Echo News Blues legend Frankie hails club's resilience ahead of Wembley final

[Evening Echo]

SOUTHEND United legend Frankie Banks has hailed the club’s resilience ahead of Sunday’ s National League play-off final against Oldham Athletic.

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[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Optimistic - Frankie Banks (white jumper) is confident Southend United will win at Wembley (Image: Alan Stanford)

By Chris Phillips. Chief sports reporter.

SOUTHEND United legend Frankie Banks has hailed the club’s resilience ahead of Sunday’ s National League play-off final against Oldham Athletic.

Blues have fought back from the edge of liquidation to set up this weekend’s promotion decider with the Latics at Wembley.

And Banks - who has been associated with the Shrimpers since the 1960s - hopes Kevin Maher’s side can complete a remarkable turnaround by getting into the EFL.

“Sunday means a lot and it would mean an awful lot to get back into the Football League,” said Frankie.

“We’ve done really, really well considering the lows we’ve been through but now we’re on a high and hopefully those highs will carry us through on Sunday.

“It’s been a privilege to be part of really because we’ve been through some bad times and we thought we were going to fold.

“But we bounced back and the resilience has been fantastic.

“We could have been another Bury but people stood by us and the support is unbelievable.”

And Frankie believes victory on Sunday would be among the best moments of the club’s history.

“Victory on Sunday would be right up there with anything the club has achieved,” said Frankie.

“I know we’ve won promotion and been to Wembley before but because we were nearly extinct and have bounced back it shows the resilience of this club.

"Everyone has been fantastic.

“It’s been tough but hopefully we’ll finish it off now and I’m very optimistic.

"I think we'll win 1-0."