Darryl - Southend legend

[Prodigal Son]

Cost us big time lots of times. Frankly, outstayed his welcome by a couple of seasons.

A terrific role model for my goalkeeping son, always had words of encouragement and a personality,unlike so many players who cannot string a sentence together. The stats do not lie, and he is worthy of legend status.

He has a 3 year contract in his back pocket with a much bigger club on better terms, a beautiful wife and kid. What about you?

 

[C C Csiders]

A terrific role model for my goalkeeping son, always had words of encouragement and a personality,unlike so many players who cannot string a sentence together. The stats do not lie, and he is worthy of legend status.

He has a 3 year contract in his back pocket with a much bigger club on better terms, a beautiful wife and kid. What about you?

Me? I'm not a misery like you for a start.

I have just got myself a new job, earning more money.

I have a beautiful wife, two gorgeous children and a large house. Add to that I am far far better looking and taller than the ex-'hero' goalie.

 

[Medway Blue]

Thanks Darryl, for some wonderful memories. Man Utd., Crewe last season, hartlepool away in 05/06. You excelled here, improved immensely after a family tragedy, showed a tonne of loyalty and put in some great performances. I have nothing but admiration for you and it's a shame the club couldn't show YOU a bit more loyalty.

Lovely bloke, great to talk to, and actually fairly articulate for a footballer (!), I wish him the best and hope he proves to be a success at Palace.

 

[thechampionship_isupsidedown]

Thank you Darryl, you were one of our most loyal and consistent keepers ever, and you were here for a highly successful period of our history, so whatever a couple of ***** are saying on here, personally I salute you, and thank you for your service to SUFC.

Good luck!

 

[C C Csiders]

Just like Napoleon, Genghis Khan, Julius Caesar, Tom Cruise and Adolf Hitler, Dropall Flophardon will be another example of a midget praised by many, but who, in time, people will come to realise wasn't actually any good.

 

[Strykr]

good luck daryl

One year contract? they might as well have given him a p45!
anyway,

good luck daryl, thanks for many, many good memories, will miss chanting "daryl flahavan!" and "daryl, give us a wave"! legend or not seems to be the debate? who cares, legend to me! a shimper you'll ever be.

 

[Andyhsufc]

Just like Napoleon, Genghis Khan, Julius Caesar, Tom Cruise and Adolf Hitler, Dropall Flophardon will be another example of a midget praised by many, but who, in time, people will come to realise wasn't actually any good.

I think I have to agree with you on that one. I think the rare excellent reflex save masked his not so rare problems in the air and his poor handling. I also think that the number of goals we conceding directly and indirectly from set peices can be attributed to him as it is his job to position the defenders

 

[Uncle Leo]

I'd stop short of bracketing him as a Southend legend. For me, that needs to be saved for a special few, for example Chris Powell, Spencer Prior, Steve Tilson, Billy Best and Ron Pountney (the latter two well before my time but I've heard enough about them both).

Darryl was a good Southend United player - really good at times - but calling him a Southend legend in my view devalues the term.

 

[leeblue]

tough one this, I would put Daryl in the legend brackett as he was No.1 for two consecutive promotions, was a fine shotstopper and I loved him no doubt but as I have said before he had weaknesses which were really shown up in the ccc and last season too, will always thank him for his services, just time to move on, it happens we will carry on and I for one look forward to seeing a new keeper at the hall.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

I'd stop short of bracketing him as a Southend legend. For me, that needs to be saved for a special few, for example Chris Powell, Spencer Prior, Steve Tilson, Billy Best and Ron Pountney (the latter two well before my time but I've heard enough about them both).

Darryl was a good Southend United player - really good at times - but calling him a Southend legend in my view devalues the term.

Saved me the bother of posting & if I could rep you for this I would!
Flavs was a good, if not great Southend player, but in no way can he be classed as a true legend.

 

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

Superb shot-stopper, in fact one of the best I've ever seen. However, other faults have become more noticable over the last couple of seasons. I think the management (as well as most other sides) have noticed his failings, and have decided to look at other options. Never forget what Bob Paisley said "if someone's going downhill, better for them to go downhill in someone else's side"

Good luck at Palace Darryl, thanks for the years of service.

