The best day of my Southend United supporting life.

irenbird said:

Fabulous day, still buzzing here. Watched BBC Breakfast with Bill Turnbill today, must admit felt for him as he was inconsolable and said several times,"1-0 up with 23 seconds to go, unbelievable". I think we all know how we would have felt today if things had been different. Can't wait for next season. COYBB

Click to expand...

Did he not mind you sitting in his living room?

Wish I could experience that goal going in again, the scenes were amazing!!!

Wish I could experience that goal going in again

Click to expand...

OK, here goes:

30 seconds left ....... where's my jacket....... Weston runs from our half........run Weston!!.... run..... cross it!!...... no, don't try to beat another defender!...oh, great cross!.... OMG BBBC is on the end of it........ Pig....shoot!!!....keeper has it covered..... OMG Pig....far post shot......... AAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That was my experience of the vital five seconds. Five seconds which will live in my memory for ever.

Well, we're all doing it.

I was at the back of 135 ready to leave, stalling a steward from moving me on when I saw Weston get given the ball 122 minutes into the game. The FIFA player in me agreed with the recipient of choice, the Southend knowledge in me fundamentally disagreed. Then he beat his man and that cross goes in (as I've subsequently learnt on replays as I was too busy with my head in hands), then Piggott shoots but I see a wall of defenders and a goalkeeper well positioned for a nearside shot and I thought it was over.

Then time stopped. Through the legs of two players and the ball trickles over the line. Panda-effing-monium. The Southend fan in me went absolutely bezerk but I became aware quite quickly that it wasn't over. I'd calmed down when others were still going crazy. I made my way back to my seat.

Fast forward to penalty number 16 (SIXTEEN). The fourth penalty they had which was sink-or-float. I couldn't do it anymore. I just knew we'd eff it up. This is Southend. We always eff it up. I was having flashbacks to when floodlight failure cost us automatics, or when we were 25 minutes away and it went wrong, or the Crewe play-off games, or the Burton games, the Morecambe game (I was barely over that!). I saw the screen and you could see in his eyes how much he didn't want to take that penalty so I started the booing and whistling just to turn the screw whatever I can.

Bentley saves.

Woah. A moment like that I doubt I'll ever live again. It made the Chelsea away goal look like Oscar's goal against Germany in Brazil. I went crazy. The tears fell, the screaming of "YES", had the shakes. Although the opportunist in me didn't fail to take the chance to embrace the three beautiful ladies on my right and pass it off as euphoria. :winking:

Amazing day for all Shrimpers, I still can't get over the feeling when the Pig scored! Don't know if anyone else has said this but a big shout out to the lads on the big drum, they were only just in front of me and they kept going superbly. Yes they struggled to get going again when we went behind but they did and kept our section singing throughout the majority of the match. I was still singing 'Everywhere we gooooo' as I set off for work this morning :smile:

There were 12 of us at the game split into two nearby sections. Age from 9 to 70 family and friends. At the end of normal time my eldest son turned to me and said it is over. Suddenly, after a wonderful ball win, super wing play and cross, downward header, turn control and shot. The world stopped still, a ball was travelling goalwards. But defenders would block or divert it. No, it seems to travel at one mile an hour at an angle that left the opposition goalkeeper flat footed. On it went through or by defending legs. Was the impossible taking place? This was Southend United after all, fate must have it's say! But no the ball rolled on and entered the net. There was a second when time stood still. The everthing gave way, such feelings, release of pent up emotion, of joy that means life is worth living. The Pig had scored! I will never experience such feelings again. Even the penalty win could not match such a moment in SUFC history. It has taken me days to recover, and sleep soundly again. Thank you players, chairman, manager and backroom staff. Wonderful, wonderful day.

Just 19 years of support for me so far, and I was there for Lincoln at the MilStad, Swansea, Bristol City, Man Utd, Chelsea etc. Yesterday has to top all of those though. Firstly because it was Wembley. Secondly because of the drama and the ridulous swing from despair to elation thanks to an equaliser with 30 seconds left on the clock. The scenes of utter jubilation, of strangers hugging wach other, will live long in the memory.

I was in the toilet with my 5 year old and missed the goal, the noise will stay with me forever. We rushed out absolutely going mental, there were bins going flying, people asking if we'd scored etc and me and a total stranger hugging each other. I'll never ever forget it.

Funny really, what we have achieved is to be the 4th best team in League 2............!

I remember epic matches stretching back to 1969, performing against the odds in League cup, FA Cup, promotion to what is now 'The Championship' for the first time, topping that League on New Years day by thrashing Newcastle. The 1st time we won anything - 1980/81 or the time we pipped Colchester to the League 1 title in that tense 1-0 win over Bristol City.

Yet nabbing the final promotion berth in the bottom tier tops them all!

35 years supporting for me, like many others I have been at every one of the big games during that time, but Saturday, that goal, those penalties top the lot. Why? Because it was at Wembley, the drama, the excitement, the heart sinking moment when Wycombe scored, the Piggott goal and then that save. Football offers so many lows, but every now and again the odd high. It will be a monumental moment to top what went on Saturday.

One more comment. I thought Pigotts goal was outstanding so coolly taken. Looking at the replay he had no margin for error managing to squeeze the ball through 3 or 4 sets of legs and then pass the goalkeeper. Amazing! I hope we keep him.

Sorry for those whom have already seen this, it was posted on the wrong thread..........not the first time I`ve done this!:blush: Was on my sister`s laptop yesterday, which (for me) is more difficult to copy and paste, otherwise I would have done it yesterday.


Honestly, isn`t this all going a bit over the top? after all it`s only a game.









:winking:

Don`t know about anyone else but I have to keep playing that equalising goal over and over again in my mind or watch it on video, as though I can`t quite come to terms with reality of it all. I don`t think I cried at that moment (Big bears don`t cry!) but if I now watch videos of it or listen to commentary, I start to choke and tears begin welling up in my eyes. Congratulations to the person earlier who took that series of photos after the game had ended........I did as well. The only problem was, that my hands were shaking so much, the majority had to be binned due to being blurred!
Before the game started a mate of the three friends I was with, looked over to us with our greying temples and ruefully commented, "I don`t know how many more of these we shall get!" Well, following that going through the wringer of deflation, disappointment and resignation, transformed in a moment to disbelief, relief, joy, exhultation and celebration, the answer is................................................ .......................... probably a few less!