Memory Lane Old Photos of Southend United.

[LCBB72]

I'm sure i watched a testimonial game there circa 69-70, when we were struggling in Div 4, & Ernie Shepherd was still our manager.
I remember sitting in that main stand with the chant 'all we are saying.... is Shepherd must go', sung by our 'choir' back then.
* Over to you B.B. The Legend Lives On, reckon you must have been there, & have the details!. *

We played Villa in a testimonial against Villa for Sid Robinson in April 1970 , I will leave details to B B The Legend .

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

I was there that last night. That was the Main Stand (West). I can't see me in the photo tho. The actual track was beautiful grass. Unusual as most greyhound tracks were sand. The Stands were very run down as paint and maintenance were almost kept to zero the last 10 years. In the 60s and early 70s, they still had the football pitch in the middle. Southend United still used it for the Combination League, youth team on Saturday mornings, with just the Main Stand open to the public. Southend were up against the big London clubs amongst others. I went to see one game v Spurs, with some other lads in my year at Belfairs. Spurs won 6 or 7-2 I think. Pegasus FC played their home games there as well in the early 70s, but after a dispute (over rent I think), they got thrown out and then folded. It was a shame the greyhound stadium shut down, but times were changing, it wasn't invested in, and attendances dwindled.

 

[The Big Dady]

I was there that last night.

I was there as well on that Boxing Day, that is a scan of my souvenir programme in my post, I thought it started around midday not evening?

Was really bucketing it down that day, and felt so sorry for everyone involved that they could not get the hare to go round for the final race, even after some valiant attempts to restart the race a number of times.

Then the announcement over the tannoy that the final race had been abandoned and the meet was finished. So that was it, everyone looked each other, shrugged their shoulders and slowly left for the long walk home in the pouring rain never to return.

A very sad ending to Southend Stadium.

 

[DoDTS]

History of course does repeat itself this was the end of dog racing at the Kursaal ground in 1928:

UNITED MANAGEMENT TAKE POSSESSION
The directors of Southend United have taken possession of the Kursaal ground in order to comply with the Football League’s ban on Greyhound racing at the Kursaal. The last greyhound meeting was on Monday 9th July 1928, after which a meeting was held asking the football club to remove the ban, but shortly after midnight the Football club took possession of the ground locking and bolting the gates refusing admission to anyone. On legal advice the locks were changed and entrances bolted with four policemen in attendance.
From the Southend Standard 12th July 1928

​

Everything from the Electric Hare Racing Club Ltd. had been left in place from the previous nights racing, even a directors Saloon Motor Car had been left in the Car Park, it had been so closely kept secret that even the man who lived on the ground found himself locked in. When the employees of the Racing Club turned up they were refused admission and catering had to be taken into the occupiers locked inside. Later in the morning notices were painted and left on every entrance reading, “the tenancy of the Electric Hare Greyhound Ltd has ceased, no more racing will take place here. By order of the directors of Southend United Football Club”. No one had attempted to enter the enclosure but as afternoon came a small crowd, gathered outside the Woodgrange Drive end probably through curiosity, while at the Beresford Road end there was a crowd of some 200 people, including bookmakers, bookmakers clerks, racing attendees etc, a demonstration ensued with people standing up and making speeches condemning the football club. A couple even climbed a fence and gained admission but they were soon caught and ejected. By nine the crowds had dispersed and the Football Club were in total possession, although the Police stayed on sight for a day or two.

​

A month later Greyhound Racing at the Kursaal was no more than a memory

END OF GREYHOUND TRACK
It is interesting to note that the whole of the greyhound track has been sold to a company whose intention is to establish dog racing at Watford and that the smaller appliances and fittings have been disposed of to local firms. The electric standards which surround the pitch and which suggested the presence of a light railway have been piled up with the rest of the fittings in and near the entrance on the Beach Road entrance. Everything is down. All that remains is to patch up the fence and clear the ground. Then when the fence is up all that will serve to remind the crowd of the dogs is the yellow grass patches round the four corners and these will soon disappear. All the dogs left the kennels on Friday and Mr. J Shand managing director of the greyhound Company have gone to Liverpool to manage a track there. He has taken several of his old staff with him.
From the Southend Standard 16th August 1928.

With the Greyhound Racing finished at the Kursaal, other tracks were keen to pick up the clientele, racing at West Ham Stadium was soon being advertising in the Southend Standard.

