Southend United All-Time Draft

[Napster]

For us more mature gentlemen does anyone have space for Eddie Clayton or Phil Chisnall?

Eddie Clayton interview.

https://superhotspur.com/2018/07/18/my-interview-with-former-spurs-star-eddie-clayton/

He doesnt like us.

 

[RHB]

Eddie Clayton interview.

https://superhotspur.com/2018/07/18/my-interview-with-former-spurs-star-eddie-clayton/

He doesnt like us.

I guess that writes him off then, regardless of ability.

 

[Napster]

I guess that writes him off then, regardless of ability.

oh no not at all.

 

[RHB]

oh no not at all.

Showing my age, but that pair were probably two of the most cultured players I have seen in a Southend shirt.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

gaaaaarrrrgghhhhh - he was my number one choice for LB.

ps he wasnt the first Shrimper to be capped whilst at Southend, That was someone else.

Edited as I won't pick him anyway - Lot Jones was the first to be capped, who had an impressive career pre WW1 at Man City.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lot_Jones

You and Thomas Finney have still got some decent choices at left-back, not internationals, but decent enough. I'd much rather be picking a LB now than a RB. Three managers still require a RB and the pickings seem thin there.

Central defence seems tricky as well. Five central defence spots left to fill and I can only think of 3 worthy candidates.

Midfield is harder to call, not least because there are a few players who could line up inside or out wide. We're probably looking at another four or so central midfielders and maybe another 3 or 4 wingers.

Rd 1
1. Steve Tilson (Manager)
2. Freddy Eastwood
3. Stanley Victor Collymore
4. Alan Moody
5. Billy Best
6. Dave Webb (Manager)
7. Dave Smith (Manager)
8. Barry Fry (Manager)

Rd 2
1. Mervyn Cawston
2. Darryl Flahavan
3. Spencer Prior
4. Chris Powell
5. Peter Butler
6. Steve Thompson (Manager)
7. Adam Barrett
8. Simon Royce

Rd 3
1. Mike Marsh
2. Paul Sansome
3. Ricky Otto
4. Jonathan Hunt
5. David Crown
6. Keith Jones
7. Mark Gower
8. Dean Austin

Rd 4
1. Justin Edinburgh
2. Kevin Maher
3. Paul Clark
4. Richard Cadette
5. Simon Francis
6. Nicky Bailey
7. Leon Cort
8. Brett Angell

Rd 5
1. Ian Benjamin
2. Andy Ansah
3. Daniel Bentley
4. Colin Morris
5. Eddie Perry (Manager)
6. Harold Halse
7. Ron Pountney
8. Anton Otulakowski

Rd 6 Order
1. Dave Cusack
2. Sam McCrory
3. Jimmy McAlinden
4. Peter Taylor (player)
5. Derek Spence
6. Andy Ford
7. Les Stubbs
8. Pat Scully


Rd 7 Order

1. Mark Bentley
2. Michael Timlin
3. Ronnie Whelan
4. Frankie Banks
5. Ryan Leonard
6. Dru Yearwood
7. Peter Watson
8. John McKinven



Rd 8
1. Bill Garner
2. Roy McDonough
3. Roy Hollis
4. Micky Stead
5. Paul Sturrock (Manager)
6. Steve Phillips
7. Barry Corr
8. Steve Tilson (Player)


Rd 9
1. Andy Edwards
2. Keith Dublin
3. Neil Townsend
4. Mike Lapper
5. Harry Threadgold
6. Tony Bentley
7. Arthur Williamson
8. Chris Guthrie

Rd 10
1. Dave Martin
2. Martin Ling
3. Jimmy Evans
4. Glenn Pennyfather
5. Mark Oxley
6. Mark McNally
7. Duncan Jupp
8. Ben Coker

Rd 11
1. Bilel Mohsni
2. Chris Powell (Manager)
3. [FBM]
4. [Lord F]
5. [Spiff]
6. [YB]
7. [Napster]
8. [Firestorm]

Rd 12 order
1. Firestorm
2. Napster
3. YB
4. Spiff
5. Lord Football
6. FBM
7. Ricey
8. Tom Finney

@Lord Football on the clock

 

[Lord Football]

I need a keeper. I was banking on no one thinking of Harry Threadgold. Bugger.

