Memory Lane Origin of the PAK

[GrumpyBlue]

Remember both games very well.

Yes I remember both games well - but cannot remember what happened last week - strange old world

 

[Firestorm]

Being a couple of years younger and from out of town I didn't know any of these names, I didn't even stand on the North Bank regularly 'til 78.

However I met Ozzie (does depend on which one is being referred to though, I understand there were two....) at a Slade concert, Hammersmith, in 74 . Spent a lot of the bus journey from Manor Park about Slade and Southend, well until I got off at Billericay. Seemed a top bloke.
I heard he passed away some while ago

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

I generally used to go in the South or West with my Dad in the late 60's and early 70's but when I started going to games on my own with my friends (Shrimpero and Mark Smith - remember him Rob?) in the mid 70's we ventured into the North Bank. ews

We didn't go right behind the goal (we went to Westcliff High and would have been taken apart!) but the atmosphere was great! We got used to seeing a few familiar faces at games and then one Tuesday night for a game v Millwall we went in and found the North Bank full of very unfamiliar faces and a strange atmosphere. When the match kicked off about 300 people suddenly started singing Millwall songs and it was very, very tense. The game ended 0-0 and christ knows what would have happened if either side had scored.

Anyone remember that? 1974/5 I think.

Millwall 1975-76 Season. Friday night mayhem in January76. They were going for the Title and we ended up getting relegated. It was a boring 0-0 draw.


That game was notorious for all the wrong reasons. Segregation was not good in those days as you could get in any turnstile with cash, with no seats in the North South, and West stands and they had probably about 1000 supporters spread out in those stands . We got in the North Bank just after the floodlights went on. The ,word going around was that Southend were to all turn up and hold the North Bank, whatever happens. We got their too early. Things got off to a bad start when we heard a massive crash/bang, a mob of about 200 had broken down the big blue gate behind the North Bank about an hour before kick off ,then we heard ''MIIILLLLLLWWWAAAALLLL ,MIIILLLLLLWWWAAAALLLL'' . ''STAND, STAND, was the brave cry, then as they got closer along the terrace, we saw that not only were we hopelessly outnumbered, but they were a lot older and bigger, and some at the front were brandishing Dockers Hooks ( they had a lot of Dockers from Millwall Docks in those days ) and knives, all 50 or so young Southend fans legged it across to the East and West stands as the old bill waded in to save us . I was very stupidly one of the last to get on to the pitch and got grabbed by my boot, getting over the wall, but managed to kick him off. I got the message tho and probably broke the sprint record in getting past the coppers and into the East Stand.
It was too early for the main older Southend mob to be in there, which was a blessing. Quite a few turned up later but went into other parts of the ground. This caused sporadic fighting to break out. The Millwall mob went on to smash up the High Street on their way to Central Station. Crazy Night !!.

 

[fbm]

Millwall 1975-76 Season. Friday night mayhem in January76. They were going for the Title and we ended up getting relegated. It was a boring 0-0 draw.


That game was notorious for all the wrong reasons. Segregation was not good in those days as you could get in any turnstile with cash, with no seats in the North South, and West stands and they had probably about 1000 supporters spread out in those stands . We got in the North Bank just after the floodlights went on. The ,word going around was that Southend were to all turn up and hold the North Bank, whatever happens. We got their too early. Things got off to a bad start when we heard a massive crash/bang, a mob of about 200 had broken down the big blue gate behind the North Bank about an hour before kick off ,then we heard ''MIIILLLLLLWWWAAAALLLL ,MIIILLLLLLWWWAAAALLLL'' . ''STAND, STAND, was the brave cry, then as they got closer along the terrace, we saw that not only were we hopelessly outnumbered, but they were a lot older and bigger, and some at the front were brandishing Dockers Hooks ( they had a lot of Dockers from Millwall Docks in those days ) and knives, all 50 or so young Southend fans legged it across to the East and West stands as the old bill waded in to save us . I was very stupidly one of the last to get on to the pitch and got grabbed by my boot, getting over the wall, but managed to kick him off. I got the message tho and probably broke the sprint record in getting past the coppers and into the East Stand.
It was too early for the main older Southend mob to be in there, which was a blessing. Quite a few turned up later but went into other parts of the ground. This caused sporadic fighting to break out. The Millwall mob went on to smash up the High Street on their way to Central Station. Crazy Night !!.

Ah, a Friday. Thanks for the memory.

We got there just before kick off and as I say it was all very tense and unfamiliar. Shrimpero was in the South as he said and I was with my mate Mark Smith. We just shut up for the whole game and I have never seemed so glad to see a 0-0 draw.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Crumpy still pops up in the west bank regularly he aint changed a bit top man.