This wasn’t a good time for a betting man in Southend the Horse Races were called off as well

SOUTHEND RACE MEETING POSTPONED
The next meeting of the Southend Race Club fixed to take place on Saturday and Monday next, have been cancelled. The reason for the cancellation is that insufficient entries have been received owing to the fact that similar meetings are being held at Lilleshall Park and South Wales just before the Southend events and not allowing sufficient time to get the horses to Southend. Under the circumstances the directors thought it wise to abandon the meeting;
From the Southend Standard 12th July 1928

Rochford races did continue but before long other Race tracks such as Chelmsford, and others, combined racing with Charabanc travel were being advertised in the Southend Standard

​

​

 

[rigsby]

I know this is not strictly about Southend United, but following @DoDTS great "1954-55 the Last Season at the Stadium" Thread, I thought I would post these up about Southend Stadium, Grainger Road which was our "home" from 1934 to 1954.

These are all about the old Southend Stadium and its final Greyhound meeting on Boxing Day 26th December 1985.

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Pic 1 One last outing - racegoers pack into the stand for the final meeting Boxing Day December 1985

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Pic 2 Out of the traps - greyhounds racing in January 1971

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Pic 3 Stadium Road - Plans to hold speedway races at the track where opposed due to the close proximity to residential streets

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Pic 4 Race day - dogs on their way around the track

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Pic 5 Fast on four legs - a race in 1976

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Pic 6 Heavy load - a new generator is delivered to the Southend Stadium, overseen by stadium secretary Hugh Willcock in November 1973.

A similar generators were installed at Roots Hall at the start of the 3 Day week at the beginning of 1974 to enable floodlit games to be played. These Fiat Generators were loaned by the Rochford toy-maker Lesney Products & Co. Ltd (Matchbox).

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Pic 7 The way it was - the main stand at the stadium

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Pic 8 Gone to rubble - demolition taking place in 1986

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Pic 9 Closure - the stadium as it looked in March 1986, just months after its final race

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Pic 10 End of an era - the remains of the stadium in March 1986​

The photo of Grainger road looks more like Stadium road. I only say that because the first house I bought was number 5 Redstock, which had the same view as that photo. I didn't live there until 1988 so the stadium had gone by then and there was a large Do it All store and a furniture store instead of bingo.

 

[The Big Dady]

The photo of Grainger road looks more like Stadium road. I only say that because the first house I bought was number 5 Redstock, which had the same view as that photo. I didn't live there until 1988 so the stadium had gone by then and there was a large Do it All store and a furniture store instead of bingo.

I think you are right, it is Stadium Road, I have edited pic caption.

Thanks for pointing it out.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Click on to read.

Same as a lot of you, I was in the South Bank that night.

 

[LCBB72]

I like Alan Moody saying if Derek Parker had scored when clean through against Ray Clements Southend would of won , I think he would of been spot on .

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

 

[camden shrimper]

Apologies if this exists already

 

[wildheart]

Yours truly in the annual penalty prize final 1970.
I wore Eddie Clayton’s shirt.?
Guess which one is me?

And here I am this week in lock down.

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

Yours truly in the annual penalty prize final 1970.
I wore Eddie Clayton’s shirt.?
Guess which one is me?

And here I am this week in lock down.

Colin Staines bottom left penalty taker. He posts on here occasionally as well.

 

[LBBlue]

Yours truly in the annual penalty prize final 1970.
I wore Eddie Clayton’s shirt.?
Guess which one is me?

And here I am this week in lock down.

Sean Rafter middle of top row on second page went on to play in goal for us and Leicester.

 

[wildheart]

I was 11 years old, they allowed us to get changed in the home dressing before half time. Bryan Lloyd was the first team keeper, he stayed out but most of the penalties were against Trevor Roberts. He was a lovely chap funnily both of them were Welsh!
I won a pendant that I’m ashamed to say I lost. I played eventually for my school King John, but lost my place to a chap who’s name escapes me, he went on to be an apprentice at Chelsea, but he did not make it.

 

[graingerroad54]

Anyone got a dad or grandad who was there?

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

My parents were certainly there.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Colin Staines bottom left penalty taker. He posts on here occasionally as well.

Any relation to Mickey Staines?

 

[graingerroad54]

i was 14 at the time and we cruised past the canaries 4-1. we could score pretty easily but we shipped too many goals

 

[Napster]

My Nan went.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

i was 14 at the time and we cruised past the canaries 4-1. we could score pretty easily but we shipped too many goals

Did you go to that first game at Roots Hall graingerroad54?