Memory Lane Origin of the PAK

[canveyshrimper]

---- what about being 746th ?

I think she was full by then.

 

[McNasty]

I think she was full by then.

A serious case of "Too much information " mate.

 

[Gt Yarmouth Shrimper]

I don't think you would've have liked sloppy 93rds.

At 13 CS, you would take anything that was offered. On second thoughts....

 

[shrimpfan]

Thanks for your post. I spent a good 2 hours with shrimpfan and Blue Scorpion talking about the "good old days" ;) in the Royal Naval Club before yesterday's match.

It would be good if someone with a good memory could post some tales of the late 60s-early 70s, warts and all, to inform the younger members of the Zone about some of the violence, not that we condone it -- it happened and is part of the history of football, but it will show exactly what life was like supporting the mighty Shrimpers in days of yore.

nice time talkin to a teeny bopper dear boy,now if only i had my blue and red suit?

 

[McNasty]

nice time talkin to a teeny bopper dear boy,now if only i had my blue and red suit?

it was a real Tonic.

 

[Ozzer]

Following up on Ken's memories, I remember bunking off evening classes on Fridays to go to home matches in the 60's. Kick-off was 7.30 in those days and most nights if you didn't get into the North Bank by 6.30 you couldn't get in as it was full. Standing room only of course and one night a copper came up to me while I was minding my own business and told me I was his 'friend for the night'. This meant that if there was any trouble in the crowd I was going out! In those days it was so crowded you couldn't see who was starting the trouble so you just had to accept it.

A few of us used to hire a van and go to away matches and I remember travelling overnight to Swansea. We were all asleep in the back of the van and unfortunately the driver thought he would have a sleep as well and we almost went of the road twice down country roads. We arrived at the Vetch at 8.am and it was so early the ground was open and we drove the van right up to the side of the pitch, before we quickly got moved on. Happy days.

 

[shrimpfan]

it was a real Tonic.

Very good,hammersmith apollo awaits you.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Something I posted about 3-4 years ago when we had just had news of the new stadium go ahead....this thread reminded me of it.

My Roots Hall.

Roots Hall.

This is probably a lot harder for me than most on here.Yes I know Canvey and a few others were there or therebouts in those old days when it all began for me.

I Guess I was about 9 when I used to visit Priory Park and wondered who these people were kicking footballs about, It took a kickabout friend to point out to me "that is Southend United"...I was at boarding school at that time so it was mostly at half terms that I had the chance to visit the Park....This was the normal training ground in those day's.. It became the normal at every school break for me, we became the local ball-boy's of the day and we became part of the family when we were invited to Roots Hall on Matchday as a thanks.

I do not remember the first game I went to or in what order the players appeared ...I remember Chisnel,Woodley,Bentley, Mcgiven and one of my all time favourites at the Hall...Trevor Roberts, who kind of took a shine to us youngsters and was a top top man. ( sadly he died many years ago). I think it was Arthur Rowley in charge in those days followed by Ernie Shepherd, but forgive me if I am not accurate.We became a fixture at the Hall after that.

We used to bunk in mostly over the old South Bank by the Hospital Toc H wooden hut. In our day's off at half term we were at the ground most day's as volunteers..There are so many things we used to do to help but one that stands out in my mind is when they extended the East stand and put in proper seats instead of bench's..I spent I think about a week ( well it felt like it at the time) sticking gold transfer numbers on to each seat.

There is a picture of one of my relatives in the recent book "A Century United" as a player , maybe it was in the blood but my love for SUFC has never wained from those day's.I have so many stories to tell over the 40 odd years I have loved the Shrimpers and not the time to tell them all here, but it does bring a lump to my throat as we are about to kiss the old place goodbye. Roots Hall will always be a special place to me but I felt many years ago that if we had a chance to move we should take it, but it never materialized.

I have seen 100's and 100's of players come and go and a fair few manager's. I miss some of my old friends from those day's that are sadly not here anymore, but I have made so many more over the year's and I have had a few gap's along the way due to family commitments.

