Memory Lane Origin of the PAK

[Chairman Trigg]

One for our slighty more experienced posters ?

Does anyone know where the term Pak came from for the old North Bank .Any idea when first used or mentioned ? Ah the memories !!

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

One for our slighty more experienced posters ?

Does anyone know where the term Pak came from for the old North Bank .Any idea when first used or mentioned ? Ah the memories !!

Canvey Shrimper probably has a better recollection than mine, as he is a few years nearer collecting his pension than i am!. My theory is that it originated from the record 'Leader of the pak' in the sixties, and related to the first mob of skinheads we had in the north bank (the same era when every other club did the same) when Ian Leask was the main man in those days. He was an ex Belfairs high school guy, as were many 100's more who frequented that part of the ground for the next few years.

 

[Sleaford Shrimper]

I can remember a slogan daubed on a wall or gate somewhere around Roots Hall in about 1968 - "PAK will kill Southend - Billy Best for King". There were also multiple daubings of "PAK Power" on some of the turnstile wooden doors if memory serves me correctly. However, I never found out what or who exactly PAK was.

 

[Pak Power]

PAK stood for Punch and Kick, was the singing section in the north bank (usually middle section) The 'boys' were called the Southend PAK, just as the the ICF or the Green street elite are now (only much smaller and less violent)

 

[Rob Noxious]

Leader Of The PAK

Canvey Shrimper probably has a better recollection than mine, as he is a few years nearer collecting his pension than i am!. My theory is that it originated from the record 'Leader of the pak' in the sixties, and related to the first mob of skinheads we had in the north bank (the same era when every other club did the same) when Ian Leask was the main man in those days. He was an ex Belfairs high school guy, as were many 100's more who frequented that part of the ground for the next few years.

I've just sent this to Leasky in the hope that he might join in the discussions. He's probably sleeping at the moment as I think they're about six hours behind us in Minneapolis.

 

[Firestorm]

I remember seeing it painted (no spraying in those days) under the arches at the back entrance to Fenchurch street station , it remained up to the refurb (mid 80's ?)

 

[canveyshrimper]

I've just sent this to Leasky in the hope that he might join in the discussions. He's probably sleeping at the moment as I think they're about six hours behind us in Minneapolis.

...and probably under 6ft of snow!! I think Pak Power is right from my vague memories of the time, as wide eyed youngsters we stood on the periphery in awestruck admiration.

For years there was graffiti evidence of the Pak on the walls of Coopers Row near Fenchurch Street.

 

[Mick]

...and probably under 6ft of snow!! I think Pak Power is right from my vague memories of the time, as wide eyed youngsters we stood on the periphery in awestruck admiration.

For years there was graffiti evidence of the Pak on the walls of Coopers Row near Fenchurch Street.

I'd settle for their weather at the moment !

 

[PhilipH51]

It did come from Leader of the Pack but my memory was that it was Clive Leatherdale who held that title - it was also not confined to skinheads or the more aggressive north bank supporters and in fact one of the interesting aspects to the singing side of it was that the songs were remarkably inoffensive - adaptations of 'molly malone' and 'daisy daisy' were amazingly innocent, looking back! In fact the PAK did a recording session in the club gym at some point - sadly i missed that! But the epic was the PAK version of the Yardbirds 'Still I'm Sad' which was incredibly powerful under the north bank roof - I'm sure we were the only team to use that - it was entirely our song. Anyone else remember a match with 16k attendance against Luton (I think) and one against Port Vale (4-1 to us that time!) and Chester I think (it was 5-1 anyway) both with 11k 12k in the ground sometime in the mid-60s when Roots Hall was described as a fortress in the Daily Mail/Express? Still I'm Sad might be worth reviving but for different reasons now!

 

[Cricko]

It did come from Leader of the Pack but my memory was that it was Clive Leatherdale who held that title - it was also not confined to skinheads or the more aggressive north bank supporters and in fact one of the interesting aspects to the singing side of it was that the songs were remarkably inoffensive - adaptations of 'molly malone' and 'daisy daisy' were amazingly innocent, looking back! In fact the PAK did a recording session in the club gym at some point - sadly i missed that! But the epic was the PAK version of the Yardbirds 'Still I'm Sad' which was incredibly powerful under the north bank roof - I'm sure we were the only team to use that - it was entirely our song. Anyone else remember a match with 16k attendance against Luton (I think) and one against Port Vale (4-1 to us that time!) and Chester I think (it was 5-1 anyway) both with 11k 12k in the ground sometime in the mid-60s when Roots Hall was described as a fortress in the Daily Mail/Express? Still I'm Sad might be worth reviving but for different reasons now!

I remember those day's and the song so well....What a great memory to bring up and one that I had completely forgotten about..cheers..:clap:

[video=youtube;y9g5cPHNT9M]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9g5cPHNT9M[/video]

 

[E for B and Billy Best]

All together now
"We aint got very good manners
We fight with hatchets and spanners
We need new recruits
With Doc Martin boots
Side by side"

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Canvey Shrimper probably has a better recollection than mine, as he is a few years nearer collecting his pension than i am!. My theory is that it originated from the record 'Leader of the pak' in the sixties, and related to the first mob of skinheads we had in the north bank (the same era when every other club did the same) when Ian Leask was the main man in those days. He was an ex Belfairs high school guy, as were many 100's more who frequented that part of the ground for the next few years.

