One year on...

[South Bank Hank]

Hard to believe that just one year ago today, the overwhelming majority of the squad and management team had literally just walked through the door.

We faced the coming season with just 3 senior players from the previous campaign and a transfer embargo threatening to scupper any deals for new players due to our staff payment problems and battles with HMRC. Our 17 new signings of the off-season were only registered on the 6th August when the embargo was finally lifted.

Morris, Clohessy, Gilbert, Simpson, Coughlan, Mohnsi, Easton, Corr, Zaaboub, Hall, Bouzid, Phillips, Prosser, Soares, Sturrock, Barker, Evans were all vying to make their competitive Southend United debuts, alongside existing squad members Paterson, Grant and Herd, with Crawford only having made just 2 starts the previous year. Bilel Mohsni was waiting on international clearance to play just prior to kick-off.

Today we go into the opening game full of promise and expectation, having wheedled out the chaff, retained the bulk of a settled squad and built on any quality from the previous season.

Paul Sturrock - you've done a fantastic job getting us to this point. Now let's see what we can achieve with an effective pre-season behind us. Come on you mighty Shrimpers!!!

:loyalsupporter::loyalsupporter:

 

[Boreham Shrimper]

Well said. Expectations are generally high among the fans given how far we've come. This is a crucial period in the future of the club now. Having had a decent season last year and been active in the transfer window, we now have to ship out some deadwood.

Now it's time to see if the hard work has paid off.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Hard to believe that just one year ago today, the overwhelming majority of the squad and management team had literally just walked through the door.

We faced the coming season with just 3 senior players from the previous campaign and a transfer embargo threatening to scupper any deals for new players due to our staff payment problems and battles with HMRC. Our 17 new signings of the off-season were only registered on the 6th August when the embargo was finally lifted.

Morris, Clohessy, Gilbert, Simpson, Coughlan, Mohnsi, Easton, Corr, Zaaboub, Hall, Bouzid, Phillips, Prosser, Soares, Sturrock, Barker, Evans were all vying to make their competitive Southend United debuts, alongside existing squad members Paterson, Grant and Herd, with Crawford only having made just 2 starts the previous year. Bilel Mohsni was waiting on international clearance to play just prior to kick-off.

Today we go into the opening game full of promise and expectation, having wheedled out the chaff, retained the bulk of a settled squad and built on any quality from the previous season.

Paul Sturrock - you've done a fantastic job getting us to this point. Now let's see what we can achieve with an effective pre-season behind us. Come on you mighty Shrimpers!!!

:loyalsupporter::loyalsupporter:

Good post although our resident dog in the manger would beg to differ.