Glad he's still about, blimey this thread has dredged up a few names from the past.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Yes I remember both games well - but cannot remember what happened last week - strange old world

Last week? In my case it's more like half an hour ago.

 

[BrettieAngell]

Millwall 1975-76 Season. Friday night mayhem in January76. They were going for the Title and we ended up getting relegated. It was a boring 0-0 draw.


That game was notorious for all the wrong reasons. Segregation was not good in those days as you could get in any turnstile with cash, with no seats in the North South, and West stands and they had probably about 1000 supporters spread out in those stands . We got in the North Bank just after the floodlights went on. The ,word going around was that Southend were to all turn up and hold the North Bank, whatever happens. We got their too early. Things got off to a bad start when we heard a massive crash/bang, a mob of about 200 had broken down the big blue gate behind the North Bank about an hour before kick off ,then we heard ''MIIILLLLLLWWWAAAALLLL ,MIIILLLLLLWWWAAAALLLL'' . ''STAND, STAND, was the brave cry, then as they got closer along the terrace, we saw that not only were we hopelessly outnumbered, but they were a lot older and bigger, and some at the front were brandishing Dockers Hooks ( they had a lot of Dockers from Millwall Docks in those days ) and knives, all 50 or so young Southend fans legged it across to the East and West stands as the old bill waded in to save us . I was very stupidly one of the last to get on to the pitch and got grabbed by my boot, getting over the wall, but managed to kick him off. I got the message tho and probably broke the sprint record in getting past the coppers and into the East Stand.
It was too early for the main older Southend mob to be in there, which was a blessing. Quite a few turned up later but went into other parts of the ground. This caused sporadic fighting to break out. The Millwall mob went on to smash up the High Street on their way to Central Station. Crazy Night !!.

Good stuff!

 

[E for B and Billy Best]

When you look at the team containing chisnall and clayton, I dont want to kick a man when he's down but how did tilly get voted player of the millenium.

 

[canveyshrimper]

When you look at the team containing chisnall and clayton, I dont want to kick a man when he's down but how did tilly get voted player of the millenium.

To be fair any "best of's" are purely subjective, and it's often those fresh in the memory that will normally win such titles.

 

[westie]

One of the guy's I remember from those day's is still about and works/runs the seamans mission place where Ken and a few drink before a game....I forget his name although it may be Charlie, Ken would be able to tell you.

It is the one and only Charlie Benson, father of Daggers Paul Benson.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Glad he's still about, blimey this thread has dredged up a few names from the past.

Here's another name from the past for you,Alf Smirk(RIP).I went to the Wolves,Swindon and Mansfield Cup games in 68/9 with him as a fellow passenger(I was in the 6th form at the time)in a car driven by my Aunt Dawn, who was Smirk's sister-in-law.
Alf Smirk, for younger zoners, used to be the football reporter for the Southend Standard in the 60's and indeed used to play for the club before that(he was apparently quite a nippy winger in his time).
Alf was certainly an interesting fella.A bit gruff,some might say a typical dour Yorkshireman.I remember his first words to me "How's thee Philip?" which is not something I was used to hearing every day.He certainly knew his football though and made an interesting companion on those long trips.
Suprisingly, he had a very low opinion of two Blues players of that era,Bobby Kellard and Ray Smith, who he rated no higher than Borough Com. players.
We did agree though on who cost us that League Cup defeat at Wolves.John McKinven.Johny Mac was through on goal a couple of times in a 1-1 with the Wolves keeper but lost his nerve both times with the goal at his mercy.
Sounded like we were more than a bit unlucky last night too.Plus Ça change..

 

[Napster]

Here's another name from the past for you,Alf Smirk(RIP).I went to the Wolves,Swindon and Mansfield Cup games in 68/9 with him as a fellow passenger(I was in the 6th form at the time)in a car driven by my Aunt Dawn, who was Smirk's sister-in-law.
Alf Smirk, for younger zoners, used to be the football reporter for the Southend Standard in the 60's and indeed used to play for the club before that(he was apparently quite a nippy winger in his time).
Alf was certainly an interesting fella.A bit gruff,some might say a typical dour Yorkshireman.I remember his first words to me "How's thee Philip?" which is not something I was used to hearing every day.He certainly knew his football though and made an interesting companion on those long trips.
Suprisingly, he had a very low opinion of two Blues players of that era,Bobby Kellard and Ray Smith, who he rated no higher than Borough Com. players.
We did agree though on who cost us that League Cup defeat at Wolves.John McKinven.Johny Mac was through on goal a couple of times in a 1-1 with the Wolves keeper but lost his nerve both times with the goal at his mercy.
Sounded like we were more than a bit unlucky last night too.Plus Ça change..

alf died of asbestosis. my missus cared for him in his dying days at a nursing home.

