Memory Lane Old Photos of Southend United.

[OldBlueLady]

Sid Broomfield, groundsman extraordinaire.

 

[DoDTS]

Still looking for articles about Stands or Roots Hall being built.

Here is an article which was in "All at Sea" awhile ago:



NEW GROUND COMING? - SIXTY YEARS AGO

Sixty years ago Southend United and their supporters had mixed feelings about the proposed move to Roots Hall

JUNE 1954 - Southend United supporters would be well advised to overhaul their umbrellas as United Chairman alderman Smith in a special statement declared “Southend United will move to Roots Hall whether the stands are up or not even if we have to take our own umbrellas”.

Sir – The club appears to be drifting into liquidation. Regardless of these facts the chairman says we will move to Roots Hall whether the stands are built or not, expecting fans to give up the comforts of one of the best grounds in the country to go to a derelict open piece of land not centrally situated not having amenities requisite to a football League Club. Burges Road, Thorpe Bay.


Sir – A lot has been said and written regarding the United move to Roots Hall, I would earnestly ask all who are interested in the future of Southend football to take a look at the ground from West Road. In spite of the growing pains I feel it would be madness to let such an opportunity of a permanent home that could accommodate 50,000 spectators, slip from our grasp. Season Ticket Holder.

Work is carrying on at Roots Hall but damage has been caused by the heavy rainfall that fell during the week-end. .

JULY 1954 - A statement was issued that there will be covered accommodation at Roots Hall for 8,600 fans. There will be 2,100 stand seats, standing accommodation in the North Stand for 2,500 and another 2,500 in the West stand and in front of the seating covered standing for another 1,500. Uncovered accommodation will be for 4,000 with a further 8,500 on the South banking. Eventually it is hoped that the ground will accommodate over 30,000 people. During the past few weeks some of the players have been helping at Roots Hall, keeping the cement mixer working at full pressure etc and their help is greatly appreciated. Southend United Supporters’ Club is wasting no time in getting down to work on the new ground, a start is being made to clear the ground of stones and broken glass and volunteers will be warmly welcomed between 6.30 and 8.30 and don’t forget to bring a sack or bucket.

With regard to proposed move of Southend United from the Stadium to Roots Hall the age old question is raised, of could Southend support a top amateur club as well as the United? The main problem is where would they play and with the Stadium vacant this would seem an ideal answer but is it? Historically the town had Southend Athletic prior to the formation of Southend United and then at the Kursaal Southend Corinthians had a season, but the reality that neither venture was particularly well received in the town and the indifferent reception inevitably lead to their failure. Surely an amateur club must not be seen as direct competition for United as that would defeat its purpose, but with the population of the town and the surrounding areas there there are sufficient local players that could rise to this level. Perhaps the biggest reason against is the ground itself and the very reason why the Blues are moving. local players who have played in inter-league matches in front of sparsely populated terraces say it is impossible to give you best in this lack of atmosphere.

OCTOBER 1954 - The Southend United board of directors made a statement which included; “The erection of the stands together with the incidental work on the ground has been estimated at £28,000and quotations now in the hands of the directors indicate this figure was soundly based. Steps have already been taken to finance the project and it is confidently expected that all essential work will be completed for the United to commence their 1955 programme at their new home.”.

DECEMBER 1955 - Southend United moved one step nearer the completion of their dream for a home of their own, when the provision of the money needed to complete the project were successfully arranged. The Contractors who will be undertaking the job of making the borings for the foundations are on site. A “55 Club” is to be formed, where supporters who are prepared to pay £20 for a season ticket, will in return have their own club room where tea and light refreshments will be served during the interval and possible at the end of the game. In addition to the reserved seat and refreshments the £20 fee will also include reserved car parking and the tickets will be transferable.

February 1955 - Progress continues to be made at Roots Hall, the steel work for the north stand has arrived this week, and the Chairman Ald. H. H. Smith is anxious that work on the construction of the stands should start during the current spring like conditions.

