Memory Lane Old Photos of Southend United.

[OldBlueLady]

Finally, Finally, Finally, I've watched "The Team We Call United" :thumbsup:

Seriously, if anyone hasn't seen it, it's a must.

Some amazing footage. Some a bit sad, like the visit to Workington Town and seeing the old South Bank, packed to the rafters for a league game.

Some extremely amusing in it's plain and simple way.

But a wonderful trip down memory lane with shots you never thought would ever still exist. Faces of famous names of the past, too.

Still plenty of copies available from The Shrimpers - if Nobbler hasn't bought them all up by now!

 

[AndyT]

I'll drop you a PM 'OBL' as I borrowed the copy I've just watched and would like one of my own.

Of course 'Nobbler' there towards the end. I'd posted just before seeing the last 15 minutes or so and hadn't seen his guest appearance.

 

[LCBB72]

It was definitely taken before the Chelsea game. Big Bill Garner to the left, Terry Johnson and Dave Elliot stand out. Chelsea wore red shirts, white shorts and green socks...my black and white eyes can see that!

The Southend line up in that picture from the left is Peter Woods , Billy Best , 10 Bill Garner , 2 Ray Tenent , 7 Terry Jonhson , 5 ,Brian Alebeson , 6 Mike Harison , 10 Bobby Bennett , Derick Bellotti , 4 Dave Elliott , 3 Alex Smith , 11 Denis Booth . You can onlly just see Peter Woods and King Billy Best on the left .

 

[Mick]

The Southend line up in that picture from the left is Peter Woods , Billy Best , 10 Bill Garner , 2 Ray Tenent , 7 Terry Jonhson , 5 ,Brian Alebeson , Mike Harison , 10 Bobby Bennett , Derick Bellotti , 4 Dave Elliott , 3 Alex Smith , Denis Booth . You can onlly just see Peter Woods and Peter King Billy Best on the left .

Indeed. Woods came on as a substitute for Bobby Bennett who only ever played one League game, one FA Cup game and this one League Cup game and was substituted in all three.

 

[RobM]

"... and just how did we not get promoted in 1967-68, after thrashing Workington Town 7-0 and then imploding dramatically in the last few matches."

This is purely from memory but didn't we go to Workington shortly after and lose 5-0 - Workington had gone 23 without a win; the first time any Workington player had scored two that season; the first time that season they had scored more than one; a Keith Lindsey own goal. As I say, that's all from (grim) memory!

 

[OldBlueLady]

I'll drop you a PM 'OBL' as I borrowed the copy I've just watched and would like one of my own.

Of course 'Nobbler' there towards the end. I'd posted just before seeing the last 15 minutes or so and hadn't seen his guest appearance.

We've got plenty of copies of this still available, just pop in The Shrimpers ahead of any home game. Just £2!

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

"... and just how did we not get promoted in 1967-68, after thrashing Workington Town 7-0 and then imploding dramatically in the last few matches."

This is purely from memory but didn't we go to Workington shortly after and lose 5-0 - Workington had gone 23 without a win; the first time any Workington player had scored two that season; the first time that season they had scored more than one; a Keith Lindsey own goal. As I say, that's all from (grim) memory!

No not according to the records after beating Workington we lost the next game away to Lincoln 4-2 in fact we went 8 games without a win and then won the last game of the season 3-1 but it was all over by then.
Some big home crowds as well including 13,600 v Doncaster on a Monday night, all the rest well over 10,000 apart from the last game of the season against Rochdale (5,500).

The 5-0 away defeat to Workington was 1969/70 season.

 

[Stuart W]

No not according to the records after beating Workington we lost the next game away to Lincoln 4-2 in fact we went 8 games without a win and then won the last game of the season 3-1 but it was all over by then.
Some big home crowds as well including 13,600 v Doncaster on a Monday night, all the rest well over 10,000 apart from the last game of the season against Rochdale (5,500).

The 5-0 away defeat to Workington was 1969/70 season.

That was my first season going to Roots Hall, and correct me if I am wrong, we have never imploded quite as dramatically in any of the subsequent 48 seasons. The Workington win features in my top 10 performances (we have never scored 7 in the league since then), and it should have been plain sailing from then on in. What I still remember vividly is going to the last game against Rochdale (which by then was a meaningless game), and reading Manager Ernie Shepherd's programme notes which began "I find this very difficult to write today...."(you can imagine the rest) as the mood in the camp had gone from high optimism to utter disbelief.
The good news for the following season was that we were as entertaining as we have ever been since, being leading scorers throughout all 4 divisions, as well as leading FA Cup scorers with 22 goals. The bad news was we missed out on promotion again (7th this time), and it was another 3 seasons before we finally reached the holy grail of Division 3.

 

[Kevin Hogg]

I was 5 during 67/68 but have a vivid memory. I was walking with my dad in what I remember as woods - probably Belfairs. It was a Sunday, he had bought a paper and scanned the league tables. I had no real idea about promotion or relegation ..or indeed much else. Was probably more interested in squirrels. However I do remember him saying "they are going to throw it away". The reason I remember such a random comment? The look on his face. .

