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Most seasons meander on with little meaning, a few vague hopes plenty of disappointment but now and again there is a season which is a bit special some times it is successful other times it is a matter of what would have been. The year we were relegated from the Championship is one such year, where we would have been now if we had avoided relegation, and the following season is one of those seasons.

SEASON 1931-32

SHOULD HAVE BEEN PROMOTED

Season 1931-32 was the most successful in Southend United’s League history so far, that is clearly apparent but it also highlighted some serious long term faults in the club. The team not greatly changed from the previous season was not especially expected to do well, but the stability of the playing staff turned out to be an advantage not a disadvantage. The first fifteen games took the Third Division and indeed all four Divisions by storm, not one of the other 87 clubs could match the Blues record, but perhaps by the end of this period some of the players were feeling the strain and should have been rested but without competent reserves this was not possible, and when the bad spell kicked in the same players were still persisted with even though they had become tired and stale. Nevertheless the finishing sequence can only be admired and a third place finish a tremendous achievement but it also shows how far we were from promotion, the odd blip must be expected but collapses cannot if the aim is promotion. When the team was at the top of its form was perhaps the time to spend money on new players to improve a good team, but this didn’t and couldn’t happen when the home gates were so disappointing. The Blues played in front of the some of the largest ever gates on their travels such was their respect and drawing power from their rivals but this didn’t equate to the Kursaal. A 20% cut of some away games was larger than 80% of home games. To progress further a larger pool of players is required and better support from the Borough.

The First 15 Unbeaten games, nine wins six draws no defeats Southend were top of the League throughout.
The next 13 games won 2, drew 1 lost 10 games saw Southend drop to tenth place
The last 14 Unbeaten games, 10 wins, 4 draws No defeats saw Southend finish third, (three goalless draws after Easter killed off any hopes of promotion).


RESERVES

The purpose of a reserve side is twofold, one is to feed the premier side when needed and the other to bring on newcomers to first team standard. Therefore the league table should been looked at with this in mind, and due to the heavy injured list of the third division side, forty seven players were used, scarcely was the same side used for two games running. In the first half the season some creditable performances had the Junior Blues doing extraordinary well but this fizzled out in the latter part of the season. However only Hatfield and Whitelaw progressed to the first team on a regular basis, while local players Alec Tunbridge from Burnham Ramblers and Joe Johnson from Leigh while doing well for the reserves weren’t ready for regular first team football. Numerous amateurs were used during the season to bolster the team the most notable being Ken Mayes from Wickford and Buck Fryar from Shoeburyness
 
Southend United 1930-31

Facinating read DoDtS

Here is the team photo from 1930-31

1930-31.jpg
 
Thanks for the photo Big Dady, I'm sure you or someone will have all the names, but difficult to pick out who is who but here's a few:

Back Row is G. Irwin assistant Trainer, the middle player is I beleive Dave Robinson and next to him is goalkeeper Billy Moore who loved to chat to the fans during matches at the Kursaal when the ball was down the other end. at the end is the groundsman J. Fitch.

Next Row: in shirt and tie is Manager Ted Birnie who I would personally put in the same class as Webb and Tilson. The far end is Bill Cartwright another dedicated trainer who devoted himself to the club and when injury prevented him being trainer he worked in the club offices.

Difficult to decifer the players but front row with the ball at his feet is Jimmy Shankly, brother of Bill Shankly, one of Blues greatest goalscorers who perhaps didn't get the regonition at the time from the goal-spoilt Kursaal crowd.
 
Southend United Team 1930-31

Thanks for the photo Big Dady, I'm sure you or someone will have all the names.

I could just say I can name them all, but I would not be able to do it without this better pic which shows all their names. :smile:

SouthendTeam1930-31-1.jpg


Back Row: G. Irwin (Asst Trainer), J. Maughan, D. Ribinson, W. Moore, W. Finch (Groundsman).

3rd Row: E. L. Birnie (Secretary Manager), W. Gibson, J. French, T. Wilson, T. Richardson, A. Tunbridge, W. Cartwright (Trainer).

2nd Row: W. Johnson, T. Pike, W. Ward, T. Dixon, R. Donovon, W. Powell, L. Butler.

Front Row: A. Crompton, F. Barnett, E. Jones, F. Baron, J. Shankley, J. Bailey, L. Clenshaw, J. Nichol, O. Williams.
 
SEASON 1932-33

BACK TO REALITY
Promotion should have been gained in 1931-32 and Southend’s opponents for the coming season should have been of the like of Tottenham, Manchester United, West Ham etc. and this could have propelled the Blues to a higher sphere long term. As it was they had to face the reality that a 15 unbeaten run at the start of the season and a 14 match run at the end of the season wasn’t good enough to win promotion or even finish runners up come to that.

It was always going to be difficult living up to the previous one and it ended a disappointing 13th which was hard for the fans to accept. Of course the usual arguments came up, that if we had larger attendances then we could afford to buy better players, but this is a problem which has hounded the club through its history and one to which there is no answer. During the season they had risen to sixth but then at other times but had dropped to nineteenth.

The season started with the first ever League fixture played at Aldershot who had only been formed in 1926, they had won the Southern League in 1930 and at the end of 1931-32 they had been admitted to the football league, and this was their first ever league game, at this time they played in Claret and Blue shirts. A large crowd of 9,000 attended the pretty ground to view the inaugural game.

Jimmy Shankly struggled for goals early on and sustained a couple of nasty injuries and found himself reduced to the reserves and replaced by new signing Jack Morfitt who had signed from Bradford Park Avenue who finished top scorer with 21 goals.

Perhaps the season will be best remembered for the Cup run culminating in the Derby match. While the glory of seven years ago hadn’t been repeated they had put up a creditable show (see report below), and if only they could have grabbed an equaliser would have had lead to a healthy share of a 25,000 to 30,000 crowd.

28th January 1933 F.A. Cup Round 3
Southend United 2-3 Derby County
Derby were in their seventh year in the First Division and were currently in sixth place in the table eight points behind leaders Arsenal. The pitch was in as near perfect condition as the weather permitted and it was doubtful if any ground in the country would have been in better condition. Derby appeared first boasting five internationals in their ranks and were met with jovial applause, but this was nothing to the cheer, which was long and loud, that went up when the Blues took to the field. Southend had built up a reputation as a second half team but on this occasion it was taken to extremes. Derby scored after only seven minutes and then added a second five minutes later, and worse was to follow on twenty four minutes when they made it three. At this time few could see anything but a continual stream of goals for the visitors, however a goal from Pike just before half time settled the game and nerves down a little. The second half belonged to Southend but their second goal was late in coming when Morfitt headed home and a roar went up that was heard in the High Street and continued to the final whistle but the Blues couldn’t force a late equaliser. The attendance was 15,188 which didn’t reach the ground record but was considered good and the receipts were £1,105.

The other outstanding if perhaps minor feature of the season had been the problems on the L.M.S. railways which had caused problems to spectators and players alike. For Instance when Bristol City came to the Kursaal, “A breakdown on the L.M.S .line between Pitsea and Laindon caused severe problems for the visiting team and for some hundreds of supporters returning from a morning’s work in the City. The Bristol City team deserted the train and took to a motor coach in which the players got changed and arrived at the Kursaal just before kick off, but for many supporters they arrived in the Borough too late for the match”


RESERVES
The previous season the Reserves had finished fourth from bottom, so a final placing of twelfth out of twenty four clubs can only be viewed as a success, although the Blues finished top of a group of six clubs separated by just two points. As always the team was constantly being changed but perhaps the best gauge of the team is the enjoyment for spectators and certainly some of the games had been more entertaining than the first team. Nearly fifty different players turned out in the Combination matches, over twenty being amateurs with Buck Fryar top scorer with 18 goals followed by Jimmy Shankly with 10.


Now for some sad news for us all:
At the London Combination meeting on Tuesday Clapton Orient who applied for re-admission failed to secure election. Clapton Orient Reserves played 1933-34 in the Southern League Eastern Division.
 
SEASON 1933-34

THE END OF THE KURSAAL YEARS
On the playing front it had been an appalling season, dogged by a forward line which had struggled to score goals. The season had started poorly with one point out of the first four games, and the Blues finished with just one point out of the last five and the final match a 5-1 defeat at Bristol City, and in between the form had been patchy to say the least. They finished the season Sixteenth and even had the embarrassment of dropping to bottom place in the league in December, and all this just two years after looked certain promotion contenders, but then we had Jimmy Shankly scoring plenty of goals by he had left the club the previous May joining Barrow. Indeed he was one of a succession of successful goalscorers such as Albert Fairclough, Billy Goodwin, Jim McClelland, Billy Hick, Fred Baron as well as Shankly. Perhaps this was why the disgruntled spectators were staying away they had been spoilt for goals. Leo Stevens, who had been signed from Everton in November, was top scorer with 21 goals from 34 games and he was followed by Harry Lane with 9 from 43 matches.

The cup had brought little cheer, in the first round they had an easy on paper tie against London Paper Mills played at Dartford but the match was an embarrassment all round, Blues for struggling to win 1-0 while for the hosts a poor gate with barely 2,000 present (and a good proportion of those from Southend). Chester who had only been recently elected to the League were disposed off 2-1 at the Kursaal and in the third round the Blues bowed at another northern club Tranmere by 3-0.

So the uninspiring and uneventful season was coming to it’s close when in mid April rumours were spread that the manager Mr. Birnie was going to retire, and these proved to be true, apparently he had ill health. Other rumours suggested that the Blues were going to leave the Kursaal and relocate to the newly built Southend Greyhound Stadium in Grainger Road. The “writing was on the wall” regarding relocation, perhaps as early as the previous summer when 16,000 seated people saw the Grand Finale of the Carnival and they were no doubt impressed by the Stadiums facilities. On the 30th April at a benefit match against Port Vale for Dave Robinson, Arsenal and England star David Jack and ex-Southend schoolboy was spotted in the stand seeming to confirm further rumours that he would be the new manager.

