Author Topic: Southend Football  (Read 81673 times)

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
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Southend Football
« on: 22 October, 2013, 10:34:20 pm »
Southend is a strange football club. Suffering a chairman who is one of the richest in the Football League and who is really just interested in the Club for its real estate development potential, they are constantly at the behest of HMRC because they have debts of one sort or another which, magically, the chairman, Ron "dodgy geezer" Martin pays out of his back pocket just before any deadline passes. I understand that they are restricted to a very small squad this season because of their financial insecurity.

Southend had a run of four straight losses earlier in the season. This was quite good news: for years the club have been trying to build an out-of-town stadium, which has varied in proposed size, but will inevitably be far too large and will require lots of road transport to get the fans there. If they lose, their home crowd is normally between 4000 and 5000. Currently the ground is within easy walking distance of lots of terraced housing and two railway stations so there is little need for motorised traffic around the ground. In previous year,s when they have done well, their crowd can go up to close to its capacity of 12000.

Last Friday Southend had a very good 2 - 0 win over Fleetwood, who were second in the table. Tonight, they lost 1 - 0 at home to Dagenham and Redbridge. It is quite annoying that they tend to play on a Tuesday evening as that interrupts my bike ride to my choir practice, and back again. I was a bit surprised, after Friday's result that their crowd was only 4500 or so. I would have expected a few more.

It's always a good idea for us to check whether they are playing at home before going across the road for fish and chips: the chip shop is only 100 yards or so from the ground's entrance.
Quote from: Dez
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Re: Southend Football
« Reply #1 on: 06 November, 2013, 08:12:30 pm »
" for years the club have been trying to build an out-of-town stadium, which has varied in proposed size, but will inevitably be far too large and will require lots of road transport to get the fans there. "

What you describe could be any one of many League 1 , 2 or minor league teams. My home town team, Darlington went bust because of an overambitious chairman building a stadium that was too big and too expensive. No amount of car boot sales could produce enough cash income to pay for the upkeep, never mind the players and other staff.
The Quakers  were relegated after having points deucted for insolvency and now share a ground with Bishop Auckland , 12 miles away.
Deano will be along soon to add some detail.

Re: Southend Football
« Reply #2 on: 06 November, 2013, 08:32:05 pm »
If I could beat him to it(!), you probably don't go back far enough but I can just about remember the glory days of Bishop Auckland; Bob Hardisty lifting the amateur cup year after year, with the occasional blip for Crook Town.  That's how it seemed, anyway.  I once wrote a song about Witton Park (just round the corner), never knowing that my grandmother had been born there.  Darlington also had a glory day, getting as far as the FA cup semi, or was it the quarters?  Used to go and watch Stockton Ancients, too.  Their ground is a housing estate, now.

Re: Southend Football
« Reply #3 on: 06 November, 2013, 09:31:00 pm »
Feethams, a few months ago:



It's currently being dug over, so the housing estate won't be long in coming.

There were a whole load of other problems with Darlo, but the stadium was the main one, built against the local residents' wishes, so it didn't have license to do anything other than host football matches, and the chairman's expressed desire to host "pop concerts" never materialised.

Reynolds was a self-publicising arsehole (previously jailed for safe-cracking, amongst other things, and later jailed for tax evasion), who used the club as his personal toy, then left when things went pear-shaped. I don't remember us ever having a decent chairman, but at least most of them left the club no worse than when they arrived. He left us with an unusable stadium and a shite team (no change there).

My old man and a few of his mates still admire Reynolds - my dad has an excuse, as he used to go drinking with the bloke, but I think the rest just liked his take-no-shit attitude. There's a story about an agent demanding a £10,000 fee for Darlo signing his goalkeeper, and Reynolds replying with an offer of £100,000 on the condition that the agent paid the club £10,000 every time his keeper let in a goal...

But that cut both ways - Reynolds fired my mate Chevs early in his Darlo career. Chevs was the assistant groundskeeper, and Reynolds walked out to meet him in the middle of the pitch and asked him what his job was. When he replied "assistant groundskeeper", Reynolds apparently said "we only need one groundskeeper - you're fired". That season, Feethams was a quagmire, with loads of games cancelled, and one cup tie had to be played in Middlesbrough.

It's a shite stadium, too. Out-of ground places are usually vile (Hull's KC stadium is something of an exception, but that has a whole sports complex around it, and the fans to fill it), and it smacked of putting the cart before the horse, especially in Reynolds' second season, when he started paying the players a pittance and put all the money into a useless stadium.

There is talk of Darlo getting the use of the stadium back, but in the division they're in now, they might as well play at South Park or the R.A.

Anyway, to happier times - Peter, is this what you're thinking of? ;D My dad was there, to watch his favourite team (Chelsea).

http://youtu.be/U5q9YhjWjOU

Re: Southend Football
« Reply #4 on: 06 November, 2013, 11:54:50 pm »
That's the one!  Your Dad won't have been too happy on Saturday, then!  Haway the lads!

