Battle Of The SUFC Legends - Semi Final - Stan Collymore vs Kevin Maher

[manor15]

Vote for who you think is more of an SUFC legend in the next 48 hours. I had typed up a big summary thing only for the connection to go and then when it came back refreshing the page deleting everything so I'll try to type it up later.

Stan Collymore (number11's man won group E with 81 votes. Before beating David Crown 14-5 and Freddy Eastwood 72-52. What can you say about Stan? Bought by Colin Murphy in November 1992, he almost single handedly saved us from the drop by his trademark solo goals. If you haven't got the video, The Collymore Collection, then shame on you. There isn't a tap in amongst them. Who can forget the solo goal against Huddersfield at Leeds Road, the double strike against Bristol Rovers that the keeper never even saw or Stanley throwing his boots triumphantly into the crowd on the final day of the season after the match against Luton. Sold to Nottingham Forest for over £2 million and then Liverpool and Villa. After moving briefly to Real Oviedo in Spain after a rather unhappy time at Leicester and Bradford City, Stanley hung his boots up in 2001 at the age of 30. What a waste. Stanley says his happiest moments as a player were at Roots Hall. You can come back anytime Stan. 18 goals in 33 League and Cup games.)

Kevin Maher (Supported by the great manor15 King Kev won group A with 75 votes before beating Ron Pountney 35-32 and Spencer Prior 44-43. After beginning his career with Tottenham Hotspur, Maher moved to Southend United on a free transfer on 23 January 1998. He quickly broke into the first team, making 18 appearances for the first-team that season. During the 1998–99 season, Maher scored his first career goal in a 1–1 draw with Rochdale. Over the next 10 years Maher was a virtual ever-present for Southend, rising to be team captain and subsequently club captain. During this time he made more than 400 appearances for the club, and captained Southend to promotion twice, from League Two to the Championship, in successive seasons including a fine display in the League 2 play-off final. Maher also captained his side to a famous victory over Manchester United in arguably the clubs most successful spell from when he lead the Blues out at the first ever cup final until the famous victory over Manchester United. In the 07-08 season he had to look elsewhere for first tem football and joined Oldham. The fans favourite scored 22 goals for the Shrimpers in over 400 appearances.)

 

[OldBlueLady]

Even pending Martin Carruthers expected revelations, Colly is still likely to be the runaway winner.

 

[Beefy]

He deserves to be too. Maher was the best player in one of the worst sides in our recent history. Stan is the best player in our history and someone who should have been England's main striker for a decade. No contest, IMO.

 

[Dave Smiths Love Child]

Maher is still a god, and proves how much we miss him in the midfield

Who ever decided he had to go made a massive, sitting here drinking from my Kevin Maher cup at work

Long live El Kev !!!

 

[number11]

I wasa big fan of Maher whilst he was with us, and felt he was underappreciated in his last 5 years. However for the first few seasons he went through the motions a bit, whether this was the disappointment at realising it was not going to work out for him at Spurs / top level or whatever, if any other clubs had rated him he would have been off. Good player for us but of recent midfielders probably not as good as Bailey (and I suspect Sawyer and JFC may have more ability also). Either way he is replaceable.

Stan on the other hand....I doubt I will ever see anyone as talented as him wearing the Southend shirt. Yes he was only here a brief amount of time, but the impact he made in that time shows what an exceptional talent he was. I don't think Im exaggerating in saying that he had the ability to match any striker in the world around the mid 90's, and for that brief period at Roots Hall he aligned his ability with his hunger for football and enjoyment of the game. I'm proud to have watched him and the should feel honoured that we got the best out of him.

 

[Barry Labs]

Maher...so good I named my cat after him...

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

Never saw Stan, not sure how someone who played only a few games for us can really be considered more of a legend than Kevin Maher, captain fantastic, 2 promotions, superb in our one season in the Championship and we still miss him today.

 

[DTS]

I was lucky enough to see Collymore in action and he was the nuts. But at the end of the day he only played 30 times for us. Maher love him or hate him was pivitol in our sucess and for my mind was as important as Freddy or Tilson in our rise to fame.

Why a few people never warmed to him is beyond me but each to there own.

 

[number11]

Never saw Stan, not sure how someone who played only a few games for us can really be considered more of a legend than Kevin Maher, captain fantastic, 2 promotions, superb in our one season in the Championship and we still miss him today.