In early May the record was put straight, Mr. Birnie was retiring, David Jack was taking over as manager and the club would be playing at the Stadium for the coming season even though they still had a two year lease on the Kursaal.


Although a brand new ground seemed impressive the everlasting problem of being so far from the pitch was not considered and only after it was too late did spectators realise the huge advantage of being only three yards from the pitch at the Kursaal (a lesson still not learned by some clubs 77 years later). It was a disappointing end to Southend United’s fifteen year stay at the Kursaal.

RESERVES

The Junior Blues had finished 19th out of 24 clubs in the London Combination although they were twelve points clear of bottom placed Aldershot. The leading goal scorers had been Frank Bungay and Jack Morfitt with 11 goals each.
 
SEASON 1934-35

A NEW GROUND AND A NEW MANGER
A new ground, new directors, a host of new players and a new manager and the manager was indeed a big name. The son of Southend’s first manager Robert Jack he had gone to school in Southend but since had found fame with Bolton, Arsenal and England he was the first player to score a goal in a Wembley cup final, in today’s terms it would be the equivalent of signing David Beckham as your manager. These days we all know that a good player doesn’t necessarily make a good manager but in the heat of excitement it is easy to overlook this.

“Hope springs eternal” unfortunately hope and disappointments go very closely together. The season started with such optimism, although Mr Jack openly admitted “don’t expect success in my first season” and while the “bob” supporters accepted that they were not prepared for failure and having to apply for re-election. The failure was not blamed on Mr Jack as it would be these days, instead it was a submissive acceptance comfortable in the knowledge (or rather assumption) that they would be re-elected. It was a season of such contrasts with often the forwards shouldering the blame for weak finishing, but they recorded League wins of 5-1 against Bristol Rovers, 6-0 against Bristol City, 5-0 at Newport and 6-1 against Reading

In the Cup the Blues achieved the record breaking 10-1 win over Golders Green which was followed by a 5-1 win at Wimbledon in the second round. The third round saw a home tie against Sheffield United and the hope that the Blues had turned the corner, the pitch at the Stadium was in a terrible state by this time and huge trenches were dug in the pitch trying to help the drainage yet the Sheffield club doubted it would be playable, unfortunately it was:

SOUTHEND UNITED 0-4 SHEFFIELD UNITED
Most of the Southend supporters thought they had seen the Blues at their worst this season but after the pitiful exhibition at the Stadium that opinion had to undergo revision. True it was a side at the bottom of the Third Division playing a side halfway up the Second Division with a long tradition of first class football, but the truth was that after Sheffield opened the scoring in the sixth minute, and from then on the Blues seemed to accept the result as a formality and their only aim seemed to keep the score down. 13,712 spectators were present, paying £1,177 3s 3d in admission and they must have looked on the price of admission as poor reward for an afternoon which brought no satisfaction whatsoever from the home point of view.

Newport finished bottom of the league with 25 points, Southend were second from bottom with 31 points and then came Gillingham and Cardiff with 35 points.

RE-ELECTION
Bath City and Folkestone of the Southern league applied for election to the League. The Voting was as follows:

48 Votes SOUTHEND UNITED Re-elected to the League
43 Votes NEWPORT COUNTY Re-elected to the League

1 Vote BATH CITY Not elected to the League
1 Vote FOLKESTONENot elected to the League

The players undoubtedly had talent but Mr. Jack and been unable to blend them into a team, and that badly lacking team spirit. David Jack was though a novice as a manager and all the Arsenal theory, knowhow, tactics and ideas didn’t necessary work two tiers further down the football structure. The Supporters could only hope that Mr. Jack had learned from the experience and was in better shape to compete in the coming season, or to put it another way “Hope springs eternal”.

“I think it is better not to make excuses for the past year but trust that the old adage “the failures of the past will be the successes of the future”. Most of the players who played so well during the last few games of the season have been retained for we know that the talent is there and many of the new players have been acclimatised. Mr Nevil Newitt in the Southend Standard 20th June 1935


RESERVES
Southend had to apply for re-election along with Southampton, having finished seven points behind three other clubs. Arsenal won the title nine points clear of Tottenham in second place, followed by Brentford, Watford and Leicester. Three sides scored more than a hundred goals Crystal Palace with 101 in finishing sixth, Tottenham scored 124 but Arsenal had hit the back of the net 131 times. Q.P.R. had the worst defensive record conceding 98 goals followed by Millwall on 97 and then Southend on 95.

The Junior Blues started the season in poor form having to wait until their ninth game before tasting success, and only two more wins were recorded before the end of the year. Yet the new year brought some unexpected success with only one defeat up to the end of February, and this was a mix of victories and defeats culminating in re-election. In all some 40 players were used:

LONDON COMBINATION - UNITED RE-ELECTION
In the application for re-election before the meeting of the London Combination on Thursday it was pointed out that only once had a team placed in the same position had more points to their credit. Another point was that Southend stood seventh on the list of gate receipts in the Combination. Although there were a number of other applications for election to the combination, Southend United and Southampton gained re-admission by a unanimous vote.


Leading goalscorer for both the first and the second team was Harry Johnson who had been signed from Oldham In the third Division side scored 22 appearances in 26 appearances while for the Reserves in 19 appearances he scored 15 goals.

A final sad not for the season;

Mr. David de Forest Moehouse
With much regret we announce the death of Mr. David de Forest Morehouse managing director of the Kursaal, Southend and for many years Chairman of Southend United F.C. ,the deceased gentleman had been seriously unwell for some time. He was 51 years of age and leaves a widow, two sons and one daughter.
From the Southend Standard 22nd November 1934
 
SEASON 1935-36

CUP SUCCESS AND THE DEATH OF MR. BIRNIE

A poor League season Cup success and the death of a former manager about summed up the season

A poor season Blues Blues finished 18th out of 22 in the Third Division (South)
The advent of Mr Jack as manager and the new larger Stadium ground were seen as a springboard for success but after two years the disappointment of the supporters was clear. A slightly improved position by the first team (and the second) was still not satisfactory, the club was still talking about getting in players to achieve promotion but the reality was mediocre after mediocre performances. The one bright spot of the season had been the Cup games against ‘Spurs. but one week doesn’t make a season. Harry Lane was leading scorer with 17 goals from 46 appearances.

Cup Success
After 1-0 win at Newport in the First round and a 5-0 home win over Burton in the second Blues were drawn away to Tottenham in the third Round.

Tottenham 4-4 Southend
Thousands travelled from Southend and district by motors, motor coaches and trains to the famous North London football centre. The scene on the London-Southend Arterial Road was a remarkable one from noon onwards, hundreds of Southend motor cars, taxi-cabs, motor coaches etc with the familiar index letters of JN and HJ passed and re-passed each other while the houses of refreshment along the highway were crowded with Southend people. The special trains from L.N.E.R. and L.M.S. stations each carried over 500 supporters whilst hundreds of others travelled from the City via Liverpool Street to White Hart Lane and others went by the L.M.S. to South Tottenham. The streets of Tottenham seemed alive with Southend people and it is computed that there were no fewer than 8,000 Southend followers in the huge crowd of 48,839 who paid for admission and there must have been over 50,000 present in all The first goal came after only 4 minutes when Bolan headed in a Stevens cross to enormous cheers from the Southend contingent, however half through the half Tottenham equalised and 4 minutes later they took the lead. For the last 20 minutes it was all Southend Bolan equalised. The second half hadn’t been in progress long when an Oswald cross was converted by Bolan completing his hat-trick against his old club, then half way through the half Tottenham capitalised on a shaky back pass and equalised. With 35 minutes to go Spurs took the lead. The Southend team showed pluck and pertinacity and Lane equalised again for the Blues. The last twenty minutes were tense but neither side could score.

Replay: Southend 1-2 Tottenham
The scene at the Stadium was a remarkable one for every position was taken up and nearly a quarter of an hour before the kick off the gates had to be closed and many hundreds who travelled down from London and other latecomers were unable to obtain admission at which there was much grumbling. A breakdown of the engine of one of the special trains from Tottenham at Laindon caused a delay on the line and to subsequent trains from Fenchurch Street. People stood on huts and other buildings, climbed up on to the scoring board and the greyhound registration boards and even sat upon the greyhound racing timing clock to get a glimpse of the match. Every seat in both stands was taken before 1.30 and by 1.45 it was evident that there was little spare space. Followers of both sides disported huge favours and some “fans” wore blue and white costumes and top hats. Tottenham brought down with them many thousands of spectators, several special trains being run by L.M.S. and L.N.E.R. stations while there were motor coaches by the dozen. Every car park in the vicinity of the ground was packed with cars and coaches long before the gates were closed. Spurs opened the scoring after only seven minutes and it was not till nearly half time that Bolan equalised for the Blues from a corner. The cheers were still ringing round the ground as the half time whistle blew, but Southend fell away in the second half seeming to have spent their energy in gaining the equaliser in the first half and after twenty minutes the Tottenham winger scored what turned out to be the winning goal.


RESERVES
The Junior Blues finished 21st out of 24th in the London Combination.
The Junior Blues, like the senior team performed little better this season than they did last, and it was really
only the 8-1 success against Bristol City, who finished bottom that their status was secure. Portsmouth won the title by a point from Brentford and two points from the Arsenal. West Ham and Chelsea finished fourth and fifth. The London Mid-Week League was entered with the prime purpose of trying new players and to this effect Doug Wright and Frank Walton have exhibited promising form. Harry Johnson finished top scorer with 17 goals from 32 Combination appearances.


