Pre-Match Thread Luton town vs Southend Utd Wednesday 5th December, Checkatrade Trophy

[Evening Echo]

ECHOSPORT talks to Luton Town supporter Callum Francis ahead of tonight’s contest at Kenilworth Road.

More...

 

[tottenham541]

And this guy puts us down already, I do hope we beat this average league two side tonight

 

[Chapperz]

“Yes, on average we make nine or 10 changes but it’s still a team full of players who would walk into many League One teams like Accrington or Southend.”

The same fringe players who couldn't beat our u23s, yeah they'll walk straight into our squad

 

[Jai]

Depends who is fit and who needs resting. I bet Powell is positively gagging for next week when we have a whole seven days between games.

 

[B.B.The Legend Lives On.]

Away support was never really officially counted years ago and quite a few grounds never had segregation so was a bit hard to tell. But bound to be a few matches where less than 10 away fans.
Lowest I have seen was 12 on a Tuesday night in the mid 80's
More recently we had the famous '35' at Swansea in the Football League Trophy during our run to the final v Blackpool at Millennium Stadium.
As for League matches the lowest I know recently was 117? at Hartlepool on a Tuesday but can't remember what season it was. But it was an evening match between Christmas and New Year.

There was quite a few matches that I went to in the mid to late 60's that had only a handful of known fans present. One of those in particular back in January 1967 was when we played at Hartlepool United(won 2-1)on a Friday night(Brian Clough was their manager and I think it was the first ever match under lights with a 7.30pm K.O). We went to see the then Southend manager Alvin Williams the week before to see if we could travel to the match with the players party. He agreed and we met at Southend Central station, then onto Kings X where we caught the 12.00 train to Darlington(I still have the reserved seat accomadation ticket), staying overnight in a hotel(sadly not with the players)a match ticket, and return train trip home the following day again with the players. I think Alvin charged us a fiver each. There was just 5 of us Miggs, Charlie, Clive, Nobbler & Len(who was best mates with Eddie May). I fairly certain of other matches that I and others(Ian,DoDtS,Mick)attended when there was less than half a dozen. Obviously back in those day's getting around England was a lot harder than it is today but the + points were at some mid-week away matches when there was only 3 or 4 Southend fans you would often get a lift home on the players coach. One such match I can vividly remember was in February 1970 when we were away to Workington again on a Friday night. I was waiting ouside the players entrance to see Mike Beesley who use to give me my complimentary tickets back in the day. I had travelled up that day by train and Mike said before the match that he would ask Ernie Shepherd if I could have a lift back on the players coach. Ernie agreed which was great for me and just as well that he agreed pre-match because we lost the match 5-0.

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

Away support was never really officially counted years ago and quite a few grounds never had segregation so was a bit hard to tell. But bound to be a few matches where less than 10 away fans.
Lowest I have seen was 12 on a Tuesday night in the mid 80's
More recently we had the famous '35' at Swansea in the Football League Trophy during our run to the final v Blackpool at Millennium Stadium.
As for League matches the lowest I know recently was 117? at Hartlepool on a Tuesday but can't remember what season it was. But it was an evening match between Christmas and New Year.

I'm willing to be there have been single figures at games in the 60s and 70s. I'm pretty sure I was one of five or so for the last game of the season at Rochdale 72-73, and although I've read there were others, never saw anyone else at the 1-0 FA Cup defeat to Yeovil in 1963.

 

[Stuart W]

What's the minimum support we've ever taken away? Reckon that record may be under threat tonight. I live about 25 miles and 1 bus ride away and I'd rather watch an hour of Corrie.

I remain convinced that there was only single figure support at the game I saw us play at Huddersfield on a wet Tuesday night in March 1975. My excuse for being there? I was at university in West Yorkshire at the time, and I dragged (kicking and screaming) about five of my uni mates onto a 40 minute bus ride to Leeds Road to showcase the mighty Shrimpers (13th in Division 3), play bottom of the table Huddersfield. The result? A 4-1 stuffing which led to us finishing 18th that season, and relegated the following year. In those days it was easy to spot your own supporters, not least because they were often so few, but that night....absolutely zilch made themselves known.

 

[Ex-Member1]

2 of us at Saltergate, as far as I am aware, on a wet Tuesday night back in the dark ages, 0-0 draw, horrible journey as I recall. I admire anyone who turns out for these unglam games.

 

[HypoTypo]

1 ---- Me Last night against luton because I was confused when the game was on, so went up just in case

 

[HypoTypo]

 

[AndyT]

In the early eighties we didn't take a lot to most games.

I remember Newport away on a Tuesday at the end of the season where there were barely 20 of us!

 

[wivs]

I'm willing to be there have been single figures at games in the 60s and 70s. I'm pretty sure I was one of five or so for the last game of the season at Rochdale 72-73, and although I've read there were others, never saw anyone else at the 1-0 FA Cup defeat to Yeovil in 1963.

I was at that Rochdale game aged about 14 with my older brother , standing very much amongst the home fans, my brother insisted on cheering c'mon you Shrimpers with great frequency, amazingly no one gave us any hassle . If I can remember correctly we lost 3 2.

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

View attachment 6684

The team picks itself, and that can't be good. If someone posts something/anything about tactics, be warned!

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

I was at that Rochdale game aged about 14 with my older brother , standing very much amongst the home fans, my brother insisted on cheering c'mon you Shrimpers with great frequency, amazingly no one gave us any hassle . If I can remember correctly we lost 3 2.

I think you're right and my schoolfriend Dave Barnett played. I gave a kid 50p to get me in having arrived 10 minutes late. The turnstiles were already closed, and he merely pulled away a bit of dodgy Spotland planking so I could crawl through the gap!

 

[HypoTypo]

The team picks itself, and that can't be good. If someone posts something/anything about tactics, be warned!

I'm not mentioning tactics. I don't think we will get through Luton's defence though. They are on fire and the odds are defo against us. HOWEVER, if we win, and I really hope we do, I for one will be over the moon.

 

[tottenham541]

We are gonna win this game tonight.

 

[HypoTypo]

We are gonna win this game tonight.

Bloody hope so. We really need this win

 

[B.B.The Legend Lives On.]

I was at that Rochdale game aged about 14 with my older brother , standing very much amongst the home fans, my brother insisted on cheering c'mon you Shrimpers with great frequency, amazingly no one gave us any hassle . If I can remember correctly we lost 3 2.

The Rochdale match at Spotland(lost 3-2) was the very last league match of the 1972-73. Sadly for us it was the last ever league match of the one and only Billy Best, needless to say he was one of the goalscorers along with Terry Johnson.

 

[mfurok]

2 of us at Saltergate, as far as I am aware, on a wet Tuesday night back in the dark ages, 0-0 draw, horrible journey as I recall. I admire anyone who turns out for these unglam games.

A Friday night in April 1969 I believe.

Went by train for some reason.

Terrible game.

 

[Ex-Member1]

A Friday night in April 1969 I believe.

Went by train for some reason.

Terrible game.

Well researched, blimey, so there was someone else there that night! Yes, quite a match wasn't it!