Bill Best the start of the Legend

[DoDTS]

The bill best story

As mark of respect for Bill Bests 70th birthday I thought would recall my memories of his first few games.

In 1967-68 Southend started seven games unbeaten and were top of the table at this stage, by the new year we had fluctuated between 1st and sixth, but when Bill signed in late January we were again top having only lost four games. The defence had the stability of players like Trevor Roberts, Tony Bentley, Graham Birks and Eddie May. Goals were coming from the likes of Phil Chisnall and John Mckinven but Sammy Macmillan at centre forward had not settled in and what we lacked was a tall frontman to secure promotion.

I remember being in school getting quite excited with my mates with the news that we had signed a new forward and on the Saturday zoomed off to Chester on the Youth Section coach for Bill's debut. He was a shock. He was not the tall targetman we had been crying out for but a smallish forward, nippy granted but not what we needed. A drab game ended 0-0 and we dropped to second in the table.

The next match was away at Newport midweek (I missed this match) we lost 2-0 and dropped to third, but the next match was at home to York, who were third from bottom, we were unbeaten at home having won nine and drawn four. An easy win surely? A chance for Bill to impress the home crowd? No we lost 1-0 and dropped to sixth in the table our lowest position in the league so far. The 9,000 fans were not at all happy, Best was the wrong type of player to have signed was the general opinion.

The following Saturday was an overnight coach trip to 18th placed Rochdale, a John McKinven goal earned us 1-0 win and took us back to third place but four games without a goal was not an impressive start for young Bill.

The breakthrough came the following week when Bill scored our opening goal in a 2-2 home draw with ninth placed Halifax, but this was little consolation as our promotion push was faltering with just one win in the last five games and we were now in fourth place.

The following Saturday and yet another overnight coach trip to Exeter but we saw Bill score both goals in a 2-0 win which took us up to third, and then the following Friday night 9,500 fans saw a 5-1 demolition of Chester will Bill grabbing a hat-trick, the other goals from Andy Smillie and Joe Ashworth saw us move up to second and the crowd going home ecstatic about the Blues and about Best. Bill had arrived.

How fickle fans are, doom and gloom after four games, joy after seven, but Bill had scored six goals in seven appearances or more important six in his last three.

So to the older fans do you remember this time? (come on Mick put the record straight) To those that are too young I hope you enjoy this little reminisce about a true Legend.

DoDtS

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

As mark of respect for Bill Bests 70th birthday I thought would recall my memories of his first few games.

In 1967-68 Southend started seven games unbeaten and were top of the table at this stage, by the new year we had fluctuated between 1st and sixth, but when Bill signed in late January we were again top having only lost four games. The defence had the stability of players like Trevor Roberts, Tony Bentley, Graham Birks and Eddie May. Goals were coming from the likes of Phil Chisnall and John Mckinven but Sammy Macmillan at centre forward had not settled in and what we lacked was a tall frontman to secure promotion.

I remember being in school getting quite excited with my mates with the news that we had signed a new forward and on the Saturday zoomed off to Chester on the Youth Section coach for Bill's debut. He was a shock. He was not the tall targetman we had been crying out for but a smallish forward, nippy granted but not what we needed. A drab game ended 0-0 and we dropped to second in the table.

The next match was away at Newport midweek (I missed this match) we lost 2-0 and dropped to third, but the next match was at home to York, who were third from bottom, we were unbeaten at home having won nine and drawn four. An easy win surely? A chance for Bill to impress the home crowd? No we lost 1-0 and dropped to sixth in the table our lowest position in the league so far. The 9,000 fans were not at all happy, Best was the wrong type of player to have signed was the general opinion.

The following Saturday was an overnight coach trip to 18th placed Rochdale, a John McKinven goal earned us 1-0 win and took us back to third place but four games without a goal was not an impressive start for young Bill.

The breakthrough came the following week when Bill scored our opening goal in a 2-2 home draw with ninth placed Halifax, but this was little consolation as our promotion push was faltering with just one win in the last five games and we were now in fourth place.

The following Saturday and yet another overnight coach trip to Exeter but we saw Bill score both goals in a 2-0 win which took us up to third, and then the following Friday night 9,500 fans saw a 5-1 demolition of Chester will Bill grabbing a hat-trick, the other goals from Andy Smillie and Joe Ashworth saw us move up to second and the crowd going home ecstatic about the Blues and about Best. Bill had arrived.

How fickle fans are, doom and gloom after four games, joy after seven, but Bill had scored six goals in seven appearances or more important six in his last three.

