Memory Lane "it was fifty years ago today"

[Chairman Trigg]

How how about a bronze statue of the king at Fossetts......as long as it's not done by the blind fella that did the Bobby Moore one at Wembley!

 

[wildheart]

Gawd, 50 years!!! Are you sure? Such memories of a great man and fantastic times. Still the best ever Blues player IMHO.

Yea him and Stan are the best I've seen at the Hall with Crownie and Freddie next in line.

 

[E for B and Billy Best]

"people stressed"? God I love this club!!!

I weren't!!! Is all going well, Kev?

 

[AndyT]

"Stressed" wasn't quite what we were.

Just checking up on a regular poster.

Glad all is well. :thumbsup::cool:

 

[Kevin Hogg]

God I hope we win something again soon..you lot are bloody lovely people!
I noted you were not stressed Biffo..hmm maybe you will not get a ticket when we win whatever I hope we win!!
Love ya all.

 

[fatgrandad]

Aside from the goals, I have another more personal recollection of Billy coming to referee a School vs Parents match at Thorpe Greenways, must have been either '68 or '69. He displayed some innovative refereeing skills in that game by trapping a loose ball and teeing me up for a shot on goal from just outside the penalty area. I can still see him now in my mind's eye, controlling the ball, looking up, rolling it into my path, and me running onto it. Unfortunately, my video-recall stops at that point, which suggests that the ball didn't find itself buried in the back of the net a split second later.

Although I could hold a small grudge against him for what must clearly have been a poor lay-off to deny me a scoring opportunity, he is still up there as my first and favourite footballing hero. Surely the best £3000 ever invested by the club.

 

[Skyblue]

Pips Freddie and Stan for me as being Southend's greatest striker purely on the basis of his variety. Next to Bill Garner probably the best header of the ball i've see at roots hall.

 

[Chairman Trigg]

Would've have outjumped Nile Ranger by about a foot every time and actually head the ball.After he left we then tried to replicate him with sub standard versions like Phillips and Brace .

Pips Freddie and Stan for me as being Southend's greatest striker purely on the basis of his variety. Next to Bill Garner probably the best header of the ball i've see at roots hall.

 

[RobM]

Pips Freddie and Stan for me as being Southend's greatest striker purely on the basis of his variety. Next to Bill Garner probably the best header of the ball i've see at roots hall.

Chris Guthrie must be up there (Ho Ho!)

 

[RobM]

"Unfortunately, my video-recall stops at that point, which suggests that the ball didn't find itself buried in the back of the net a split second later."

What words would be more appropriate...Upper branches of an oak? Loosened roof tiles? Bounced harmlessly into the car park?

 

[Kevin Hogg]

Chris Guthrie must be up there (Ho Ho!)

How we could do with Big Chris Muffrie today. He missed 2 out of 3 but did enough to move on to Sheffield United. He would not be the last to make that move... ; )

 

[Chairman Trigg]

From my memory Steve Phillips was definately the better of two replacements.When I looked at his stats they are quite impressive
[FONT=&quot]After 18 months he moved on again, this time to [/FONT]Southend United[FONT=&quot] in March 1982, a move which meant he played 48 league games in a 46-game season: having already played 30 league games for Northampton by the time the transfer went through, he added a further 18 for Southend.[/FONT][SUP][9][/SUP][FONT=&quot] Phillips was Southend's leading scorer in each of his first three full seasons, an achievement to which was added the club's Player of the Season award in [/FONT]1984–85[FONT=&quot].[/FONT][SUP][10][/SUP][FONT=&quot] He finished his Southend career with 72 goals from 182 games in all competitions, 66 from 158 in the league.[/FONT][SUP][1[/SUP]QUOTE=Chairman Trigg;2030869]Would've have outjumped Nile Ranger by about a foot every time and actually head the ball.After he left we then tried to replicate him with sub standard versions like Phillips and Brace .[/QUOTE]

 

[wildheart]

From my memory Steve Phillips was definately the better of two replacements.When I looked at his stats they are quite impressive
After 18 months he moved on again, this time to Southend United in March 1982, a move which meant he played 48 league games in a 46-game season: having already played 30 league games for Northampton by the time the transfer went through, he added a further 18 for Southend.[SUP][9][/SUP] Phillips was Southend's leading scorer in each of his first three full seasons, an achievement to which was added the club's Player of the Season award in 1984–85.[SUP][10][/SUP] He finished his Southend career with 72 goals from 182 games in all competitions, 66 from 158 in the league.[SUP][1[/SUP]QUOTE=Chairman Trigg;2030869]Would've have outjumped Nile Ranger by about a foot every time and actually head the ball.After he left we then tried to replicate him with sub standard versions like Phillips and Brace .

[/QUOTE]

I agree with your summary of Steve Phillips I remember he worked quite well with Trevor Whymark who was another striker we bought well past his best!

