Who remembers League Division 4?

[sufc_statto]

Hi Ozzie,
Yes I was there and our team line up was as follows:- Trevor Roberts, Pat Wright, Owen Simpson John Kurila, Maurice Kyle, Joe Jacques, Peter Hunt, Billy Best, Bill Garner, Phil Chisnall & Mike Beesley. Sub:Dave Chambers. Att: 4,911. (Pat Wright & Maurice Kyle were on loan players from Derby County & Oxford United). As you quite rightly said Billy Best scored all four goals which included a first half hat-trick in just four minutes. (Think this maybe the last time a Southend United player scored four goals in an away match in either league or cup?). Southend led 3-2 at half-time. Peterborough United's goals were scored Jim Hall, Ollie Conmy & John Wile.

Here is the Match Report from the Southend Standard...

 

[The Big Dady]

I seem to remember we played Northampton Town at home on Good Friday the 27th March 1970 at Roots Hall which ended up a 2-2 draw (Best, Beesley our scorers). Before we all travelled up to Peterborough the following day and playing them in that memorable match on Easter Saturday 28th March 1970?

Here is the match programme from the Peterborough game.

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Here is the programme for the Southend United v Northampton Town game played the day before.

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[mfurok]

Southend 1-0 Swansea Town 1967/68 season arguably the best league match I’ve seen at RH.

Certainly up there.

 

[mfurok]

Andy Smillie scored the winner?

Memory suggests it was a header?

 

[Ex-Member1]

Think so, I remember the headline in the local rag....."Skipper scores golden goal". It was a fantastic game, probably my all time favourite too. COYBB

 

[LBBlue]

Memory suggests it was a header?

So does mine !

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Dilwyn John in goal for Swansea-inspired performance!
And Ivor Allchurch was also playing for them.

 

[sufc_statto]

Think so, I remember the headline in the local rag....."Skipper scores golden goal". It was a fantastic game, probably my all time favourite too. COYBB

 

[ozzie]

No wonder why our defence let in three....TBH dont remember Pat Wright or Maurice Kyle...and with poor old Owen Simpson playing(whom the booboys took a dislike too)...it was left to Trevor.R,John Kurila and the late great Joe Jacques to stop them scoring.
But if The Posh had scored a fourth,then im sure King BILLY,would have netted five....after three in the half BILLY felt sorry for the Posh so took his foot off the pedal
Only nearly 5,000 fans!!! as a thirteen year old it looked a lot more

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

Love seeing all this stuff, before my time but what memories they must be.

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

Love seeing all this stuff, before my time but what memories they must be.

Fortunately i've got a very good memory, & they were great times for a youngster. Albeit the first promotion i witnessed wasn't until 72. Late 60's average crowds were over 10,000, most games on a Fri night, wonderful atmosphere & fortunate enough to have experienced those days.

 

[mfurok]

Love seeing all this stuff, before my time but what memories they must be.

That performance by Dilwyn John was one of the best I’ve ever seen from a visiting keeper at Roots Hall. (I was too young to see Trautmann).

 

[ozzie]

BBBL...so true...friday night were always(imo) better.
THe North Bank-PAK...atmosphere,those never to be forgotten cup game v Lpool,Villa,Qpr,Chelsea.
The late 60s to mid 80s were the"BILLY BEST" times ever,great crowds and even better mates,some who are sadly no longer with us.
But remembering those days,North bank and mates always bring a smile to my face

 

[LBBlue]

No wonder why our defence let in three....TBH dont remember Pat Wright or Maurice Kyle...and with poor old Owen Simpson playing(whom the booboys took a dislike too)...it was left to Trevor.R,John Kurila and the late great Joe Jacques to stop them scoring.
But if The Posh had scored a fourth,then im sure King BILLY,would have netted five....after three in the half BILLY felt sorry for the Posh so took his foot off the pedal
Only nearly 5,000 fans!!! as a thirteen year old it looked a lot more

When Arthur Rowley took over in early March 1970 we were in the bottom 4 of Division 4 having won just 2 games in 9.

