On this day....

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

This motley bunch managed to lose 1-0 at home to Doncaster Rovers in the FA Cup 1st round. For our younger readers, Donny were at the time bottom of the Conference and absoutely dire.

Southend United
1 Martyn MARGETSON
2 Mark BEARD
3 Mark STIMSON
4 Simon LIVETT
5 Rob NEWMAN
6 Simon COLEMAN
7 Kevin MAHER
8 Alex BURNS
9 Barry CONLON
10 David WHYTE
11 Adrian CLARKE
Nathan JONES
Trevor FITZPATRICK
David MORLEY

I flew out to Australia that evening for 3 months confident in the knowledge that by the time I reached Oz, Chipmunk would have been fired, as the display had been one of the worst that I have ever seen. How wrong could one be, not only did he survive the time of my flight he lasted the whole trip and was still in charge when I got back !!

Interesting to note one Kevin Maher in the side. You would have got long odds on him still being here at the end of that season, let alone in 8 years time.

 

[SARF]

I still blame Maher for that defeat..

 

[TrueBlue]

I was at that game Doncaster did not even have enough players to fill the bench! the season before Donny were killed out of the league with constant results of 5-0 6-0 drubbings ontop of all that the Owner of Doncaster at the time plotted to burn Belle Vue down so they could get a new ground! Bad days for Doncaster!
Though them beating us 1-0 there fans were going mad! trying to climb over the big black raillings in the north bank onto the pitch they were that happy!

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

That game remains the worst Southend performance I've ever witnessed, and the day on which my patience with the club was most sorely tested.

The nadir of Alvin the Chipmunk's career at Southend was that he didn't have the courage, the dignity or the decency to hand in his notice immediately after that game. What remaining shreds of respect that I had for him as a supposed nice bloke vanished that day.

A dark day indeed - and hard to imagine that it really wasn't that long ago.

Matt

 

[DTS]

Worst performance ever....So glad those dark days are gone.

 

[Uncle Leo]

So glad I missed it. Instead I went to Liverpool with my then housemates to watch Liverpool vs Leeds at Anfield. Some kid called Alan Smith made his debut for Leeds, scoring a goal having come off the bench.

Wonder what happened to him?

 

[Smiffy]

Yep one of the worst in recent times...

Wasn't that the day we had a monsoon, and in turn helped Donny get the winning goal??!!..

 

[pickledseal]

i remember that day. it was horrible

 

[C C Csiders]

Dire display. Donny scoring very early if I remember correctly. We hardly had a sniff of goal after that.

I remember reaching my car and whoever was presenting BBC Essex SPort in thos e days said we are now going directly over to Roots Hall where (possibly Robin Chipperfield) has Alvin Martin for an early recation. I though, and hoped, that he was about to tender his resignation live on air. No such luck.

The only plus point of the day was that Col Ewe were also dumped out of the Cup that day 4-1 by the might of Bedlington Terriers. Pit Bull Terriers, yes, Staffordshire Bull terriers, maybe, but Bedlington Terriers c'mon.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

I wrote my car off that day, went through a central reservation

 

[Slipperduke]

I was at university in Cornwall when that happened. We all used to sit in a quiet pub on Saturdays, playing pool and watching Soccer Saturday. I've never taken so much stick for being a Southend fan. Especially not from Birmingham, Peterborough and Plymouth fans.

 

[Slipperduke]

Quote[/b] (glasgowsufc @ Nov. 14 2006,15:06)]I wrote my car off that day, went through a central reservation

That's a bit of a strong reation, mate. Most of us just kicked the cat!

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (Slipperduke @ Nov. 14 2006,15:11)]

Quote[/b] (glasgowsufc @ Nov. 14 2006,15:06)]I wrote my car off that day, went through a central reservation

That's a bit of a strong reation, mate. Most of us just kicked the cat!

Alas I was 600m away from Southend nr Aberdeen at the time!
Bleedin loved that motor too, my 1st ever brand new car [sob, sob, sniff]

 

[South Bank Hank]

How time flies - I really can't believe that that was EIGHT years ago!!

Brings home just how far we've come now that we're "regularly" beating the likes of Manchester United, Leeds and Sunderland...

 

[Leeboy]

Fortunately I missed the game as I used to work weekends back in the late 90's so would go straight to Teletext when I got home.

I couldn't even bring myself to watch the goal

 

[Richard_Cadette]

I remember that game vividly, like it was yesterday.

The primary reason for that was that 6 days earlier, I was in Milan watching a thrilling 2-2 AC/Inter Milan derby at the San Siro in front of 80,000+ fanatical Italian's!! Wonderful nights entertainment with George Weah and Ronaldo scoring.....

..... Then 6 days later I was sitting there freezing, bored and desperately unhappy at watching one of the most inept displays I've ever witnessed by a Southend team, thinking what the hell am I doing here???

Funny thing was, I still enjoyed it more than the match in Italy!

 

[Westcliff Shrimper]

I wasn't at the game, but remember exactly where I was funny enough - in London at a board meeting of a charity. I phoned the then girlfriend to ask the score, and shouted very loudly in front of about 30 people:

"FOR FCUKING HELLS SAKE - POXY WET SHAM IDIOT MANAGER ! ! "

I've calmed down a bit since then...

 

[shrimperman]

I've still had a soft spot Alex Burns. I always remember that last minute volley to draw level, can't remember who it was against though

Anyone? It wasn't York by any chance?

 

[steveo1]

My main memory of Alvins teams were "kick it as far as you can and if that isnt working, kick it further"

I met him on a few occassions after he left and he always maintained a lack of money was his downfall. Apparently he was allowed a certain amount of money for wages for Keeper/ Defence, Midfield and forwards and unless Im mistaken he spent a lot on Neville Southalls loan.

 

[buryaway]

i'd moved to london 4 days before, and on my first night watched us lose 4-1 to brentford, a great welcome to the big city! i then sat watching telextext that afternoon witrh my new housemates all taking the **** out of southend, i was pretty miserable!!