 

[dshrimp]

"... and just how did we not get promoted in 1967-68, after thrashing Workington Town 7-0 and then imploding dramatically in the last few matches."

Still remember it well, my first game at Roots Hall,
Quite a few believed at the time the club didn't want to go up, better crowds at top of 4th Division rather than struggling in 3rd Division.

 

[AndyT]

We've got plenty of copies of this still available, just pop in The Shrimpers ahead of any home game. Just £2!

OK great. I'll try to pop in today, but I think we aren't getting to the ground until quite late, so if not, then before the Rochdale match next Saturday. :thumbsup:

 

[Tommy2holes]

The attendances in the Championship didn't fill our current 12,000 seater though.

No because we don't have a 12,000 seater stadium.

In its present form against utd and Chelsea we have got around 11,400 in.

I agree that 22k is too much but I reckon a 16k stadium similar to Rotherhams new York would be perfect.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

No because we don't have a 12,000 seater stadium.

In its present form against utd and Chelsea we have got around 11,400 in.

I agree that 22k is too much but I reckon a 16k stadium similar to Rotherhams new York would be perfect.

Guys. This isn't another new Stadium thread. It's a memories of SUFC thread.

 

[ozzie]

"... and just how did we not get promoted in 1967-68, after thrashing Workington Town 7-0 and then imploding dramatically in the last few matches."

Still remember it well, my first game at Roots Hall,
Quite a few believed at the time the club didn't want to go up, better crowds at top of 4th Division rather than struggling in 3rd Division.

My first season as well,first home and away game(v Notts.CO..lost3-4).
Just as the season ended,i was walking around the ground(asa 12 year old) and walked into Tony Bentley and another player and said to him the same as you wrote.."kids at school say,you didnot want to go up,better crowds,top of the 4th,than bottom of the 3rd"....He was gutted and told me it was not true...all the players wanted to go up

 

[Mick]

That was my first season going to Roots Hall, and correct me if I am wrong, we have never imploded quite as dramatically in any of the subsequent 48 seasons. The Workington win features in my top 10 performances (we have never scored 7 in the league since then), and it should have been plain sailing from then on in. What I still remember vividly is going to the last game against Rochdale (which by then was a meaningless game), and reading Manager Ernie Shepherd's programme notes which began "I find this very difficult to write today...."(you can imagine the rest) as the mood in the camp had gone from high optimism to utter disbelief.
The good news for the following season was that we were as entertaining as we have ever been since, being leading scorers throughout all 4 divisions, as well as leading FA Cup scorers with 22 goals. The bad news was we missed out on promotion again (7th this time), and it was another 3 seasons before we finally reached the holy grail of Division 3.

Yes, unquestionably our worst implosion ever !!

We've had worse finishes from the last 9 games as recently as .... er .... last year, but to be fair we've not been in that sort of position to implode from all that often in those 48 years.

I blame Norman Corner more than anyone else for our failure to go up that year. Even in that dreadful finish, Billy Best got 7 goals in 9 games, quite remarkable.

Anyway, every cloud and all that - if we had gone up, that wonderful 1968/9 season wouldn't have happened.

 

[fatgrandad]

Yes, unquestionably our worst implosion ever !!

...

I was 10/11 at the time, my first proper season. 67/68 and following season were my "formative" years as a Shrimper. I still remember players/events/things from those seasons more clearly than some stuff decades later. So I can remember the end of season collapse vividly, and especially my father taking the "they don't want to go up" line, and that began his disillusionment with the club. Shrimperzone 1968 would have been an interesting place (and I now have a mental picture of MrsBlue's Nan, looking in my mind's eye uncannily like Catherine Tate, furiously scribbling off letter after letter to the Southend Standard ).

I was too young to have any opinion on the subject, or at least I have forgotten what it was if I did have one. Is there anyone out there who can offer an adult view as to what went wrong, what caused such an end-of-season collapse? Injuries, tactics, bad luck, nylon pillows & sheets in the Roslyn??

 

[bluesince66]

A factor was that Andy Smillie injured himself in a domestic incident.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Southend 2 Brighton 1...Sat 7th Dec 1991. We finished 12th under Dave Webb.

[video=youtube;EiYuU5ggJ_A]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiYuU5ggJ_A[/video]

 

[Kevin Hogg]

The above video just rubs it in regarding how sad it looked on tv to see Sheffield United fans celebrating goals in our North Bank. Obviously it has been many years since the North Bank (proper) was open to our own fans but somehow the images of Saturday were more irritating than normal. Cannot say why. Nostalgia perhaps.
It has never been the same since. The North Bank was the "home" end and i will always think it sad that had to change.
Old Boy rant over!

 

[Chairman Trigg]

The worst part is the acoustics are the best in the ground.Really is strange how the East can't hear the West and the other way round but both hear the North.As for the South a complete disaster as the steel beams stop any sound coming out ,and the lower can't hear the upper!