There are many ways to measure greatness: appearances, medals, honours, popularity. Well Ron Pountney sits third in the all-time appearance list, was an integral part of the club's first major title (Division 4, 1980-81) and won the player of the year award a record three times.
Ronnie Pountney's decade at Roots Hall ended when I was still a Junior Shrimper trying to convince my father I was old enough to accompany him to the football on a Saturday afternoon, so I never got to see him play. What I did however get to see, was the high regard that those who did see him play held him in. This was never better illustrated than the group of fans (some of whom will be reading this now) who campaigned for and organised his testimonial, some 14 years after it had been cancelled by the evil Wet Sham because of fixture congestion. To me that says more about Ron Pountney than his 401 appearances for the club, for all his player of the year awards, or for being one of just 29 individuals honoured by being awarded a testimonial by the club.
But it is easy to imagine why he was held in such high esteem. Southend United have 2 trophies in their cabinet, they also have 2 famous cup exploits. Whilst the League One title in 2005/06 and the legendary League Cup win over Man U is still fresh in many of our minds, up and until then the greatest achievements in the club's history were the Division 4 title in 1980/81 and holding European Champions Liverpool, to a draw at a snowy Roots Hall in 1979. Both involved Ron Pountney, who played all but two games in the title winning season and who'd earlier been amongst the the Southend heroes who'd held the Liverpool side packed full of future pundits and failed managers.
Some might say Dave Smith was the man who represents that era more than anyone, but it is difficult to argue that a man who won player of the season award three times when only one other player (Billy Best) won it more than once, played over 400 times for the club and helped win the club's first trophy doesn't belong in the Southend United Hall of Fame.
Ronnie Pountney's decade at Roots Hall ended when I was still a Junior Shrimper trying to convince my father I was old enough to accompany him to the football on a Saturday afternoon, so I never got to see him play. What I did however get to see, was the high regard that those who did see him play held him in. This was never better illustrated than the group of fans (some of whom will be reading this now) who campaigned for and organised his testimonial, some 14 years after it had been cancelled by the evil Wet Sham because of fixture congestion. To me that says more about Ron Pountney than his 401 appearances for the club, for all his player of the year awards, or for being one of just 29 individuals honoured by being awarded a testimonial by the club.
But it is easy to imagine why he was held in such high esteem. Southend United have 2 trophies in their cabinet, they also have 2 famous cup exploits. Whilst the League One title in 2005/06 and the legendary League Cup win over Man U is still fresh in many of our minds, up and until then the greatest achievements in the club's history were the Division 4 title in 1980/81 and holding European Champions Liverpool, to a draw at a snowy Roots Hall in 1979. Both involved Ron Pountney, who played all but two games in the title winning season and who'd earlier been amongst the the Southend heroes who'd held the Liverpool side packed full of future pundits and failed managers.
Some might say Dave Smith was the man who represents that era more than anyone, but it is difficult to argue that a man who won player of the season award three times when only one other player (Billy Best) won it more than once, played over 400 times for the club and helped win the club's first trophy doesn't belong in the Southend United Hall of Fame.