Memory Lane Old Photos of Southend United.

[fbm]

We gave Bolton a good thrashing, even though they went on to win the league quite easy.

A great day, but probably the worst thing that happened to us that season. For several months we believed we were a far better side than we were "because we beat Bolton 5-2".

 

[londonblue]

A great day, but probably the worst thing that happened to us that season. For several months we believed we were a far better side than we were "because we beat Bolton 5-2".

I enjoyed that game for 2 other reasons. Firstly half the people I usually went to football with decided to watch Essex in the Nat West final instead because they were convinced Essex would win and Southend would get heavily beaten. Secondly, because said people didn't go, I had a spare season ticket, so I invited a work colleague who lived locally but hadn't been to many, if any, matches before.

He thoroughly enjoyed himself. His name was @united we stand.

 

[TSG]

We gave Bolton a good thrashing, even though they went on to win the league quite easy.

Believe I was at Lords that day with Lancashire beating Essex in a cup final on a miserable day which that result added to (as I'd missed it )

 

[Hawkwell Blue]

I was in New York and had asked asked my brother to leave a message at my hotel with both the football and cricket scores. Neither of which I believed! Essex were bowled out for 57!

 

[fbm]

I was in New York and had asked asked my brother to leave a message at my hotel with both the football and cricket scores. Neither of which I believed! Essex were bowled out for 57!

I think Lancs had batted first and Essex had got them out quite cheaply... the cries of "Essex, Essex" were ringing around the Hall in the hope of a double!

The Blues did their bit...

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

We gave Bolton a good thrashing, even though they went on to win the league quite easy.

Please user viewer advisories when linking to footage of that awful double relegation custard splat kit (even if that match is one of the few fond memories of that era).

Also that video doesn’t do justice to that John Nielsen goal.

 

[Hawkwell Blue]

Please user viewer advisories when linking to footage of that awful double relegation custard splat kit (even if that match is one of the few fond memories of that era).

Also that video doesn’t do justice to that John Nielsen goal.

Getting relegated from the Championship, we can only dream of that now

 

[GNH]

We gave Bolton a good thrashing, even though they went on to win the league quite easy.

The evening out that night in Churchills was a bit lively,

Seem to remember it ending up back at my parents house where i still lived at the time. John Neilsen and Mike Marsh had an unquenchable thirst.....

 

[Blue Yonder]

Not an image I've seen before of the Kursaal ground. Sorry if its been posted umpteen times before. Presumably looking towards the sea front and away from the water chute at the Funfair. Its from The Greyhound Racing Times and watermarked. Grandad used to watch here.

 

[Blue Yonder]

That's what I thought @Cricko but the picture is a crop from a newspaper dated 1927 august 6th.

 

[Cricko]

Not an image I've seen before of the Kursaal ground. Sorry if its been posted umpteen times before. Presumably looking towards the sea front and away from the water chute at the Funfair. Its from The Greyhound Racing Times and watermarked. Grandad used to watch here.

View attachment 28203

 

[Blue Yonder]

 

[DoDTS]

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1927 saw the introduction of Greyhound racing at the Kursaal which was initially seen as an enjoyable diversion from Football with a chance to have a legal flutter, but it also was a big attraction for “trippers” many who would attend the worse for wear through drink and were known to cause problems. Greyhound meetings were often held four times a week and the Kursaal being a tight enclosure meant the pitch and the track overlapped and the playing surface suffered. As the novelty wore off a certain amount of resentment from the football spectators ensued as the good Kursaal pitch becoming a mud bath in places.

The sport of greyhound racing was introduced to Great Britain from America The first purpose built track at Belle Vue, Manchester featured a mechanical hare for the dogs to chase around the track and the first meeting on the 24th July 1926 attracted a crowd of 1,700 but this shot up to 16,000 for the second meeting, and within a year Belle Vue was attracting 70,000 a week. Soon new tracks were springing up throughout the country and it was in 1927 that the Kursaal decided to hold greyhound racing. By the end of 1920s, annual attendances at the country's licensed tracks were totalling 17 million.

They offered cheap quick thrills, and an excuse for a good night out, plus a bit of a punt. Above all, they were proudly working-class. The early appeal of greyhound racing to Britain's working men is easy to explain, said the chairman of the British Greyhound Racing Board: "At that time, a working man couldn't get a legal bet except at a dog track and he couldn't get credit at a bookmakers. Greyhound tracks were also a lot cheaper to get into than racetracks, and far easier to get to." The sport, he said, is "deeply embedded in a certain kind of cultural life.