So to the older fans do you remember this time? (come on Mick put the record straight) To those that are too young I hope you enjoy this little reminisce about a true Legend.

DoDtS

Fantastic post. My favourite so far this Year.

 

[Col.U. Mad]

Fantastic post. My favourite so far this Year.

I do enjoy DoDTS posts. Always a good read :thumbsup:

 

[Mick]

As mark of respect for Bill Bests 70th birthday I thought would recall my memories of his first few games.

In 1967-68 Southend started seven games unbeaten and were top of the table at this stage, by the new year we had fluctuated between 1st and sixth, but when Bill signed in late January we were again top having only lost four games. The defence had the stability of players like Trevor Roberts, Tony Bentley, Graham Birks and Eddie May. Goals were coming from the likes of Phil Chisnall and John Mckinven but Sammy Macmillan at centre forward had not settled in and what we lacked was a tall frontman to secure promotion.

I remember being in school getting quite excited with my mates with the news that we had signed a new forward and on the Saturday zoomed off to Chester on the Youth Section coach for Bill's debut. He was a shock. He was not the tall targetman we had been crying out for but a smallish forward, nippy granted but not what we needed. A drab game ended 0-0 and we dropped to second in the table.

The next match was away at Newport midweek (I missed this match) we lost 2-0 and dropped to third, but the next match was at home to York, who were third from bottom, we were unbeaten at home having won nine and drawn four. An easy win surely? A chance for Bill to impress the home crowd? No we lost 1-0 and dropped to sixth in the table our lowest position in the league so far. The 9,000 fans were not at all happy, Best was the wrong type of player to have signed was the general opinion.

The following Saturday was an overnight coach trip to 18th placed Rochdale, a John McKinven goal earned us 1-0 win and took us back to third place but four games without a goal was not an impressive start for young Bill.

The breakthrough came the following week when Bill scored our opening goal in a 2-2 home draw with ninth placed Halifax, but this was little consolation as our promotion push was faltering with just one win in the last five games and we were now in fourth place.

The following Saturday and yet another overnight coach trip to Exeter but we saw Bill score both goals in a 2-0 win which took us up to third, and then the following Friday night 9,500 fans saw a 5-1 demolition of Chester will Bill grabbing a hat-trick, the other goals from Andy Smillie and Joe Ashworth saw us move up to second and the crowd going home ecstatic about the Blues and about Best. Bill had arrived.

How fickle fans are, doom and gloom after four games, joy after seven, but Bill had scored six goals in seven appearances or more important six in his last three.

So to the older fans do you remember this time? (come on Mick put the record straight) To those that are too young I hope you enjoy this little reminisce about a true Legend.

DoDtS

Nothing to put straight there, although I would add there was no animosity towards Best despite his early lack of goals. The game at Newport was played in very wet conditions; the second debutant of the week, Howard Moore, didn't get a chance to show too much of his fleeting skills.

That game at Exeter was Ray White's first appearance since he'd let in 9 at Brighton a couple of years earlier; we feared the worst.

Jim Conway a few years earlier was an even slower starter (and a slower footballer) with no goals from 8 games, then 7 from 7.

 

[DoDTS]

Well this doesn't seem to have gone down too badly, so I might continue the story when I get a chance.

DoDtS

 

[GrumpyBlue]

As mark of respect for Bill Bests 70th birthday I thought would recall my memories of his first few games.

In 1967-68 Southend started seven games unbeaten and were top of the table at this stage, by the new year we had fluctuated between 1st and sixth, but when Bill signed in late January we were again top having only lost four games. The defence had the stability of players like Trevor Roberts, Tony Bentley, Graham Birks and Eddie May. Goals were coming from the likes of Phil Chisnall and John Mckinven but Sammy Macmillan at centre forward had not settled in and what we lacked was a tall frontman to secure promotion.

I remember being in school getting quite excited with my mates with the news that we had signed a new forward and on the Saturday zoomed off to Chester on the Youth Section coach for Bill's debut. He was a shock. He was not the tall targetman we had been crying out for but a smallish forward, nippy granted but not what we needed. A drab game ended 0-0 and we dropped to second in the table.

The next match was away at Newport midweek (I missed this match) we lost 2-0 and dropped to third, but the next match was at home to York, who were third from bottom, we were unbeaten at home having won nine and drawn four. An easy win surely? A chance for Bill to impress the home crowd? No we lost 1-0 and dropped to sixth in the table our lowest position in the league so far. The 9,000 fans were not at all happy, Best was the wrong type of player to have signed was the general opinion.

