experience but thats the way football has evolved.

 

[Aberdeen Shrimper]

Going back to the North Bank would be fantastic, I remember about standing in the middle about half way back and screaming at Sammy to “give us the ball” which he always did and then trying to knock that annoying birds nest out the roof of the North bank roof, it resided somewhere wedged between the speaker and the roof i think?

But thinking back I remember also standing in the South Bank about 27 years ago with my dad on the most amazing of nights when Liverpool came to visit, the snow and the orange ball and that sea of Red in the North Bank, what a memory…………………..So I guess the question is if I was in the South bank before I was in the North bank as a home supporter, is the South Bank not the true Spiritual Home end???????

 

[WickfordShrimper]

Funny I used to stand on the big South Bank when i was a nipper before I moved to the North Bank ??

One Team In Essex
SOUTHEND UNITED FC

 

[Jam_Man]

So I guess the question is if I was in the South bank before I was in the North bank as a home supporter, is the South Bank not the true Spiritual Home end???????

A fair point.

And for the last game at roots hall they should allow us to stand where the old south stand was, ie in those peoples flats.

 

[Phippsy]

Sitting ? In the old days we used to stand in freezing cold..Be lucky to get a cold hot dog..programmes were 6 pages . then we used to have to replant pitch after game ..Polish Boots... Lick Tramac, "if we were lucky" and then we would go home to our paper bag and our mum would thrash us to death with a hot fire iron .................U trying telling the kids of today!:)

The only thing i remember as a kid in the north bank was Ginger lee and his mates having a kick about as there was so few fans, **** hotdogs which were always cold, and no singing (sorry i was young -and normally cold as my dad only seemed to take me in the winter lol), i for one welcome my nicer seat in the south upper, im sure fossets will be a cracking atmosphere once we make it our home;)

 

[Aberdeen Shrimper]

A fair point.

And for the last game at roots hall they should allow us to stand where the old south stand was, ie in those peoples flats.

That did make me laugh......i know that Vic Jobsons nephew used to have a flat there....maybe he would oblige!!!!

 

[choggy]

I miss the North Bank. When the North Bank was for home fans, it had no seats and behind the goal was rammed full of us, the South Bank was a single stand with no covers, flats or double tiers and any noise the away fans made there was lost to the wind.

RH has definitely suffered for it, there is now no focus point for the home fans to go to - there's the South Upper behind the goal, the West Stand near the North bank and the East Bank at the back of the stand. Meanwhile the North Stand seems to have the best acoustics and makes a couple of hundred away fans sound like thousands.

Hopefully there will be a part of Fossetts Farm which we claim as our own.

 

[Smiffy]

Yep, a Blue Ultra's section at FF will be most welcome...

Ron, make this happen please.

 

[Woody]

But thinking back I remember also standing in the South Bank about 27 years ago with my dad on the most amazing of nights when Liverpool came to visit, the snow and the orange ball and that sea of Red in the North Bank, what a memory…………………..So I guess the question is if I was in the South bank before I was in the North bank as a home supporter, is the South Bank not the true Spiritual Home end???????

I was 'on the bank' with my dad as well. The one thing I remember is how warm I was standing in a driving snowstorm due to the 10,000 others standing around me!!!. It was so packed I was being lifted off my feet with every attack that the lads made.

That one-on-one miss still haunts me....oh, derek!!

When I started back in '68, we could 'migrate' between the south and north banks which solved our problem at the time. Later on, because we stood in the west stand, we could at least walk from one end to the other.

I can see the frustration of our younger lads not being able to do what fans did 15, 20, 30 years ago, but because of overridding circumstances such as health & safety, and the police, we will never be able to stand (or sit1) on the hallowed area again as home supporters.

Best we make an area of the new stadium the 'vocal' home end.

 

[Tommy2holes]

I think that it would be quite a nice gesture for the club to let the fans have a final swan song in the north bank . I think for priors testimonial would be a great choice especially if colly, powell ,bretty angel and co were playing. If its not to be then i can see a good few fans going over to it when there is the inevitable pitch invasion come the final game.