I see there ground holds 30k plus? What gates do they get these days?
They had sold just under 9,000 tickets at the last count.
Plus, a local web-site penned this ;
It’s been a journey to hell andback for Southend since that December afternoon at the Ricoh Arena in 2006.Relegation to the third-tier was eventually followed by financial struggles,another relegation and several close shaves with liquidation. Paul Sturrockeventually stabilised the club, taking them to the play-offs and JPT finalbefore being harshly sacked weeks before he could enjoy a well-deservedafternoon at Wembley.
Phil Brown was a thoroughlyunpopular choice as Sturrock’s replacement but has been able to build on hispredecessor’s achievements. Despite lacking experience of League Two football,Brown has built a strong team dynamic whilst leading the club to consecutivefifth-place finishes in the fourth-tier before leading Southend to promotion viathe play-offs last season.
The star of this Southend team isgoalkeeper Daniel Bentley, who last season conceded just nine league goals athome. A product of the club’s academy, Bentley is a tall and confident younggoalkeeper which gives Southend the stability in their play that comes fromknowing that their goalkeeper will bail them out almost regardless of whattheir doing.
Much of the rest of Southend’steam features your classic lower league journeymen workmanlike footballers,that they employ Gary Deegan would suggest as much. It’s players like Deegan aswell as Michael Timlin, John White and Adam Barrett that provide the characterof this team. Phil Brown has further added to that dynamic by bringing in thehard-working strikers Noel Hunt and David Mooney as his key summer signings.
There are a few flair players inthe squad that give Southend more of a threat about them. Winger StephenMcLaughlin is a recent signing from Nottingham Forest after a good loan spelllast season, he’s generally regarded as something of a one in three man interms of providing inspiration. Anthony Wordsworth is also at the club, hisdelivery from set-pieces provide Southend with their biggest attacking threat.Then there’s the ‘Southend Messi’ Jack Payne who is an exciting littleattacking midfielder who is one of the few Southend players who can dribblepast an opponent.
Prediction
This is all set up to be the nextin a long line of games at the Ricoh Arena between a Coventry City sideexpected to dominate and an opposition team who’ll set up to soak up pressureand look to nick a goal at the other end. Without James Maddison in the side,there is the worry that we lack the unpredictability that can createuncertainty within the opposing team’s defensive fortifications. This game isall about finding a way to win with the options we have left.
I always kind of expect the worstin these type of games but for now, I’m going to be optimistic and predict a2-0 win for Coventry City.