The following Saturday was an overnight coach trip to 18th placed Rochdale, a John McKinven goal earned us 1-0 win and took us back to third place but four games without a goal was not an impressive start for young Bill.

The breakthrough came the following week when Bill scored our opening goal in a 2-2 home draw with ninth placed Halifax, but this was little consolation as our promotion push was faltering with just one win in the last five games and we were now in fourth place.

The following Saturday and yet another overnight coach trip to Exeter but we saw Bill score both goals in a 2-0 win which took us up to third, and then the following Friday night 9,500 fans saw a 5-1 demolition of Chester will Bill grabbing a hat-trick, the other goals from Andy Smillie and Joe Ashworth saw us move up to second and the crowd going home ecstatic about the Blues and about Best. Bill had arrived.

How fickle fans are, doom and gloom after four games, joy after seven, but Bill had scored six goals in seven appearances or more important six in his last three.

So to the older fans do you remember this time? (come on Mick put the record straight) To those that are too young I hope you enjoy this little reminisce about a true Legend.

DoDtS

Although my memory is starting to play tricks - this post sounds spot-on :happy:

 

[ozzie]

I do enjoy DoDTS posts. Always a good read :thumbsup:

yes,i agree..dodts stuff is always a great read:thumbsup:.looking foreward to the next one

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Well this doesn't seem to have gone down too badly, so I might continue the story when I get a chance.

DoDtS

Please do.I'm pretty sure I saw those first two home matches you mention in Billy's initial spell with Southend.

 

[B.B.The Legend Lives On.]

As mark of respect for Bill Bests 70th birthday I thought would recall my memories of his first few games.

In 1967-68 Southend started seven games unbeaten and were top of the table at this stage, by the new year we had fluctuated between 1st and sixth, but when Bill signed in late January we were again top having only lost four games. The defence had the stability of players like Trevor Roberts, Tony Bentley, Graham Birks and Eddie May. Goals were coming from the likes of Phil Chisnall and John Mckinven but Sammy Macmillan at centre forward had not settled in and what we lacked was a tall frontman to secure promotion.

I remember being in school getting quite excited with my mates with the news that we had signed a new forward and on the Saturday zoomed off to Chester on the Youth Section coach for Bill's debut. He was a shock. He was not the tall targetman we had been crying out for but a smallish forward, nippy granted but not what we needed. A drab game ended 0-0 and we dropped to second in the table.

The next match was away at Newport midweek (I missed this match) we lost 2-0 and dropped to third, but the next match was at home to York, who were third from bottom, we were unbeaten at home having won nine and drawn four. An easy win surely? A chance for Bill to impress the home crowd? No we lost 1-0 and dropped to sixth in the table our lowest position in the league so far. The 9,000 fans were not at all happy, Best was the wrong type of player to have signed was the general opinion.

The following Saturday was an overnight coach trip to 18th placed Rochdale, a John McKinven goal earned us 1-0 win and took us back to third place but four games without a goal was not an impressive start for young Bill.

The breakthrough came the following week when Bill scored our opening goal in a 2-2 home draw with ninth placed Halifax, but this was little consolation as our promotion push was faltering with just one win in the last five games and we were now in fourth place.

The following Saturday and yet another overnight coach trip to Exeter but we saw Bill score both goals in a 2-0 win which took us up to third, and then the following Friday night 9,500 fans saw a 5-1 demolition of Chester will Bill grabbing a hat-trick, the other goals from Andy Smillie and Joe Ashworth saw us move up to second and the crowd going home ecstatic about the Blues and about Best. Bill had arrived.

How fickle fans are, doom and gloom after four games, joy after seven, but Bill had scored six goals in seven appearances or more important six in his last three.

So to the older fans do you remember this time? (come on Mick put the record straight) To those that are too young I hope you enjoy this little reminisce about a true Legend.

DoDtS

Peter "SPOT ON" and the rest as they say is history, although over 45 years have now passed the memories of that time seem so vivid. Remember it well Mick the Newport County away match the pitch was so muddy we actually tried to kick off after one of the goals in their half because all of the pitch markings had disappeared. Keep it going Peter "HAPPY DAYS" for people of a certain age. Love Nobbler

 

[Harry Bullocks]

Always willing to be corrected but, wasn't Billy Best supported by Bill Garner up front with Bernie Lewis and Terry Johnson on the left and right wings respectively.

