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DoDTS

The PL League Boss⭐⭐
Joined
Apr 28, 2006
Messages
10,840
Location
PL Headquarters Hullbridge
Another fictional short story based on fact. Yes we did take 2,000 fans to Gillingham in 1921, yes we did take seven boat loads etc, only the names of the individuals are fictional.

Not for everyone I know, but for those that wade through it this story is a tribute to your parents, grandparents, great grandparents etc. who give our club the traditions and history that make us proud to support SUFC now.

The Invasion of Gillingham

Easter 1921


Southend United were in their first season in the football league and it been a mixed season for them. The cup had been very successful beating second division Blackpool at the Kursaal, before bowing out to Tottenham in the 3rd Round (equivalent of 5th round now) in a dramatic match which could of gone either way, and only the appalling weather had kept the crowd down. In the League they had been mediocre at best and as Easter approached the Blues were only three points clear of the re-election zone. Added to this was the announcement from the Football League that a Northern section of the Third Division would be added in the next season, the initial proposal was that each division would be 20 clubs and the two bottom clubs in the Southern section would NOT be re-elected. So the first fixture of Easter was at bottom of the table Gillingham, in what looked on paper a dour match between two poor sides.

Good Friday 25th March 1921 was a charming spring day, in fact more like a summer day than that of a March day, which historically tend to be unpredictable. It was expected that a number of enthusiastic Southend supporters would make the tedious journey to Gillingham and arrangements were made to run the motor boat “Julia Freak” to Gillingham at the return fare of 6s 6d (32½d), however it had soon become clear that one boat would not be enough.

At 8.00 the start of the invasion began when Samuel Peters and Lee Smithers led the first contingent from Southend L.N.E.R. station (Victoria) heading for London Liverpool Street, then to cross London for trains to Gillingham. Shortly afterwards Daniel Brabbing and Charles Benskins were at Southend L.M & S station (Central) to join the contingents from Shoebury, Wakering & Foulness, to make the journey via the Woolwich Ferry. Thence onwards the enthusiasts continued in a steady stream until the luncheon hour by taxi, motors, charabancs and trains. The only means of travel not brought in operation was the Aeroplane.

The motorised lifeboat “Julia Freak” was due to leave at 11.00 am but the demand had been so large that six other vessels had been hired and left at intervals up to 11.15 am. Albert Crickson and Frank McNasty had booked on the “Julia Freak” but as the time approached they were nowhere to be seen much to the concern of Paddy Napster and Macbeth Ricee. “We can’t hold the boat up” chimed in the organisers of the trip Pablo Yeoman and Pablo Fitz. Suddenly a headlong dash of two local enthusiasts was noted, down Pier Hill and arriving on No. 1 Jetty just a second or two before the vessel cast off her moorings and headed for the Medway, the two were of course Albert and Frank.

The flotilla of seven vessels were soon on their way on a tide that was as calm as a mill pond, which was just as well as these boats had no cover to the elements or few facilities on board. “Where is Lee Smithers?” asked Macbeth Ricee,, “he looked at the weather report and decided to go by train as it would be too rough on the boat” replied Percy Marshall to the amusement of the others. As the journey got underway the conversation soon turned to football and it had come as quite a shock to the Southend supporters when it had recently been announced that Albert Fairclough who had been labelled as the “Idol of the crowd” was being transferred to Second Division Bristol City. “He is our leading goal scorer with fifteen” moaned Arthur Barrett, “Yes agreed Michael “but since he had been unfairly sent off before Christmas he has struggled to recapture his form”, “It is difficult for centre-forwards” added Ferdinand Eastwood “he has only made five appearances in the new year and scored just two consolation goals at Millwall”. The move to Bristol who were currently fourth in the Second tier was undoubtedly a good move for Fairclough, as he showed no signs of recapturing his former glories with the United.

From Sheerness up the Medway the journey was extremely interesting as a study of battleships and destroyers both ancient and modern. One also saw just a mask sticking up from the water a grim reminder of the ill fated “Bulwark” which was blown up in the early part of the war in 1914. “Did anyone go and see the German Super Submarine “The Deutschland” when it was open for inspection on the pier extension last year” asked Macbeth Ricee, “ No” said Percy Marshall at a schilling to get in I would rather go to the music halls”.