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
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Re: Southend Football
« Reply #5 on: 09 November, 2013, 05:24:17 pm »
Southend began their journey to Wembley with a 3 - 0 away win against Morecambe in the F. A. Cup. Possibly the most remarkable aspect of this fixture is the two clubs' nicknames: I have learnt this afternoon that Morecambe are known as the Shrimps whereas Southend are the Shrimpers.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Southend Football
« Reply #6 on: 09 November, 2013, 05:34:25 pm »
Bury V Darlington was Shakers v Shakers!

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Southend Football
« Reply #7 on: 09 November, 2013, 10:39:14 pm »
Shakers v Quakers, surely?
Getting there...

Wowbagger

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Re: Southend Football
« Reply #8 on: 10 November, 2013, 07:49:53 am »
Actually, there is a second remarkable aspect about the Southend - Morecambe result: Morecambe are four places above Southend in League 2. I had assumed, given the score, that they were non-league.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Southend Football
« Reply #9 on: 11 November, 2013, 10:37:45 am »
Shakers v Quakers, surely?

Oops.

Then, a shaker is a quaker who can sing and dance (and make furniture)! 

Wowbagger

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Re: Southend Football
« Reply #10 on: 06 December, 2013, 10:47:09 pm »
Apparently Southend were "within 15 seconds" taking "top spot" in their last match. Their opponents scored from the penalty spot in order to equalise. It is very close at the top of League Division 4 (aka League 2) with very few points separating the top half-dozen teams. Brian.
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It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Wowbagger

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Re: Southend Football
« Reply #11 on: 14 December, 2013, 05:05:55 pm »
From the sublime to the ridiculous. The Bleeders lost to Torquay today. Torquay are, as the song suggested, right at the bottom of League Division 4.
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Wowbagger

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Re: Southend Football
« Reply #12 on: 04 January, 2014, 09:21:35 am »
Today is the third round of the FA Cup and this afternoon we will have the dubious pleasure of the Millwallies wandering past our door.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Wowbagger

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Re: Southend Football
« Reply #13 on: 04 January, 2014, 04:05:02 pm »
Southend are 1 - 0 up as half time approaches. According to a statistics website, they have had 60% of the possession.

Millwall are two leagues above Southend, albeit pretty near the bottom. Southend are close to the top of theirs.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Southend Football
« Reply #14 on: 04 January, 2014, 04:43:58 pm »
3  -  0 now.  You seem to be becoming a supporter Wow ...

Was the floodlight issue due to you putting the kettle on?

Wowbagger

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Re: Southend Football
« Reply #15 on: 04 January, 2014, 04:55:58 pm »
Me, a supporter? Not at all. Just bored on a damp afternoon. Mind you, I don't buy this "monsoon" bollocks that the Graun is talking about. My house is less than 300 yards from the ground and our weather station has recorded 0.2mm rain so far today.

I understand that it's 3 - 1 now.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
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Re: Southend Football
« Reply #16 on: 04 January, 2014, 05:21:30 pm »
And it finished 4 - 1. I hope the Millwallies are not as hooliganistic as they used to be as otherwise we might well get our windows smashed as they slouch back to the station.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Wowbagger

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Re: Southend Football
« Reply #17 on: 18 January, 2014, 04:27:12 pm »
Good grief! Southend are 3 - 0 up against Chesterfield in a clash (I think that's the word used in these circumstances) for fourth place. Chesterfield were ahead of Southend before the current game and will be below them after it.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Southend Football
« Reply #18 on: 18 January, 2014, 04:33:03 pm »
I refer the honourable gentleman ...    :D    O:-)

Re: Southend Football
« Reply #19 on: 18 January, 2014, 05:08:44 pm »
Good grief! Southend are 3 - 0 up against Chesterfield in a clash (I think that's the word used in these circumstances) for fourth place. Chesterfield were ahead of Southend before the current game and will be below them after it.

And Rochdale will be above both!

Wowbagger

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Re: Southend Football
« Reply #20 on: 25 January, 2014, 09:54:26 am »
Well, PB, I was thinking of buying a ticket for this afternoon's cup tie against Hull City (a team that has a unique distinction in the Football League) but they're sold out. Such a shame!

I think that Rochdale and Southend are the only two Fourth Division sides left in the cup, Peter. I would suggest that both are in with a chance, but Rochdale are considerably more likely to proceed.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Southend Football
« Reply #21 on: 25 January, 2014, 10:12:33 am »
I'll keep an eye on this thread for your updates Wow.   :D

Wowbagger

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Re: Southend Football
« Reply #22 on: 25 January, 2014, 10:15:36 am »
Ah, but first you must tell me about Hull City's unique distinction within the Football League. :P

I may be making marmalade at some stage during the match.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Southend Football
« Reply #23 on: 25 January, 2014, 10:43:31 am »
I don't know what you have in mind, P, but Hull are probably the only League side to have been knocked out of the FA Cup by Stockton (my home town)!  It was in the early 1900s.  Stockton are not so successful, now, although they still have the same team.

I cant go to Rochdale's game for domestic reasons but I shall be closely following both our games!

Re: Southend Football
« Reply #24 on: 25 January, 2014, 10:47:34 am »
It won't be true anymore if Hull City change their name to Hull Tigers next season!