MR. E.L.BIRNIE
Former Southend United Manager Tragically Found Dead - Returning late home on Saturday evening from a friends house where his wife and he had been enjoying a game of cards Mr Edward Lawson Birnie for thirteen years secretary manager of Southend United F.C. collapsed in the drawing room of his residence St Margaret’s, Mayfield Avenue, Prittlewell and died shortly afterwards. News of his death came as a great shock to his numerous friends and acquaintances for Mr Birnie had attended the United reserve match with Millwall at the Stadium in the afternoon and had been in good spirits. He was 57 the funeral has been arranged for Friday the internment at the Sutton Road Cemetery to follow a service at St. Mary’s Church at Noon
From the Southend Standard 24th December 1935

Mr, Birnie was born in Sunderland in 1878 and during his playing career played for Sunderland, Newcastle, Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Tottenham. He became manager of Southend United when they were bottom of the third division in 1922 and quietly, and despite the financial restrictions of the club with his assistant Trainer Bill Cartwright built up a good footballing side which was unlucky not to be promoted in 1932, he retired in 1934 after thirteen years in charge with the utmost respect of all connected with the club. He turned down good offers to manage Crystal Palace, Norwich and others because he wanted to finish what he had started at Southend.

THE END OF THE KURSAAL GROUNDThe western stand is being demolished and mechanical diggers are at work on the banking. The former home of Southend United is to become part of the Kursaal Amusement Park
From the Southend Standard 28th November 1935
 
SEASON 1936-37

A BIT OF IMPROVEMENT
This was David Jack’s third season in charge and as far as the league position, was his most successful, but most supporters felt when he arrived that success would soon follow, although the more reserved would say “but it will take time”. The final position of tenth was disappointing when they had been fourth in early September and fifth at the beginning of April and they had not dropped below twelfth all season. A record score of 9-2 against Newport had been recorded and an 8-1 against Cardiff as well in a season when scoring goals had been a problem, they also lost 2-6 at Newport and 2-7 at QPR. However they had never seriously challenged for promotion, any fleeting hopes were usually dashed the next match. The Stadium had provided a larger ground and they could claim record receipts for league matches. David Jack had an International reputation and he had returned to the playing field if only very briefly but this had made Southend United very marketable, a prestigious game had been played in Holland and previous Scottish Cup Winners Partick Thistle had visited the Stadium, while tours to Russia, Germany, France, Algeria and Morocco had all been muted but not materialized. However the memory of Mr. Birnie’s promotion challenge of 1931-32 was still fresh in supporters minds and this, not record receipts or continental tours was what they wanted.

The Leading goalscorer was Dickinson who made 37 appearances and scored 19 goals. The F.A.Cup was also a disappointment, in the first round a 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace (Manager David Jack played in this match having finally received clearance from Arsenal to play) was followed by a 2-1 success in the replay at the Stadium. The second round saw a home tie with York City:

SOUTHEND 3-3 YORK CITY
The game kicked off at 2.15p.m. and there was little between the sides initially and although the Blues opened the scoring through Lane, York drew level within a minute A bit of bad feeling came into the game but it was restricted to one or two players on each side. York took the lead but Southend came back into the game when. in a move started by Lane the ball went through to Goddard and on to Willshaw who netted, but York were not to be out done, they stormed down the other end almost immediately retook the lead, this was in the sixty fourth minute. With the score at 2-3 to the visitors the few score York Supporters who had travelled down by special train were in jubilant mood unlike the vast majority of the 11,000 crowd who were depressed. Many hundreds had started to make for the exits or were thinking about it when Dickinson headed over the advancing goalkeeper and into the York net. After this all the forwards had at least one chance to save making the long trip to York for the replay.

REPLAY YORK CITY 2-1 SOUTHEND UNITED
The pitch had not been rolled and the rough surface played tricks with the ball but from the start Southend showed some clever touches. There were 6,789 spectators present and the twenty odd Southend supporters amongst them were inspired when the Blues took the lead after only eleven minutes, Bolan did a hazy run his shot deflected but Dickinson was on hand to open the scoring. A defensive blunder gifted York an equaliser before half time, but in the second half again the Blues where dominant but could not put the ball in the net resulting in half an hour extra time. Southend won the toss and chose to play with the wind and although chance after chance was missed, they were awarded a penalty after a handball in the area. Dickinson was entrusted with the kick but the keeper saved. It was during the final moments of the two hours play with the players dead on their feet that York scrambled the ball into the net to secure a third round tie .


Unrest and crisis in Europe was being felt in Southend as the following demonstrates:

A hostile crowd of about 300 demonstrated throughout a Fascist meeting held in Elmer Approach on Saturday night The police had ordered that the meeting be held at the far end of the Approach rather than the High Street end. The speaker wearing a Fascist uniform spoke into a microphone on the top of a van and endeavoured to overcome the booing and singing of the crowd. The Fascists numbered about fifty mostly came down from London in a van fitted with thick mica instead of glass and covered with barbed wire, they were completely surrounded by Police and other police kept a gap of some yards between them and the crowd. A further detachment of Police waited at the Astoria cinema in case of emergency. The Police outnumbered the Fascists.
From the Southend Standard 3rd November 1936

RESERVES
The United had a better season than the previous year and thirty five players appeared in the combination side. Just before Christmas the Junior Blues were in danger of holding the “wooden spoon” but they staged a wonderful rally that took them over the half way line securing seventeen points out of twenty and it was team spirit that was the secret of their success. The leading goalscorer was promosing youngster Jack Kirkaldie with 15 goals in 29 appearances, but he had been transferred to West Ham in February in a straight swop for former Welsh International Tudor Martin

The United reserves can claim a little compensation from the fact that they won the London Mid-Week League by a superior goal average over Fulham and a good many young players had a tryout with this side.
 
SEASON 1937-38

SIMPLE ECONOMICS
Season 1937-38 was not a season that had been dominated by events on the football field but more by the events in the stands. A final finishing position of twelfth place seemed most unsatisfactory for a side managed by the legendary David Jack, it will take a year or two, or even three said Mr. Jack to build a promotion challenging side. This however was his fourth year in charge and a comfortable mid table finish but never seriously looking like they could have a chance of promotion, was below expectations.

An indifferent start seemed to be heading in the right direction when they reached fifth place just before Christmas with a 5-1 win over Torquay and a 5-0 win agianst Bristol City the highlights but on New Years day a 1-7 loss at Bournemouth brought them back to earth. A 5-1 win at Walsall and a 4-2 home win over Northampton at the end of January took them back to fifth but then an apathetic end to the season saw only two wins in their last 17 matches. Tudor Martin was leading goalscorer with 18 goals.

In the F.A. Cup Blues eased by Corinthians 2-0, in a match played at the White City and away at Walthamstow Avenue 1-0 in two matches which if the result was satisfactory the play was uninspiring. In the Third round against Barnsley at the Stadium the Blues seemed to be on their way to the fourth round with a comfortable 2-0 lead but the Blues became complacent and the match ended a 2-2 draw. The replay four days later :

BARNSLEY 2-1 SOUTHEND
A crowd of 18,910 were quite shocked when Southend took the lead in the first half when in the twenty first minute Bell netted in brilliant style. In fact the goal was almost identical to the one scored the previous Saturday by Martin so again Southend went into half time in the lead. They had not had as much of the play as they did on Saturday, but their football was even cleverer than before. Turner surprised the Southend supporters present with his very long throw ins. In the second half Barnsley equalised in the sixty third minute, most of the play was in the Southend area and but for some brilliant saves by Mackenzie the Yorkshire men would already have equalised already. With just two minutes to go Southend were fighting desperately for every ball but after a hazy run Barnsley headed home the winning goal of the tie.

Southend United had narrowly missed out on a fourth round tie with Manchester United.

The poor form no doubt accounted for much of the apathy from the supporters, but probably the pricing of the centre parts of the east stand almost certainly accounted for a lot more. The decision to increase the price was obviously made in ignorance of the financial situation of many of the residents of the town. Accusations between the management and the supporters flew backwards and forwards until the voice of reason pointed the simple truth, times were hard for many and supporters were staying away because they could not afford to go
.

The building trade is our staple industry which is very quite for the two months before Christmas and the two months after. Take a labourer working at 1s 2d (6p) an hour, who when he has got a full week in, goes home with about 50s (£2.50) in his pocket. The landlord wants his “quid” that leaves 30s (£1.50) to keep a wife and family on and don’t forget that he loses time for rain, frost, gales and materials not being delivered on time. At the present moment there must be hundreds if not thousands who are going home without the means to meet the current week’s expenses. The building trade at this moment is as low if not lower than it has ever been before. I have met men whose prestige as craftsmen is as high as the sky who have not had a job for months. The “bloke” that loves his football must put the necessities of the wife and family before his own pleasures. I can take you to a man who when he goes home from work on a Saturday stops indoors all the week-end because he has no money to spend. I recently met a friend and during our talk I remarked I hadn’t seen her and her husband and youngster at the matches lately. Well I felt sorry I spoke for she told me that her husband had not done a stroke of work for nine weeks. I am a craftsmen myself and would not have seen Southend Reserves play West Ham Reserves if my eldest boy had not slipped 2s 6d into my hand that after being at work all week. Last Saturday I missed my third Saturday match of the season. I had the chance to earn 4s and gladly took it. I have come home on a Saturday squared up to the wife and tossed my last shilling in the air to see if I should go to the football or have an “ounce of tobacco”. There is a cause for slack attendances and I think you state that for people in comfortable circumstances to criticise chaps whose love of football is second to none but who are victims of circumstances they cannot help is not playing the game. They may know Southend United but they do not know Southend.
From the Southend Standard 10th February 1938

With this revelation better off supporters and the Supporters Club offered some of the unemployed free admission to matches, a nice gesture but it made little difference. Added to this the distant views from behind the goals meant watching the Blues for the “bob” supporters had lost much of it’s appeal from the Kursaal days. The result of the poor support had been the sale of players to balance the books, which in turn discouraged others from attending and was part of a downward spiral.


