Well the alarm on my mobile phone has just gone off, after setting it some days ago, to make sure I get up really early for our big day at Wembley.
Shower, brush my teeth, shave, and put on my jeans and my Southend shirt that has been hanging up all nice and pressed since our return from our great win at Donny a week ago. Pick up my flags including my one of the 5,000 Ron Martin arranged to be given out at the 1st play off leg at Roots Hall.
A quick bite to eat and a cup of tea followed by the short walk down to the railway station to catch one of your Blues Specials leaving Southend Victoria. Meet up with some of my mates, and all the other Shrimpers decked out in blue with most carrying flags to cheer on the Shrimpers.
The train journey was fantastic with all the flags hanging out of the train and we all warmed up singing voices all the way into London.
Quick trip on the underground to our first watering hole for a few pre match pints, then back on the train to Wembley.
What a sight, to see Olympic Way leading up to Wembley decked out in Blue with thousands of Southend supporters all making there way up to the new Wembley National Stadium.
Entered the turnstiles and walked through the concourse, up the steps and entered the stadium proper. The wall of noise and colour hit us straight away, with the Leeds fans over to our left, and all the 29,000 Shrimpers round to our right, with a sea of Blue flags waving, and “The Blue Voice” as loud as I have ever heard them behind the goal.
I can not remember much about the game, it all seemed to go by in a flash, just like our recent 3 appearances down in Cardiff at the Millennium Stadium. But the important things I do remember were that James Walker scored a cracker from well outside the box that flew in off the crossbar into the top right hand corner of the Leeds goal after only 3 minutes. This seemed to settle the Shrimpers down and they started to knock and pass the ball around. The half time whistle goes, and we all make our way down to the concourse for a bite to eat and drink, you could only just hear to talk about the first half as all the Southend support were still in full voice.
Back to our seats for the second half, this did not start as the Blues had hoped. With Beckford picking up a long ball which caught out our back four, he blasted the ball passed Darryl, who had no chance to stop it. The Shrimpers heads did not drop though, it just seemed to spur them on, with the Blues playing some sexy football in front of the Shrimpers supporters who were fully behind their team, Time was ticking by and we were all starting to think about extra-time and possible penalty shoot out. However, in the 89 minute those fears were put to bed with a fantastic flowing move that seemed to involve the whole team, finishing with Lee Barnard turning in the 6 yard box and placing the ball past their keeper into the right hand corner of the goal. The place just erupted, with all the Shrimpers going mad all over the place, and singing their hearts out for the lads. This was only matched by the cheers and chants when the final whistle went.
So the Shrimpers are back to the Championship after only one season, which if we are all honest, is much much more than we had hoped for after last season.
I do not remember to much about the journey home, as we spent all that evening celebrating around London our fantastic win, but I believe I got back into bed around 2.30am Monday Morning.
My alarm goes off, and I wake up, only to find that it was all a great dream. Oh how I wish dreams that are so real came true.
Shower, brush my teeth, shave, and put on my jeans and my Southend shirt that has been hanging up all nice and pressed since our return from our great win at Donny a week ago. Pick up my flags including my one of the 5,000 Ron Martin arranged to be given out at the 1st play off leg at Roots Hall.
A quick bite to eat and a cup of tea followed by the short walk down to the railway station to catch one of your Blues Specials leaving Southend Victoria. Meet up with some of my mates, and all the other Shrimpers decked out in blue with most carrying flags to cheer on the Shrimpers.
The train journey was fantastic with all the flags hanging out of the train and we all warmed up singing voices all the way into London.
Quick trip on the underground to our first watering hole for a few pre match pints, then back on the train to Wembley.
What a sight, to see Olympic Way leading up to Wembley decked out in Blue with thousands of Southend supporters all making there way up to the new Wembley National Stadium.
Entered the turnstiles and walked through the concourse, up the steps and entered the stadium proper. The wall of noise and colour hit us straight away, with the Leeds fans over to our left, and all the 29,000 Shrimpers round to our right, with a sea of Blue flags waving, and “The Blue Voice” as loud as I have ever heard them behind the goal.
I can not remember much about the game, it all seemed to go by in a flash, just like our recent 3 appearances down in Cardiff at the Millennium Stadium. But the important things I do remember were that James Walker scored a cracker from well outside the box that flew in off the crossbar into the top right hand corner of the Leeds goal after only 3 minutes. This seemed to settle the Shrimpers down and they started to knock and pass the ball around. The half time whistle goes, and we all make our way down to the concourse for a bite to eat and drink, you could only just hear to talk about the first half as all the Southend support were still in full voice.
Back to our seats for the second half, this did not start as the Blues had hoped. With Beckford picking up a long ball which caught out our back four, he blasted the ball passed Darryl, who had no chance to stop it. The Shrimpers heads did not drop though, it just seemed to spur them on, with the Blues playing some sexy football in front of the Shrimpers supporters who were fully behind their team, Time was ticking by and we were all starting to think about extra-time and possible penalty shoot out. However, in the 89 minute those fears were put to bed with a fantastic flowing move that seemed to involve the whole team, finishing with Lee Barnard turning in the 6 yard box and placing the ball past their keeper into the right hand corner of the goal. The place just erupted, with all the Shrimpers going mad all over the place, and singing their hearts out for the lads. This was only matched by the cheers and chants when the final whistle went.
So the Shrimpers are back to the Championship after only one season, which if we are all honest, is much much more than we had hoped for after last season.
I do not remember to much about the journey home, as we spent all that evening celebrating around London our fantastic win, but I believe I got back into bed around 2.30am Monday Morning.
My alarm goes off, and I wake up, only to find that it was all a great dream. Oh how I wish dreams that are so real came true.