Work proceeds at Roots Hall and Alderman Smith reports that the contractors will start driving in the piles for the main stand at 11 a.m. on Thursday17th February. There is apparently jubilation in the Roots Hall camp, this little jingle appeared on the back of the programme: “Hooray! Hooray! The builders arrive today. Our fears are past, they are in at last and now what will the doubters say”.

Sir – On the subject of roots Hall may I suggest a couple more inches should be added to the terrace and stand steps. If one belongs to the “Shorthouse” family, it is next to impossible to see at the present stadium. Hampton Gardens, Prittlewell.

March 1955 - Southend United are facing a crisis on two fronts, they have the battle to complete Roots Hall competing against the elements and the shortage of cash, while the attendance of 4,000 summed up the feelings of the supporters who are fed up after four successive defeats. There is no point in building a fine Stadium with the crowd as close as as possible to the pitch, if the performances are poor. If things don’t improve the terraces will be empty week after week..

At Roots Hall the contractors have completed the driving in of the piles, in addition they have installed piling for two extra bays to be utilised in the future. In two weeks time Boulton and Paul will move in for the erection of the steel work for the main stand to provide accommodation for 2,022 excluding the director’s box. The roof for the North stand has arrived and the water main has been installed in the main stand.

APRIL 1955 - In the Millwall programme, “Voice of Millwall” it states “Southend United might be termed the bravest club in England. For while all of us are seriously troubled by declining attendances which are creating very real financial problems, Southend take the bold action of moving to a new ground capable of holding between 30,000 to 40,000 spectators.

Messrs. Boulton and Paul are rapidly progressing with the steelwork for the main stand at Roots Hall, while the North Stand is the first of the stands to be roofed. The seating plan for the main stand will be available to season ticket holders from May 1st who will be available to select their seats. After May new applications will be considered. The price of season tickets remain at £6 6s (£6.30).

If your want any earlier stuff on the development of Roots Hall I can dig it out!!!

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Here is an article which was in "All at Sea" awhile ago:



NEW GROUND COMING? - SIXTY YEARS AGO

Sixty years ago Southend United and their supporters had mixed feelings about the proposed move to Roots Hall

JUNE 1954 - Southend United supporters would be well advised to overhaul their umbrellas as United Chairman alderman Smith in a special statement declared “Southend United will move to Roots Hall whether the stands are up or not even if we have to take our own umbrellas”.

Sir – The club appears to be drifting into liquidation. Regardless of these facts the chairman says we will move to Roots Hall whether the stands are built or not, expecting fans to give up the comforts of one of the best grounds in the country to go to a derelict open piece of land not centrally situated not having amenities requisite to a football League Club. Burges Road, Thorpe Bay.


Sir – A lot has been said and written regarding the United move to Roots Hall, I would earnestly ask all who are interested in the future of Southend football to take a look at the ground from West Road. In spite of the growing pains I feel it would be madness to let such an opportunity of a permanent home that could accommodate 50,000 spectators, slip from our grasp. Season Ticket Holder.

Work is carrying on at Roots Hall but damage has been caused by the heavy rainfall that fell during the week-end. .

JULY 1954 - A statement was issued that there will be covered accommodation at Roots Hall for 8,600 fans. There will be 2,100 stand seats, standing accommodation in the North Stand for 2,500 and another 2,500 in the West stand and in front of the seating covered standing for another 1,500. Uncovered accommodation will be for 4,000 with a further 8,500 on the South banking. Eventually it is hoped that the ground will accommodate over 30,000 people. During the past few weeks some of the players have been helping at Roots Hall, keeping the cement mixer working at full pressure etc and their help is greatly appreciated. Southend United Supporters’ Club is wasting no time in getting down to work on the new ground, a start is being made to clear the ground of stones and broken glass and volunteers will be warmly welcomed between 6.30 and 8.30 and don’t forget to bring a sack or bucket.

