Suffolk Shrimper In Dorset
Director⭐⭐🦐
Out now on SUEPA Facebook, but for those of you who don't venture out to those murky waters, here's the story:
"We reckon a key landmark will be reached on Tuesday evening at Wealdstone, as King Kev will achieve his 600th Shrimper ‘cap’. Read on …..
Kev was first with us of course as a player from 1998 to 2008, notching up 454 appearances in a Shrimpers shirt. Then came his return as manager in October 2021, since which he’s been in charge for 145 matches and, if we call every Shrimper appearance or match in charge a ‘cap’, that gives him 599 pieces of SUFC headgear.
But, where does that bring him to in terms of all-time Shrimpers? Well, second, but with the prospect of becoming top dog later this campaign.
In terms of just playing appearances, no one is perhaps ever likely to match Alan Moody’s magnificent 507 from 1972 to 1984. Indeed, Kev himself is third in that table just behind Sandy Anderson’s 483. Tony Bentley and Ronnie Pountney are the others to break the 400 barrier. But none of Kev’s fellow Shrimpers mentioned here added to that with a managerial stint for the club.
If we look at the longest serving managers then, often bucking the trend in the hire-then-fire culture of club chairman throughout the game, SUFC have had some long-stayers. Mr Webb (as Crowny always tells us he needs to be referred to as) had four stints, the wonderful Dave Smith enjoyed seven seasons at the helm in the 1970’s/80’s (and should never have been sacked), Arthur Rowley lasted for six, and if we really scroll back in time then David Jack saw us through to WWII from May 1934, Joe Bradshaw lasted eight years from 1911 (albeit with a break for WWI), and Bob Jack kicked things off on 1906 with a heathy four year stint before going down to Devon for a 28 year crack at the Argyle hot-seat.
But none hold a candle to Harry Warren for Shrimper managerial staying power. Starting off in May 1940 with what during WWII was effectively a merged Chelmsford-Southend team, his first competitive games came in the 1945/46 FA Cup when we drew with Watford before losing the replay (quite a cup run for us compared to more recent times). League football recommenced with the 1946/47 season, and Harry stayed in charge for a full ten seasons clocking up 471 matches before sending himself to Coventry.
But what of those aside from Kev that have both played and managed us? They’ve been a few, Peter Taylor, Chris Powell, and the late Alan Little spring to mind, and Paul Clark added to his 359 appearances for us with 15 months in charge (including one promotion) in the late 1980’s.
That all though then brings us to Steve Brian Tilson. A total of 275 playing appearances started his Shrimper journey from 1988 to 1998, and then from 22 November 2003 to the end of the 2009/10 season he managed us – with a little help of course from Brushy – for 359 matches. Pressing the buttons on our rudimentary calculator that gives him a grand total of 634 Shrimper caps.
Tilly is therefore our most capped Shrimper ….. unless of course Kev, as we all hope, steers us successfully through the remainder of the 2024/25 season and then, depending on cup runs (well, you never know), he should surpass Tilly around March/April time.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this little statto trip – we must credit the ever-helpful Peter Miles in providing some of the information, but we take full responsibility for any errors or omissions as this is a SUEPA production. Whatever, wish Kev a happy 600th at Wealdstone on Tuesday."
"We reckon a key landmark will be reached on Tuesday evening at Wealdstone, as King Kev will achieve his 600th Shrimper ‘cap’. Read on …..
Kev was first with us of course as a player from 1998 to 2008, notching up 454 appearances in a Shrimpers shirt. Then came his return as manager in October 2021, since which he’s been in charge for 145 matches and, if we call every Shrimper appearance or match in charge a ‘cap’, that gives him 599 pieces of SUFC headgear.
But, where does that bring him to in terms of all-time Shrimpers? Well, second, but with the prospect of becoming top dog later this campaign.
In terms of just playing appearances, no one is perhaps ever likely to match Alan Moody’s magnificent 507 from 1972 to 1984. Indeed, Kev himself is third in that table just behind Sandy Anderson’s 483. Tony Bentley and Ronnie Pountney are the others to break the 400 barrier. But none of Kev’s fellow Shrimpers mentioned here added to that with a managerial stint for the club.
If we look at the longest serving managers then, often bucking the trend in the hire-then-fire culture of club chairman throughout the game, SUFC have had some long-stayers. Mr Webb (as Crowny always tells us he needs to be referred to as) had four stints, the wonderful Dave Smith enjoyed seven seasons at the helm in the 1970’s/80’s (and should never have been sacked), Arthur Rowley lasted for six, and if we really scroll back in time then David Jack saw us through to WWII from May 1934, Joe Bradshaw lasted eight years from 1911 (albeit with a break for WWI), and Bob Jack kicked things off on 1906 with a heathy four year stint before going down to Devon for a 28 year crack at the Argyle hot-seat.
But none hold a candle to Harry Warren for Shrimper managerial staying power. Starting off in May 1940 with what during WWII was effectively a merged Chelmsford-Southend team, his first competitive games came in the 1945/46 FA Cup when we drew with Watford before losing the replay (quite a cup run for us compared to more recent times). League football recommenced with the 1946/47 season, and Harry stayed in charge for a full ten seasons clocking up 471 matches before sending himself to Coventry.
But what of those aside from Kev that have both played and managed us? They’ve been a few, Peter Taylor, Chris Powell, and the late Alan Little spring to mind, and Paul Clark added to his 359 appearances for us with 15 months in charge (including one promotion) in the late 1980’s.
That all though then brings us to Steve Brian Tilson. A total of 275 playing appearances started his Shrimper journey from 1988 to 1998, and then from 22 November 2003 to the end of the 2009/10 season he managed us – with a little help of course from Brushy – for 359 matches. Pressing the buttons on our rudimentary calculator that gives him a grand total of 634 Shrimper caps.
Tilly is therefore our most capped Shrimper ….. unless of course Kev, as we all hope, steers us successfully through the remainder of the 2024/25 season and then, depending on cup runs (well, you never know), he should surpass Tilly around March/April time.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this little statto trip – we must credit the ever-helpful Peter Miles in providing some of the information, but we take full responsibility for any errors or omissions as this is a SUEPA production. Whatever, wish Kev a happy 600th at Wealdstone on Tuesday."
