Your promotion stories...

[BaileytheQuitter]

Just wondered if anyone had any stories that go with our promotions...

What you did before, after etc.

After the disapointment of the Grimsby game, which I went to and had the worst constapation (sp). I went to both of the Northampton games and then...the final...

For the play-off promotion I was going away for a weekend in Devon for one of my brothers football cup/tour things for a week. After going simply mental after Juppy scored it took me about half an hour to get my breath back and wipe away the tears (yes I cried, i'm not ashamed as I was not alone, many middle aged many had watery eyes). We had moved away from our parents as we couldn't see very well. I went outside to see my dad with the biggest smile on his face. The 4/5 hour journey to Devon was brilliant with a smile on each of our faces the whole way. And whilst we had to stay in a Pontins for a week I wasn't unhappy for one minute. Many a time that week I re-enacted Juppy and Fred's goal on the football pitch on the camp. People thought I was mad. Hung my Southend flag out of the window for the whole week.

For the Swansea game (League one promotion) I couldn't make the game but sat anxiously in my lounge with Gillette soccer saturday on the TV for other teams (Brentford etc) results. And the radio on to listen to the game. As the games went on my whole family and one of my brothers friends sat in the lounge, silent; the nerves apparent. When Hartlepool scored in the last minute we errupted! And when the full time whistles went confirming we were up the house exploded with noise, (my brothers friend sat their and looked at us as if to say-"It's only Southend!"). Out game the beer and wine. I went straight over the park with my radio, to meet adam (who posts on here) and we celebrated in the sunshine by playing cricket.

For the Bristol City game we got their early to join in with the party. Had my faced painted. And took my seat over near the Man City fans. Was such a brilliant day and when Gray scored I went truely mental, trying to run on the pitch, I was denied. But of course when full time went I charged on. Grabbing the grass and stuffing it into my pocket. I continued to join in the celebrations on the pitch. Will never forget tea-total-tilly singing after some champagne! "ARE YOU WATCHING COLCHESTER!"

Fantastic eh. :)

Went to both parades along the sea front and accompanied by some Rossi ice cream it was amazing.

Anyone care to share their promotion stories?

I got a bit nostalgic, praying we can have another story in the coming weeks. Oh and I'm going away for another one of my brothers football tours the day after the play off final this week. Good omens I hope.

Up the Blues!!!

 

[fredheim_holm]

I loved the Northampton away game. Tes Bramble really summed that day up. It was a good cheap day out for me though, and one of my first away games. Left the ground reasonably happy that we'd taken a point and could do them at home.

 

[BaileytheQuitter]

I got an interview in the Echo after that game aswell.

I was delighted with a point.

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

I got an interview in the Echo after that game aswell.

I was delighted with a point.

The saves Daryl made at the very end of both legs of that semi were, at the time, breath-taking .. and now ?? perhaps priceless

 

[Kristof]

Was present at London Road, Peterborough and Gigg Lane Bury for the back to back promotions under Webby, remember being on the fence at Peterborough screaming at Paul Smith who I used to go to school with and play in the school team with to give me his shirt, he didn't :nope: :stunned: .

Seeing us win at Cardiff was just incredible, I too had tears in my eyes :'( and hugged and danced around with complete strangers, including a couple of Sheffield Wednesday supporters outside who where going to their own final the next day. :O We didn't drive home, I felt like I was flying! Went to Airshow the next day in my Blues shirt, got merrily numb and shook hands with many other Blues fans all the way through the day.

Didn't go to Swansea but had some mates around listening to BBC Essex and the legend Sir Jeff on Soccer Saturday whilst being on the mobile to my mate Dave Cheeks who couldn't bear to watch Soccer Saturday and was in his garden. Got properly trollyed that night.

The following Saturday "Goat Day" was unreal still nevry because I just felt the title might be pinched by Col U like Brentford had done to us years before. We all paid hommage to The Goat and when he went off I don't ever remember a reception like it, Blues, Bristol City and Man City supporter rose as one and I shed a tear or two much like The Goat and many others did that day. But when the new Pele hit the winner I knew we had done it.

The presentation of the title, Sir Adam coming and waving and clapping me and my mates in South Upper prior to us joining the boys on the pitch, the players singing from the Directors Box just magic and then of course the parade the next day will live with me forever, it's what football does to you, think I smiled for the rest of week. :clap:

 

[BaileytheQuitter]

Unbelievable saves.

People forget how many times Flavs has saved us!

 

[BaileytheQuitter]

Was present at London Road, Peterborough and Gigg Lane Bury for the back to back promotions under Webby, remember being on the fence at Peterborough screaming at Paul Smith who I used to go to school with and play in the school team with to give me his shirt, he didn't :nope: :stunned: .

Seeing us win at Cardiff was just incredible, I too had tears in my eyes :'( and hugged and danced around with complete strangers, including a couple of Sheffield Wednesday supporters outside who where going to their own final the next day. :O We didn't drive home, I felt like I was flying! Went to Airshow the next day in my Blues shirt, got merrily numb and shook hands with many other Blues fans all the way through the day.

Didn't go to Swansea but had some mates around listening to BBC Essex and the legend Sir Jeff on Soccer Saturday whilst being on the mobile to my mate Dave Cheeks who couldn't bear to watch Soccer Saturday and was in his garden. Got properly trollyed that night.

The following Saturday "Goat Day" was unreal still nevry because I just felt the title might be pinched by Col U like Brentford had done to us years before. We all paid hommage to The Goat and when he went off I don't ever remember a reception like it, Blues, Bristol City and Man City supporter rose as one and I shed a tear or two much like The Goat and many others did that day. But when the new Pele hit the winner I knew we had done it.