Today I have mixed feelings of course, my youth and all of my life up until now supporting SUFC has been at the Hall, but I know it is time to move on and bring a new future to SUFC...I look forward to Fossetts with a smile and a new future for the club and us all, but with a tear for those long gone day's that have made my life and love of my club complete.

Long may SUFC remain in all your hearts.

John.

Just reading through these great posts again and thought I'd mention that the book you mention is currently on sale at Waterstones with a fiver off, on the left as you walk in the door. I picked one up and couldn't put it down, it's absolutely superb with great memories and photo's. No I don't know the authors personally, so not doing mates a favour. I would strongly advise to put on your birthday list, or just go and buy it whilst on special offer, you can't go wrong.

 

[E for B and Billy Best]

When you read the trouble at lincoln thread, it all sounds so tame if you stood in the pak and travelled with the blues in the late sixties and seventies. Now if they witnessed some of our antics and I could understand them getting their knickers in a twist. I'm buying that book by the way.

 

[Chairman Trigg]

When you read the trouble at lincoln thread, it all sounds so tame if you stood in the pak and travelled with the blues in the late sixties and seventies. Now if they witnessed some of our antics and I could understand them getting their knickers in a twist. I'm buying that book by the way.

Good job they weren't at the Gillingham promotion away celebrations!!

 

[E for B and Billy Best]

Oh, if they had been at Gillingham they would filled a hundred pages by now.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Oh, if they had been at Gillingham they would filled a hundred pages by now.

Along with a few others, I covered the Gillingham day out earlier in this thread. That was a day I will never forget.

 

[Chairman Trigg]

Along with a few others, I covered the Gillingham day out earlier in this thread. That was a day I will never forget.

Don,t think anyone who was there will !!! Oh to be young again,just a shame there weren't camera phones around then would have been some great pics

 

[Bolton Shrimper]

Don,t think anyone who was there will !!! Oh to be young again,just a shame there weren't camera phones around then would have been some great pics

Gillingham away 1972 was my first ever away game and only league match my mum ever went to.She did'nt have a clue what the trouble was about just recognised a lot of boys from Leigh Comm as she helped run it at the time.Kind of became addictive for me though.

 

[Rob Noxious]

When you read the trouble at lincoln thread, it all sounds so tame if you stood in the pak and travelled with the blues in the late sixties and seventies. Now if they witnessed some of our antics and I could understand them getting their knickers in a twist. I'm buying that book by the way.

I was hearing about Ian Leask leading the charge down that hill on the approach to Lincoln from a mate who was there (back in '69?) whilst up at Lincoln on Saturday. It sounded pretty dramatic.

 

[Rob Noxious]

Saturday 21 October 1967
Darlington 1-1 Southend United

Darlington is a long way. This was my first experience of an overnight coach trip, the coach left Roots Hall after 11.00 p.m. Friday night. The older lads had started the evening in either the Spread or the Shrimpers, but alas for me I couldn't afford this (nor of course was I old enough). Coaches didn't have toilets on them then so we had to make several toilet stops on the way, the first would usually be a few miles down the A127. We arrived in Darlington early morning, found a shop that sold a plastic football and then played two or three hours of 20 a side football, this was followed by a visit to pubs and chip shop.

Darlington played at Feethams then, a strange ground, from the Car Park you went into the cricket ground walked found the perimeter of the pitch to the football ground. We were heading for another defeat, until in the dying seconds we equalised. We noisily made our way back to the coach, too noisily as we were set upon by irate Darlo fans, not kids but in their twenties or thirties,. I was one of several Southend fans that was kicked and hit. Some hero's these Darlo thugs taking on a 15 year old kid. Still I could milk the story at school for several weeks.DoDtS

This was another one that my mate (who does post on here from time to time) mentioned - he was one of the young lads who got a kicking. :sad:

 

[canveyshrimper]

Gillingham away 1972 was my first ever away game and only league match my mum ever went to.She did'nt have a clue what the trouble was about just recognised a lot of boys from Leigh Comm as she helped run it at the time.Kind of became addictive for me though.

