OK my XI is:
GK: Jim Stannard - with over 100 performances and a promotion (no relegations) under his not insubstantial belt. Jim Stannard is in every sense a solid choice in goal
RB: Drunken Jupp - double promotion winner and scorer of one of the most iconic goals in Southend history, he's got to be in.
CB: Richard Jobson - an England international and an absolute class act. One of the very best players to have played for Southend.
CB: Joe Jaques - the first man to ever captain Southend to promotion, a born leader he also captained two other teams to promotion, possessed a fine 'tache and is a double J to boot. If that isn't the stuff legends are made of, I don't know what is.
LB: Jimmy Evans - Southend's first ever international, Evans was a true Southend legend even top-scoring one season from left-back. The only man who can rival Chrissy Powell as Southend's best ever left-back.
CM: Jimmy McAlinden - an international, a FA Cup winner and reputed to be the best passer to have ever donned a Southend shirt, McAlinden graced the Southend midfield for over 200 appearances. Wiki describes him as possibly the best player ever to play for the club. Everything I read about him says legend.
CM: Keith Jones - Southend's one-time record signing, he anchored the midfield to the club's highest ever league finish. Despite being a bona fide midget he also won more than his fair share of headers.
RM: Joe Sibley - when I asked for people to nominate their legends a couple of years back, he was voted one of the XVI biggest Southend legends. Whilst few fans these days have seen him play, his reputation lives on because those who saw him play invariably speak highly of him.
LM: John McKinven - a member of the SUSCT Hall of Fame, McKinven is described by
Irenbird, who has seen far more of SUFC than I have, as "the greatest winger we ever possessed. He was hugely skilful, fast, tricky, crossed an awesome ball, and a lovely man to boot.... For me Johnny Mac was the best and is a true Blues legend." That's good enough for me.
CF: David Jack - completing a spine of internationals through the heart of the team, Jack is objectively the greatest ever player to have pulled on a Southend shirt. The first ever goalscorer at Wembley (and against W*** H** at that) in the famous white horse final, Jack's transfer from Bolton to Herbert Chapman's Arsenal nearly doubled the world record transfer fee and was the first ever £10,000+ transfer.
CF: Jimmy Shankly - the more famous brother of one time Liverpool manager Bill, Jimmy achieved immortality in the 1928/29 season by scoring a club record 35 goals. One of only three men to have scored 100 goals for Southend, he has the best goals per game ratio of all of have reached that landmark. He collected hattricks like Kevin Maher collected bookings for dissent.
Internationals, record-setters, big-game players, promotion winners. I've got the lot.