The presentation of the title, Sir Adam coming and waving and clapping me and my mates in South Upper prior to us joining the boys on the pitch, the players singing from the Directors Box just magic and then of course the parade the next day will live with me forever, it's what football does to you, think I smiled for the rest of week. :clap:

Brilliant mate. I too jumped and danced with strangers. I can remember a middle aged man picking my up (i was 14) and just kissing me on the head.

Remember the Welsh steard sitting their looking bored and blank at the end, cleary wasnt a football fan.

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

The saves Daryl made at the very end of both legs of that semi were, at the time, breath-taking .. and now ?? perhaps priceless

Two brilliant saves, made many more since then, sure theres more to come.

 

[BaileytheQuitter]

Two brilliant saves, made many more since then, sure theres more to come.

The guy really is class.

 

[adam3811]

For the Swansea game (League one promotion) I couldn't make the game but sat anxiously in my lounge with Gillette soccer saturday on the TV for other teams (Brentford etc) results. And the radio on to listen to the game. As the games went on my whole family and one of my brothers friends sat in the lounge, silent; the nerves apparent. When Hartlepool scored in the last minute we errupted! And when the full time whistles went confirming we were up the house exploded with noise, (my brothers friend sat their and looked at us as if to say-"It's only Southend!"). Out game the beer and wine. I went straight over the park with my radio, to meet adam (who posts on here) and we celebrated in the sunshine by playing cricket.

haha, ohh, i remember that day! :support:

I too remember the grimsby game!
First away game for me if I believe rightly..

It was barely seconds from the end of the match and someone infront of us recieved a text saying that a certain team in a crucial game (my dad is saying swansea and crewe(?)) had equalised and that we were infact going up! Singing resumed and celebrations continued..

Turns out that it was either a practiacal joke, or may have been a mix up :doh: :punch:

 

[BaileytheQuitter]

haha, ohh, i remember that day! :support:

I too remember the grimsby game!
First away game for me if I believe rightly..

It was barely seconds from the end of the match and someone infront of us recieved a text saying that a certain team in a crucial game (my dad is saying swansea and crewe(?)) had equalised and that we were infact going up! Singing resumed and celebrations continued..

Turns out that it was either a practiacal joke, or may have been a mix up :doh: :punch:

That was horrible, I could barely move cos I was in such bad pain through constapation. I got up for a practical joke!

 

[seany t]

Duncan Jupp running back towards his team mates whilst unintentionally recreating David Pleat's embarrassing celebration from the 70's.

Think that says it all...

 

[BaileytheQuitter]

Carl P crying!

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

Two brilliant saves, made many more since then, sure theres more to come.

But is he better than Bart ;)

 

[Csboy]

Been at every promotion game since 1978. So many great memories. The one that sticks out for me is the Stockport promotion game 1987 where we pipped Wolves to the 3rd automatic prmotion spot in the old 4th Division with a 2-0 win at Stockport.

We decided to drive to Wolverhampton after the game and on a 'Welcome to Wolverhampton' sign we wrote Southend are going up and Wolves are s**t. Then we went to Wolves ground and wrote 'Southend are going up' on some of the turnstile doors. Wolves had a game the next day(Stockport game was a Friday night game) at home. Love to have seen their fans faces seeing all this Southend graffiti at their ground.
We were all crazy teenagers are the time, wouldn't dream of doing something like that now.

 

[Forever A Shrimper]

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=UqMUDsoyAzs

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

Been at every promotion game since 1978. So many great memories. The one that sticks out for me is the Stockport promotion game 1987 where we pipped Wolves to the 3rd automatic prmotion spot in the old 4th Division with a 2-0 win at Stockport.

We decided to drive to Wolverhampton after the game and on a 'Welcome to Wolverhampton' sign we wrote Southend are going up and Wolves are s**t. Then we went to Wolves ground and wrote 'Southend are going up' on some of the turnstile doors. Wolves had a game the next day(Stockport game was a Friday night game) at home. Love to have seen their fans faces seeing all this Southend graffiti at their ground.
We were all crazy teenagers are the time, wouldn't dream of doing something like that now.

Stockport was a great night .. the 40 a side football match in the park before the match was a right laugh .. marching through the town centre with the police (politely, i should add) asking us to keep the noise down because we were scaring the locals ... onto the match with Pennyfathers early volley and the inevitable Cadette goal to seal it, cue around 50 Wolves in the main stand trudging out to a chorus of boos and catcalls from us .. and the celebrations after .. i was 16 at the time and for the first time could totally appreciate what was going on

I had the video (and now have the DVD) of the match and at the end there is an interview with Paul Clark, the interviewer was praising our fans saying we'd brought thousands .. IIRC it was actually around 600 which was a massive turnout for us then .. the average being 100 > 150

We'd take 2000+ now, wehich shows how much the club has grown in the past 20 years

 

[* ORM *]

Also never missed a promotion match - could bore you all to death again with the I wrote off my car on the way to Gigg Lane story

 

[Csboy]

Also never missed a promotion match - could bore you all to death again with the I wrote off my car on the way to Gigg Lane story

Go on tell us. I take it you still got there.

 

[Magnum PI]

I stayed in Hotel in Carmarthen the night after the Swansea (2-2) game.. Me and Mrs Magnum bought the biggest bottle of champagne got in the bath and shook it up and poured it everywhere just like in the F1... absolute quality..

The prospect of us going up again or getting to Wembley this year is retingling all those cardiff memories

I will never forget the relief that flooded out when Juppy slid that ball home.. Easily my best ever moment in football