DoDTS
The PL League Boss⭐⭐
I've always had a bit of a soft spot for Sheffield United. We are both SUFC of course, but I certainly don't have the same feelings for Scunny. I must have been to Brammall Lane about 20 times (not all against Southend of course), my first in the late 60s, standing at the Shoreham Street end, drinking in the pub opposite (which was a converted house) I sat in the front room but was told they didn't do food but that my beer would be quite safe while I went to the beer-off (off licence) next door, I bought my food there but eat it in the Pub. I also remember a "youth section" trip with Huddersfield v Sheffield United in the afternoon and York v Southend in the evening.
Anyway I digress as my little tribute to the fixture I thought I would do a trilogy of posts on the cup ties in 1920, 1935 and 1952 the first below, the other two to follow in a day or two.
1919-20
Southend United were in the Southern League (only two divisions then) and they had a bye to the 6th Qualifying round of the English Cup (F.A.Cup), others only to the 5th Qualifying round so a hastily arranged friendly was arranged.
Saturday 22nd November 1919
Southend United 3-1 Gillingham Friendly.
As the Blues had a bye to the 6th Qualifying round of the Cup they had a free Saturday and a friendly was arranged with Gillingham visiting the Kursaal with a 2.45 kick off, but the crowd was very disappointing only a few hundred attending, the reality was that Friendlies, however attractive the opposition do not go down well spectators and the attendances are generally less than reserve games. The gate receipts were just £20 which couldn’t have covered the cost of expenses. The game gained some energy as Gillingham scored first although against the run of play, and that was the only goal of the first half. All three Southend goals were scored in the second half at the Pavilion end of the ground. Southend soon equalised when a perfect pass to Cox, a new player from Clapton, who had the easiest job to redirect the ball into the net. The second goal was a penalty but despite the infringement the ball had already entered the net from Cox so a penalty shouldn’t have been awarded. J Young made no mistake with the spot kick, and the lively Cox added the third. Team: Hill; Evans and Marshall; R. Young, Bollington and Popplewell; Newman, Frost, Cox, Burrill and , J. Young
In the 6th Qualifying round Southend who were in a lower mid-table position were drawn at home to Watford.
Saturday 19th December 1919
SOUTHEND UNITED 1-0 WATFORD
F.A. Cup 6th Qualifying Round
Watford were currently second in the league to Portsmouth, having won twelve drawn three and lost four of their nineteen games., Watford whose nickname at the time was the Brewerymen played in black and white striped shirts and black shorts, so Southend played in their Blue shirts for a change. Watford brought down a goodly number of spectators with them, sporting their colours of black and white and they had the inevitable bells which they rang with great vigour at the outset. Those bells where brought to ring out peels of joy for the goal which never came. It was a hard fought game with little to choose between the sides, however after eighteen minutes Young scored the all important goal for Southend. Team: Leahy; Reid and Marshall; Wileman, Bollington and, Evans; Bellamy, Burrill, Upex, Jones and J. Young.
The significance of the win came when the Blues were drawn at home to the current cup holders Sheffield United in the next round. A lot of pressure was put on Southend to switch the tie to Sheffield, which they weren’t opposed to provided the deal was right, but as the days went by no agreement was reached. Bramall Lane could hold over 50,000, the Kursaal had barely been tested above 5,000.
There was a lot of debate at Christmas time about the venue. Rumours were rife as well as suggestions, with enraged supporters demanding that the tie be played at the Kursaal, while other suggesting that Arsenal, Tottenham or West Ham could be suitable replacement for the Kursaal. The only official response was that their had only been one offer, from Sheffield United and that the offer was being considered, although it was also stated that the long term finances of the club had also to be considered.
