So, one last pre-match thread and it’s a big one as the season stretches into the month of June for one last game, the play-off final at Wembley against Oldham Athletic.
Micky Mellon's Latics reached the play-off final after resounding victories, 4-0 at home to Halifax in the eliminator and perhaps more surprisingly 3-0 away at York City. They had an easy 2-0 win against rock bottom Ebbsfleet on the last day of the season, but lost at Forest Green and drew at York in the games before that. On paper, their form over the last six games of the regular season was not as good as ours. Although to be fair they had a more difficult run in. They haven't beaten us this season either - we won 1-0 at Roots Hall at the end of March thanks to a goal from Keenan Appiah-Forson, and earlier on in September we drew 1-1 with GSM heading home a George Moncur free-kick before Fondup rescued a point for them in the second half.
The one player among their number with a Shrimpers connection is Shaun Hobson, but he wasn't in the squad for the final game of the regular season or the first two play off matches. As he'd been a pretty regular fixture in the starting XI up until then, I'm assuming he's probably been injured.
They've a few other dangerous players to watch with Barnsley loanee Vimal Yoganathan catching the eye at York, Joe Garner regularly finding the back of the net and Mike Fondop always being a handful.
Kev has tweaked his starting XI for the past few games and I assume therefore won't be following the mantra of "don't change a winning side", but more likely will look at how Oldham set up and how we can both negate their threat and hurt them with our attacking play.
Injuries aside, it would seem that there are a few nailed on starters, but the main choices will be whether Bridge or Chambers-Parillon start on the left and who is going to start up top alongside Tom Hopper. It's nice to have options and in both play-off games we have used the bench to great effect with subs Jack Bridge scoring the crucial equaliser at Forest Green, Chambers-Parillon crossing for the 2nd goal and then scoring himself from Bonne's cross, and Charley Kendall scoring the winner at Rochdale (indirectly from a Cav Miley corner).
It's going to be a magical moment for those of us fortunate to be at Wembley on Sunday, less than 12 months after our club nearly went bust (remember the takeover nearly fell through when the National League asked for a £1million bond for us to start the season on 24th June 2024). Oldham have experienced their own similar situation too, so this is a real celebration for two proud former league clubs who have triumphed in the face of adversity to reach this "winner takes all" chance to get out of the National League.
For us, it feels like a wonderful reward for COSU who put their money in to save the club and for the club staff (backroom, coaching and playing), who stuck by us in our darkest days. Also for us fans who have stuck with the club through the tough times.
Of course though, the ultimate icing on the cake will be to win the game, and that's what everyone associated with the club will be working towards I'm sure.
Some say it is written in the stars for us this year because we won the play offs in 2005 and 2015 - coincidentally years that Barnet also won the National League, like they have done in 2025.
Whether you believe that or not, let's hope for a good game and a Southend performance we can be proud of - from both the players on the pitch and the fans in the stands.
So for the final time this season, who would you choose to start and what do you believe the result will be?
Micky Mellon's Latics reached the play-off final after resounding victories, 4-0 at home to Halifax in the eliminator and perhaps more surprisingly 3-0 away at York City. They had an easy 2-0 win against rock bottom Ebbsfleet on the last day of the season, but lost at Forest Green and drew at York in the games before that. On paper, their form over the last six games of the regular season was not as good as ours. Although to be fair they had a more difficult run in. They haven't beaten us this season either - we won 1-0 at Roots Hall at the end of March thanks to a goal from Keenan Appiah-Forson, and earlier on in September we drew 1-1 with GSM heading home a George Moncur free-kick before Fondup rescued a point for them in the second half.
The one player among their number with a Shrimpers connection is Shaun Hobson, but he wasn't in the squad for the final game of the regular season or the first two play off matches. As he'd been a pretty regular fixture in the starting XI up until then, I'm assuming he's probably been injured.
They've a few other dangerous players to watch with Barnsley loanee Vimal Yoganathan catching the eye at York, Joe Garner regularly finding the back of the net and Mike Fondop always being a handful.
Kev has tweaked his starting XI for the past few games and I assume therefore won't be following the mantra of "don't change a winning side", but more likely will look at how Oldham set up and how we can both negate their threat and hurt them with our attacking play.
Injuries aside, it would seem that there are a few nailed on starters, but the main choices will be whether Bridge or Chambers-Parillon start on the left and who is going to start up top alongside Tom Hopper. It's nice to have options and in both play-off games we have used the bench to great effect with subs Jack Bridge scoring the crucial equaliser at Forest Green, Chambers-Parillon crossing for the 2nd goal and then scoring himself from Bonne's cross, and Charley Kendall scoring the winner at Rochdale (indirectly from a Cav Miley corner).
It's going to be a magical moment for those of us fortunate to be at Wembley on Sunday, less than 12 months after our club nearly went bust (remember the takeover nearly fell through when the National League asked for a £1million bond for us to start the season on 24th June 2024). Oldham have experienced their own similar situation too, so this is a real celebration for two proud former league clubs who have triumphed in the face of adversity to reach this "winner takes all" chance to get out of the National League.
For us, it feels like a wonderful reward for COSU who put their money in to save the club and for the club staff (backroom, coaching and playing), who stuck by us in our darkest days. Also for us fans who have stuck with the club through the tough times.
Of course though, the ultimate icing on the cake will be to win the game, and that's what everyone associated with the club will be working towards I'm sure.
Some say it is written in the stars for us this year because we won the play offs in 2005 and 2015 - coincidentally years that Barnet also won the National League, like they have done in 2025.
Whether you believe that or not, let's hope for a good game and a Southend performance we can be proud of - from both the players on the pitch and the fans in the stands.
So for the final time this season, who would you choose to start and what do you believe the result will be?
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but i might need some emotional support if Kev Maher is standing holding aloft the National League playoff winners trophy on the centre spot of England's hallowed turf for the first time.