And there were some very naughty boys at Leigh Comm at the time :blush: must have known your mum as I and a few others here spent a lot of time around Leigh Comm then. You might be interested to read this piece I wrote about Gillingham and posted here sometime ago.

Southend United v Gillingham at Priestfield – 29/04/72 - Score 0-0 Attendance 6092

Since the first day I walked through the turnstiles at Roots Hall with my Grandfather for a Division 3 game against Reading in August 1962, SUFC have been my team to the exclusion of all others. In those far off days we stood in the West Stand, and the little kids were passed down the front of the stand to watch our heroes with wide eyed and awe struck admiration.

Since their admission to the league SUFC had always languished in Division 3, never really threatening to reach a higher level. Until the arrival of Alvan Williams as manager that is, he promised us he would get us out of division 3, a promise that was promptly carried out with our relegation in 1965/66, to face our first ever season in Division 4. The next few seasons proved to be exciting for the Shrimpers fans, but unfortunately for 3 successive seasons a top six finish was snatched from the jaws of promotion. 1969/70 saw a further downturn in our fortunes with a brief flirtation with the bottom 4, and a re-election bid to the league on the cards. The following season carried on in the same sad manner until the arrival of Arthur Rowley, who built a team that would launch a successful promotion bid in 1971/72. This side would include such Southend stalwarts as Bill Garner, Terry Johnson, Gary Moore, Peter Taylor, Brian Albeson and my all time Southend favourite Billy Best.

So we come to the day and match in question on a rainy day in April. The club ran many official supporters club coaches, but care of Leigh Comm Coaches under the auspices of Charlie & the late John Welham, assisted by a few other reprobates, ran 4 coaches from The Elms to Priestfield that Saturday. The day did not start promisingly as it was ****ing down from early morning, and the rain continued all day. Everyone arrived punctually at The Elms, to the amazement of the landlord as about 160 thirsty patrons convened in the bar awaiting the arrival of the coaches. Many supporters were clad in the fashion of the time of white butcher coats in the mode of the character Alex played by Malcolm McDowell in the film A Clockwork Orange. I favoured a leather coat that I had recently purchased in Petticoat Lane which I considered made me look very dapper, rather cutting edge and slightly saturnine, but in reality I probably looked like a rotund Von Smallhausen from ‘Allo ‘Allo..

We arrived in Gillingham well before the witching hour of 3pm, and to our frustration we could not gain entry to any of the local hostelries as they would not admit us en bloc, and thought we may cause trouble, as if!! Therefore we spent a happy half hour traipsing about in the rain chasing a couple of leather clad biker types on Honda 50’s whose jackets bore the legend Hells Angles. We eventually congregated outside the half built bomb site called Priestfield still getting a thorough soaking for our pains. Eventually one of our number piped up that we should kick the gate down, which to my amazement is exactly what happened. We charged happily into the empty stadium and raced across the pitch, where a solitary groundsman clutching a pitchfork tried to repel the surge of soaking wet humanity. Sad to relate he was left face down in a sea of mud which was masquerading as the pitch. It eventually dawned on us that the local old Bill may take umbrage at our somewhat unorthodox and illegal entry to the ground, so we began to seek escape routes. Many clambered over walls, while I being built for comfort not speed tried a doorway which opened on to the street, right next to a rather burly member of the Medway Constabulary. I walked away as nonchalantly as possible while adjusting my fly as if I had been making use of the facilities, and to join up with the others at the turnstiles. We eventually gained admittance to the ground and completely took over the Gillingham covered end, much to the chagrin of the locals, who were drenched at the other end of the ground.

Promotion had been confirmed a few days earlier at Scunthorpe, witnessed by the lucky ones able to attend. The match itself was memorably dull, and finished 0-0, thus confirming to the assembled masses the first promotion in the history of Southend United FC. The final whistle was the cue for great celebrations amongst the faithful and long suffering supporters. We were allowed back on to the pitch, this time legally, and the players led by Arthur Rowley appeared in the Gills director’s box to acknowledge us. I think a few tears were shed that day, and the twin feelings of euphoria and relief were palpable. Just great memories to me of a great day, and just one of the many highs I’ve had as a Blues supporter, and the memories of great friends, some no longer with us, and the sense of camaraderie we had in those days.

