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Who is the greater Southend legend


  • Total voters
    19
  • Poll closed .

Yorkshire Blue

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Our first tie of the Battle of Southend's Greatest Players (pre-1980) pits two internationals who played for the same country and I think both played for the club in the 1950s. They may have even been team-mates.

So what made Jimmy McAlinden and Sammy McCrory so great?

What memories do people have of these two? Any good stories? What more modern players would you compare them to?



I'll give you 24 hours or so, to state your cases, then add a poll.
 
Both fantastic players, Sam McCrory great goal scorer which Jimmy wasn't. I am a little biased as i went to school with Damien McCrory, Sam's son, and he got me all the Liverpool autographs from the 2-3 replay defeat last century. So Sam for me.
 
Both fantastic players, Sam McCrory great goal scorer which Jimmy wasn't. I am a little biased as i went to school with Damien McCrory, Sam's son, and he got me all the Liverpool autographs from the 2-3 replay defeat last century. So Sam for me.

I'm inclined to go for McCrory because of his goal scoring and also he was on of my old Grandad's favourite players.
 
When SUFC President John Woodcock was asked shortly before his death in 2001 who his favourite player was, he said "Jimmy McAlinden" without a moments hesitation
 
I work with Jimmy McAlinden Niece

She said he always spoke of his days playing for the Shrimpers when she was young and was very proud to play for the club :-)

Legend in my eyes and soooooooooooooo nearly won us promotion to the old Div 2...

If it did happen I maintain we would be the support / size of the likes of Norwich city....

we had no luck for over 100 years now.... hey thats why i LOVE the club :-)
 
Sam McCrory was one of my heroes in the early days at the Hall. As I recall he won his one and only cap for Northern Ireland whilst at Southend and he was rested from a match prior to the international to ensure that he was not injured. I seem to remember that England were beaten 3-1 and Sam scored one of the goals. In 1973 I had to spend one week working in Belfast and one evening I and a collegue drove to Donagadee to find somewhere to eat. We found a bar in the town and to my surprise it was run by Sam. The walls were lined with photographs of Sam wearing his cap and it was a pleasure to meet him. He was a wonderful passer of the ball and I can see him now passing a ball inside the fullback to send Errol Crossan on his way.
 
Sam McCrory was one of my heroes in the early days at the Hall. As I recall he won his one and only cap for Northern Ireland whilst at Southend and he was rested from a match prior to the international to ensure that he was not injured. I seem to remember that England were beaten 3-1 and Sam scored one of the goals. In 1973 I had to spend one week working in Belfast and one evening I and a collegue drove to Donagadee to find somewhere to eat. We found a bar in the town and to my surprise it was run by Sam. The walls were lined with photographs of Sam wearing his cap and it was a pleasure to meet him. He was a wonderful passer of the ball and I can see him now passing a ball inside the fullback to send Errol Crossan on his way.

Good post mate, thanks and welcome to the board.
 
This is a real teaser because I nominated Jimmy McAlinden for this thread and he was a wonderful player, one of the best ever to wear the blue shirt of United, but at the same time I simply adored Sam McCory- shuffling Sam as he was nicknamed by the fans. He used to score goals for fun and it all seemed so effortless.
He supplied the passes for Roy Hollis to score many of his goals also.
Jimmy McAlinden was not a prolific goalscorer, two or three a season was more his mark, but he raised the whole team with his outstanding skills.
So who do I vote for?........It has to be McAlinden.
 
I read the bit on McAlinden in the Southend United history book this morning. He joined late in his career, but according to the report, galvanised the team, as a cultured passer. Maybe a Maher type. When he played his last game for us, to join Glenavon as player/manager, three cheers went round the ground...
 
I read the bit on McAlinden in the Southend United history book this morning. He joined late in his career, but according to the report, galvanised the team, as a cultured passer. Maybe a Maher type. When he played his last game for us, to join Glenavon as player/manager, three cheers went round the ground...

From what I've read, I think Ronnie Whelan would be a better comparison than Maher.

Someone who joined in the autumn of their career, having clearly played at a higher level and how, like you say, galvanised the team through his classy passing.

Also, he later managed someone called Distillery, which would clearly appeal to Whelan.
 
Interesting stories so far, but I'll hold off voting for now as I want to hear more.

Good stuff though, keep it coming chaps.
 
Interesting stories so far, but I'll hold off voting for now as I want to hear more.

Good stuff though, keep it coming chaps.

My favourite story so far was actually posted on another thread:

Oh yes Yorkshire Blue! I saw Jimmy Mac play from his blues debut to his last game. What a fantastic right wing trio we had then. Jimmy inside right ,Joe Sibley on the wing and Jack French right half. He was a bundle of tricks with his dribbling, his flicks and his favourite trick was to run at the opposition defence with the ball, stop the ball dead but keep running towards the defenders, leaving the ball to be picked up by joe or jack. It was a trick that fooled the opposition every time.

How awesome is that?
 
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