I was ex Belfairs and part of the Pak. The club used to run their coaches from the old bus garage in Southend where Sainsbury's now is. Normal supporters came into conflict with the Pak during away trips. So some of the ex Belfairs and Leigh Comm lot booked their own coaches that started from Leigh Elms pub. These were crazy coaches that got up to all sorts on the journey and especially when meeting other teams lads coaches at service stations. These tended to run when Southend were playing teams mainly down South that had a large following or were a big club or when it was a big game. When the Shoebury mob, who were a bit like the Millwall F-Troop, became more involved, an alliance was formed and some of the coaches started in Shoebury, picked up the Southchurch lads at the White Horse, some more lads at Southend, and on to the Elms to meet up with the main mob from Leigh. It was an amazing sight when there was a convoy of over 20 coaches. I can't remember the actual number, someone else might, but I think there was over 60 coaches that went to Derby in the F.A. cup.

 

[E for B and Billy Best]

Steve walshs coach and the sutton arms coach to Derby 76 = 100 certifiable lunatics, when we went back in 1978 Derby police said they had never had so many nutcases to deal with, they reckoned we we were worst than Man Utd ever were.

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

Another song of that time was 'we all live in a blue-and-white Pak' to the tune of Yellow Submarine.
I also remember the Doc Martins gave the back of the metallic stand a right going over in the days before drums - but with much the same effect. I think that stopped when they concreted up to waist high.
The season PhilipH51 remembers is 1966-7.
Port Vale were beaten 4-1 (October?) with all five goals at the North Bank end, Southend's four after 30-odd minutes I recall, when Sir Stanley Matthews was Vale boss - would you believe. The big attendance was a damp squib of 2-2 draw with Newport, and I think this was a response to Southend riding high in the old Division Four, as well as England becoming champions of the world just three months prior.

 

[canveyshrimper]

I was ex Belfairs and part of the Pak. The club used to run their coaches from the old bus garage in Southend where Sainsbury's now is. Normal supporters came into conflict with the Pak during away trips. So some of the ex Belfairs and Leigh Comm lot booked their own coaches that started from Leigh Elms pub. These were crazy coaches that got up to all sorts on the journey and especially when meeting other teams lads coaches at service stations. These tended to run when Southend were playing teams mainly down South that had a large following or were a big club or when it was a big game. When the Shoebury mob, who were a bit like the Millwall F-Troop, became more involved, an alliance was formed and some of the coaches started in Shoebury, picked up the Southchurch lads at the White Horse, some more lads at Southend, and on to the Elms to meet up with the main mob from Leigh. It was an amazing sight when there was a convoy of over 20 coaches. I can't remember the actual number, someone else might, but I think there was over 60 coaches that went to Derby in the F.A. cup.

Some memorable trips on LeighComm coaches, notably Cambridge the first time we played them in the League (70/71 I think) and Gillingham. The Cambridge trip culminated in the coach getting a police escort all the way back to the Elms. 4 coaches were run to Gillingham in 1972, but also plenty of other official & unofficial coaches. The first trip to Derby I think the majority did the journey on the two trains.

Great memories PhilipH & E for B, 1966/67 was our first season in Division 4, I had forgotten Still I'm Sad, perhaps now is the time to resurrect it. People have cried out for a "club song" for ages.

 

[Cricko]

I seem to recall a few of the trips from Leigh Comm..I am sure Steve Scarrot?..used to go then..anybody remember him?

 

[canveyshrimper]

I seem to recall a few of the trips from Leigh Comm..I am sure Steve Scarrot?..used to go then..anybody remember him?

Yes he's still around and still in Leigh I think. Billy Best's Boot Laces should be able to confirm. I remember at Brentford he and Barry Hayles had their collars felt by the OB, and got three months for their pains.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

I seem to recall a few of the trips from Leigh Comm..I am sure Steve Scarrot?..used to go then..anybody remember him?

I remember Steve Scarrot. He was quite violent in his youth. He was a bit older than me, but I got to know him through a mutual friend, and at Leigh Comm. I always remember him for the fight he had with a guy called Philpot. There was a bomb hoax at Belfairs, Scarrot got done for it, and he thought that Philpot had grassed him up. They swapped punches and Philpot got caught with a sucker punch and went down, Scarrot then kicked him in the head with his black steel toe capped boots. They pulled him off as it looked like he had killed him. In his twenties, he mellowed out and became a black belt at Karate.

 

[Pak Power]

Great memories, I'd forgotten a lot of this! Thanks.

 

[Pak66]

Personally I thought the PAK was at its height during the 70's.
My favourite Gillingham away in 72, complete bedlam from the moment we boarded the Leigh Com coaches outside the Elms pub to arriving back in Leigh late on the Saturday evening.
Did anyone pay to get into the game that day ??