The journey home proved uneventful and we arrived safely back at The Elms and went our separate ways homewards complete with our memories of a great day.

On getting home I managed to get dry for the first time that day and went round to see my then girlfriend and found to my delight her parents had gone out for the evening. This could mean only one thing!!! Wahey. I could watch the England v West Germany Euro 72 qualifier on their new super duper state of the art colour set which weighed about half a ton. Unfortunately England got stuffed 3-1, so it was not quite the perfect end to a perfect day.

With thanks to Robin Michel’s great site for some of the research which failed my addled memory. And also thanks to Mick for correcting an earlier error I made in the piece.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

And there were some very naughty boys at Leigh Comm at the time :blush: must have known your mum as I and a few others here spent a lot of time around Leigh Comm then. You might be interested to read this piece I wrote about Gillingham and posted here sometime ago.

Southend United v Gillingham at Priestfield – 29/04/72 - Score 0-0 Attendance 6092

Since the first day I walked through the turnstiles at Roots Hall with my Grandfather for a Division 3 game against Reading in August 1962, SUFC have been my team to the exclusion of all others. In those far off days we stood in the West Stand, and the little kids were passed down the front of the stand to watch our heroes with wide eyed and awe struck admiration.

Since their admission to the league SUFC had always languished in Division 3, never really threatening to reach a higher level. Until the arrival of Alvan Williams as manager that is, he promised us he would get us out of division 3, a promise that was promptly carried out with our relegation in 1965/66, to face our first ever season in Division 4. The next few seasons proved to be exciting for the Shrimpers fans, but unfortunately for 3 successive seasons a top six finish was snatched from the jaws of promotion. 1969/70 saw a further downturn in our fortunes with a brief flirtation with the bottom 4, and a re-election bid to the league on the cards. The following season carried on in the same sad manner until the arrival of Arthur Rowley, who built a team that would launch a successful promotion bid in 1971/72. This side would include such Southend stalwarts as Bill Garner, Terry Johnson, Gary Moore, Peter Taylor, Brian Albeson and my all time Southend favourite Billy Best.

So we come to the day and match in question on a rainy day in April. The club ran many official supporters club coaches, but care of Leigh Comm Coaches under the auspices of Charlie & the late John Welham, assisted by a few other reprobates, ran 4 coaches from The Elms to Priestfield that Saturday. The day did not start promisingly as it was ****ing down from early morning, and the rain continued all day. Everyone arrived punctually at The Elms, to the amazement of the landlord as about 160 thirsty patrons convened in the bar awaiting the arrival of the coaches. Many supporters were clad in the fashion of the time of white butcher coats in the mode of the character Alex played by Malcolm McDowell in the film A Clockwork Orange. I favoured a leather coat that I had recently purchased in Petticoat Lane which I considered made me look very dapper, rather cutting edge and slightly saturnine, but in reality I probably looked like a rotund Von Smallhausen from ‘Allo ‘Allo..

We arrived in Gillingham well before the witching hour of 3pm, and to our frustration we could not gain entry to any of the local hostelries as they would not admit us en bloc, and thought we may cause trouble, as if!! Therefore we spent a happy half hour traipsing about in the rain chasing a couple of leather clad biker types on Honda 50’s whose jackets bore the legend Hells Angles. We eventually congregated outside the half built bomb site called Priestfield still getting a thorough soaking for our pains. Eventually one of our number piped up that we should kick the gate down, which to my amazement is exactly what happened. We charged happily into the empty stadium and raced across the pitch, where a solitary groundsman clutching a pitchfork tried to repel the surge of soaking wet humanity. Sad to relate he was left face down in a sea of mud which was masquerading as the pitch. It eventually dawned on us that the local old Bill may take umbrage at our somewhat unorthodox and illegal entry to the ground, so we began to seek escape routes. Many clambered over walls, while I being built for comfort not speed tried a doorway which opened on to the street, right next to a rather burly member of the Medway Constabulary. I walked away as nonchalantly as possible while adjusting my fly as if I had been making use of the facilities, and to join up with the others at the turnstiles. We eventually gained admittance to the ground and completely took over the Gillingham covered end, much to the chagrin of the locals, who were drenched at the other end of the ground.