RESERVES
The reserves started the season poorly and at one stage they looked like they might have to apply for re-election but in the second half of the season they gained enough points to avoid that indignity and finished fourteenth which was the same as the previous year. Arsenal won the Combination title having only lost three games all season and scoring 116 goals In second place was Portsmouth eight points behind and Coventry a further five behind and the rest of the field a further five points behind. Brighton finished bottom with 32 points and had to apply for re-election with Reading who finished bottom but one on goal average from Southampton, Southend were six points and nine places clear of re-election. Leading goalscorer for the Junior Blues was Goddard with 15 goals in 28 appearances.
 
SEASON 1938-39

AN UNEASY PEACE AND THE BLUES
If the previous season had been dominated by the plight of the “bob” supporter that seems to have been largely forgotten, although perhaps those that had been most aggrieved had stayed away as gates had dropped from an average of 7,500 to 6,000.

The major signing of the summer had been Alf Smirk signed from Sunderland & District Omnibus Company, but the squad was smaller than in previous years the tallest player was Jones the centre half who was just under six foot. The season started at Ipswich who were playing their first ever league match but this set the scene for the season with a 4-2 defeat which disappointed the 2,000 travelling Southend supporters. After only five games the crisis in Europe put football in perspective. With Hitler’s invasion of Czechoslovakia England had been on the brink of war, but after Neville Chamberlains trip to Munich the reprieve was uneasy and for the remainder of the season, with constant reminders with gas mask fittings, black out drills, air raid shelters etc meant worrying about the fortunes of Southend United were not foremost in peoples mind.

The season had been uninspiring in October the highest position of seventh had been reached but then with only six games to go they had reached a low of eighteenth and re-election could not be ruled out of the question being just five points clear of the bottom two. Bad weather had been a factor in the falling gates, but perhaps football was fading into insignificance compared with the European situation and a final finish of the twelfth was satisfactory if uninspiring.

The Cup had been a pleasant distraction, after a 3-0 win over the Corinthians it was followed by a 1-0 win at Port Vale in the second round. In the third Round Blues were drawn away again, this time at Chesterfield. The first match was played when the country was in the grip of snow with added problems of fog, the game was abandoned with fifteen minutes to go with the scores at 1-1. The crowd included about 80 Southend fans (one of which was my Granddad) and about 30 unemployed whose trip was financed by a benefactor. The rearranged match the following Wednesday also ended in a 1-1 draw played on 3 inches of slushy snow. The replay was the following Monday:


Southend 4-3 Chesterfield (after extra time)
Sensation followed sensation in a series of breathtaking thrills in Southend United’s replayed third round tie with Chesterfield, where United gained dramatic 4-3 victory during extra time each side having scored twice during normal time. The game in the hectic last minutes was fought to continuous roars from the crowd of over 11,000 most directed against the referee who many spectators thought had been especially harsh towards the home side. Two penalties were awarded against the Blues in extra time and after the second Bolan was sent off the field after allegedly threatening the linesman with his fists. At the end of the game the referee had to be escorted from the field by Police and when in the dressing room stones were thrown threw his window and an unruly crowd assembled calling for the referee’s blood but were eventually moved on by the Police. Southend had started so well after only five minutes Martin putting across a perfect centre for Bushby to score and seven minutes before the end of the half a repeat performance saw Bolan head home. After an hour’s play a forty yard shot from Chesterfield hit the underside of the bar and into the net and shortly afterwards a second goal brought the scores level, and with the final whistle came extra time. Southend had looked like they were flagging but were greatly refreshed when Bell scored twice in the first period of extra time. With just eight minutes to go in a goal mouth scrimmage the referee awarded a penalty and no-one knew why, but the result was that Chesterfield had pulled a goal back. With just seconds to go MacKenzie was heavily charged but he made the fatal error of retaliating and a second penalty was awarded, but this time it was saved to the joy of the home crowd. The gate was an impressive 12,000 with 11,393 paying for admission, and whilst the reaction of the crowd was understood it would inevitably lead to reports going in to the F.A.

In the fourth Round Southend were drawn away again this time to Blackburn Rovers in a match played five days after the replay and played in again terrible conditions and it was little surprise that the weary Southend side lost (4-2), but they put up a fighting display.

CONTINENTAL FRIENDLY
Another pleasant distraction was a friendly played against top French opposition:

Southend United 2-2 Olympic Club De Marseilles
When Marseilles ran onto the pitch in their white shirts and white shorts they kept single file until they reached the middle circle where they took up their positions round this and greeted the spectators with their club cry. The two outstanding personalities in the French team were Benbarek the “black pearl of Casablanca” and Vasconcellos the swarthy Brazilian International goalkeeper . The visitors started in aggressive style but gradually Southend took control however the French side took the lead, Bell equalised and then scored a second just before the interval. After the break Benbarek deservedly equalised and almost had a winning goal bound shot when the final whistle went. The team had been met at the L.M.S. Station on their arrival by the directors and where entertained to lunch at the Royal Hotel and before their return to London they were able to see some of the Greyhound Racing and the Illuminations and they said they were looking forward to the return match (which didn’t happen due to the European situation).


RESERVES
The Junior Blues had started the season well and by October they were in sixth place, but by December they had dropped to fifteenth place. Three wins over Christmas followed by five successive draws settled their position but then five defeats dropped the Blues to the bottom half of the table again and mixed but improved results to the end of the season saw a pleasing ninth place finish. The season had brought some entertaining football for the spectators and had brought some youngsters almost up to first team level such as eighteen year old Ted Singleton. The Combination included six First Division Sides and seven Second Division sides. Arsenal were the Combination Champions by four points from Q.P.R. while Northampton and Clapton Orient had to apply for re-election. The Junior Blues also competed in the London Mid-Week League but after winning the title the two previous seasons they had an indifferent mid table season but it was useful for giving promising youngsters a trial.
 
SEASON 1939-1940

WAR DECLARED – THE PHONEY WAR – FOOTBALL CARRIES ON

It seemed hard to believe that only a year ago Football had just finished a normal season, in truth when season 1939-40 started few thought it would see it’s conclusion indeed many were surprised that it had even started. From the time Czechoslovakia had been invaded in September 1938, only the most optimistic or scared believed peace could last.

The season started with a 3-2 home win over Walsall, a goal-less draw at Clapton Orient and then a 1-0 defeat at Reading, but then war was declared and football suspended, with Blues in equal eighth place. It had come as no surprise in the Reserve game at the Stadium against Southampton on September 2nd it was stated that “Although reports across the country were of diminished crowds due to the imminence of war the attendance of 2,250 was not below average, perhaps many feeling that it might be the last game at the Stadium for a while”.

From the outbreak of war life changed the Southend United players along with all other professional footballers had their contracts cancelled and had to find themselves jobs only getting paid if they played. For some they joined the Army straight away others joined later while the War Police force provided employment for most of them in the meantime.

Some of the players have naturally returned to their homes but there are sixteen or seventeen still in the town and with them the United will be able to carry out any programme arranged for the current season. 12 or 14 of the older players have enrolled in the Police Reserve while Hankey and Singleton are serving with H.M. Forces.
From the Southend Standard 14th September 1939

From the outbreak of war the immediate fear of bombings and invasions didn’t happen and the “Phoney War” appeared to be somewhat of an anti-climax to what had been expected. Nevertheless life centred around erecting air raid shelters, gas masks, rationing and rising prices. Jobs were not secure, many found the only option to join up sometimes leaving well paid jobs for Army pay and their finances in tatters.

Football was suspended for two weeks and then a series of friendless arranged, Southend’s first being a home game against Norwich which was won 6-2. Just over a month later the first Regional Competition started the South Regional Section “A”, with a home defeat to Tottenham by 2-1. There were ten clubs in the group including Arsenal, Spurs and West Ham but with the loss and unavailability of players played havoc with form and continuity and Blues struggled and finished bottom of the table with just four wins and 10 defeats to show for their efforts.

After Christmas another competition was entered the Subsidiary Comp. South “D”, again ten clubs involved but without any of the big four London Clubs. Blues performed better in this but the competition dragged on to the end of June and in the meantime the war took a serious turn.

The “Phoney War” came to an abrupt end, the withdrawal from Dunkirk was a severe shock to the Country and to Southend who’s pleasure craft and crews were involved. The fear of invasion was rife, with Southend possibly in the front line, which led to the evacuation of schoolchildren plus many other residents heading for safer havens, while bombing of Southend added to the terror.

The South “D” was completed and the Blues had fared much better and at times looked they might reach the top of the table but in the end finished fourth behind Crystal Palace, QPR and Watford. The main attraction of the season had been the Cup competition in which Southend had progressed to the second round having beaten Q.P.R. and Watford before losing to Nottingham Forest.

With all this going on watching Southend was less of an attraction or priority, and with a dwindling population in the town attendances were poor. It soon became clear that the club was in trouble and it was only thanks to the generosity of the Blues supporters both home and abroad that they kept the club afloat, at a time when there were so many others calls on the cash. So the season petered out almost without notice, the world had got very serious and Southend United’s future was very insecure.
 
SEASON 1940-41

AIR RAIDS, GAS MASKS & SHELTERS,
AND THE SUPPORTERS KEEP BLUES GOING


With war taking a serious turn for the worse and Southend as a restricted coastal area, local people had difficulty leaving the town and outsiders had trouble getting in only for essential reasons not pleasure, which at times was taken to farcical levels. A Benfleet woman badly needed a pair of shoes and boarded a bus to take her and her husband into Southend, she was allowed in as she needed shoes her husband was refused admission. Clearly watching football in Southend, for any but those in the close vicinity would be difficult. The other League clubs aware of this refused to travel to Southend and the club had little choice but to look for a ground outside Southend.