Also remember Gary Moore playing up front, he wasn't the most popular striker at RH, similar to the Straker, Smith pounding that goes on .......

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Always willing to be corrected but, wasn't Billy Best supported by Bill Garner up front with Bernie Lewis and Terry Johnson on the left and right wings respectively.

Also remember Gary Moore playing up front, he wasn't the most popular striker at RH, similar to the Straker, Smith pounding that goes on .......

That was a little later.

Gary Moore partnered him from 68/9 and Bill Garner from 69/70.

 

[B.B.The Legend Lives On.]

Always willing to be corrected but, wasn't Billy Best supported by Bill Garner up front with Bernie Lewis and Terry Johnson on the left and right wings respectively.

Also remember Gary Moore playing up front, he wasn't the most popular striker at RH, similar to the Straker, Smith pounding that goes on .......

The usual front players that played in Billy's time were as follows Jan.68/May 68:Phil Chisnall/John Mckinven. 1968-69:Ian"Chico"Hamilton/Phil Chisnall/Gary Moore. 1969-70:Phil Chisnall/GaryMoore/Bill Garner. 1970-71:Bill Garner/Terry Johnson. 1971-72:Gary Moore/Bill Garner/Terry Johnson. 1972-73:Chris Guthrie/Gary Moore/Terry Johnson. In the last two seasons Billy tended to play more in midfield a strange ploy considering how many goals that he had already scored for the club, having said that the 1971-72 was truly remarkable in terms of goals(81) and also the attendances with over 136,000 watching the 12 matches from January to May. Just like to add that Gary Moore was instrumental in many of Billy Best goals and was a very important player in the make up of the team.

 

[shallowshrimper]

Ah what memories. I seem to remember going to a midweek reserve match with some mates from school Southend v Luton I think it was and Billy Best and a skinny little winger called Howard Moore made their debuts. If ( and its a big if) my memory serves me ok Best scored possibly a hat trick that night. For me though it was the little winger Moore that caught my eye and being the shrewd judge of talent that I am, predicted great things for Moore but was still not convinced about Best. As dodts says not exactly the greatest first few matches for BB but when he started scoring he just couldnt stop.

 

[Chairman Trigg]

Great post of a Southend legend,a time when we scored goals by the bucket load at home.After Bill left we seemed to look for a replacement in a similar mould Steve Philips/Stuart Brace if my memory serves me right.However none could match King Billy and the goals scored in front of the pak

 

[DoDTS]

By popular demand we continue the story:

With six goals in seven matches Best had arrived but he failed to score in the next three matches. The first was against lowly 17th placed Darlington at Roots Hall, as always Blues disappointing in front of a large crowd nearly 10,600, and then another 2-2 draw at mid table Swansea, and Southend included another big name signing in Eddie Clayton from Spurs. This trip was marred for the supporters when the Youth Section Coach was involved in a nasty accident on the way home near Bridgend. Despite these two draws Blues had gone seven game undefeated and found themselves in second place with nine games to go (four automatic promotion places no play offs)

They then seemed to step up a gear with a 3-1 win at Aldershot who were in seventh place. Our away from since Best had come was impressive, 0-0, 0-2, 1-0, 2-0 and 3-1.The next Friday night was when many supporters felt that we were already promoted (how wrong can you be) when struggling Workington came to Roots Hall. Blues were 4-0 up at half time and three more added in the second half to complete a 7-0 win in front of 13,781 spectators, Bill getting one of the goals his seventh in eleven games.

The top of the League table read:

1..Luton Town.........played...37.....points..54
2..Southend United..played...37.....points..50
3..Crewe Alexandra..played...37.....points..48
4..Barnsley.............played...38.....points..48
5..Bradford City......played...38......points 46
6..Chesterfield........played...37......points 45

The collapse from here onwards has been well covered on Shrimperzone on the following thread: http://www.shrimperzone.com/vb/showthread.php?69080-A-little-caution-for-the-over-excited!

At this stage with nine games to go Promotion looked a certainty and the only questions being would we win the championship and how would we fare in the Third Division next season, |However;:

6th April 1968 Away to Lincoln fourth from bottom Blues went 0-4 down and only two late goals by Billy Best gave a more respectable final score of 2-4, Southend dropped to third. As young optimistic, niave youngsters we reckoned if we had another ten minutes Bill could have added a couple more for a draw

8th April 1968 home to tenth place Doncaster lost 1-2 Southend stayed in third place, Phil chisnall getting the goal

13th April 1968 at home to seventh placed Chesterfield drew 1-1 Bill Best getting the goal, Blues maintained third place.

