[b said:
Quote[/b] (fbm @ Feb. 23 2006,22:41)]I'm not immune, even after my relatively short time as a Southend fan (6 seasons) I have had my hopes dashed when I thought things were taking a turn for the better.
6 seasons... no wonder.
In the 36 years I have been following the Blues, here's some hopes I had dashed...
1971/2 - The clubs first promotion season from Division 4. We were going for the title and promotion and had embarked on a 14 match unbeaten run. We were due to play lowly Cambridge at home in what was almost a dead cert home banker. That would almost certainly give us the title. Our keeper Derek Bellotti was injured and Peter Taylor went in goal (there were no sub keepers back then). We lost 2-1 and came runners up. We had never won anything back then. I remember getting really upset that we had missed out (well, I was only 10...)
Mid 1970's... Blues are among the early pacesetters in Division 3 and there is real talent on the pitch and a belief that this could be the first season we break into Division 2. The club owners make it known that promotion isn't really on the agenda as it would cost the club too much. We slip down the table.
1981 - Div 4 Championship winners. Dave Smith builds a wonder side that takes the division by storm, going the whole season unbeaten at The Hall and only conceding 6 goals in the process. When it seems as though we can make an assault on Division 3, Smith leaves, the team is broken up, many promises are made, the club breaks the bank bringing new, ex and current Division 1 players in, much is promised, and the club enters it's darkest period, nearly drops out of the league and almost goes bankrupt.
1991 - Webbys wonders gain 2 successive promotions to finally reach the promised land of Division 2. We tak that by storm as well and thrash Newcastle 4-0 on New Years Day to go top for the first and only time in our history. Shortly afterwards Webby and Vic Jobson fall out publicly and the team slides down the table.
1994 - Barry Fry builds the most entertaining side ever seen at the Hall and we look as though we are Premier$hite bound, taking on and beating all comers. Birmingham snatch him, Peter Taylor is appointed as a knee jerk reaction. In his first match at home v WBA we are at 0-0 after about an hour when we get a penalty. Gary Poole strikes it but the keeper beats it away. From the loose ball, WBA go straight down the other end and score. We end up losing 3-0 and that started a trend that culminated in us slipping through the 1st and 2nd divisions into the basement where we languished until Tilly/Brush took over. You I guess would have started supporting the side midway through our spell in the bottom division and the only dashed hopes were last year when we missed out on automatic promotion. But that came good in the end.
That is why us older fans are perhaps a touch more sceptical and cautious about getting too carried away. Frankly, it is too painful when the inevitable happens and someone or something comes along to pi$$ on our chips.
Don't mistake our cautious optimism for negativity. It is just a means of preserving our sanity.[/QUOTE]
Thanks, fbm, I was feeling quite cheerful until you reminded me of all that. I was at the Cambridge game, and we were already a goal up and cruising when Derek Bellotti crashed into the post and did his shoulder. They carried him off on a stretcher and for some reason covered him completely with a blanket, leaving us to fear the worse for a few moments.
You missed a "Typical Southend Moment" in that list. After Benji put the ball in the Bury net, we were top with two matches left to clinch the Championship and go up in style - we had been top for the majority of the season. Our last two matches were both at home - we drew on the Tuesday night with Orient, 1-1, which still kept us top, but we then crashed to a 0-1 defeat at the hands of Brentford on the last Saturday, and dropped to second. Another trophy dashed from our hands at the final moment.......