The first thing he did was sign Pat Wright on loan from Derby - he knew Wright as he played with him at Shrewsbury. I'm guessing that Keith Lindsey was injured and we had tried 3 different players at right back in the previous 3 matches Dave Chambers, Joe Jacques and Dave Barnett. Wright played 11 games

Maurice Kyle was signed on loan from Oxford played 8 games at Centre Half. He was a club legend at Oxford had come up into the League with them and played 10 years with them. He sadly died at the age of 44.

They made a difference - we had had conceded 25 goals in the previous 8 games before Wright signed. The last 9 games of the season we won 5 drew 3 and lost just 1 (3-0 at Champions Chesterfield).

 

[kaymac]

BBBL...so true...friday night were always(imo) better.
THe North Bank-PAK...atmosphere,those never to be forgotten cup game v Lpool,Villa,Qpr,Chelsea.
The late 60s to mid 80s were the"BILLY BEST" times ever,great crowds and even better mates,some who are sadly no longer with us.
But remembering those days,North bank and mates always bring a smile to my face

Indeed, a much better atmosphere than at an afternoon match. Remember we changed ends at half-time by walking behind the West Stand, like a mass migration.

 

[mfurok]

When Arthur Rowley took over in early March 1970 we were in the bottom 4 of Division 4 having won just 2 games in 9.

The first thing he did was sign Pat Wright on loan from Derby - he knew Wright as he played with him at Shrewsbury. I'm guessing that Keith Lindsey was injured and we had tried 3 different players at right back in the previous 3 matches Dave Chambers, Joe Jacques and Dave Barnett. Wright played 11 games

Maurice Kyle was signed on loan from Oxford played 8 games at Centre Half. He was a club legend at Oxford had come up into the League with them and played 10 years with them. He sadly died at the age of 44.

They made a difference - we had had conceded 25 goals in the previous 8 games before Wright signed. The last 9 games of the season we won 5 drew 3 and lost just 1 (3-0 at Champions Chesterfield).

Another new manager making a difference for us like a number of others.

How different to our current incumbent.

 

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

Another new manager making a difference for us like a number of others.

How different to our current incumbent.

The difference being that Rowley could immediately sign 2 players, but don't let facts get in the way of your hatred of Sol

 

[tommy tucker]

As someone stated the match against Workington was there that Friday night .And the 7 0 drubbing was painted on warners bridge for all to see for years.

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

As someone stated the match against Workington was there that Friday night .And the 7 0 drubbing was painted on warners bridge for all to see for years.

Yep, over 13,000 in attendance that night ( my Grandad & me amongst them ). Think that was Eddie Clayton's home debut?.
That brilliant 'feel good' factor lasted a whole week, then we lost 4-2 at Lincoln, & dont even want to recall the following few games after that.

 

[Stuart W]

So does mine !

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View attachment 11831
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Dilwyn John in goal for Swansea-inspired performance!
And Ivor Allchurch was also playing for them.

Oh, the memories! Thanks for showing the front page of the game following Swansea, namely Darlington at home in the League Cup. This was my first ever Southend game and it was largely due to the persuasive powers of my schoolmates Rob Irwin and Dermot Malone, who had been raving about how good Southend were that season, particularly in the previous Friday's game against Swansea, that finally talked me into going.
And sure enough Johnny Baber put us 1-0 up very early on, a lead we kept until half-time, but we conspired to lose 2-1 to Darlo and I was immediately labelled a jinx.
Notwithstanding this, I was hooked and will be forever grateful for my friends' persistence.
Incidentally, Darlington who finished a mediocre 16th in Division 4, proceeded to knock two Division 2 sides out of the League Cup in Portsmouth and Millwall, only to lose 5-4 to Derby County in the quarter-finals. Happy days.

 

[KiwiRob]

View attachment 11834

Phil Chisnall was absolutely brilliant that night but he seemed to lose his spark after the arrival of Eddie Clayton, another great individual player. Unfortunately they did not seem to combine well in midfield and Southend lost momentum after the Workington game.