 

[Firestorm]

I agree with your summary of Steve Phillips I remember he worked quite well with Trevor Whymark who was another striker we bought well past his best!

My Nan would have looked go alongside Whymark, he was woeful.

Inchy was a good player though.....

 

[blues exile]

I remember Phillips as being a very wholehearted and combative little pocket battleship at a desperate time in the club's fortunes. His goalscoring in the relegation season 83/4 (16) and 84/5 (21) when we finished 20th in division four were among the few bright spots of two dismal years. I wonder how he would have fared in a more successful side.

 

[BasildonShrimp]

Back to Billy Best and, although time clouds the memory I'm sure it was the Best-Moore combination that scored in my first game at Southend in a 2-1 victory against Colchester in February 1970. Blimey I did pick it, that first game, trouble even back then, things only calmed down after PC Plod and a group of hungry Alsatians were bought over to the west stand to first restore and then keep order.
The aforementioned FA Cup games against Weymouth and Dagenham were also attended by myself that year (can't remember the scorers) The 7-0 against Weymouth was a bit of a mismatch, but the 1-0 over Dagenham who were non league then was a much closer affair, and If I remember correctly a stunning performance by our 'keeper, might have been Trevor Roberts, but I can't be sure ensured our passage into the third round. Defeated by Carlisle who might have had Chris Guthrie playing for them ended that cup run for another year.
I remember a football magazine doing a feature on the four Best's playing at that time. George, obviously Clyde who played for West Ham and I think David who was 'keeper at Ipswich (might have that one wrong) Point is though I was well pleased seeing a Southend player mentioned in SHOOT or GOAL magazine.

 

[B.B.The Legend Lives On.]

Back to Billy Best and, although time clouds the memory I'm sure it was the Best-Moore combination that scored in my first game at Southend in a 2-1 victory against Colchester in February 1970. Blimey I did pick it, that first game, trouble even back then, things only calmed down after PC Plod and a group of hungry Alsatians were bought over to the west stand to first restore and then keep order.
The aforementioned FA Cup games against Weymouth and Dagenham were also attended by myself that year (can't remember the scorers) The 7-0 against Weymouth was a bit of a mismatch, but the 1-0 over Dagenham who were non league then was a much closer affair, and If I remember correctly a stunning performance by our 'keeper, might have been Trevor Roberts, but I can't be sure ensured our passage into the third round. Defeated by Carlisle who might have had Chris Guthrie playing for them ended that cup run for another year.
I remember a football magazine doing a feature on the four Best's playing at that time. George, obviously Clyde who played for West Ham and I think David who was 'keeper at Ipswich (might have that one wrong) Point is though I was well pleased seeing a Southend player mentioned in SHOOT or GOAL magazine.

Hi Basildon Shrimp, nothing wrong with the memory regarding your first match at Roots Hall against Colchester United which was played on Friday 21st.February 1970, Southend won by 2-1 with goals by Billy Best scoring after 9 minutes, Colchester equalised after 31 minutes through Jim Oliver with Big Gary Moore netting the winner after 76 minutes. The attendance was 6,778. This match was played after we had been beaten by Workington 5-0 a couple of weeks earlier. The F.A. Cup matches played in the 1970-71 which you also mentioned were as follows Weymouth(H)won 7-0 with goals from Bill Garner(4);Billy Best(2)and Bernie Lewis(Att.7,188). also the Dagenham match(H)won 1-0 the only goal was scored by Billy Best, we were as you say lucky to win but our goalkeeper was in fact the much maligned Brian Lloyd.(Att.10,900). Yes we did play Carlisle United in the 3rd.round at home, lost 0-3 with an attendance 16,668 or 16,729 depending what book you read. Carlisle's goals were scored by Bob Hatton(2) and Bobby Owen. Chris Guthrie did not play in the match he did in fact sign for Newcastle United as a professional
in January 1971 ironically the same month when we played Carlisle United.

 

[AndyT]

Yep, echo the sentiments on 'inchy'.

Quality and also scored a lot of goals away from home in tight games, IIRC.

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

[FONT="]
[/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=#000000][FONT="]Yes! It really was 50 years ago today that the then Southend United manager Ernie Shepherd signed Billy Best from Northampton Town for a modest £3,000 fee. Do you remember travelling to the cup matches at Bournemouth, Swindon and Mansfield and the games at Roots Hall against Kings Lynn, Brentwood Town, Weymouth, Dagenham, Aston Villa and Chelsea, /QUOTE]

Proud to say I was in attendance at all those games. The F.A. Cup away games v Swindon & Mansfield, my Dad & Grandad took me, both were true Blues fans.

 

[LCBB72]

Chris Guthrie must be up there (Ho Ho!)

Chris Guthrie a proper big center forward , like other ex Southend players signed for Sheff United which proved to be a bad move .