That's the thing though....Stan was so good that for those who did see him, his impact is unlikely to be forgotten. Maher was good at the end of his career for us, a bit cack at the beginning and over the next few years Im sure we have have midfielders who will match or better his ability....I doubt as long as I live I will see someone as good as Stan play for us again.

 

[palexander]

Stan was an absolute one off - you could just see he had that extra quality and how on earth Palace didnt see it is embarrassing.

Some think Tilly releasing Kightly is bad enough, well Palace releasing Stan is 100x worse - he came to us a bit raw, but with all the natural talent that saw him go onto play for England and he genuinely could have become the best striker in the world - he had it ALL.

I love Kevin Maher and fully appreciate what he gave us in his career, but on pure talent, Stan is unmatched by any other SUFC player (even Eastwood in his prime).

Just another thought... imagine how much the Collymore we had would be worth today in a transfer if we sold him? £5m? Forest got a great deal at the time...

 

[Napster]

I'll vote for Maher when a Maher Collection comes out on DVD

 

[Pubey]

I'll vote for Maher when a Maher Collection comes out on DVD

that'll cure insomnia (although will have a couple of good goals against QPR)

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

I could never understand the negativity directed at Kevin Maher either, he played the CM role perfectly, he'd win the ball and make a simple pass to another blue shirt, he dictated play, he was our captain and spent a decade in the SUFC trenches.

However, I saw Stan play, and I don't think one single player has had such an impact on the destiny of SUFC, he singlehandedly kept us up. He was inspirational, the intake of breath everytime he touched the ball was audible, and his efforts inspired the rest of a team that looked doomed.

That's why a player who only spent half a season here, beats a decade long servant.

 

[Ron Manager]

I could never understand the negativity directed at Kevin Maher either, he played the CM role perfectly, he'd win the ball and make a simple pass to another blue shirt, he dictated play, he was our captain and spent a decade in the SUFC trenches.

However, I saw Stan play, and I don't think one single player has had such an impact on the destiny of SUFC, he singlehandedly kept us up. He was inspirational, the intake of breath everytime he touched the ball was audible, and his efforts inspired the rest of a team that looked doomed.

That's why a player who only spent half a season here, beats a decade long servant.

That says it all for me, nothing more to add to that.

 

[A Century United]

that'll cure insomnia (although will have a couple of good goals against QPR)

Plus two crackers against Preston, the perfectly flighted cross-field ball to the far post for Freddy to score the winner live on telly against Notts F. to give us 8 straight wins... The guy achieved far, far more than he is ever given credit for.

 

[Pubey]

Plus two crackers against Preston, the perfectly flighted cross-field ball to the far post for Freddy to score the winner live on telly against Notts F. to give us 8 straight wins... The guy achieved far, far more than he is ever given credit for.

ooh yeah forgot about Preston, overshadowed by Macca's worldy. I agree, just think that Stan earnt 'legend' status by keeping a bad team up, rather than being a decent player in a decent team. Maher spent a long time at the club doing not a lot

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

There has never been a more talented player in the blue of Southend than Stan - and that, above all else, grants him legendary status.

That said, he's had an easy semi-final draw - avoiding both Tilly & Sir Chrissy P, both of whom would have beaten him (IMHO).

Matt

 

[davewebbsbrain]

I love Maher, great great respect for him and have voted for him throughout, but Collymore exctied and entertained me so much in the short time he was here, so Stanley gets my vote.

 

[BoyWonder2]

I was unfortunate that I never saw Collymore in a Blues shirt, but I do have the Collymore Collection on DVD and he was one hell of a player, arguably the greatest in the Club's history but in my opinion Maher is more of a Blues Legend.

Successive promotions, two cup finals, beating Man United, beaming goals against Preston and QPR. Very rarely gave the ball away, and managed to find space so much easier than some of his midfield partners.

We have had some very good midfielders since Maher has moved on with the likes of Sawyer, JFC, Granty and Bailey, but Maher is a Southend Legend.

 

[manor15]

It's the Collymore problem again.
We all know Stan was a much better player.
But he was only here for half a season. Yes, he kept us up but Kev kept us up countless times and got us up twice.
So I guess its 33 very good games vs 386 good games giving 100%.