The Football association made an official statement that it did not approve of Greyhound Racing at Football grounds as they felt it brought betting too close to Association Football. However that was only it’s opinion as it was in somewhat a dilemma as Dog Racing was held at Wembley Stadium on a regular basis from 1927 and the first meeting attracted a crowd of 50,000. On 1st January 1928 an independent body was set up to ensure the smooth running of the growing number of racecourses and for the next ten years greyhound racing continued to hold it's popularity

THREW “BOOKIE” DOWN A BANK
THEN ASSAULTED THREE CONSTABLES FROM GREYHOUND RACES TO PRISON
There was another scuffle at the greyhound race track at the Kursaal on Tuesday followed by the appearance at Southend police Court of a Leyton man who was charged with being drunk and disorderly with three police constables in the execution of their duty. In court a PC stated that he was on duty at the greyhound stadium at 6.50 p.m. when he saw the prisoner on the south bank of the ground causing a disturbance. He was drunk and fighting with a large crowd of people round him. He threw a bookmaker down the bank and when the bookmaker returned the prisoner adopted a fighting attitude and used indecent language, he was approached by Police officers at which he said “no ---------policemen would put him out of the ground” and a scuffle developed between him and three police officers.
From the Southend Standard

 

[DoDTS]

UNITED MANAGEMENT TAKE POSSESSION

The directors of Southend United have taken possession of the Kursaal ground in order to comply with the Football League’s ban on Greyhound racing at the Kursaal. The last greyhound meeting was on Monday 9th July 1928, after which a meeting was held asking the football club to remove the ban, but shortly after midnight the Football club took possession of the ground locking and bolting the gates refusing admission to anyone. On legal advice the locks were changed and entrances bolted with four policemen in attendance.
From the Southend Standard 12th July 1928

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Everything from the Electric Hare Racing Club Ltd. had been left in place from the previous nights racing, even a directors Saloon Motor Car had been left in the Car Park, it had been so closely kept secret that even the man who lived on the ground found himself locked in. When the employees of the Racing Club turned up they were refused admission and catering had to be taken into the occupiers locked inside. Later in the morning notices were painted and left on every entrance reading, “the tenancy of the Electric Hare Greyhound Ltd has ceased, no more racing will take place here. By order of the directors of Southend United Football Club”. No one had attempted to enter the enclosure but as afternoon came a small crowd, gathered outside the Woodgrange Drive end probably through curiosity, while at the Beresford Road end there was a crowd of some 200 people, including bookmakers, bookmakers clerks, racing attendees etc, a demonstration ensued with people standing up and making speeches condemning the football club. A couple even climbed a fence and gained admission but they were soon caught and ejected. By nine the crowds had dispersed and the Football Club were in total possession, although the Police stayed on sight for a day or two A month later Greyhound Racing at the Kursaal was no more than a memory as the following illustrates.

END OF GREYHOUND TRACK

It is interesting to note that the whole of the greyhound track has been sold to a company whose intention is to establish dog racing at Watford and that the smaller appliances and fittings have been disposed of to local firms. The electric standards which surround the pitch and which suggested the presence of a light railway have been piled up with the rest of the fittings in and near the entrance on the Beach Road entrance. Everything is down. All that remains is to patch up the fence and clear the ground. Then when the fence is up all that will serve to remind the crowd of the dogs is the yellow grass patches round the four corners and these will soon disappear. All the dogs left the kennels on Friday and Mr. J Shand managing director of the greyhound Company have gone to Liverpool to manage a track there. He has taken several of his old staff with him.
From the Southend Standard 16th August 1928.

With the Greyhound Racing finished at the Kursaal, other tracks were keen to pick up the clientele, racing at West Ham Stadium was soon being advertising in the Southend Standard.

 

[Chairman Trigg]

1923 map showing the gas cylinders in the view .

 

[Tommy2holes]

A great day, but probably the worst thing that happened to us that season. For several months we believed we were a far better side than we were "because we beat Bolton 5-2".

I was doing a shift at the royal mail that day. It was on the radio at the sorting office. Was gutted I didn't go.

We get better crowds in the 5th tier than we did in the 2nd tier.

 

[fbm]

I was doing a shift at the royal mail that day. It was on the radio at the sorting office. Was gutted I didn't go.

We get better crowds in the 5th tier than we did in the 2nd tier.

This is true... but it's much cheaper at this level. What would ticket prices be if we were in the Championship now? £30-35+? That would have a big impact on the attendances.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Burnley v Southend 10th April 1990.
A Burnley striker tries a cheeky Maradona hand cheat. And you won't believe this, Roy McDonough gets sent off. Can we hang on?

 

[TSG]

Burnley v Southend 10th April 1990.
A Burnley striker tries a cheeky Maradona hand cheat. And you won't believe this, Roy McDonough gets sent off. Can we hang on?

Good point in the end, but it looked a clear penalty in the first half, right in front of the ref!

As for Roy, bless!

 

[Swiss Tony]

Burnley v Southend 10th April 1990.
A Burnley striker tries a cheeky Maradona hand cheat. And you won't believe this, Roy McDonough gets sent off. Can we hang on?

Loved the Burnley fans comments through out the last one being “crap”