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Worst moments as Shrimpers

Will never forget Port Vale at Roots Hall Sept 1975 . We took a 3-0 lead in at half time and look forward for more goals in the second half . The problem was that Port Vale played Southend off the park and scored three goals making it 3-3 and were unlucky not to of scored more that left Southend hanging on at the end . Going back to my car after the game I had never seen so many faces that look like they had been smacked in the face with a sack of potatoes , and it was so quite all you could hear was peoples feet walking down the road , very strange .
 
Yesterday teatime.
My Son who has been wildly passionate about the club since the Wembley triumph and eternally optimistic, despite having zero to cheer since...said to me that he didn't want to go.
And there, I think we can all agree, is the most worrying and depressing sign that the club is now on life support.

Sidenote to this, my family were finally able to intern my Grandads ashes this last Monday, he passed away in March 2020 with 85 years of supporting the Shrimpers under his belt. I dropped a Southend scarf in with his urn.

I'm sure I don't need to point out the symbolism.
 
Will never forget Port Vale at Roots Hall Sept 1975 . We took a 3-0 lead in at half time and look forward for more goals in the second half . The problem was that Port Vale played Southend off the park and scored three goals making it 3-3 and were unlucky not to of scored more that left Southend hanging on at the end . Going back to my car after the game I had never seen so many faces that look like they had been smacked in the face with a sack of potatoes , and it was so quite all you could hear was peoples feet walking down the road , very strange .
I was there, Their third goal was a cross and header - the ball seemed to have neon flashing lights with "GOAL" on it before the bloke headed it!
 
Friday 7th. February 1970. Workington 5, Southend United 0. Att:1,790.
Goal scorers: Spencer (2), Lindsey o.g., Massie & Spratt.
The above match was one of Workington's biggest winning margins in the clubs history.
I travelled up to the match on my own by British Rail, the only consolation I had was being able to travel back to Southend on the team coach thanks to both Mike Beesley and the late great Ernie Shepherd who said the following to me as I was about to get on "What you hear on the coach, stays on the coach". We arrived back at Roots Hall about 5.00am on the Saturday morning.
 
Friday 7th. February 1970. Workington 5, Southend United 0. Att:1,790.
Goal scorers: Spencer (2), Lindsey o.g., Massie & Spratt.
The above match was one of Workington's biggest winning margins in the clubs history.
I travelled up to the match on my own by British Rail, the only consolation I had was being able to travel back to Southend on the team coach thanks to both Mike Beesley and the late great Ernie Shepherd who said the following to me as I was about to get on "What you hear on the coach, stays on the coach". We arrived back at Roots Hall about 5.00am on the Saturday morning.
Did Ernie make them have a 5 mile run that afternoon?. ( pre metric kilometre days! ).
 
My Worst moment was seeing the tragedy unravel involving Referee Mike North who collapsed on the pitch at Roots Hall during the match with mansfield and passed away a few hours later. I think this was 2000/2001 time and David Webb was manager. this tragedy puts football into perspective.
I have to agree with this. The home drubbing by Coventry in the League(?) cup, was it 5-0 was bad but is insignificant compared to this event. RIP Mike?☹️
 
One that’s always stuck in my mind is the LDV final at the millennium against Wrexham. After our previous heartache I swear everything was set up for us to win it.

The realisation that we weren’t going to when Ben Foster saved everything and Juan Ugarte scored in extra time was heartbreaking!
 
Did Ernie make them have a 5 mile run that afternoon?. ( pre metric kilometre days! ).
No he didn't!! but you should have seen the look of horror on the players faces when he calmly stood up and said "You will all be back in for training at 10.00am"(just 5 hours later). Funnily we had no first team match for another couple of weeks which was against our local rivals Colchester United at Roots Hall, a game we won 2-1 with goals from Billy Best & Gary Moore. Whatever was said and done must have worked because Ernie Shepherd picked exactly the same team for both matches: Trevor Roberts; Lindsey; Simpson; Beesley; Haydock; Kurila; Chisnall; Best; Moore; Garner & Clayton. Sub, Joe Jacques who replaced Bill Garner against Colchester United. Att; 6,799.
 
After just one lunchtime pint in The Spa deciding that it would a good idea to go to Aylesbury for that much remembered FA Cup tie.

Funnily enough my mate and I who made that last minute pilgrimage recalled the sad event as thing fell apart Tuesday evening.
 
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****ting myself at orient when we scored, having to leave, then needing a **** again at Leyton tube station, and having to go at the end of the platform when the platform was empty
(throw my pants into the home end (when we used to be in the open terrace)
Coming out of West brom when angel equalised in the last minute, and what seemed like every shrimper (all 300 of us) being knocked left right and centre by West Brom, then being ironed out by West Midland Old Bill. As a young kid needing a **** in the old west bank toilets, and going, then seeing there wasn't any loo role, and a bloke walked in (as there was hardly a door, far less a lock, then having to wipe my arse on my £5 pocket money that my mum had given me..

getting relegated out of the football league last season tops it all all all.. I am know numb.. scores and losses don't even effect me now, I know deep down we will never get back into the league again
 
No he didn't!! but you should have seen the look of horror on the players faces when he calmly stood up and said "You will all be back in for training at 10.00am"(just 5 hours later). Funnily we had no first team match for another couple of weeks which was against our local rivals Colchester United at Roots Hall, a game we won 2-1 with goals from Billy Best & Gary Moore. Whatever was said and done must have worked because Ernie Shepherd picked exactly the same team for both matches: Trevor Roberts; Lindsey; Simpson; Beesley; Haydock; Kurila; Chisnall; Best; Moore; Garner & Clayton. Sub, Joe Jacques who replaced Bill Garner against Colchester United. Att; 6,799.
I've got some old club handbooks from 69-75, just been re-reading them. Have you got these?. If not your more than welcome to have a browse of them.
Also an article on Peter Silvester from 'Shoot Summer special 76'.
 
i think the brighton fans counting down 11, 10 ,,,,,5 4 3 2 1

as we left league one under tilson

with a team that had not been paid since february ...
 
My Worst moment was seeing the tragedy unravel involving Referee Mike North who collapsed on the pitch at Roots Hall during the match with mansfield and passed away a few hours later. I think this was 2000/2001 time and David Webb was manager. this tragedy puts football into perspective.

It does, I agree. We all get carried away at times where football is concerned.
 
There’s been plenty. Some that spring to mind are that game against Halifax in the early/mid eighties when things were so bad just over 1,000 turned up. The home FA Cup defeat to (then) non-league Doncaster, and that Anglo-Italian semi-final defeat at Notts County (none of us spoke a word on the way home).
 
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