Memory Lane New Book on Southend United

[DoDTS]

If you have enjoyed the series of articles on Shrimperzone or in the programmes on the Southend United at the Kursaal you may be interested to know that the book has now been released.



The Forgotten Years of the Kursaal -
The Home of Southend United 1919-1934
By Peter William Baker
Published by Dave Goody and Peter Miles’s - Shrimper Publishing Ltd.

The book is 390 pages long and contains match reports of 630 league matches, nearly as many reserve games, 30 odd cup games plus benefit games, pre season trial match etc,. It also contains Supporters Club notes, travel arrangements, letters to the papers, crowd disturbance reports, ground improvements etc. It also contains pictures, cartoons, programme covers, tables etc. And it also includes items on local non-football Southend news and events during this period. The book has taken over a year to complete and gives a more complete record of this fifteen year period than has ever been published before, and is hopefully clear enough that the reader can re-live and understand this forgotten but important period of Southend United history, in a book which can be browsed or read cover to cover.

This time may be gone but the passion and enthusiasm for Southend United was the same then as now and this fifteen year diary of the club hopefully clearly demonstrates this.

The Book is available at Waterstone’s Southend High Street or Waterstones on-line

or on-line at Shrimper Publishing Ltd, http://www.shrimperpublishing.co.uk/index.php?page=shop&shop_cat_id=19606

or the Shrimpers Trust either in the Shrimpers Club before games or on-line as below
http://www.shrimperstrust.co.uk/shop.asp?catid=2

or on-line Amazon

or for City Workers it is available from
"Bob's Book Exchange"
11 Devonshire Row (almost opposite the Bull Pub)
near LIVERPOOL STREET STATION
Shop open Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 19.00 pm

Priced £14.99

If anyone buys the book I hope you enjoy it, I have loved every minute of researching and writing it, any feedback is always welcome.

Pete

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Thanks for the information DODTS.Just ordered a copy online from my friends at Amazon!
:excellent:

 

[Napster]

Congratulations Pete. Sorry I was never able to dig anything up in the end.

 

[Shrimperstrust]

Will also be available on the Shrimpers Trust Website from Sunday :clap:

 

[DoDTS]

Will also be available on the Shrimpers Trust Website from Sunday :clap:

Many Thanks to the Trust for their encouragement and support and to all who helped, listened, read or humoured me!

Pete

 

[canveyshrimper]

Many Thanks to the Trust for their encouragement and support and to all who helped, listened, read or humoured me!

Pete

Having enjoyed a brief preview (thanks Pete), I'd say it's a good buy, and with the festive season around the corner a nice gift for a Blues fanatic.

I hope you've given Cricko credit for his informative match reports on the games he attended by charabanc.

 

[TheSouthendUnitedRunner]

My sister asked me yesterday what I wanted for Christmas, and this has just answered it. Happy days!

 

[shrimpfan]

Congratulations Pete. Sorry I was never able to dig anything up in the end.

Was you a bait digger like his brother then?

 

[DoDTS]

For City Workers from 9.00 Monday 23d November the book will also be available from:

"Bob's Book Exchange"
11 Devonshire Row (almost opposite the Bull Pub)
near LIVERPOOL STREET STATION
Shop open Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 19.00 pm

Priced £14.99

Also can now be bought from Shrimper Publishing as below:

http://www.shrimperpublishing.co.uk/index.php?page=shop&shop_cat_id=19606

Pete

 

[DoDTS]

Just to let you know that a week after the book first went on sale, we are having to order another print run. Thanks to all that have bought the book and I hope you enjoy it.

