Southend United All-Time Draft

[Yorkshire Blue]

Thanks Hank and we won't mention the 9 you managed to draw.

@Thomas Finney you are on the clock. which player or manager is going to be the no.1 overall pick?

 

[South Bank Hank]

Thanks Hank and we won't mention the 9 you managed to draw.

No idea what you're talking about.

 

[Colorado Shrimper]

Difficult choice. Do I pick our most talented player of all time, Stan Collymore, or a player with slightly less natural talent and more longevity, like Freddy Eastwood or Chris Powell? Do I delve into history for our all time leading scorer Roy Hollis, or other great forwards like Billy Best or Bill Garner? All worthy choices, but I think I need a manager first. And it's either David Webb or Steve Tilson. My choice:

Manager: Steve Tilson

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Difficult choice. Do I pick our most talented player of all time, Stan Collymore, or a player with slightly less natural talent and more longevity, like Freddy Eastwood or Chris Powell? Do I delve into history for our all time leading scorer Roy Hollis, or other great forwards like Billy Best or Bill Garner? All worthy choices, but I think I need a manager first. And it's either David Webb or Steve Tilson. My choice:

Manager: Steve Tilson

Great choice and great summary of the dilemma.

@Ricey you're on the clock

 

[Ricey]

I’m picking my first person and going for a striker, now most would probably think as he hasn’t gone I would pick Collymore. Well for me I wasn’t old enough to experience the Collymore effect and didn’t see him play in a Southend shirt. His record although impressive has nothing on my pick. Arise my first striker Sir Freddy Eastwood. He scored the first goal in the season we got promoted through the play offs in the final. His debut was one of the most exciting of any Southend player ever. And as it’s the 12 year anniversary of that day it would seem stupid not to pick him. He scored 20+ goals in two consecutive seasons and had a solid tally in the Championship. And had it not been for Prick McCarthy he would’ve no doubt been a huge success at a higher level.

Ricey’s XI
ST: Freddy Eastwood

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Rd 1
Thomas Finney - Tilly (Manager)
Ricey - Eastwood
FBM - Collymore
Lord Football - Moody
Spaceman Spiff
Yorkshire Blue
Napster
Firestorm

@Spaceman Spiff you are on the clock

 

[fbm]

Collymore for me. By some distance (in my opinion) the most talented player ever to pull on a blue shirt.

He had everything an attacking outfield player needed. I doubt there have been many occasions where one player has made such a difference to a team.

 

[Napster]

Already got my team ranked by choice.

 

[Jonny_Stokes]

Bagsy Tony Richards.

 

[Ricey]

Bagsy Tony Richards.

Thanks J_S got my 2nd striker sorted!

 

[Lord Football]

Right, ok, I suppose I have a wealth of talent at my disposal here. I am going to go for a club captain. Every team needs a leader. So my pick is not necessarily the best plater, but the best leader. It essentially comes down to three.... Adam Barrett, Alan Moody and Paul Clarke.

I've ummed and aahed this one for an hour, and its a tough, tough call.... but at Number 6 and club captain, I give you ALAN MOODY.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Billy Best for me please

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

You've all made solid picks worthy of their first round status but I can't believe you've left me with the one top of my draft board.

To be fair it was close between him and his protege who, following his blueprint, went number one overall but I give the edge to David Webb, the man who guided Southend to the promised land of the second tier for the first time in 85 years of trying. Not only that, but he established us there, something even Tilly was unable to do. No manger has won more promotions for Southend than the 3 Webb was involved with and whilst Tilly runs him close, the drop-off to the next tier of managers (whose achievements are all dwarfed by Webby's) means I had to draft manager. I fully expect there now to be a run on managers as you scramble to snap up the last remaining good managers.


Thomas Finney - Tilly (Manager)
Ricey - Eastwood
FBM - Collymore
Lord Football - Moody
Spaceman Spiff - Best
Yorkshire Blue - Webb (Manager)
Napster - Smith (Manager)

@Firestorm you're on the clock to finish off the first round and can then start the second round

2nd round draft order
2.1 Firestorm
2.2 Napster
2.3 me
2.4 Spiff
2.5 Lord Football
2.6 FBM
2.7 Ricey
2.8 Thomas Finney

 

[Napster]

God, I was going to go for Webb as manager. Instead I'll go for the only manager to win a divisional title before Webb, Dave Smith.

From the club website:

Dave Smith managed Blues for just over seven years between 1976 and 1983 and left the club with one of the best win percentages of any Southend United boss.


Southend had just been relegated back to the Fourth Division with Smith taking over from Arthur Rowley despite the club being heavily linked with Lincoln City’s Graham Taylor.

In Smith’s first season at Roots Hall, he would set a defensive record of just 45 goals conceded but the Blues’ lack of strike power meant they would draw a remarkable 19 games that first campaign.

The following season those issues in front of goal were addressed and with an even better defensive record than the previous year, Smith would land promotion to the third tier.

Blues would only last two years in the Third Division but they recorded some notable results in the cup competitions with draws against Liverpool and West Ham, and a League Cup win against Bolton.

Despite being under severe pressure after Southend were relegated back to the fourth tier, Smith maintained his role and it proved a great decision as Blues bounced back immediately in style.

Southend would romp to the Fourth Division title and immediate promotion back to the third division, and with it Smith’s side would smash 20 club records along the way.

Records still held by Dave Smith's reign in one season - Most home wins (30); Fewest losses in a full season (9); fewest goals conceded in a full season (31);

 

[Napster]

ps Im sure if Anton wasn't the new chairman, Dave Smith would have got promotion before Webby managed it.

 

[Firestorm]

I am going for a manager, particularly as they are going fast ...and take the one who had us playing wonderful football , albeit of a too brief period (no not Steve Thomson), before taking the Porn Kings shilling

Barry Fry , now a fat Judas Bas***** but at the time a great Manager

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

And with a run on managers the first round is complete

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)

2nd round draft order
2.1 Firestorm
2.2 Napster
2.3 me
2.4 Spiff
2.5 Lord Football
2.6 FBM
2.7 Ricey
2.8 Thomas Finney

@Firestorm you are back on the clock

 

[Napster]

are the drafts rerandomised in round 3?

 

[Firestorm]

Right...The best Keeper I have seen at RH. Mervyn Cawston.
only 3 goals conceded at home in 80/81

 

[Napster]

Right...The best Keeper I have seen at RH. Mervyn Cawston.
only 3 goals conceded at home in 80/81

I'll go for Darryl Flahavan.

That Man United game.
Player of the year in 2002
Successive promotions under Tilson
League One Team of the Year 2005/6
8 years at the club, including one season in the Championship

ps it was 6 goals for Mervyn.