With regard to proposed move of Southend United from the Stadium to Roots Hall the age old question is raised, of could Southend support a top amateur club as well as the United? The main problem is where would they play and with the Stadium vacant this would seem an ideal answer but is it? Historically the town had Southend Athletic prior to the formation of Southend United and then at the Kursaal Southend Corinthians had a season, but the reality that neither venture was particularly well received in the town and the indifferent reception inevitably lead to their failure. Surely an amateur club must not be seen as direct competition for United as that would defeat its purpose, but with the population of the town and the surrounding areas there there are sufficient local players that could rise to this level. Perhaps the biggest reason against is the ground itself and the very reason why the Blues are moving. local players who have played in inter-league matches in front of sparsely populated terraces say it is impossible to give you best in this lack of atmosphere.

OCTOBER 1954 - The Southend United board of directors made a statement which included; “The erection of the stands together with the incidental work on the ground has been estimated at £28,000and quotations now in the hands of the directors indicate this figure was soundly based. Steps have already been taken to finance the project and it is confidently expected that all essential work will be completed for the United to commence their 1955 programme at their new home.”.

DECEMBER 1955 - Southend United moved one step nearer the completion of their dream for a home of their own, when the provision of the money needed to complete the project were successfully arranged. The Contractors who will be undertaking the job of making the borings for the foundations are on site. A “55 Club” is to be formed, where supporters who are prepared to pay £20 for a season ticket, will in return have their own club room where tea and light refreshments will be served during the interval and possible at the end of the game. In addition to the reserved seat and refreshments the £20 fee will also include reserved car parking and the tickets will be transferable.

February 1955 - Progress continues to be made at Roots Hall, the steel work for the north stand has arrived this week, and the Chairman Ald. H. H. Smith is anxious that work on the construction of the stands should start during the current spring like conditions.

Work proceeds at Roots Hall and Alderman Smith reports that the contractors will start driving in the piles for the main stand at 11 a.m. on Thursday17th February. There is apparently jubilation in the Roots Hall camp, this little jingle appeared on the back of the programme: “Hooray! Hooray! The builders arrive today. Our fears are past, they are in at last and now what will the doubters say”.

Sir – On the subject of roots Hall may I suggest a couple more inches should be added to the terrace and stand steps. If one belongs to the “Shorthouse” family, it is next to impossible to see at the present stadium. Hampton Gardens, Prittlewell.

March 1955 - Southend United are facing a crisis on two fronts, they have the battle to complete Roots Hall competing against the elements and the shortage of cash, while the attendance of 4,000 summed up the feelings of the supporters who are fed up after four successive defeats. There is no point in building a fine Stadium with the crowd as close as as possible to the pitch, if the performances are poor. If things don’t improve the terraces will be empty week after week..

At Roots Hall the contractors have completed the driving in of the piles, in addition they have installed piling for two extra bays to be utilised in the future. In two weeks time Boulton and Paul will move in for the erection of the steel work for the main stand to provide accommodation for 2,022 excluding the director’s box. The roof for the North stand has arrived and the water main has been installed in the main stand.

APRIL 1955 - In the Millwall programme, “Voice of Millwall” it states “Southend United might be termed the bravest club in England. For while all of us are seriously troubled by declining attendances which are creating very real financial problems, Southend take the bold action of moving to a new ground capable of holding between 30,000 to 40,000 spectators.

Messrs. Boulton and Paul are rapidly progressing with the steelwork for the main stand at Roots Hall, while the North Stand is the first of the stands to be roofed. The seating plan for the main stand will be available to season ticket holders from May 1st who will be available to select their seats. After May new applications will be considered. The price of season tickets remain at £6 6s (£6.30).

If your want any earlier stuff on the development of Roots Hall I can dig it out!!!

WOW, that's superb and explains a lot. They got over that shaky start then, looks like they could have gone out of business through the move and poor results.
Thanks for that DoDTS. Yes, when you have time to find the earlier stuff, that would be great.

 

[Chairman Trigg]

Great articles about RH it is clear what a big part Alderman Smith played in the move Didn't he have the North stand named after him ?,like Oliver Trigg lets hope these people are not forgotten if we ever get to the promised land

 

[Chairman Trigg]

Another Chairman who knew how to communicate with us!!. My feet are in the picture(HI-TEC boots of course behind the banner) Happy memories!!