Promotion had been confirmed a few days earlier at Scunthorpe, witnessed by the lucky ones able to attend. The match itself was memorably dull, and finished 0-0, thus confirming to the assembled masses the first promotion in the history of Southend United FC. The final whistle was the cue for great celebrations amongst the faithful and long suffering supporters. We were allowed back on to the pitch, this time legally, and the players led by Arthur Rowley appeared in the Gills director’s box to acknowledge us. I think a few tears were shed that day, and the twin feelings of euphoria and relief were palpable. Just great memories to me of a great day, and just one of the many highs I’ve had as a Blues supporter, and the memories of great friends, some no longer with us, and the sense of camaraderie we had in those days.

The journey home proved uneventful and we arrived safely back at The Elms and went our separate ways homewards complete with our memories of a great day.

On getting home I managed to get dry for the first time that day and went round to see my then girlfriend and found to my delight her parents had gone out for the evening. This could mean only one thing!!! Wahey. I could watch the England v West Germany Euro 72 qualifier on their new super duper state of the art colour set which weighed about half a ton. Unfortunately England got stuffed 3-1, so it was not quite the perfect end to a perfect day.

With thanks to Robin Michel’s great site for some of the research which failed my addled memory. And also thanks to Mick for correcting an earlier error I made in the piece.

Great account of a memorable day canvey. Here was my take on it from an earlier post.
I always remember that after the gates went down, we stormed across the pitch to take residence in their North Bank. But as we got to the half way line, the groundsman tried to stab me and Carl Connors with his pitch fork. The groundsman ended up in the mud. It seemed to rain all day. The Gillingham mob kept attacking down the East side to get their North Bank back, with no luck and loads arrested. Very boring 0-0, mainly due to conditions. I think Spud Taylor came on as a substitute. And then there was the famous fight with the Hells Angels outside a house near the ground, after a couple of their bikes were kicked over. Crazy day, but a great introduction to away days for a young lad like me. I wore me white butchers coat for the first time that had all the players names written on and other things like pak and the North Bank Southend, also me blue jeans and Doc Martens. Everyone said the coat looked great. Unfortunately, I had written it all in felt tip and different colours, and the rain smudged it into a terrible mess, Lol. Suddenly I was being laughed at by my mates, so I took it off and dumped it in their North Bank.

 

[Onion_Bag_Dave]

Great account of a memorable day canvey. Here was my take on it from an earlier post.
I always remember that after the gates went down, we stormed across the pitch to take residence in their North Bank. But as we got to the half way line, the groundsman tried to stab me and Carl Connors with his pitch fork. The groundsman ended up in the mud. It seemed to rain all day. The Gillingham mob kept attacking down the East side to get their North Bank back, with no luck and loads arrested. Very boring 0-0, mainly due to conditions. I think Spud Taylor came on as a substitute. And then there was the famous fight with the Hells Angels outside a house near the ground, after a couple of their bikes were kicked over. Crazy day, but a great introduction to away days for a young lad like me. I wore me white butchers coat for the first time that had all the players names written on and other things like pak and the North Bank Southend, also me blue jeans and Doc Martens. Everyone said the coat looked great. Unfortunately, I had written it all in felt tip and different colours, and the rain smudged it into a terrible mess, Lol. Suddenly I was being laughed at by my mates, so I took it off and dumped it in their North Bank.

Haha! An abandoned butchers coat.

''GROUNDS WE HAVE TOOK!''

 

[rararblue]

Us Hockley boys had our own coach for the day, but my most vivid memory of that day is getting thumped by my old man for after being caught hiding my steel toe capped Doc Martens and white coat in the garden shed after the game.