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

I'd stop short of bracketing him as a Southend legend. For me, that needs to be saved for a special few, for example Chris Powell, Spencer Prior, Steve Tilson, Billy Best and Ron Pountney (the latter two well before my time but I've heard enough about them both).

Darryl was a good Southend United player - really good at times - but calling him a Southend legend in my view devalues the term.

Exactly, Legend is a word that gets thrown around far too easily in football (like genius in music), devaluing its meaning and those that really deserve it.

 

[canveyshrimper]

I'd stop short of bracketing him as a Southend legend. For me, that needs to be saved for a special few, for example Chris Powell, Spencer Prior, Steve Tilson, Billy Best and Ron Pountney (the latter two well before my time but I've heard enough about them both).

Darryl was a good Southend United player - really good at times - but calling him a Southend legend in my view devalues the term.

Yes I agree with that, Flahavan was a fine servant and representative of the club, but legend, no way IMO.

Mervyn Cawston, Paul Sansome, Trevor Roberts, Jim Stannard & Simon Royce were much better keepers.

 

[C C Csiders]

Yes I agree with that, Flahavan was a fine servant and representative of the club, but legend, no way IMO.

Mervyn Cawston, Paul Sansome, Trevor Roberts, Jim Stannard & Simon Royce were much better keepers.

Indeed. Jim Stannard another fine example of the goalkeeping art.

 

[AdamTheShrimper]

unbelievable. it does make me laugh reading some of these comments about darryl being blamed for games, the guy saved us in most games but that still wont save him from some small minority of supporters blaming him for lost games.

good luck darryl m8

 

[Sherif H]

Sentiment and comments on Flavs' strenghts and weaknesses aside, I'd like to know the Club's logic behind the treatment of our two longest serving players...maybe the management have been looking to ship out some of the supposed dead-wood, but there is still a bad smell about both of these situations (particularly Maher), and I have to say, the Club seem to have handled both with equal lack of dignity.

 

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

Sentiment and comments on Flavs' strenghts and weaknesses aside, I'd like to know the Club's logic behind the treatment of our two longest serving players...maybe the management have been looking to ship out some of the supposed dead-wood, but there is still a bad smell about both of these situations (particularly Maher), and I have to say, the Club seem to have handled both with equal lack of dignity.

Yes, but how do you get rid of them with dignity? You can't just have them hanging around the place. Unfortunately, there's no time for sentiment. Maher's legs had gone at the end of the season before last, when he got the foot injury. He needed to go, as we now had better players who could play more than one way, which didn't make us as predictable as a side. Flav's I've alluded to above.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Yes, but how do you get rid of them with dignity? You can't just have them hanging around the place. Unfortunately, there's no time for sentiment. Maher's legs had gone at the end of the season before last, when he got the foot injury. He needed to go, as we now had better players who could play more than one way, which didn't make us as predictable as a side. Flav's I've alluded to above.

Other long serving players like Alan Moody, Tony Hadley & Ronnie Pountney have also suffered somewhat undignified exits in the past. And notable Tilly himself.

 

[SUFC_Al]

how do you get rid of a player with dignity? Have him paraded through the streets in an open top bus with 21 gun salutes?

 

[Sherif H]

Yes, but how do you get rid of them with dignity? You can't just have them hanging around the place. Unfortunately, there's no time for sentiment. Maher's legs had gone at the end of the season before last, when he got the foot injury. He needed to go, as we now had better players who could play more than one way, which didn't make us as predictable as a side. Flav's I've alluded to above.

I'm sorry, but I don't buy it....I'd have had Maher in the squad over Moussa for most (and especially the larger, key) games last season. He never had any pace anyway, and I still rated him as the best passer of a ball (of all ranges) in the squad. He also had an ability to calm, and slow down the play between defence and attack when things became a little hectic (which I believe we again missed last season at times).
After 10 years and hundreds of games, he left under a very large cloud, and the fans are, in truth, no better informed as to why it ended like it did, than before the whole saga began.

As for Flavs, yes we all admit he had many failings, but was probably the best shot-stopper in the lower leagues, and saved us on many occassions. I still fail to see the logic of offering him a 1 year deal when he is probably reaching the age at which goalkeepers traditionally reach their prime.