 

[Chairman Trigg]

Special programme produced for the Derby County FA cup away day

 

[Chairman Trigg]

Had totally forgotten the membership scheme under Jobson.Also the ticket price for the final game of our promotion!

 

[Chairman Trigg]

Sorry but couldn't resist re-posting King Billy

 

[DoDTS]

WOW, that's superb and explains a lot. They got over that shaky start then, looks like they could have gone out of business through the move and poor results.
Thanks for that DoDTS. Yes, when you have time to find the earlier stuff, that would be great.

Before looking at the development of Roots Hall from 1950 I thought it worth explaining the earlier history of our grounds.

At the end of the First world War the major problem had been a ground to play on, “good old Roots Hall” was no longer available and the council keen to keep the club going came up with options for pitches at either Southchurch Park or Chalkwall Park, but while these were being debated a deal was being agreed with an American businessman Clifton Jay Morehouse for a one year lease (with an option for a second year) on the pitch at the Kursaal Ground. The ground was little more than a pitch with a fence round the outside, in a bleak windy position and within six months there was already talk of moving:

Suggestion as to New Ground
The question of a playing pitch is no doubt a serious outlook for the Directors of Southend United F.C. and might I put forward some ideas for buying a ground more central and where the greater portion of the public reside? The Kursaal ground has many disadvantages, the most notable of which is the bleakness, when on a windy day the full force of the gale is felt and the play is interfered with. It is also at one end of the town and not central. Still for all that it has some advantages and it is a pity that after all the money that has been spent on it that the ground cannot be developed into a First class one.
From the Southend Standard 20th January 1920

However despite this there was a complete turn-around a couple of months later when the lease was extended. It was clear that if the club was to stay at the Kursaal then the need for a grandstand was paramount, and in the 1920 close season a 1,500 seater stand was built on the eastern side, (Arnold Avenue). For the opening game of the season the stand was still under construction, but that didn’t stop the parts already finished being filled to the rafters. During the season further improvements to the embankments, crash barriers and terracing were undertaken especially because of the Cup run when it was claimed that the ground could hold 23,000 but this was nowhere near tested in the first season in the League.

In 1928 a stand on the western side of the ground was erected, immediately opposite the existing grandstand:
The directors of the club are to be congratulated upon their enterprise, for the new stand will meet a long felt need on the Kursaal ground and will provide covered accommodation for an additional 3,500 people. The new stand will be 180 feet long and 40 feet wide with a maximum height of 25feet. It will therefore be almost the same length as the existing grandstand on the eastern side and twice as deep. At the present time the whole of the west side holds fewer than 500 but the new stand will hold 3,500 who will be able to witness the match under cover. Entrance to the stand will be by four staircases at the back of the stand making it accessible from all parts of the ground
From the Southend Standard 4th October 1928

The disenchantment the fans had with the Kursaal had now totally gone. Yes it was still bleak and windy but at least now there was cover for the majority of people. There was one great advantage the ground was very close to the pitch, the fans could and did communicate with the players. It is said that Billy Moore the Southend goalkeeper would happily lean against the post when the action was down the other end and chat with the fans. At the same time manager Ted Birnie was building a successful team which culminated in 1932 in a side which should have won promotion but an inexplicable mid-season slump cost them dearly.

The Stadium in Grainger Road (now the Greyhound Retail Park Sutton Road) had been newly built primarily as a greyhound racing track, however it came to prominence in the finale of the Carnival in 1933 as reported in the Southend Standard “An attendance of nearly 16,000 people, the standing capacity of the Stadium is for 30,000 people but on this occasion nearly everyone was seated, this halving the accommodation. Those present were early put on good terms by the community singing while instructions were easily conveyed to the spectators by means of loud speakers. The most impressive scene of all was the singing of “Abide with me”. Then with all the lights out, Big Ben was heard to sound midnight, to the accompaniment of the Last Post” by the massed trumpeters, after which the crowd slowly melted away”. Although nothing was officially said till April 1934, Southend United were moving to the new “Stadium”, sadly it was not realised that watching football from behind a dog track is not good for the spectators or the atmosphere.