The flotilla arrived at Chatham about 1 o’clock and must have convoyed at least 600 enthusiasts. On arrival one could almost imagine you were in Southend High Street, for nearly every person you met was a Southender. Being lunchtime Albert and Frank made for a likely looking hotel for a hot meal, and as they entered saw , Kristabel Fogg, Tinkabel Smyth and Anabel Moyet all tucking into a Roast Beef dinner, and recognised many others. “Looks good” said Frank but a waiter approached, seeing their large blue and white rosettes with the word Southend in the middle, “Your people have eaten us out of house and home you will have to try elsewhere”. The story was much the same at other hotels but they eventually found somewhere although the meal was not of the quality they would have liked.
However having filled their stomachs sufficiently they made the way to the ground to the random sounds of the usual horns, bells, rattles and other instruments of torture from the Southenders on the same journey.

As Albert and Frank entered the Gillingham ground the scene was even more striking. Out of the 4,000 on the ground the majority seemed to be Southend enthusiasts, wearers of the Blue rosette (Gillingham wore black and white stripes at the time) seemed to monopolise quite half the grandstand and more than a half of the reserved enclosures and the horns, bells, rattles were now more frequent than before. Samuel Peters was already there and with many others beguiled the waiting moments by singing the “ode of **** Robin” as applied to Gillingham, a little premature perhaps. It is difficult to estimate the strength of the Southend invading force from all sources but it would be very surprising if it were under 2,000. In the history of the Southend club has there ever been an occasion when anything like the number of local people attending an away game. It was a pleasing sign of the times showing the interest and enthusiasm for the club despite their lowly position.

On such a boiling hot day the sympathies went out to the players who had to keep “hard at it” fighting with all the earnestness and keenness as though it was a cup tie, it was a gruelling game but never reached a high standard. A light ball on a bone dry pitch meant the ball was difficult to control and the contest was only a moderate one. Gillingham were in a desperate state five points adrift at the bottom of the League, but they had the best of the first quarter of an hour and it was during this time that they scored. Southend’s strength was its half back line but the forwards were puerile and reacted slowly, nevertheless after the shock of this early goal the United settled into some harmonious play and they came near to equalising on several occasions. After the break a reshuffled forward line in the second half saw a much improved Southend with Nuttall leading the line, and in the second half the Blues had two thirds of the play and Nuttall brought the scores level, a shot by Harold Dickinson nearly won the game in the last half minute of the game the Gillingham Directors were convinced that Gillingham must have scored judging by the noise the supporters made, but it was in fact the Southend contingent

Teams:
Gillingham: Branfield; Robinson and Sissons: Thompson, Waugh and Needham; McMillan, Battiste, Roe, Hall and Wright.
Southend: Capper; Reid and Evans; Wileman, Whalley and Martin; H. Allen, Nuttall, Dickinson, Myers and Newton


The Southend enthusiasts left feeling that it was a fitting end to a perfect day out the Blues had annexed a point and a draw satisfied everyone and was probably a fair result, although that last minute chance from Dickinson so nearly won the game. There were some two thousand of Southend people present and the vocal support they gave their favourites was commendable. The great pity was that the Blues did not give them more cause for more enthusiasm. The supporters started to trudge home the trains, motors, taxis, charabancs all heading westwards on their circular trip home, while the boats headed northwards across the Thames. The weather had been as warm as Summer, the air delightful in the evening and was not cold and rendered all the more pleasing by the moonlight night. For this trip the weather was good, but if it had been bad weather, torrential rain or strong winds I think these Southend travellers would have been at risk with the two and half journey each way

The team adopted the more usual route of railway transit however they were not returning home as they had another away match the following day (Easter Saturday) at Bristol Rovers and then a third match in four days when they played the return match against Gillingham at the Kursaal

END

Footnote:

A couple of years later the “New Prince of Wales” was in operation and in use by Southend supporters for trips to Gillingham, It is considered to be the first pleasure vessel of more than 100 gross tons, built in 1923 for the Southend Motor Navigation Company, being shallow bottomed could leave from jetties at high tide or Southend Pier at low tide. It was a step up from the motor life boats it could take 300 passengers on two decks which meant that those on the lower deck were under cover! It also had a licensed Bar on board.

THE THIRD DIVISION
From what I hear there is now little likelihood of the Southern section of the Third Division being reduced to twenty clubs next season. The competition will be kept at 22 clubs.
From the Southend Standard from 5th May 1921

Southend finished 17th six points ahead of Brentford and eight in front of Gillingham who were both re-elected without a vote.
 
"The Invasion of Gillingham" was the sub-title in the Southend Standard of the 31st March 1921.
So 51 years we had the second invasion
 
Ha! I was eagerly looking forward to that one too! Wait till The Seventies North Bank sees it! :smile:

That day's recollections has been flogged to death on here in the last couple of years. DoDTS story has a more 'feel good' factor about it, reflecting on how life was all those years ago.
 
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