It will be on sale next Tuesday at the Southend v Norwich match from the Shrimpers Trust in the Shrimpers Bar behind the East Stand

Here's an anecdote from the book which is one of my personal favourites from the book:

On the journey, the team bus broke down between Gravesend and Chatham and they eventually got a lift in a tradesman’s van but arrived at the ground late which could mean a fine for the club. The bus had developed engine trouble Trainer Cartwright went off to try and arrange alternative transport, meanwhile the Chairman of the Supporters Club hailed down a passing covered van which happened to come from Stanford Le Hope, there was just enough room for the players in the back if they stood and somehow they managed to get changed as well. The Gillingham officials were pacing about the entrance at past 3.00 the time for the kick off when the van pulled up and the players trotted out into the dressing room and straight out onto the pitch. Later a double-decker bus arrived to bring the supporters who had travelled with the team to the ground. The game started badly with Gillingham scoring after only twelve minutes and this was the only goal of the first half. The second half had dramatic developments when Samuels equalised for the Blues then Morfitt gave the United the lead, but then lost the lead within 50 seconds, and then finally lost to a penalty goal. Just to complete the “black” Saturday theme, Southend wore their away strip of black and white striped shirts.

DoDtS

 

[The Watermill Wino]

THIS BOOK MUST BE BANNED!!!:O

I just can't put it down.;) What Peter Baker has done is something short of extraordinary in this day and age of football books of late. The idea is simple and in all things brilliant they usually are.
Before you start to shy away and think "here's another anoraks annual" what Peter has done has delivered a truely remarkable view of Ghosts and legends of Southend United, he's done it in such a way that I found myself racing through to find out how the lads of back then got on and what dramas followed our team of old.
The references to local news and events also brings into the equation local life and the hardships and social feeling of the time. You find that you could be reading about a game that you went to a couple of years ago, then it dawns on you; this was 70 plus years ago and the pictures of the fans faces somehow come to life.
Peter makes it easy for any Southend fan to empathise with their counterpart back in the years of old, it also shows that we have a great tradition and a history to be very proud of indeed. Shrimpers helping their team and their fellow man from the area of which they are proud to call their home.

Well Done Mr Baker and please don't stray to far from your PC or word processor, I'm intrested to find how you top this gem.
Congratulations on an outstanding contribution to the Southend United and Southend areas' history.
Wino

 

[bluesjourno]

Peter gave me a copy of the book to give away on the Blue Zone tomorrow evening, I might have to rig the competition....it's a fascinating book and so different to everything else on the shelves - hats off to Mr Baker!

P.S. To make sure I don't get sued, I won't actually be rigging any competitions... :P

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Got my copy yesterday from Amazon.Had a quick peep at the introductory chapter and conclusion.It looks a really good read and is attractively presented as well.Hats off to Pete and Shrimper publishers.:clap:

 

[Hawkwell Blue]

Got my copy and it's excellent.

Amazing the amount of crowd trouble in those days too!

 

[TheSouthendUnitedRunner]

Ordered mine on Monday as a Christmas present from Santa.

Can't wait.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

This book has also gone on my christmas list.
My friend has got the programme for the only time we played at Wembley versus Leyton Orient. He was asking me how much it's worth, anyone have any idea ?

 

[David Icke]

Great book Pete. What a whopper too! Nearly 400 pages! Read some of it over xmas -really excellent. And I love the A4 size.

 

[Napster]

This book has also gone on my christmas list.
My friend has got the programme for the only time we played at Wembley versus Leyton Orient. He was asking me how much it's worth, anyone have any idea ?

Depends on condition but according to my programme guide, not that valuable. Unless you're a completist. Probably 20 quid.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Pete,

Can we expect(or hope for)"Sutton Road:The Greyhound Stadium Years" as your next project?:clap:

My parents were big fans both of the dogs and of the team back in that era.

 

[DoDTS]

Pete,

Can we expect(or hope for)"Sutton Road:The Greyhound Stadium Years" as your next project?:clap:

My parents were big fans both of the dogs and of the team back in that era.

Well sort of! actually it's:

"Southend United under the Shadow of War 1934 to 1946".

So it's half the Stadium years, won't be much about the dogs though.

It will be about as you would imagine SUFC for the five years before the war, two years when they struggled on during the war and the first year after when they were resurrected, but also lots of snippets about Southend-on-Sea and the war, hopefully showing how southenders were effected and coped.

Should be out for next Christmas.

Thanks to all that have bought the Kursaal book and hope you've enjoyed/enjoying it.

Pete