Another reason to be upbeat

[Exiled Shrimper]

As well as this afternoon's fantastic win at Peterborough for the first-team, Ricky Duncan's Under-18 side recorded a 2-0 win over Wycombe Wanderers to maintain their challenge for the Youth Alliance League South East Conference title.

Craig Calver and Kyle Asante scored second half goals as Southend United made it an entire calendar year without a League defeat - a remarkable achievement. In that time, Blues' Youths have played 18 League fixtures, winning 13 and drawing 5, and this season have won eight and drawn three to leave themselves in with an excellent shout of winning the League for the first time ever in the club's history.

Of course, the youth department and the Centre of Excellence is not just about results, and during the past twelve months, Johnny Herd and Stuart O'Keefe have been handed professional contracts with the Shrimpers, whilst Dan Harvey, Luke Thurlbourne, Jamie Forshaw, Rhys Henry and James Lindie gained development contracts.

Here is the full roll of honour in terms of results since a 4-1 defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion on 1st March 2008:

2007/8: Gillingham (h) W3-2, Rushden & Diamonds (a) D1-1, Barnet (h) W3-0, Peterborough United (h) D1-1, Queens Park Rangers (h) W2-1, Colchester United (a) W5-1, Brentford (a) W2-1; 2008/9: Millwall (h) W2-0, Colchester United (a) W2-1, Dagenham & Redbridge (a) D0-0, Brighton & Hove Albion (h) W2-0, Aldershot Town (a) W6-2, Gillingham (h) W2-1, Dagenham & Redbridge (h) D1-1, Leyton Orient (h) D2-2, Colchester United (h) W3-1, Brentford (h) W1-0, Wycombe Wanderers (h) W2-0

It is only right also to salute Ricky Duncan, Luke Hobbs, Bill Garner and all the other staff at the Centre of Excellence for their contributions, as well as the following players, who have all made appearances in the run:

Medi ABALIMBA, Davis ABBEY, Tashan ADEYINKA, Kyle ASANTE, Ricky BYRNE, Craig CALVER, Harry CRAWFORD, Jamie DENNIS, 'DUBI', Omar FOAKES, Jamie FORSHAW, Jake HALL, Dan HARVEY, Justin HAZELL, Rhys HENRY, Johnny HERD, Sam HIGGINS, Merrick JAMES-LEWIS, Ronnie JONES, James LINDIE, Fredrik LJUNGSTRÖM, Nathan McDONALD, Tommy MILLER, Marcus MILNER, Michael MOON, Jack MORRIS, Michael NGOO, Stuart O'KEEFE, David OBAZE, Julian OKAI, Adetayo OSIFUWA, John OWINJA, Duran REYNOLDS, Emmanuel RICHARDSON, Gordon RIECK, James STEVENS, Callum WHITTAKER, Jordan YONG

 

[Smiffy]

Superb news.

What a fantastic crop we have coming through and we couldn't wish for better staff teaching them.

 

[Basildon Blue]

We have a top youth system. Players like moussa, herd and orenuja are proof of this.

 

[Shrimperstrust]

The match report from yesterday's game can be found on the Trust Website here.

 

[cockles is back]

this is probably the best bit of news to come out of the weekend so far, well as long as you dont include 'the weather brightening up a bit' finding a £1 in my jeans' and eating an apple

 

[McNasty]

this is probably the best bit of news to come out of the weekend so far, well as long as you dont include 'the weather brightening up a bit' finding a £1 in my jeans' and eating an apple

or seeing fellow TV star mcnasty in Waitrose !

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

this is probably the best bit of news to come out of the weekend so far, well as long as you dont include 'the weather brightening up a bit' finding a £1 in my jeans' and eating an apple

The positive rep button seems to be broken for this one.

or seeing fellow TV star mcnasty in Waitrose !

I thought we were talking highlight of week rather than season