DoDTS
The PL League Boss⭐⭐
A little bit of history repeating itself perhaps?
Div 3(S)
No. 10 Saturday 6th October 1923
SOUTHEND UNITED 0-0 MILLWALL
Millwall came to the Kursaal with very negative hard aggressive tactics, trying to spoil the game and they succeeded in so far as they gained a point, but in the 1920s this sort of behaviour was not acceptable, and a protest was sent to the F.A. It wasn’t helped by the fact that the referee had only been a linesman the previous week at a reserve match at the Kursaal. Victor Whitham who had scored seven goals in nine games was badly injured during this game and was virtually a passenger in the second half. He missed the next four games, played only another thirteen games all season and scored just three more goals for the club. Southend stayed at seventeenth place in the league. Team: Hall; W. Evans and Hodge; T. Evans, Dorey and Edwards; Middleton, Whitham, Goodwin, Slater and Davies.
DIFFERENCE IN PHYSIQUE
When the team entered the arena spectators were immediately struck with the difference in the physique of the two elevens. The Millwall defence was composed of men who must have been in the neighbourhood of six feet, while the forward line also possessed plenty of height and weight. Southend who had to discard their familiar blue jerseys owing to the similarity of colours looked striplings in their striped jerseys by comparison. Ever since I can recall Millwall, even to the days at East Ferry Road, they have invariably gone in for big players
There were many casualties during the match and the United were the chief sufferers Goodwin, Whitham, Dorey, Hodge, Slater and Edwards were all laid out in turn and the two former were so badly shaken and injured that their subsequent play largely suffered. The referee allowed Goodwin in particularly to be badly treated. Several times he had his legs swept away from under him and it was evident that he never really recovered from the fouls perpetrated to him in the first quarter of an hour. Shortly afterwards he half fainted and had to leave the field for a time. Still he played pluckily.
From the Southend Standard 11th October 1923
PROTEST TO THE F.A.
Apparently feeling is very strong in some quarters as to the conduct of the Millwall game, on Saturday and Mr. Cliff Lester the well known entertainer has forwarded the following letter to the Secretary of the Football Association and has also sent a copy to Millwall FC Dear Sir in the match Southend v Millwall on Saturday last at Southend, the home team suffered from a referee weak in the matter of fouls for he allowed the visitors to injure home players frequently (and quite early on necessitating the best forwards to retire temporary) without any admonition whatever in fact at times I don’t think he would have even awarded free kicks but for the clamour of the crowd. Now at Millwall next Saturday Southend supporters present will be but a fraction of the audience and fouls for the home team will not be “noticed” by the local supporters (judging from my experience amongst them last season) therefore Southend (or any other team that endeavours to play a clean game if possible) will stand a little chance of winning against such methods as Millwall apparently adopt. If the latter is considered football by Millwall and played accordingly it is small wonder that they stand high up in their league table, as few opposing players would want to risk serious injury from them. What is particularly needed next Saturday is a referee strong on the question of deliberate fouls and he should give the combined players a few words of warning before the start.
From the Southend Standard 11th October 1923
Extracts from "The forgotten years of the Kursaal"
I have also posted reports on "Shrimpers on Line" on Southend/Millwall for season 1922-23
DoDtS
Div 3(S)
No. 10 Saturday 6th October 1923
SOUTHEND UNITED 0-0 MILLWALL
Millwall came to the Kursaal with very negative hard aggressive tactics, trying to spoil the game and they succeeded in so far as they gained a point, but in the 1920s this sort of behaviour was not acceptable, and a protest was sent to the F.A. It wasn’t helped by the fact that the referee had only been a linesman the previous week at a reserve match at the Kursaal. Victor Whitham who had scored seven goals in nine games was badly injured during this game and was virtually a passenger in the second half. He missed the next four games, played only another thirteen games all season and scored just three more goals for the club. Southend stayed at seventeenth place in the league. Team: Hall; W. Evans and Hodge; T. Evans, Dorey and Edwards; Middleton, Whitham, Goodwin, Slater and Davies.
DIFFERENCE IN PHYSIQUE
When the team entered the arena spectators were immediately struck with the difference in the physique of the two elevens. The Millwall defence was composed of men who must have been in the neighbourhood of six feet, while the forward line also possessed plenty of height and weight. Southend who had to discard their familiar blue jerseys owing to the similarity of colours looked striplings in their striped jerseys by comparison. Ever since I can recall Millwall, even to the days at East Ferry Road, they have invariably gone in for big players
There were many casualties during the match and the United were the chief sufferers Goodwin, Whitham, Dorey, Hodge, Slater and Edwards were all laid out in turn and the two former were so badly shaken and injured that their subsequent play largely suffered. The referee allowed Goodwin in particularly to be badly treated. Several times he had his legs swept away from under him and it was evident that he never really recovered from the fouls perpetrated to him in the first quarter of an hour. Shortly afterwards he half fainted and had to leave the field for a time. Still he played pluckily.
From the Southend Standard 11th October 1923
PROTEST TO THE F.A.
Apparently feeling is very strong in some quarters as to the conduct of the Millwall game, on Saturday and Mr. Cliff Lester the well known entertainer has forwarded the following letter to the Secretary of the Football Association and has also sent a copy to Millwall FC Dear Sir in the match Southend v Millwall on Saturday last at Southend, the home team suffered from a referee weak in the matter of fouls for he allowed the visitors to injure home players frequently (and quite early on necessitating the best forwards to retire temporary) without any admonition whatever in fact at times I don’t think he would have even awarded free kicks but for the clamour of the crowd. Now at Millwall next Saturday Southend supporters present will be but a fraction of the audience and fouls for the home team will not be “noticed” by the local supporters (judging from my experience amongst them last season) therefore Southend (or any other team that endeavours to play a clean game if possible) will stand a little chance of winning against such methods as Millwall apparently adopt. If the latter is considered football by Millwall and played accordingly it is small wonder that they stand high up in their league table, as few opposing players would want to risk serious injury from them. What is particularly needed next Saturday is a referee strong on the question of deliberate fouls and he should give the combined players a few words of warning before the start.
From the Southend Standard 11th October 1923
Extracts from "The forgotten years of the Kursaal"
I have also posted reports on "Shrimpers on Line" on Southend/Millwall for season 1922-23
DoDtS
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