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

Col Ewe '68 and farsands of us..

Became good friends with a cherries supporters in the 80s who always remembered southend ,due to the fact their supporters could not believe it when a fan in a butchers coat ran across the pitch and dived into them one year.Also remember a similar suicide episode at Derby was it Ossie?.
Remember Villa and so many of these games. Anyone remember C*lchester when they beat us 4-0 sh*t just remember so many fans turned up that night they couldn,t cope neither could the ground ,people hanging out the floodlights.What about Charlton when there mob came through the west stand,just had that thin wire to stop people coming over the dividing wall

Remember Colchester 4-0.
November-68. Arrived late and we were already 1-0 down. A lumping left-back Owen Simpson hit a 40-yarder that left Trev Roberts rooted, and we later signed Simpson, who never did it again.
We changed ends at half-time, and there were hundreds of Blues allowed to go to the open end from that bike shed they had at Layer Road.
Great support - **** night.

 

[callan]

It's Cricko thats messed this up with the wrights, both Dave and Billy were Sids sons.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

It's Cricko thats messed up.

But considering his age, he still gets by quite well.

 

[Colchester and proud!]

I was there for that one, November 1968 I was a fifteeen year old in those days and the crowd was just over 10800 so the record books say.
Great thread by the way, anyone lucky enough to go along to games in the 60's and 70's saw some violent but uplifting times, modern day footy is just not the same!

 

[Colchester and proud!]

I was at that one. Not such a happy memory for me. After the game got caught by Watford fans, and the boots came flying in. I was 2 hours unconsious in Watford General Hospital!

That was the great thing about Watford they built the stadium next to the hospital, that's what I call excellent fan planning :)

 

[Cricko]

It's Cricko thats messed this up with the wrights, both Dave and Billy were Sids sons.

Well in theory you are correct as young Sid's father's name is also Sid , but we were talking about the brothers not the dad you numbskull.....There were 4 brothers John,Sid, Billy and Dave and also a sister who's name escapes me.

So I have in fact messed nothing up old timer,get back in the kitchen and stop messing things up.

So ner..:finger:

 

[E for B and Billy Best]

Another great memory was Podge Morgan(RIP) at Peterborough promotion game 1990, he went in the pub near the car park at the ground with no money gave the manager a load of tosh that his girlfriend was following him up from Southend (lie)and could he have his booze on the slate till she met him. Silly move by the manager because Podge could drink, all was going well till he rang his girlfriend and told her where he was, later his girlfriend rang the pub back to ask manager to not let him get to drunk, a shocked manager then said "but your on your way to Peterborough aint you" only to be told "no I'm in Southend". Cue one really mad, skint publican throwing Podge out on his arse.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Here's another name from the past for you,Alf Smirk(RIP).I went to the Wolves,Swindon and Mansfield Cup games in 68/9 with him as a fellow passenger(I was in the 6th form at the time)in a car driven by my Aunt Dawn, who was Smirk's sister-in-law.
Alf Smirk, for younger zoners, used to be the football reporter for the Southend Standard in the 60's and indeed used to play for the club before that(he was apparently quite a nippy winger in his time).
Alf was certainly an interesting fella.A bit gruff,some might say a typical dour Yorkshireman.I remember his first words to me "How's thee Philip?" which is not something I was used to hearing every day.He certainly knew his football though and made an interesting companion on those long trips.
Suprisingly, he had a very low opinion of two Blues players of that era,Bobby Kellard and Ray Smith, who he rated no higher than Borough Com. players.
We did agree though on who cost us that League Cup defeat at Wolves.John McKinven.Johny Mac was through on goal a couple of times in a 1-1 with the Wolves keeper but lost his nerve both times with the goal at his mercy.
Sounded like we were more than a bit unlucky last night too.Plus Ça change..

Around 1973 I worked for a company in Clifftown Road and we would go to the Railway Hotel every lunch time. Alf was a regular there and he'd be perched on his stool sipping a huge Gin & Tonic (mor gin than tonic) and holding court. He was as you say a very interesting bloke with a fund of great stories. I didn't know that about Bobby Kellard who I knew quite well a few years later when he came back to Southend, he briefly played for our Sunday League side.