OFFER BY CHELMSFORD CITY
Quite obviously the use of the Stadium is out of the question and after it had been practically arranged that the club should share the ground of West Ham at Boleyn Castle, this arrangement was upset by a development that necessitated seeking another site. Amateur Clubs in and around London were canvassed and eventually Chelmsford City offered the use of their pitch..
From the Southend Standard 1st August 1940

Chelmsford readily accepted knowing that the arrangement will provide first-class football for their supporters. Meanwhile David Jack gave up his job as manger of Southend United to work as manager of Barclays Bank in the City. but, Mr. Harry Warren the Chelmsford manager will be the manager and many of the Chelmsford players will appear in the Southend colours. So it really was a combined club.

Season 1940-41 had been a remarkable season in remarkable times few Southend people had the chance of witnessing the games which were played at Chelmsford with the difficulties in leaving or returning to a defence area. Whether the decision to re-locate to Chelmsford was the right or wrong decision is unknown, but if the main reason was the dwindling gates it seems that if Southend had remained at the Stadium gates would have been no worse probably better, but in fairness getting into and out of Southend as a restricted area had its own problems.

Those that did see the team play would have struggled to recognise many of the players for it was virtually a Chelmsford team renamed as Southend United. The gates were poor the West Ham cup game had been seen by 3,000 but after that 1,500 was the highest reached and most were a 1,000 or less yet despite this the overall deficit for the season was likely to be less £200. This was largely due to the manager taking no salary, the players taking cuts in their 30s appearance money and sometimes having to pay their own travelling expenses and the clubs portion of the League Cup share out.

The first half of the season saw the Regional League which while not being successful on the pitch had been satisfactory but then there was a rebellion by the London clubs. The London Clubs decided to brake away and form their own League at the exclusion of Clubs like, Southend, Southampton, Portsmouth etc. The Football League tried to stop them and threatened to expel them but in the end had little choice but to accept it with a separate competition formed for the excluded clubs, which did not please Harry:

MANAGERS OUTSPOKEN VIEWS
“The decision of the London clubs to ignore the League and carry on with their own efforts means that we in company with such clubs as Portsmouth the F.A. Cup holders, Brighton, Watford, Norwich, Luton etc are left to fend for ourselves and the present conditions and difficulties in raising a team bar us from any long trips. The London clubs had formed themselves into a clique and included Aldershot and Reading purely for financial reasons. The president of the Football League said that they had always maintained that all clubs should get a fair crack of the whip and he would make endeavours to see this policy was continued.” Mr Warren had made a strong appeal not to exclude the outsider, but had been told it was a manner of self preservation. Mr Warren asked five questions:
Is Football a National game?
Must the game only be kept alive in London?
Have some clubs forgotten the word “sport” as we know it?
Was it not the manner in which it was played made it known as a good sport?
And lastly what are the British famous for?
Précised from the Southend Standard 2nd January 1941The League Cup brought a bit of light relief and four meaningful games was a pleasant change, after defeating Millwall over two legs Blues were then drawn against west Ham again over two legs.

Southend United 2-1 West Ham
The sprinkling of West Ham supporters who were amongst the crowd at Chelmsford were very disappointed at their team’s display against Southend. While a 2-1 win is unlikely to be sufficient for the Blues to progress in the Cup against the current War Cup holders and leaders in the Regional League, but if the Blues had taken their chances it could have been 4-1 or 5-1. West Ham’s downfall was probably due to their casual approach to the game and then came up against the enthusiasm of the Southend side, plus the disadvantage of losing a man injured, they just couldn’t bring the game round. The first goal was a curious goal scored by Burley who from a corner managed to reach behind himself and hook the ball goal wards, the second was scored by Wright and was a very neat goal scored after some thoughtful work by McLuckie. There was a crowd of over 3,000 spectators who provided plenty of vocal support and although West Ham pulled a goal back they couldn’t fine the second.

In the second leg Southend lost 3-1, however after their exit from the cup there were serious suggestions that the club would have to close and it was only thanks to the generosity of supporters at home and away that kept the club going and they managed to fulfil their fixtures.

The general feeling by Southenders about the War was that Southend had been penalised against with huge propaganda to enforce evacuation of jobs, children and adults alike and with two thirds of the population gone the local economy suffered and businesses failed while other areas seemed to prosper. Southend United now had a similar feeling of isolation, segregation and penalisation. The saving grace was that the Club had survived and was still flying the flag and the untiring work and dedication of Mr. Harry Warren had proved a great example and encouragement to all involved with the club.

The question was were do they go from here?
 
SEASON 1941-42
UNITED FINALLY THROW IN THE TOWEL

Southend United had survived season 1940-41, and were preparing for the new season, problems with a ground had been overcome but then the London sides sold Blues well and truly “down the river” and and the club had little option than to shut up shop. A bitter pill to take especially with the Manager and players agreeing to continue without pay and a late move set for the club to return to the Southend Stadium.

Whether or not Southend United will continue war-time football is extremely problematical. The new home they used at Chelmsford for the past season has been let to a works club and the Blues are faced with either playing all future war-time matches on foreign territory as Southampton have done or sharing a ground with some other team. Prospects of using the Stadium again during the war period are very remote, so that taking all things into consideration it appears very likely that the name of Southend United will disappear from war-time football. The prime mover in keeping the Blues going during the past year has been Mr. A. I. Hay and he said he would do his best to keep the flag flying but agreed that the difficulties to be faced were formidable.
From the Southend Standard 29th May 1941

SOUTHEND UNITED TO CARRY ON AT CHELMSFORD
A meeting of the Southend United directors was held on Wednesday and the question of the continuance of the club at Chelmsford was considered. Mr. Hay reported that Chelmsford City F.C. were willing for the arrangement to continue for the United to use the City ground and therefore the directors decided to carry on next season’s football at Chelmsford.
From the Southend Standard 5th June 1941

NEXT SEASON’S ARRANGEMENTS
Southend United who have decided to carry on next season now that the Chelmsford City ground is again available were represented at the Football League meeting by Mr. Harry Warren. It was agreed that for the first half of the season up to December 26th there should again be two Regional Leagues. Southend being in a group which included; Arsenal, Luton, Tottenham, Millwall, West Ham, Clapton Orient, Crystal Palace, Norwich, Watford and Charlton. From December 27th there will be a combined League and Cup competition, each club will play ten games and after that the top 32 will qualify for the Cup competition proper.
From the Southend Standard 12th June 1941

UNITED’S FIXTURES
Southend United received their fixtures for the first half of season 1941-42 which are as follows: Aug 30th Luton (A) Sept 6th Luton (H) Sept 13th Southampton (H) Sept 20th Southampton (A) Sept. 27th Arsenal (H) Oct. 4th Arsenal (A) Oct, 11th Charlton (H) Oct. 18th Charlton (A) Oct. 25th Crystal Palace (A) Nov. 1st Crystal Palace (A) Nov. 8th Norwich (H) Nov. 15th Norwich (A) Nov 22nd Watford (H) Nov 29th Watford (A) Dec 6th West Ham (A) Dec13th West Ham (H) Dec 20th Clapton Orient (A) and Dec 26th Clapton Orient (H)

SOUTHEND UNITED’S FUTURE
London League or Fade Out – The London clubs have decided to withdraw from the Football League in view of the long distances to be travelled to some matches. The proposal is to run a league of 16 clubs which would give 30 League matches and then there would be a cup competition.
From the Southend Standard 24th July 1941

UNITED’S POSITION
Football League or Close Down – Southend United have decided not to join the London clubs in their new League and will abide by the decision of the Football league even if it means closing down for the remainder of the war period. Mr. Hay said “after a long discussion we have decided to stay loyal to the Football League of which we are members. We have not made application for admission to their new League”. The clubs have defied the Football League’s Management ultimatum which expires on Saturday. Unless they agree by that time to fulfil their fixtures allotted to them they will be expelled from the League.
From the Southend Standard 24th July 1941

UNITED TO CLOSE DOWN
Just when they had completed all arrangements to return to the Stadium, Southend United F.C. have been compelled to close down, owing to the action of the London clubs in refusing to extend their league to include five clubs who have been excluded. It would still be possible to arrange fixtures with Leicester, Northampton, Southampton, Luton, Norwich and Bournemouth but owing to the long journeys necessary for each away match and the fact that they would be without the most attractive fixtures with the London clubs the United have informed the League that they cannot carry on and the match which should have been played with Bournemouth on Saturday has been cancelled. It may be possible to participate in the Football League War Cup later in the season but for the present the United have to close down. The decision forced on them by outside influences will be regretted more especially because arrangements had been completed for the club to return to the Stadium. The players had agreed to play without wages and Mr. Harry Warren had also promised to give his services. After the war their will be of necessity be more reorganization because the “rebel” clubs have been expelled from the Football League and their deposits of £300 in the case of first and second division clubs and £100 in the case of third division members forfeited.
From the Southend Standard 28th August 1941.

LETTER TO THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE
In informing the Football League of Southend United’s decision that under present conditions they were unable to continue during the coming season, Mr. Harry Warren wrote as follows: “Our shortest journey would be 90 miles away and we now have only four opponents till the end of year. The action of Brighton, Watford and Portsmouth filled us with disgust no less than the selfish action of the London clubs together with Aldershot and Reading. We can assure the League that no application was made by Southend United to join such a scheme against the principals of the Football League”.
From the Southend Standard 28th August 1941.

Despite all the talk of expelling the rebel clubs the Football league had little power in war time, with all competitions being complex and disjointed, the London League was in operation and working better than it’s Football league counterparts and eventually a compromise was reached and the London league allowed to carry on legally.