Initially moving to a brand new concrete stadium went down well, but as the novelty wore off the reality was that watching football from behind a dog track was not good. In the East and West grandstands it was not too bad but behind the goals you were a long, long way from the pitch, The atmosphere for both players and spectators was poor and the days of chatting with the goalkeeper were long gone. The majority of the covered accommodation was taken up by season ticket holders so for the casual fan unless they got to the ground very early they would be exposed to the elements. The problem solved in 1928 had come back with a vengeance. Various hair-brained schemes were put forward to improve the ground but nothing could be done about watching football from behind the dog track and in the early post war years the fans patience was starting to run out.

The only solution was to move to a new ground.

 

[Ricky Otto]

Another significant match from that season. The 6-1 trouncing of Oxford
[video=youtube_share;4bU3tlCFl4I]http://youtu.be/4bU3tlCFl4I[/video]

These are all from the season review VHS yeah?
I'd love to get this and the Collymore Collection on DVD, has anyone converted their VHS to DVD? I'm happy to pay for these

 

[Napster]

These are all from the season review VHS yeah?
I'd love to get this and the Collymore Collection on DVD, has anyone converted their VHS to DVD? I'm happy to pay for these

No I have 20 VHS still to convert! I have 90/1 season (on 2 tapes), the Collymore collection, several tapes of miscellaneous, and a video of an Anglo Italian trip and match (which is amazing)

 

[Ricky Otto]

No I have 20 VHS still to convert! I have 90/1 season (on 2 tapes), the Collymore collection, several tapes of miscellaneous, and a video of an Anglo Italian trip and match (which is amazing)

I'm Very interested in the Collymore Collection, 93/94 season review and Anglo Italian Cup when you do get round to it. Let me know if you don't mind burning off an extra copy of each, don't mind giving you a tenner for each one.

 

[Austin the Shrimper]

I have 4 season reviews on VHS at home starting from 93 up to 98. I'm not home till december 15th, but i'm happy to get them get converted to DVD..anyone know where u can do this?

 

[Napster]

I'm Very interested in the Collymore Collection, 93/94 season review and Anglo Italian Cup when you do get round to it. Let me know if you don't mind burning off an extra copy of each, don't mind giving you a tenner for each one.

Ok - cool. I'll let you know.

 

[jaffa1]

Sorry but couldn't resist re-posting King Billy

No apology needed - great picture.....

 

[Nick Prawnby]

No apology needed - great picture.....

Blimey - I can see me!

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Division 3, 1990-91 Season. Andy Ansah's goal at Orient to secure a 1-0 win. We ended up runners up, with Brett Angell top scorer with 26, and Dave Webb as manager.

 

[Ricky Otto]

I have 4 season reviews on VHS at home starting from 93 up to 98. I'm not home till december 15th, but i'm happy to get them get converted to DVD..anyone know where u can do this?

If you don't have the machine to do it yourself (worth getting if you want to convert a lot of tapes) there are loads of places that do it by mail if you google it, it's about £10 a tape and a couple of quid for each additional copy. I'm sure there are a few on here that would be interested in the DVD's might be able to make yourself a few quid for your efforts

 

[Nick Prawnby]

Division 3, 1990-91 Season. Andy Ansah's goal at Orient to secure a 1-0 win. We ended up runners up, with Brett Angell top scorer with 26, and Dave Webb as manager.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4EW9DR8EIU

Great game, great support..... I was in the West Stand with Ooze mates from work, when we scored the whole south stand went mental, must've been well over 2000 on it. Trouble is, so did I - had to be escorted out by my Orient mates at the end!

 

[CyrilSneer]

I'm Very interested in the Collymore Collection, 93/94 season review and Anglo Italian Cup when you do get round to it. Let me know if you don't mind burning off an extra copy of each, don't mind giving you a tenner for each one.

I can do the 93/94 for you, and the 92/93 which will has all Collymores goals. Didn't know there was a separate Collymore VHS. If you want them send us a pm, don't expect any money from a fellow shrimper