With a week to go nothing had been decided and Southend Travelled to Portsmouth;
Saturday 3rd January 1920
PORTSMOUTH 0-1 SOUTHEND UNITED
SOUTHERN LEAGUE
It was fine weather in Southend but as the team left the capitol heavy rain began to fall and the further into the countryside that they ventured the soaked fields told their own story. At arrival at Fratton Park drizzling rain made it an unpleasant afternoon. And the ball was wet and greasy. Portsmouth were playing in their usual blue shirts but Southend were quite happy to change to what had become their lucky black and white striped shirts. Portsmouth were top of the league and only lost four of their twenty three games and they expected an easy win but it was not to be. In the first half Southend matched the naval men throughout and it was Upex who only had to put the easiest of touches to convert a Walden cross. The second half saw continual pressure playing at one time eight forwards but the striped defence stood fast and never looked like they would be breached. The tactics of a couple of Portsmouth defenders was dubious and in all honesty at least one of them should have been sent off, but this wonderful win sounded out a warning to the United team of Sheffield. Team: Emblem; Evans and Marshall; Bollington, Sands and Woodward; Walden, Allen, Upex; Burrill, Bridgeman.
It was a fine performance and one which persuaded the Blades to up their offer and the tie was transferred to Sheffield.
The Southend team travelled up to Sheffield Friday night accompanied by five directors and about twenty other enthusiasts including some ladies. They went to the Sheffield Hippodrome on Friday Night to see the “splinters”. They had been quietly training at home all the week and turned out as fit as fiddles, in fact they finished the game much fresher than the Blades.
From the Southend Standard 15th January 1919
Saturday 10th January 1920
SHEFFIELD UNITED 3-0 SOUTHEND UNITED
F.A. Cup Round One
Sheffield United were the current Cup Holders and a good first division side, earlier in the season they had a couple of weeks at second in the table, dropped to 5th for a month or so but then had settled down to a mid table position. They had an excellent ground (for the time) with stands on three sides, but it was a ground which they shared with Yorkshire cricket club. Sheffield were extremely please to hold the tie, it was the first home cup tie for five years with excitement high in the town. The team travelled up on the Friday and it snowed quite heavily, this turned to rain but during the day the ground staff worked hard and the pitch looked in excellent condition but as kick off approached the drizzle turned to downpours. Undoubtedly the conditions put many off going the attendance was 39,700 but Sheffield officials stated with good weather they would have expected 50,000. It was however the second largest of the day, and the largest crowd that Southend had ever played in front of. As the game got under way the pitch turned into a quagmire, we fell a goal behind within four minutes, but then recovered well until a second just before half time settled the result. In the second half Sheffield United were awarded a dubious penalty, which was parried by the goalkeeper but he was powerless to stop the rebound going in. Team: Leahy; Reid and Marshall; Wileman; Bollington and Sands; Bridgeman; Burrill, Frost, Jones and J. Young.
HOW THE NEWS WAS RECEIVED
A large crowd of enthusiast supporters gathered in Cliff Town Road, Southend on Saturday afternoon to watch the progress of the game in the windows of the Southend Standard Office. There was evident disappointment at the fact that Sheffield United got an early goal against Southend, but still the crowd hoped up until the third goal sent them home rather comfortless. So well had the arrangements been made that the half time and final scores were known within five minutes of the respective whistles being blown at Brammall Lane.
From the Southend Standard 15th January 1920.
Their was a lot of critiscm of transferring the Cup game from the Kursaal to Sheffield, but looking at the attendance at Brammall game it was obviously the right decision and the cash that was made was enough to clear our debts, the Southend Standard reported we had been beaten but in no way disgraced, but the general feeling was that if the game had been played at the Kursaal we would have had a good chance of beating them.
FROM BANKRUPTCY TO SUCCESS
At the start of the season the only worry and priority had been to survive as a club, and this we certainly did. The ground had been the biggest obstacle, but the one year lease had guaranteed the survival of the season, The cup game at Sheffield and the sale of three payers had balanced the books and we had ended the season in a quite healthy financial situation. The general opinion of the team was that they were an average side but with a good spirit, this good spirit had to be down to the manager, but we had lost him to QPR a month before the end of the season, so there was a lot of uncertainty on the pitch for the future.
Two other problems had manifested during the season, firstly the extension of the lease on the Kursaal and secondly the behaviour of the fans. It seems strange that the leasing arrangement which seemed so amicable at start of the season, was suddenly a matter of contention six months later. Perhaps it was a feeling that better gates would be obtained in a more central location or a ground which was not so bleak in winter conditions. Thankfully these problems were overcome, a further move would have been expensive and put the club back further.