For Southend United they lay dormant from 1941 to 1945 and at the time there was no certainty that the club would survive at all.

SOUTHEND IN WAR TIME
In 1940 invasion of Southend seemed imminent or at very least the town being “bombed to pieces”, a theory which was certainly encouraged by official sources. Jobs were moved, children evacuated and the population of the town dropped by two thirds. Two years later the invasion hadn’t come, the town was bombed but not as badly as feared, life in the “restricted area” of Southend had carried on, but Southenders had a feeling of being hard done by. The war had changed, Russia had been invaded by the Germans but this advance had been halted at huge expense of life. Japan had entered the arena but this in turn had brought in the reluctant Americans, and this had changed the balance dramatically. Singapore had fallen and the horizons of the war had spread much further afield, and few were still paranoid about the small Thames Estuary town being top of Hitler’s invasion plans. Yet the official line refused to relax its stand, Southend was still a restricted area, the children having being evacuated now for two years were still unable to return to the Borough, masses of houses were still empty and the residents living elsewhere or in the forces found their properties easy “pickings” for housebreakers and looters. Shopkeepers were going bankrupt with only a third of their customers left in the town, evacuees were accumulating debts with rates still due on their bombed and looted properties or unable to pay their mortgagees when the wage earner was now on army pay. Yet in the areas the evacuees had moved to they found the shopkeepers booming, and the householders receiving extra payments for the evacuees. “We are all in this together” was the official line, yet it seemed to Southenders they were in it more than others.
 
SOUTHEND WITHOUT SOUTHEND UNITED

So Blues had closed down the war was still raging so what was the stuation:

1942-43
The war was nearing its fourth anniversary and the situation had certainly eased, the fear of invasion was greatly eased for the country and for Southend, yet the government seemed reluctant to ease the “defence area” restrictions on the town. No suitable building could be found to re-open the schools until the parents made their feelings felt, 75% wanting their children to return from evacuation, and under public pressure the schools started to re-open. Air raids were still occurring though not as bad as previously and the more they went on the more the residents coped with them. More Southenders returned to find out if their property had been bombed, been broken into or looted, and to add insult to injury they found big rate bills waiting for them for the outstanding rates while they away. Nevertheless the mood was a lot more optimistic, the tide seemed to have turned for Hitler, and there was even talk of “after the war”.

1943-44
The tide certainly seemed to have turned in favour of the Allies and thoughts were turning to after the war, soldiers were being repatriated from prisoner of war camps and the full horror stories of personal experiences were coming to life. Having said that there were still the dangers of air raids and while not to the same extent as previously they could not be ignored. Perhaps the biggest worry was Southend children playing with bombs and live ammunition, which they either found, stole bought or swapped, or perhaps it was the continual stream of housebreaking and vandalism, and children were responsible for some of this. Many children knew only of war time and seemed to be obsessed by it, how would they cope with life after the war?

1944-45
Peace was declared in May 1945 with any hopes of a German victory doomed for months but in those last months England (and Southend) were subjected to the terror of the doodle-bug flyimg bomb attacks (V1s) and then this was later followed up by the V2s.

SOUTHEND UNDER ROCKET FIRE
Story of Town’s Escape – The story can now be told of Southend’s experience in the terror rocket attacks launched by the Nazis and it can at once be seen that the town and district again had a remarkable escape. The story opens in September 1944 when mysterious violent explosions in the vicinity, unaccompanied by the sound of any aeroplane or flying bomb were explained away as exploding gas mains. This myth did not last long and it soon became clear that Hitler had launched his long heralded V2 rockets. Southend was one of the first towns in the country to experience a rocket at close quarters for early in October one of the huge missiles exploded in the soft mud of the foreshore about 70 yards west of the Pier. The explosion coming without warning was terrific and had the rocket fallen a few hundred yards inland the damage and casualties would have been severe. Thereafter the intensity of the bombardment of Southern England increased there were not many hours of the day or night at which Southenders did not hear the explosions of rockets but nearly all fell outside the town. Damage was done at Hockley, Rayleigh, Canvey, Laindon, Battlesbridge, Wickford, Nevendon, Canewdon, Great Wakering and many other places. As the allies advanced into Germany and Holland it appeared that the Nazis endeavoured to send over as many V-weapons as they could and on March 29th There were 13 air raid warnings in the night and early morning.
From the Southend Standard 9th May 1945

V-2 ROCKETS were planned and designed before the war but weren’t in production until 1944 and were first launched in September, they were the world’s first ballistic missiles and were the forerunner of the modern rockets used in space programs. The threat was horrendous each rocket could make a crater twenty metres wide eight metres deep and throw up 3,000 tons of material into the air, but false intelligence passed from the British implied that the rockets were overshooting their targets and as a result many fell harmlessly on farmland. After the Allied advances in March the range of the rockets could not reach London and therefore East Anglia including Southend took the brunt of the attacks. Over 3,000 V-2 rockets were launched largely at Southern England and Antwerp.

However nearly four years after closing down Southend United were preparing for football again:

Southend United is ready to start football again. Application has been made to the Football League and the Southern Section Executive Committee and the League South area Committee have been informed of their intention. An entry has also been forwarded for the F.A. Cup. It is anticipated that the Stadium may be derequisitioned shortly. Mr. Warren has been in contact with as many pre-war United players as possible. Those who have not heard because their whereabouts is unknown should communicate with Mr. Warren at the Stadium Those who it is anticipated will be available include Smirk, Sibley and Jackson. Two new players have been signed on. They are T. Peters outside left aged 19 years and R. Humphries right back 19 years. Both are from Snowdon Colliery winners of the Kent league championship this season From the same club Jenkins inside left has been signed as an amateur.
From the Southend Standard 9th May 1945

UNITED FOOTBALLER HOME
Play Kept Him Fit Under Nazi Yoke – Sergeant Smirk who was captured in Italy and is presently staying with friends in London Road, Leigh took charge of a party of six who escaped from a prisoner column on April 9th, they were suffering badly with exhaustion but a German doctor gave them some tablets to pull them round. They ended up sharing a barracks with enemy troops, meanwhile owing to extensive typhus in the ill-famed Belsen horror camp half a mile distant the area was declared a neutral zone so that British forces liberated them without fighting.
From the Southend Standard 24th May 1945
 
SEASON 1945-46
The War was over, but war conditions were not. Demobilisation of the troops was happening but it could not be done at once, as initially an uneasy peace came over the country. For Southend United having been shut down for four years there problems were greater than other clubs that had kept going. The first problem was the ground.

UNITED’S GROUND RELEASED
Southend Stadium has now been de-requisitioned and arrangements are going ahead for the preparation of the football ground. The United will be represented at the meeting today of Southern Section Clubs to discuss arrangements for next season. It is anticipated that all pre war clubs will be participating.
From the Southend Standard 14th June 1945

The next major problem was how was the League to be set up, initially the Football League wanted to continue where they left off in 1939, but that would have placed Southend and the other clubs that had to close down at an unfair advantage and it was eventually agreed to play a season of regional football first

FOOTBALL DOUBTS FOR NEW SEASON
With the opening of the football season little more than six weeks off, Southend United in common with other Third division southern clubs have no idea what their fixture list will be. The league Management Committee recommend a resumption on a pre war basis the same as for 1939-40 when the outbreak of war put paid to League Football. The league clubs may not accept the scheme as they are in favour of regional football at first. Meantime progress is being made with the returning to the Stadium and the rain has come at just the right time so far as the United are concerned. With regard to the players Sibley will not be available having been sent overseas, but it is hoped that Jackson will be available to play although he has been posted to Ramsgate,
From the Southend Standard 12th July 1945

Other problems related to pricing, season tickets etc

The directors have decided to fall in line with other clubs and not issue season tickets. Southend have been out of touch for some years and will be surprised at the amount of entertainment tax to be paid. Prices for admission will be as follows: Servicemen and Juniors 9d Ground 1s 6d (tax 7½d) East stand 2s 3d (tax 10½d) West stand all parts 3s 6d (tax 1s 6d). Chelmsford City Farewell – Mr. Harry Warren the new manager of Southend United said farewell to his old club Chelmsford City at the annual meeting of shareholders. Referring to a statement that City were practically without playing kit or towels thanks to the activities of souvenir hunters from visiting sides during the war. We are worse off at Southend said Mr. Warren, someone has even pinched the goalposts.
From the Southend Standard 2nd August 1945

Nevertheless on the 25th August 1945 Southend United played their first match in the Third division South (Northern section) against QPR at the stadium. The season had broken into two sections the first competition being the this Northern Sections eleven sides playing a 20 match league, this was to be followed by the sixteen match Third Divison South League Cup Northern Section and added to that was the F.A. Cup

League Northern Region:
Football had resumed again in Southend and perhaps that was the most important thing yet for many supporters that was not enough, they wanted, almost expected success, but the first three games dispelled this allusion. After a four year gap and starting from scratch they had trouble competing with teams that had been able to carry on. A total of forty six players had been used in the twenty games and an in none of those games had the Blues been able to field an unchanged side, and often the team had to be supplemented by guest players. A tenth out of eleven placing was obviously disappointing but the United were in a better position for the forthcoming League Cup Competition. The Leading apperances were: Walton 17; R. Jackson 15; C. Jones 13; while the leading goalscorers were H. Jackson 7; Smirk 6; Dudley & Gardiner 3 each;


League Cup Northern Region:
The first half of the season had been about the club starting out again, but the second competition was a lot more promising for Southend. The first three games brought three straight wins but this was followed by two away defeats. However three more games unbeaten (two wins and a draw) left the Blues in second place with progression to the semi-final stage (the top two clubs played the top two in the Southern Region) looking distinctly possible. Four draws in their last five games resulted in a fourth place finish which while satisfactory was tinged with the disappointment of not reaching the knockout stage, but then this was still war time rules football, still dependent on guest players and it seemed that serious football would resume in the coming season. Perhaps the most pleasing element of the League Cup was that attendances had risen to the 7,000 region and the future of any football club is dependent on the amount of people who follow them. The leading appearances were Conway and R. Jackson 16 each; Sid Bell, Smirk and Walton 15 each; Montgomery 14; Dudley 13; the leading Goalscorers were Thompson 7; Smirk 3; Dudley & Gilberg 2 each

F.A. Cup
Watford 1-1 Southend United

Every round was on a two legged basis up to the semi final Southend should be very pleased with themselves, in drawing the first game at Vicarage Road, even though Watford had enough chances to win the match by a comfortable margin. Southend did most of the early attacking but it was Watford that took the lead after twenty minutes.Towards the end of the game the few Southend supporters present were given something to cheer about when Dudley was making progress down the wing and the referee stopped play for an infringement on him, from the free kick Leighton picked out Smirk who made no mistake with the header. The attendance was 5,808.