There aren't many left, and I really don't want to be hamstrung with Eric Steele.... lol. So I'll go for the current custodian MARK OXLEY

@Spaceman Spiff to you....

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I need a keeper. I was banking on no one thinking of Harry Threadgold. Bugger.

There aren't many left, and I really don't want to be hamstrung with Eric Steele.... lol. So I'll go for the current custodian MARK OXLEY

@Spaceman Spiff to you....

Er, it's @fbm next.

 

[fbm]

I need a keeper. I was banking on no one thinking of Harry Threadgold. Bugger.

There aren't many left, and I really don't want to be hamstrung with Eric Steele.... lol. So I'll go for the current custodian MARK OXLEY

@Spaceman Spiff to you....

Nope, Spiff chose Glenn Pennyfather, it's my turn.

I need a right back, right mid and centre back. Fortunately my centre back pick is still available, rather bizarrely, as I personally feel he was one of the best ever that played for us at the highest level of football we have ever achieved.

We also made a profit when we sold him to Stoke for £120k after two seasons during which he played 54 times for us. Prior to that he had played 122 games for Celtic, who we paid £50k for his services.

Without question one of the more cultured centre halves we've had, much more of a footballer than the traditional brute at the back in the Sodje, Prior, Bodley, Howells, Kurila and Townsend mould. In fact, more a 1990's version of Alan Moody. A sweeper essentially, good on the floor and with the ball, decent passing range, athletic and absolutely first class with reading the game.

Mark McNally, welcome to team FBM.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I need a keeper. I was banking on no one thinking of Harry Threadgold. Bugger.

There aren't many left, and I really don't want to be hamstrung with Eric Steele.... lol. So I'll go for the current custodian MARK OXLEY

I'm relaxed enough about the keeping options to keep them to the last round.

I've got three options I'm mulling over between the sticks: the statistical choice; the international choice; the sentimental choice. All three would be solid choices.

ps Nice choice @fbm. I really rated McNally when he first signed. He produced a string of outstanding performances but things fell away in his second season and then he left for Stoke.


@Ricey on the clock.

 

[Ricey]

My last 3 picks, for my 1st of those I’m going with someone who will complete defence. He wasn’t the best of players but he was here and the right time and scored possibly my all time favourite goa for Southend United ever. The fact he ran the whole length of the pitch at that speed after nearly 2 hours of playing was an incredible sight! I could’ve gone back and looked at better players from previous times but I didn’t want too. I want to build a team that’s strong in my opinion and has a little meaning to me. People scoff at Dublin but he has meaning to me! So if you haven’t guessed it already my next pick is....

Duncan Jupp



@Thomas Finney all yours mate.

 

[Colorado Shrimper]

Like Ricey, I've stuck with players who I've seen in a Southend shirt. I've been tempted by players from the past with impressive pedigrees and statistics, but I can't really advocate for any of them as I would like to. For that reason, players like Eddie Firmani and Kevin Baron aren't getting into Team Finney, despite probably having more quality than some of the players I've picked. My team is going to line up 4-4-2 and I have my two strikers in Brett and Benji. I've got a great keeper in Roycie and 3/4 of a decent midfield with Marsh, Tilly and Benno (PBUH). I've somewhat neglected my defence, with Pat Scully and Andy Edwards being solid if unspectacular picks, and now we're getting down to the end of the draft, the choices are a little more modest.

I need a left back, and as YB pointed out, there are a few decent ones still about. Stevie Hammell was a consideration, but I never rated him as highly as others did, and he only played 55 times for the Blues before going back to Motherwell. I can't pick Che Wilson with a clear conscience, so I'm going for our current left back:

First Choice: Ben Coker

So now I need a right back. And I've got two choices that I'm dabbling with, neither of whom are exciting me a great deal - Lewis Hunt and Julian Hails. Julian's hat-trick at Leicester nearly got him the nod, but I decided to do something a little rash instead. Andy Edwards can play right back, and in my team, he's going to. Scully's partner in central defence is now:

Second Choice: Bilel Mohsni

We don't need team spirit, we need a Tunisian psychopath to liven things up.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Haha good for you! I toyed with Mohsni, as I’ve always liked him even though he is mental. God knows what will happen if your team are drawn against the ones with Roy McDonagh or Dave Martin it then though There might need to be ambulances on standby outside Roots Hall

 

[Ricey]

Back to me for my penultimate pick. This is one of the areas I knew I would struggle with having missed out on most of the picks I would’ve gone for. I’m left with two really I can go for and one I really don’t want to pick because although he got us promoted he played frustrating football and with the big characters in my dressing room he would struggle (again) to keep order. I need someone who is cool and calm and although things haven’t gone so well for him recently with this team fully fit I reckon he will help guide us to be the top team in the all time draft.

My pick is manager and is Chris Powell.

@fbm back to you again mate.

 

[fbm]

Penultimate pick. Right back or right midfield is what is needed to complete the team.

With a central midfield of Bailey and Whelan, I probably have not enough energy in Ron's legs to let Bailey do all the work. Otto is an out and out winger. Do I pick a more defensive midfielder and an overlapping full back, or another winger style player and a defensive full back?

Ah, the agony of choice.

I have 5 or 6 right backs I'd be happy to accommodate in my team, but fewer right sided midfielders that would fit with my style. I'm also keen to keep to players that I've watched and of the relatively modern era; pre war players may have been good in their day but the game has moved on massively, both in terms of skill, equipment and fitness. I can't in all honesty select someone I've never seen.

Sod it I'll go for the winger.

Hugely controversial selection I suspect. This is a player who played in our side at our highest level. When he came he was a revelation; his ability to whip crosses in early often caught keepers out. He got a few goals as well, including one of the best I've ever seen, an absolute screamer from distance against Norwich at the Hall.

Another Celtic recruit, he should have done far better than he did for us. We signed him for £80k and his form was fantastic, impressing Barry Fry at Birmingham enough to offer £750k for him. In hindsight, we should have taken it. Over time, drink and gambling took its toll on him. He dropped into the Irish league after 2 seasons here and a relegation which looked a million miles away when he joined.

But that first season was pretty awesome. Paul Byrne, join the party!

 

[Napster]

Penultimate pick. Right back or right midfield is what is needed to complete the team.

With a central midfield of Bailey and Whelan, I probably have not enough energy in Ron's legs to let Bailey do all the work. Otto is an out and out winger. Do I pick a more defensive midfielder and an overlapping full back, or another winger style player and a defensive full back?

Ah, the agony of choice.

I have 5 or 6 right backs I'd be happy to accommodate in my team, but fewer right sided midfielders that would fit with my style. I'm also keen to keep to players that I've watched and of the relatively modern era; pre war players may have been good in their day but the game has moved on massively, both in terms of skill, equipment and fitness. I can't in all honesty select someone I've never seen.

Sod it I'll go for the winger.

Hugely controversial selection I suspect. This is a player who played in our side at our highest level. When he came he was a revelation; his ability to whip crosses in early often caught keepers out. He got a few goals as well, including one of the best I've ever seen, an absolute screamer from distance against Norwich at the Hall.

Another Celtic recruit, he should have done far better than he did for us. We signed him for £80k and his form was fantastic, impressing Barry Fry at Birmingham enough to offer £750k for him. In hindsight, we should have taken it. Over time, drink and gambling took its toll on him. He dropped into the Irish league after 2 seasons here and a relegation which looked a million miles away when he joined.

But that first season was pretty awesome. Paul Byrne, join the party!

Yeah he was on my list as well - scores some absolute crackers

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

@Lord Football over to you

 

[Lord Football]

Need a forward. Got it down to two. But Lee Barnard gets the nod.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Excellent. With thanks to @tottenham541 for the reminder, my first central defensive pick is Shane Westley

 

[OldBlueLady]

L
I need a left back, and as YB pointed out, there are a few decent ones still about. Stevie Hammell was a consideration, but I never rated him as highly as others did, and he only played 55 times for the Blues before going back to Motherwell. I can't pick Che Wilson with a clear conscience, so I'm going for our current left back:
First Choice: Ben Coker

I'd have thought Charlie Mulgrew would be a better pick at LB which is where he played for us?

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

@Yorkshire Blue your turn