The behaviour of the fans which got such a bad press, was probably a commonplace occurrence with the world and attitudes having changed with the traumas of the First world War. When our “Enthusiasts” were described as the worst in the country, I wonder how many grounds the writer had visited post war. The Upper classes were desperately trying to maintain standards, but the working masses expected more, and needed, then as now, the outlet to let their emotions (and language) out in the escapism of football.
To my loyal fan(s) I hope you enjoyed it, I'll post the 1935 tie in a day or two.
Anyway I digress as my little tribute to the fixture I thought I would do a trilogy of posts on the cup ties in 1920, 1935 and 1952 the first below, the other two to follow in a day or two.
1919-20
Southend United were in the Southern League (only two divisions then) and they had a bye to the 6th Qualifying round of the English Cup (F.A.Cup), others only to the 5th Qualifying round so a hastily arranged friendly was arranged.
Saturday 22nd November 1919
Southend United 3-1 Gillingham Friendly.
As the Blues had a bye to the 6th Qualifying round of the Cup they had a free Saturday and a friendly was arranged with Gillingham visiting the Kursaal with a 2.45 kick off, but the crowd was very disappointing only a few hundred attending, the reality was that Friendlies, however attractive the opposition do not go down well spectators and the attendances are generally less than reserve games. The gate receipts were just £20 which couldn’t have covered the cost of expenses. The game gained some energy as Gillingham scored first although against the run of play, and that was the only goal of the first half. All three Southend goals were scored in the second half at the Pavilion end of the ground. Southend soon equalised when a perfect pass to Cox, a new player from Clapton, who had the easiest job to redirect the ball into the net. The second goal was a penalty but despite the infringement the ball had already entered the net from Cox so a penalty shouldn’t have been awarded. J Young made no mistake with the spot kick, and the lively Cox added the third. Team: Hill; Evans and Marshall; R. Young, Bollington and Popplewell; Newman, Frost, Cox, Burrill and , J. Young
In the 6th Qualifying round Southend who were in a lower mid-table position were drawn at home to Watford.
Saturday 19th December 1919
SOUTHEND UNITED 1-0 WATFORD
F.A. Cup 6th Qualifying Round
Watford were currently second in the league to Portsmouth, having won twelve drawn three and lost four of their nineteen games., Watford whose nickname at the time was the Brewerymen played in black and white striped shirts and black shorts, so Southend played in their Blue shirts for a change. Watford brought down a goodly number of spectators with them, sporting their colours of black and white and they had the inevitable bells which they rang with great vigour at the outset. Those bells where brought to ring out peels of joy for the goal which never came. It was a hard fought game with little to choose between the sides, however after eighteen minutes Young scored the all important goal for Southend. Team: Leahy; Reid and Marshall; Wileman, Bollington and, Evans; Bellamy, Burrill, Upex, Jones and J. Young.
The significance of the win came when the Blues were drawn at home to the current cup holders Sheffield United in the next round. A lot of pressure was put on Southend to switch the tie to Sheffield, which they weren’t opposed to provided the deal was right, but as the days went by no agreement was reached. Bramall Lane could hold over 50,000, the Kursaal had barely been tested above 5,000.
There was a lot of debate at Christmas time about the venue. Rumours were rife as well as suggestions, with enraged supporters demanding that the tie be played at the Kursaal, while other suggesting that Arsenal, Tottenham or West Ham could be suitable replacement for the Kursaal. The only official response was that their had only been one offer, from Sheffield United and that the offer was being considered, although it was also stated that the long term finances of the club had also to be considered.
With a week to go nothing had been decided and Southend Travelled to Portsmouth;
Saturday 3rd January 1920
PORTSMOUTH 0-1 SOUTHEND UNITED
SOUTHERN LEAGUE
It was fine weather in Southend but as the team left the capitol heavy rain began to fall and the further into the countryside that they ventured the soaked fields told their own story. At arrival at Fratton Park drizzling rain made it an unpleasant afternoon. And the ball was wet and greasy. Portsmouth were playing in their usual blue shirts but Southend were quite happy to change to what had become their lucky black and white striped shirts. Portsmouth were top of the league and only lost four of their twenty three games and they expected an easy win but it was not to be. In the first half Southend matched the naval men throughout and it was Upex who only had to put the easiest of touches to convert a Walden cross. The second half saw continual pressure playing at one time eight forwards but the striped defence stood fast and never looked like they would be breached. The tactics of a couple of Portsmouth defenders was dubious and in all honesty at least one of them should have been sent off, but this wonderful win sounded out a warning to the United team of Sheffield. Team: Emblem; Evans and Marshall; Bollington, Sands and Woodward; Walden, Allen, Upex; Burrill, Bridgeman.