Southend United 0-3 WatfordSouthend were comfortably beaten by Watford, which came as a bit of a surprise after the draw at Vicarage Road. Yet Southend had started so impressively however several incidents changed the course of the game, the last a converted penalty ordered to be retaken and the second attempt missed.. . This incident had an unsettling effect on the Blues and they lost their composure and after this it was Watford’s game The “gate” was 8,000 the largest of the season

LONDON COMBINATION ENLARGED
The London Combination henceforth known as the Football Combination has been enlarged to 32 clubs, by the admission of Norwich, Ipswich, Bristol Rovers, Cardiff City, Aldershot and Birmingham. It will be divided into two sections which will be changed each season and there will be a knock-out cup competition.
From the Southend Standard 9th May 1946.
 
SEASON 1946-47

NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR PROMOTION?
The War was over. Well the fighting was but war conditions of hardships and rationing continued so probably the most important fact was that football had been resumed. Before the season started Mr. Harry Warren admitted that he did not think that the players available were together enough to seriously challenge for promotion. At other times such defeatism would be frowned on, but Mr Warrens frank comments were honestly meant and honestly accepted.

With many players still in the services and youngsters due to go in, selecting a team and targeting players was not at all easy. Nevertheless as the season progressed it was clear that the Blues had some talented players available to them and by November they had risen to fourth place in the League a position they held until April and only a slight slip at the final hurdle meant they finished eighth, still a creditable placing.

Alf Smirk played in all 45 matches and was follows by Harris 44 appearances; Jackson 43; Hankey and Lane 41 each; Montgomery and Thompson 40 each. The leading goalscorer was Cyril Thompson with 28 goals; Frank Dudley and Harry Lane with 16 each and Alf Smirk with 11.

It was a time when Southend could boast two classy centre-forwards, both local men, in Cyril Thompson and Frank Dudley and it caused much controversy as to who was thought to be the better.

F.A. CUP
Southend played three FA Cup ties scoring 17 and conceding five. The first round saw Blues dispose of the works team Brush sports of Loughborough by the score of 6-1 and then they were paired with the F.A. Amateur cup holders, Barnet and they were thumped 9-2. the reward for this was another away draw this time at First division Everton. Although beaten by 4-2 by Everton at Goodison Park the United were certainly not disgraced, on the contrary they enhanced their reputation as Cup fighters and they provided the best game seen on the ground this season. Everton were slightly the better team and deserved the victory, but the United had no complaints, no excuses, they met a formidable side and went down fighting. The attendance was 50,124 the largest any Southend side had ever played before, and but for the fact that the top deck of one of the stands was out of use due to war damage, there is little doubt that the ground record of 68,000 would have been equalled if not passed. The gates were closed before kick off and thousands were unable to gain admission. Southend were the first out and received a warm welcome as great in fact as Everton as all the usual “Anfield” supporters were over at Goodison cheering on Southend.

The high scoring cup run had added greatly to the clubs reputation but also alerted other clubs to the quality of the players. Harry Warren had assembled a squad of players who wanted to play for Southend, with local men like Walton, Dudley and Thompson, players that had proved their loyalty to the club since before the war such as Jackson, Sibley, Hankey and Lane, and useful acquisitions such as Montgomery (see below) who clearly demonstrated his desire to play for the United, even before he was transferred.

Southend United secured the transfer Montgomery the half back who played as a guest last season. The fee involved runs into four figures and is the highest ever paid by the United. Half the amount required has been generously provided by the Supporters Club. The signature of “Monty” is the best news supporters could have had. When he was a guest here he was one of the most popular men on the field. He never settled down in the Yorkshire port and his own persistence to return to Southend was one of the deciding factors. The fact that Southend are buying rather than selling players should satisfy supporters that the directors are out to provide the best football possible.


Despite sitting in fourth place in the League for the majority of the season promotion was never a reality especially after Christmas. Cardiff were safely lodged in top spot, and only QPR who finished second looked like they had any chance of catching them. Southend finished 22 points (or 11 wins) behind Cardiff, so perhaps Mr. Warrens pre season comments were correct.


THE RESERVES
The fact that league football had been resumed was an achievement in itself, so it was perhaps a little optimistic to expect a full programme of 30 Combination games and 14 Combination cup games to be played. The programme was completed but with games postponed during the winter it was a struggle, Southend having to resort to putting two teams out on the same day on a couple of occasions. The season had started reasonably well but from October 5th to Christmas Day the Junior Blues only won two of their sixteen games. The Combination Cup games produced little improvement, but perhaps the best performances came late in the season giving a little optimism for the coming season.


FURTHER EXTRACTS FROM SEASON 1946-47 SHOULD APPEAR IN THIS SATURDAYS OFFICIAL PROGRAMME AGAINST HEREFORD UNDER THE HEADING "SOUTHEND UNITED THE BOOM YEARS" AND IN THE NEXT FOUR ISSUES, AFTER THIS OTHER SEASONS WILL BE FEATURED.
 
SEASON 1947-48

TOO MUCH EXPECTATION
Southend United are expected a bumper season Mr Harry Warren and the boys have pledged themselves to give a seasons football that will set the fans chattering right through next season’s close season. Who knows where Southend will be next season? Mr. Warren would not comment on promotion but as soon as you enter the gate you immediately meet with a feeling of quiet confidence. Mr Warren stated “Tell our Supporters we will give them a good season of entertainment, in which we will endeavour to serve up the type of football they like”.

Wonderful words (a bit like this season really) but everything didn’t go according to plan from the first match of the season:

Bristol City 6-0 Southend United. As the results came over the radio with the Southend public built up to expect something from the game at Bristol City, the bitter disappointment hit home, not only had they been beaten but beaten to the tune of six goals, not a good omen for the season ahead.

The next away match saw a 4-0 defeat at Ipswich and then a 6-0 defeat at Walsall and then a 3-0 defeat at Swansea, thankfully the home record wasn’t bad but it needed to with a 0-19 goal average against you from four away games. They had dropped as low as 20th in the table and at the end of 14 games found themselves a poor 18th.

The next nine games saw a big improvement with only one defeat and they rose to 10th place and then another good spell of one defeat in 10 games took them up to fourth but they ended the season in traditional style losing five out of the last six to finish ninth.

Finishing ninth in the table was a great disappointment to the Southend supporters when before the season started it was felt that the chances for promotion were extremely bright. Thankfully their home record saw only two defeats at the Stadium all season, one on Boxing Day and one on Easter Monday. Probably the two best games were both against Champions Q.P.R. while the 5-1 away win against Newport was probably the best result. The Blues goal average did not look too impressive thanks to the heavy away defeats at the start of the season, but if promotion was the aim the United had to improve. The attitude of being a “buying club not a selling club” had been overtaken by players not wanting to stay at the club and the everlasting problem of finding new players would no doubt prove the deciding factor in the coming season.

Stan Montgomery made most appearances with 42 out of 43, while the goalscorers were headed by Cyril Thompson with 14; followed by Bennett with 10; Pritchard 6; Dudley and Whitchurch 5 each; out of a total of 53.

The F.A. Cup brought little joy:
F.A. Cup Round 1 Newport County 3-2 Southend United.
Any hopes the United cherished of passing into the next round of the F.A. Cup rapidly faded in the first half when they conceded three goals. If they could have obtained their second half superiority earlier a different story might have been told, but as it was the Blues went down fighting and lost 2-3. From the outset the Welsh scored an early goal after six minutes which shook Southend badly but they rallied and Bennett put them back on level terms after twelve minutes, with a low hard shot from a difficult angle. After this however the Blues attack seemed to go to pieces and Newport making merry added two more goals. In the second half Southend played with vim and vigour but it was not until just before the end of the game that Bennett reduced County’s lead to a single goal.


THE RESERVES
There was a time when watching the Reserves was better than watching the first team, and the question “just who is the first team?” was a common saying. In 1947-48 however this could NOT be said. A fair start in the Football Combination which saw them in a comfortable mid table position at the end of September petered out as the competition progressed with more defeats than successes and a disappointing 0-7 defeat at West Ham. The Combination Cup was also a disappointment hovering at the foot of the table, and suffering heavy defeats at Tottenham 3-9, West Ham 0-5 and Reading 0-4
 
SEASON 1948-49

THE STORM BEFORE THE CALM
Cyril Thompson had been transferred to Derby County from Southend for a substantial fee which was reported in the region of £8,000. Thompson had been 27 when he had made his debut for Southend, his transfer to Derby at the age of 29 was not a great success he scored 3 goals in sixteen appearances in the two seasons he was there. He later moved on to Brighton and then Watford where he scored 36 years in 78 appearances. Nevertheless Southend still had the very capable Frank Dudley as centre-forward

The Directors are confident that Southend United will have a “fine” season was the feeling pre season, and why not the Blues undoubtedly possessed some good players and played a skilful game. A mixed start left the fans feeling that they weren’t getting their money’s worth, but rumours started to spread about transfers.

