Southend United All-Time Draft

[Spaceman Spiff]

The Spiff Southend All Stars XI:

Manager: Eddie Perry

Harry Threadgold
Micky Stead - Jimmy Stirling - Shane Westley - Chris Powell
Peter Taylor - Glenn Pennyfather - Ryan Leonard - Billy Best
David Crown - Richard Cadette

Very happy with that!

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

N.b. Yes I know Billy Best most often played up front but he did also play wide (see earlier in this thread) and I’ve decided to play him there as Ricky Otto was tapped up by the FBM Splitters XI

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

@Lord Football on the clock

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. Paul Byrne
4. Lee Barnard
5. Shane Westley
6. Jimmy Shankly
7. Tony Hadley
8. Joe Jacques

Rd 12
1. Terry Johnson
2. Sandy Anderson
3. Billy MOore
4. Jim Stirling
5. [Lord Football]
6. [FBM]
7. [Ricey]
8. [Tom Finney ]

 

[Richard Hearn]

I'd just like to put it on the record that this is all complete gibberish to me.

 

[Lord Football]

To complete my team I need a centre midfielder. You'd think this would be an easy position to fill.... but its come down to two. One a gifted midfielder from our title winning side who was I lucky enough to referee and see just how good he was close up, the other a battling midfielder who left in the club with pretty much everyone else at the end of Tilly's reign.

I am going for the latter.... Alan McCormack.

@fbm - over to you.

 

[fbm]

So, for my last pick, I need a right back. For me, apart from the stand out selections of Dean Austin, Tony Bentley and Simon Francis (all picked already), in my living memory there haven't been too many who would command a place in this team. I had 3 options and all three are still available.

I'm really surprised the current squad members of Jason Demitriou and John White haven't been mentioned. I would have no problem with either in that slot. Demi however is the overlapping type and will not make the team as I have selected an out and out winger at right midfield in Paul Byrne. John White is a contender however; heart of a lion, decent defender. However, the scale tips slightly in favour of my 3rd option, mainly because I asked the question "Would John White cut it in the Championship?" and the answer is no, I don't think he would.

My selection however would, and in fact did play at that level with us, Birmingham and Charlton. In fact, he was a member of the Charlton squad that won promotion to the Premier League but never played at that level due to injury.

He was our record signing when Barry Fry purchased him from Plymouth and was an integral part of the Southend side that has played the best football I have ever seen. Up until Christmas, he looked like £350k well spent; however, the disruption caused by the Birmingham affair meant that not only was the heart ripped out of the team, but his attitude went with it as well. He was a real Fry player and clearly didn't want to perform for us or Peter Taylor.

But when picking this side, I have tried to concentrate on the best quality. Fan's favourites are all well and good, but a decent division 4 right back won't hold a candle to someone with quality. And this player had quality in spades, even if it only appeared for half a season.

Welcome aboard Gary Poole.

 

[fbm]

So my selections are complete - Team FBM is as follows, in a 4-4-2 formation -

Manager - Steve Thompson

GK - Dan Bentley

RB - Gary Poole
LB - Andy Ford
CH - Neil Townsend
CH - Mark McNally

RM - Paul Byrne
CM - Ronnie Whelan
CM - Nicky Bailey
LM - Ricky Otto

ST - Stan Collymore
ST - Steve Phillips


Very happy with that.



@Ricey - your go!

 

[Ricey]

I cannot believe we have got all the way through this without someone picking this absolute legend! He is a local lad who got to live his dream, he performed on the big stage but unfortunately injuries took their toll. He had all the talent but the intensity of lower league football was all too much. I think had he come through now with the advances in technology and the different training and great physios we have he may have stayed longer and ended up being our greatest ever player.

He scored the greatest ever goal by a Southend Player:

He was an Adonis of a man with great hair:


The man who completes my midfield and my team is the legendary Scott Forbes.

 

[fbm]

I cannot believe we have got all the way through this without someone picking this absolute legend! He is a local lad who got to live his dream, he performed on the big stage but unfortunately injuries took their toll. He had all the talent but the intensity of lower league football was all too much. I think had he come through now with the advances in technology and the different training and great physios we have he may have stayed longer and ended up being our greatest ever player.

He scored the greatest ever goal by a Southend Player:

He was an Adonis of a man with great hair:
View attachment 6350

The man who completes my midfield and my team is the legendary Scott Forbes.

Fantastic attempt to big up Scott there Ricey.

I had a conversation with a well respected ex player once at the time SF was playing for us. He agreed that on his day, Scott was incredibly talented and one of the best players we had ever had.

"The trouble is," he said, "is that his day is a Thursday."

 

[Ricey]

My XI is:

Manager: Chris Powell

GK: Paul Sansome

LB: Keith Dublin
CB: Adam Barrett
CB: Leon Cort
RB: Duncan Jupp

Mid: Scott Forbes
Mid: Michael Timlin
Mid: Andy Ansah

ST: Les Stubbs
ST: Freddy Eastwood
ST: Barry Corr

Might not be the best on paper but I wouldn’t put any team against them confident of beating them.

 

[Ricey]

@Thomas Finney over to you for your last pick mate.

 

[RHB]

Great thread this. I may have missed it, but if I haven't I am absolutely gobsmacked that no one went for Bill Garner in their picks.

 

[fbm]

Great thread this. I may have missed it, but if I haven't I am absolutely gobsmacked that no one went for Bill Garner in their picks.

You've missed it. 1st pick round 8.

 

[RHB]

You've missed it. 1st pick round 8.

Cheers, no excuse, but it is a long thread.

 

[Firestorm]

Great thread this. I may have missed it, but if I haven't I am absolutely gobsmacked that no one went for Bill Garner in their picks.

I have Garner and Guthrie up front

 

[RHB]

I have Garner and Guthrie up front

That's a pretty impressive pairing.

 

[Colorado Shrimper]

For the final choice in the draft, I need to pick a midfielder to complete my side. I currently have Tilly on the left, Benno (PBUH) on the right, and Mike Marsh in the middle. I need someone who can compliment Marsh's passing and occasional hangovers with some dependable grit. I considered Luke Guttridge for this role, but he lacks the muscle required and also struggled to get in the team when we ascended to the Championship. My choice played mostly while the Blues were in the rarefied atmosphere of the second tier, and while never the paciest or most skillful of players, always grafted and will do the dirty work for my team, as he did over 108 appearances in the early 90s.

Final Choice: John Cornwell

 

[Colorado Shrimper]

Team Finney is as follows, in a 4-4-2 formation -

Manager - Steve Tilson

GK - Simon Royce

RB - Andy Edwards
LB - Ben Coker
CH - Pat Scully
CH - Bilel Mohsni

RM - Mark Bentley (PBUH)
CM - Mike Marsh
CM - John Cornwell
LM - Steve Tilson

ST - Brett Angell
ST - Ian Benjamin

 

[Lord Football]

What a fantastic thread.... best I've been involved in since I joined over a decade ago. Thanks for letting me be part of it.

I am sure we all had players who didn't quite make our elevens who were completely over-looked by everyone else.

I am ummed and aaahed over my last centre forward pick, and I cannot believe no one picked up on Britt Asambalonga! Anyone else have a gem up their sleeve that never got picked up?

 

[Ricey]

What a fantastic thread.... best I've been involved in since I joined over a decade ago. Thanks for letting me be part of it.

I am sure we all had players who didn't quite make our elevens who were completely over-looked by everyone else.

I am ummed and aaahed over my last centre forward pick, and I cannot believe no one picked up on Britt Asambalonga! Anyone else have a gem up their sleeve that never got picked up?

Osei Sankofa