16th April 1968 away to Doncaster who were still still in tenth place lost 1-2, agin Billy getting the goal Blues dropped to fourth.

20th April 1968 lost away to fifth place Bradford City Blues dropped out of the top four and were now in sixth place. Again it was Billy best who scored the goal who had now scored five in the last five games, and in all twelve in sixteen games

22nd April 1968 Lost 0-1 at home to 18th place Notts County but kept sixth place

26th April 1968 drew 0-0 with third place Crewe, still sixth but promotion barely a possibility.

4th May 1968 lost 3-4 at Notts County, promotion now mathematically impossible (and because of other results it would have still been an impossibilty even if we had won).

10th May 1968 finally gained a win although of little consequence 3-1 at home to Rochdale and a final finish of sixth four points (two wins) short of the last promotion place, Bill finished the season with two goals in this match

Nine games 1 win 2 draws and 6 defeats, success so can so quickly turn into failure. Yet Best can hardly take the balme in such a bad sequence he had still managed to score seven in nine.

So in Twenty games Billy Best had scored 14 goals in all, in 20 games, the disappointment at missing out on promotion was huge ( and still haunts many of us today) but clearly we had a goalscorer in Billy Best who was something special.

DoDtS

 

[jaffa1]

1970-71:Bill Garner/Terry Johnson. 1971-72:Gary Moore/Bill Garner/Terry Johnson. 1972-73:


I loved Terry Johnson - one of my favourite Blues players in the seventies - didn't he play a part in a famous FA Cup giant-killing when he returned to (his native) Blyth Spartans ?

 

[B.B.The Legend Lives On.]

Ah what memories. I seem to remember going to a midweek reserve match with some mates from school Southend v Luton I think it was and Billy Best and a skinny little winger called Howard Moore made their debuts. If ( and its a big if) my memory serves me ok Best scored possibly a hat trick that night. For me though it was the little winger Moore that caught my eye and being the shrewd judge of talent that I am, predicted great things for Moore but was still not convinced about Best. As dodts says not exactly the greatest first few matches for BB but when he started scoring he just couldnt stop.

Billy Best's debut was at Chester on 27/1/68, however as you rightly said his home debut was on 29/1/68 Southend Utd.Reserves 5 v Luton Town Reserves 1, Team was 1.Ray White, 2.Tony Bentley, 3.Frank Mathews, 4.Mike Beesley, 5.Eddie May, 6.Sammy McMillan, 7.Howard Moore, 8.Phil Chisnall, 9.Andy Smillie, 10.Billy Best, 11.John McKinven. Goalscorers: Best(2), Mathews, Moore, McKinven 1 each. Rodney Green replied for Luton. 7 of the above team had played at Chester 2 days earlier the exceptions being Trevor Roberts, Graham Birks, Joe Ashworth & Jimmy Stevenson. Sammy McMillan was substitute but did not play.

 

[snapper1]

In those days you went to see individual players play as much as watching the team. Clearly remember Billy's ability to score when latching onto a through ball and having only the keeper to beat.Very rarely failed.Amazing pace,could shot with either foot and scored more than his fair share of headers for one on the small side.
How we could do with a player like that now !

 

[B.B.The Legend Lives On.]

1970-71:Bill Garner/Terry Johnson. 1971-72:Gary Moore/Bill Garner/Terry Johnson. 1972-73:


I loved Terry Johnson - one of my favourite Blues players in the seventies - didn't he play a part in a famous FA Cup giant-killing when he returned to (his native) Blyth Spartans ?

YES HE DID! the results were as follows 1977-78. 1st.Round beat Burscough(H)1-0(but T.J. did not play). He then played 2nd.Round beat Chesterfield(H)1-0,3rd.Round beat Enfield(H)1-0, 4th.Round beat Stoke City(A)3-1(scored 2 goals),5th.Round drew Wrexham(A)1-1(scored)., in the replay he scored again but Blyth were beaten 2-1 the match was played at Newcastle United's St.James Park in front of over 42,000. Wrexham then lost to Arsenal in the 6th.Round who beat Orient in the Semi-Final(3-0) they themselves were then beaten by a Roger Osborne goal for Ipswich Town in the Final. I was told that Terry Johnson was running a market stall in Newcastle a few years ago.

 

[Harry Bullocks]

Terry Johnson was a legend in my opinion.....and agree with the earlier thread that Gary Moore was often the unsung hero......and often a target for criticism...........how little things have changed over the last 40 years eh!!