The clubs bold statement that they were “a buying club not a selling Club” couldn’t be extended to keep players who wanted to leave and Stan Montgomery was on his way, he wanted to play at a higher level and he left with supporters good wishes. A whole host of big names such as Wilf Mannion coming to Southend was suggested and when eventually a record fee was paid for Jimmy McAlinden a current Irish International it was felt that he could be the missing piece of the jigsaw. He didn’t disappoint but his colleagues did as the United slipped down the table, with the inability to put the ball in the net as the main reason.

By New Years Day Southend found themselves in the bottom two and facing re-election. The situation was serious, the bemused supporters unable to understand how such a talented team could be in such a dire position, and the “doom merchants” were soon to point out that re-election would by no means be a formality. The last two games, both resulting in wins saved the Blues from the indignity of that, and gave them a deceptive final placing of 18th. The last game against Tommy Lawton’s Notts County proved the ability of the team that the faithful always knew they had, and set the minds pondering to next season’s prospects.

Southend United 3-2 Notts. County.
A crowd of over 15,000 excited supporters cheered Southend to victory in their final match of the season enabling the Blues to scramble away from the foot of the table and finish fifth from bottom. The United went ahead in the thirtieth minute when a penalty that was awarded after Butler was in a grand scoring position and was then pulled down in the area. McAlinden made no mistake from the spot and five minutes later the Blues were two goals up through Dudley. Eventually Notts opened their account in the 43rd minute when Hankey was beaten by a hard drive. In the second half Notts led by Tommy Lawton set out to get back on level terms, but it was the Blues that grabbed the next goal three minutes into the half, when Morris scored from a French pass. In the sixty fifth minute County again reduced the deficit. The visitors continued to pile on the pressure but the Southend defence held fast. Team: Hankey; Lindsay and Walton; Gray, Sheard and French; Butler, McAlinden, Dudley, Morris and Brown

FA CUP
Blues were drawn at home for the first time since the war against League Leaders Swansea and 20,000 fans arrived at the Stadium only to have the match postponed because of fog. The match was played the following Saturday:

Southend United 1-2 Swansea Town.
Fourteen thousand United fans roared their approval as Frank Dudley ran through the Swansea defence on Saturday to head the ball in the back of the net and give the Blues a cup tie lead after 34 minutes The United held this lead until ten minutes from time when Swansea equalised with a lovely shot. By this time Southend had shot their bolt, and Swansea were dominating the game. The extra time period proved too much for the Blues and Swansea got the winning goal five minutes after extra time had started. Team: Nash; Lindsay and Pritchard; Goodyear, Sheard and French; Butler, McAlinden, Dudley, Brown, and Edwards

Giant Stadium Plan for Southend
A sports Stadium to be the centre of all sporting activity in the town may, it is hoped be erected in Southend and completed during the next three years. Cost of this project which will solve so many local sports problems would be in the region of £500,000. The site of the proposed stadium is at Roots Hall, which lies between West Road and Fairfax Drive, Prittlewell. The land at present is the property of the Gas Light and Coke Company and according to official quarters a settlement is practically complete. The site was used in the early days by Southend United prior to their removal to the Kursaal ground after the 1914-18 war. If this proposal goes through the United will return to their former home and become one of the main long term lease holders


RESERVES
It is a usual practice that the success or failure of the first team is mirrored by the reserve eleven, but season 1948-49 broke the rule, for while the Third Division team were have a dismal time the second string were comparatively successful.

In the Football Combination a solid start with only three defeats in the first seventeen matches saw them top their Section by the end of October, but the next seven matches saw two matches postponed, two goal less draws and three defeats during which time the Blues failed to score, and with it their hopes faded. A four month gap while the Cup Competition followed and then left them with seven games to fit into three weeks, but still they impressed with wins over Arsenal, Portsmouth and Tottenham, the latter by 5-2.

In the Combination Cup any hopes were hindered by five draws in the first ten matches, but they were only beaten three times in the fourteen matches and their best performances were wins of 5-1against West Ham, 4-1 against Millwall and 3-0 against Crystal Palace.


LOCALLY
A New Town of 60,000 – Local representatives heard a proposal to establish a new town in the Pitsea-Laindon area. The local authorities readily agreed in principle that an area of about 7,000 acres suitable ultimately to hold a new town of some 50,000 to 60,000 people should be designated under the New Towns Act. The new town will be named Basildon and it is hoped that within 10 to 15 years it will prove a model of town building for the whole country.

With the opening of Rayleigh Weir Stadium on July 24th 1949 for speedway racing, the team has lately been christened “Rayleigh Rockets” and will be competing in the Speedway League III. Stands have been erected and the accommodation is for 30,000 at least. The cinder track is said by riders to be best of its kind in the county.
 
Season 1949-50

THIRD IN LEAGUE, and
STANLEY MATTHEWS BLACKPOOL IN THE CUP

Southend finished third in the Third Division (South), the second time in their history and this time finished second on points and were only pushed into third place on goal average. Yet in 1931-32 Southend were serious promotion contenders, while in 1949-50 it was never really on the cards. In 1931 Southend went 15 games unbeaten at the start of the season and promotion seemed a formality. Two wins and a draw was all they had to show from their next thirteen games and saw them fall to tenth place. They finished the season fourteen games unbeaten and if only they had a couple more games they could have made it. It was Manager Ted Birnie’s finest year. In contrast 1949-50 saw the Blues with a strong home record their first twelve home games produced eleven wins and one draw but if that was promotion form they were badly let down by their away form. Their first thirteen away games produced NO wins, six draws and seven defeats, with such contrasts promotion could never be a possibility and although they maintained a place well within the top ten that was as far as it could go. The away breakthrough came with a win at Millwall and then inevitably four of the next five away games resulted in wins. Notts County were by this time in an unreachable position but in hindsight perhaps like 1932 a few more games and just perhaps. The spectators were treated to a good season at the Stadium they only witnessed two home defeats, but a successful season without any reasonable hope of promotion was disappointing. Perhaps one similarity was that both seasons they had the advantage of a centre forward who could score goals Jimmy Shankly in 1932 and Albert Wakefield in 1950.

For one brief moment promotion did look a possibility in match No 38 when they won at Nottm Forest

Nottingham Forest 1-2 Southend UnitedUnited climbed into second place in the Third Division (South) League table on Saturday to challenge Notts. County for the leading position by defeating Nottm. Forest 2-1 in one of the most thrilling and hard fought games of the season. Blues only have an outside chance of unseating Notts. County, but both clubs have difficult fixtures ahead of them. It was a perfect day for football and the crowd of 25,316 supporters certainly had their full measure of thrills. The first half was goalless but in the second half with McAlinden off the field for treatment Forest scored a goal that was somewhat lucky, the ball rebounding into the goal off a post. Blues shuffled their forward line around but the goals came in the latter part of the game. First the ball came over from the right and Davies back headed the ball into the net. The game was practically over when Wakefield took a long pass from Reg Davies broke through the defence and netted with a fine low drive. It was a great goal scored in the manner of a great opportunist and player.

A week later Blues lost at home to Northampton and the dream was gone. Draws at Norwich and Aldershot followed and in the last game Blues needed to win to finish second but a draw aat Leyton Orient meant they finished third on goal average from Northampton.

Albert Wakefield Blues leading goalscorer was second only to Tommy Lawton of Notts County in the list of Division Three (South) goalscorers with 28 goals to his credit in League and Cup.

FA CUP
After a resounding win at Leyton Orient in the first round with a huge following of Blues fans present they then faced Wrexham in Round 2. Blues were winning comfortably in Wales until Wakefield was injured and after this Wrexham recovered to force a draw, but the replay at the Stadium saw Southend triumph 2-0 to set up a mouth watering third round tie at Blackpool

Blackpool 4-0 Southend
It was a great occasion and Blues will be the first to admit that they were beaten by a far superior side. United were hypnotised by the twinkling feet of Stanley Matthews who delighted the home crowd by taking the ball right up to the Blues defenders and then taking it away again. The goals came from Matthews’s brain and a firm half back line which took a firm grip of the game. For thirty minutes Southend made a fight of it and threw everything they had into the game and at this stage there was little between the sides, then Blackpool obtained their first goal shortly followed by their second and Blues were out of the game. Before the kick off with a 1,000 Southend supporters present, the United supporters flag ,with the attendant rattles and horns was paraded round the ground in fine style, then Blackpool in celebration of Stan Matthews selecting the club colours for his racing stable paraded a donkey round the grounds decked in the distinctive tangerine and white colours. There was no further score in the first half but the second resumed with Blackpool still in control and the third goal followed ten minutes after the interval, Matthews beautifully sending in a free kick which was headed home. The final goal was a penalty after Frank Walton, who had the unenviable task of marshalling Matthews, brought him down in the area. The attendance 24,532.


THE RESERVES
Over the years Southend United Reserves had been a great source of entertainment filling in the gaps when the first team was away. Often the games were of a high standard, sometimes better entertainment than the first team but it had to be understood that any promising talent would always be promoted to the first team in times of injury, loss of form or necessity. Much of the opposition were from higher divisions and top even international players could often be seen in the visitors ranks. The one thing that few even thought or even dreamed of was success but in 1949-50 the Junior Blues did just that. The Football Combination League brought as was expected a mid table placing, but in the fourteen match Combination Cup they finished top of the group above clubs such as Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham etc. only losing one match. This included the double over Tottenham 2-0 and 2-1, beating Arsenal 3-1 and Chelsea 4-1. After a semi-final victory over Norwich, sadly the final against Swansea went against the Blues, but they achieved much against teams with much greater resources than the United could dream of.
 
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