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Jedi Shrimper

formerly Drastic™
Joined
Jan 10, 2008
Messages
8,970
Location
SS1
I'm working on a project and need any good quotes about Southend United. For instance I seem to recall someone (possibly Kevin Keegan) once said "Roots Hall is the Wembley of the lower leagues", can anyone conform this?

Any quotes from players/managers or opposition would be great.
 
I've always been a fan of "We should be steamrollering clubs like Southend" by then Oldham manager Ronnie Moore.
 
I recall a newspaper (cant remember which one) describing the south stand as the 'Dinkyist' stand in football.
 
Victor Jobson - 'There are 91 other teams you can support'
Yes indeed, he actually wrote that in a letter to me after I had written to him expressing my concerns over some issues. He wasn't quite so bold when I confronted him in the car park 2 weeks later and handed him his letter back and told him he may wish to use it as toilet paper.
 
Another Keegan quote when he was manager of Newcastle and receiving flak from supporters -

"Listen our main rivals are Manchester United, when I came here it was Southend United"
 
Another Keegan quote when he was manager of Newcastle and receiving flak from supporters -

"Listen our main rivals are Manchester United, when I came here it was Southend United"

Ha! Any idea whether the quote I started off with was correct and attributable to Keegan.

Not sure if most of the quotes so far are suitable for what I need, but they've certainly made me chuckle.

One I like from Stan Collymore's biog is:

"I wouldn't swap that day at Southend for winning the FA Cup or the championship. Really. There was a purity and undiluted joy about that day at Roots Hall"
 
The Keegan quote was in his first biog I believe.

His first appearance at RH has him listed in the Programme as Geegan

I believe Bert Trautmann once referred to the game at RH as the toughest game in their cup winning run

Bobby Moore has a few, one about VJ putting his arm around him and saying something like " Its not your fault Bob , they are just not as good as you were"

Also the oft quoted (and Misquoted) Karen Brady "They think I'm 24" conversation (Karen says its between her and her Nan, Barry Fry says its between him and Karen)
 
Biographies of Keegan, Moore, Fry would be a good place to Start.
Trautmanns may have a quote.
Don't bother with Ronnie Whelans , his book barely mentions his time at Southend.

I
 
Just before Freddy’s famous free kick againstMan United commentator Alan Smith said something like: He wants to just hitthis and hope for a deflection.
Made me laugh as we were a championship cluband I know guys I play with at Sunday league level who can take a good freekick, just shows how clueless the guy is on football outside the premier league

 
Loads of old quotes in the book 'Southend United The official History of The Blues' by Peter Mason.
Here are a few on the 'new' Roots Hall

Club Chairman Major Hay in 1951 'A move may or may not happen in our lifetime' (would be funny if Ron said that now!)
Club Secretary - 'We are well on the way to owning the finest football ground in either the second or third divisions. We have a ground of which we can be justly proud for eternity'
Daily Mail - 'Seaside Wembley'
Millwall FC - 'Southend United might also be termed the bravest club in England, for a while all of us are seriously troubled with declining attendances they have taken the bold step of moving'
Southend Standard - 'Skilful soccer is impossible on the Roots Hall swap'
 
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