There is really no comparison in this round. Team B would walk this tie.
Team B would dominate midfield and attack - with a left hand side of full internationals laying chance after chance on a plate and three of the very best strikers Southend have ever had banging them in. Team A includes a goalkeeper, Billy Moore, who may have made many appearances but at a time when Southend were truly minnows. His standout game for Southend was an away fixture at Wembley Stadium against Clapton Orient - the game was moved due to unsafe pitch barriers at their normal ground - resulting in a 3-1 defeat to Clapton at a game attracting only 1,900 fans to Wembley, when Clapton had played Brentford there in the previous round in front of over 8,000 fans. It shows the minnow status of Southend in those days. If Clapton Orient put 3 past Moore, what would the combined talents of Billy Best, David Crown and Richard Cadette do? It could be a cricket score! By comparison, Threadgold kept goal at Anfield and at Roots Hall against Liverpool and kept a clean sheet at home and was part of an amazing draw away. Liverpool or Clapton Orient? I think its clear which one is stronger...
I would agree that Team A shades defensive strength, but they would be under constant pressure and would still not be a match for Team B's strikers and don't forget Team B's defence does include a full England international and overall they played 906 games for Southend in successful sides during each of the most successful periods in the clubs history - not the far distant past when Southend were barely known on the regional scene let alone nationally.
So, Team B are stronger in goal, stronger in midfield and far stronger in attack. They are also arguably as strong in defence, possibly with Team A shading that one but not by much.
This would be a rout and Team B, a team of successful winners in Southend shirts, would walk it.
Team B
Welshman Eddie Perry took the helm in 1956 in our second season at Roots Hall. I picked him as manager as the options I knew better had gone and his win ratio of 43.15 is bettered only by David Webb and Barry Fry, plus Steve Thompson's cameo and Mick Gooding's one game one win spell in caretaker charge. Perry remained in charge until 1960.
Perry had some good players in Division Three (League One in new money) and in his three full seasons in charge Blues were in the top ten each year. This represented a period of consistently lofty heights for a club that never made it to the second tier until David Webb took over. Southend were consistent under Perry but didn't quite have that bit extra that was needed to seriously challenge for promotion to Division Two for the first time in the club's history.
Eddie Perry's record:
1956-57 D3 South P46 W18 D12 L16 Pts48 Pos 7th
At this time it was 2 points for a win. In today's terms we would have 66 points. During this season, in the FA cup Southend won away at Colchester before a heroic 2-1 home victory over Liverpool, before going out to Brimingham City.
1957-58 D3 South P46 W21 D12 L13 Pts54 Pos 7th
With 3 points for a win, for comparison, Southend's final tally would have been 75 points. In the last season of regionalisation in Division 3, Southend finished only 6 points behind eventual champions Brighton. They also recorded another heroic FA cup performance against Liverpool - drawing 1-1 away and losing the replay 2-3 at Roots Hall.
1958-59 D3 P46 W21 D8 L17 Pts50 Pos 8th
In the first season that Southend played national League football, they finished a very creditable 8th in the new Division 3. With 3 points for a win they would have achieved 71 points. Eddie Perry was somewhat unlucky to be replaced at the end of the season.
Players
Harry Threadgold was a fans' favourite in his time at Roots Hall, playing 343 games between 1953 and 1963. He kept goal throughout Eddie Percy's managerial reign including those amazing results against Liverpool.
Chris Powell at left back needs no introduction - he played 248 games 1990-1996, scoring 3 goals before being signed by Derby County for £750,000 and going on to play in the Premier League and for the full England international team 5 times.
Micky Stead played 298 games for Southend 1978-85 scoring 4 goals before ex-Blues player Dave Cusack signed him for Doncaster Rovers. During this time he was part of the Southend team which were Division Four Champions 1980-81.
Shane Westley, a wholehearted giant of a defender and one of the best centre backs we've had, scored 10 goals in 144 appearances 1985-89 before being signed by Wolves for £150,000. He would later return on loan for a further 5 appearances. Westley twice won promotion from Division 4 with Southend.
Jimmy Stirling was a Scottish centre back who signed for Blues from Birmingham City in 1950 and went on to play 218 games scoring 2 goals - including participating in the FA cup games against Liverpool under Eddie Perry.
Peter 'Spud' Taylor also needs no introduction. A hard working Rochford-born winger and SUFC youth product with pace and an excellent cross on him, Spud played 75 games for Southend 1971-73, scoring 12 goals, before Malcolm Allison signed him for Crystal Palace for £110,000. In his first season at Southend the club were promoted from Division 4 as runners up. He went on to sign for Tottenham for £400,000 and play 4 times for the England full international side, scoring 2 goals for England. He would also go on to manage England U21s and the full national side.
Ryan Leonard is another who will be familiar to all but the most recent fans. The 6ft 1 tough tackling central midfielder made 228 appearances for Southend 2010-18, scoring 20 goals. He is only the second player in Southend's history to win Player of the Year 3 times. He also won Players Player of the Year and Goal of the Season awards. He signed for Sheffield United in January 2018 for an undisclosed fee (thought to be around £750,000).
Glenn Pennyfather was another SUFC youth product who made 238 appearances 1981-87 largely as a defensive midfielder, scoring a creditable 36 goals. He was signed by Crystal Palace in 1987 before going on to play for Ipswich and Bristol City.
Billy Best was a firm fans favourite, who played many of his 226 games 1968-73 in the forward line, scoring 106 goals - an average of almost a goal every 2 games. However, he also played in midfield and ended his career for Northampton Town playing in defence. Billy was the type of character every team needs - a John White type who would play anywhere he was needed. A true legend and one of the all time SUFC greats. He also played in the 1971 team with Peter Taylor, who were promoted from Division 4 as runners up.
David Crown was one of my first Southend heroes. The pacy forward played 113 games 1987-90 scoring 61 goals, so an average of more than a goal every 2 games.
Richard Cadette was another pacy forward who played 90 games 1985-87 for Southend, scoring an excellent 49 goals - like David Crown an average of more than a goal every 2 games. He was signed by Sheffield United in 1987 for a fee, set by tribunal, of £90,000.
So, in short I have a ton of goals throughout my team. I have:
- height in midfield and centre back
- A manager, goalkeeper and central defender who were all part of the mid-1950s team that beat Liverpool at Roots Hall and drew at Anfield
- Two forwards who both scored more than a goal every 2 games
- Wingers who both scored goals and created many goals for others, Billy Best almost scored a goal every 2 games too
- Central midfielders who also chipped in with goals
- The best left hand side of any Southend team in history bar none with two full England internationals.
Team B are clearly (and, arguably, by far) the stronger team here, no question about it.