It was a fine performance and one which persuaded the Blades to up their offer and the tie was transferred to Sheffield.
The Southend team travelled up to Sheffield Friday night accompanied by five directors and about twenty other enthusiasts including some ladies. They went to the Sheffield Hippodrome on Friday Night to see the “splinters”. They had been quietly training at home all the week and turned out as fit as fiddles, in fact they finished the game much fresher than the Blades.
From the Southend Standard 15th January 1919
Saturday 10th January 1920
SHEFFIELD UNITED 3-0 SOUTHEND UNITED
F.A. Cup Round One
Sheffield United were the current Cup Holders and a good first division side, earlier in the season they had a couple of weeks at second in the table, dropped to 5th for a month or so but then had settled down to a mid table position. They had an excellent ground (for the time) with stands on three sides, but it was a ground which they shared with Yorkshire cricket club. Sheffield were extremely please to hold the tie, it was the first home cup tie for five years with excitement high in the town. The team travelled up on the Friday and it snowed quite heavily, this turned to rain but during the day the ground staff worked hard and the pitch looked in excellent condition but as kick off approached the drizzle turned to downpours. Undoubtedly the conditions put many off going the attendance was 39,700 but Sheffield officials stated with good weather they would have expected 50,000. It was however the second largest of the day, and the largest crowd that Southend had ever played in front of. As the game got under way the pitch turned into a quagmire, we fell a goal behind within four minutes, but then recovered well until a second just before half time settled the result. In the second half Sheffield United were awarded a dubious penalty, which was parried by the goalkeeper but he was powerless to stop the rebound going in. Team: Leahy; Reid and Marshall; Wileman; Bollington and Sands; Bridgeman; Burrill, Frost, Jones and J. Young.
HOW THE NEWS WAS RECEIVED
A large crowd of enthusiast supporters gathered in Cliff Town Road, Southend on Saturday afternoon to watch the progress of the game in the windows of the Southend Standard Office. There was evident disappointment at the fact that Sheffield United got an early goal against Southend, but still the crowd hoped up until the third goal sent them home rather comfortless. So well had the arrangements been made that the half time and final scores were known within five minutes of the respective whistles being blown at Brammall Lane.
From the Southend Standard 15th January 1920.
Their was a lot of critiscm of transferring the Cup game from the Kursaal to Sheffield, but looking at the attendance at Brammall game it was obviously the right decision and the cash that was made was enough to clear our debts, the Southend Standard reported we had been beaten but in no way disgraced, but the general feeling was that if the game had been played at the Kursaal we would have had a good chance of beating them.
FROM BANKRUPTCY TO SUCCESS
At the start of the season the only worry and priority had been to survive as a club, and this we certainly did. The ground had been the biggest obstacle, but the one year lease had guaranteed the survival of the season, The cup game at Sheffield and the sale of three payers had balanced the books and we had ended the season in a quite healthy financial situation. The general opinion of the team was that they were an average side but with a good spirit, this good spirit had to be down to the manager, but we had lost him to QPR a month before the end of the season, so there was a lot of uncertainty on the pitch for the future.
Two other problems had manifested during the season, firstly the extension of the lease on the Kursaal and secondly the behaviour of the fans. It seems strange that the leasing arrangement which seemed so amicable at start of the season, was suddenly a matter of contention six months later. Perhaps it was a feeling that better gates would be obtained in a more central location or a ground which was not so bleak in winter conditions. Thankfully these problems were overcome, a further move would have been expensive and put the club back further.
The behaviour of the fans which got such a bad press, was probably a commonplace occurrence with the world and attitudes having changed with the traumas of the First world War. When our “Enthusiasts” were described as the worst in the country, I wonder how many grounds the writer had visited post war. The Upper classes were desperately trying to maintain standards, but the working masses expected more, and needed, then as now, the outlet to let their emotions (and language) out in the escapism of football.
To my loyal fan(s) I hope you enjoyed it, I'll post the 1935 tie in a day or two.