Southend United
Southend UnitedEarly DaysPost War PerformanceThe T
Southend United
Based at Roots Hall Stadium in Southend-on-sea, Southend United have had mixed success over the years but are currently one of the teams battling it out for promotion in the Football League One.
History
Early Days
Born a little later than most British football clubs, Southend United were formed in 1906 after Oliver Trigg, landlord of the Blue Boar pub, called together football enthusiasts from across Southend. Affectionately dubbed ‘the Blues’, Southend were part of the Southern League, winning the Second Division title at the end of the 1906-07 season and earning promotion to the First Division.
In 1920, after continuing to perform well in the Southern League, the Blues were successfully promoted to the football league ending their inaugural season in Football League South in 17th place.
Southend continued their fine form in the Third Division South, peaking in 1932 when they reached third place in the championships, missing promotion by just four points. Following the Second World War, Southend was managed by Harry Warren who is remembered as one of the club’s most successful managers to date, leading the team to a third place finish at the end of his inaugural season.
Post-war Performance
In 1955, Southend moved to Roots Hall, which has been home to the Blues ever since. Finances for the ground and stadium were raised entirely through the supporters club, a triumph that was marked when the Blues beat Norwich City 3-1 in their first competitive game at their new home.
In 1958, the north and south sections of Division Three South became a united Third and Fourth Division, with the Blues being allocated to the Third Division. Southend stayed in the Third Division for a further eight seasons before being relegated in 1966, after a disastrous campaign saw them defeated 9-1 by Brighton in a particularly memorable match for all the wrong reasons.
The Blues fought for promotion over the next few years but it wasn’t until 1972, under the direction of Arthur Rowley, that the club finally found themselves back in Division Three. In 1976, Southend reached the fifth round of the FA Cup, but failed to perform in the league and that same year they were relegated back to Division Four.
The Turbulent Eighties
Over the next few years, Southend faced promotion and relegation several times, yo-yoing between the Third and Fourth Divisions. The Blues had a particularly momentous season in 1980-81 when, after conceding only six goals in home matches, at the end of the season they won the Fourth Division Championships for the first time in club history.
Following this, the 1980s saw mixed success for Southend and it wasn’t until 1991 that the club finally managed to move upwards from the Third Division. After beginning the season as favourites for relegation, manager Dave Webb led the team to a successful finish and, although the Blues narrowly missed winning the championship, they had done enough to secure a place in the Second Division.
Recent Years
The Blues performed well in their first season in top flight football, momentously leading the table for an afternoon when they beat Newcastle 4-0 in a New Years Day game. After surviving Division One for six years, Southend were sent back down to the Division Two in 1997, having finished bottom of the league table, but their fortunes went from bad to worse when they found themselves in Division Three just a year later.
After seven years in Division Two, Southend reached the final of the LDV Vans Trophy in 2004 and 2005, suffering a 2-0 defeat to Blackpool and Wrexham respectively. In 2005 the Blues also appeared in the league play-offs, beating Lincoln City 2-0 to earn promotion to League One.
The following season Southend were promoted for the second time in two years after a late goal against Bristol sent them into the Championships league. After a turbulent season in the Championships, the Blues failed to survive and a 3-1 defeat by Luton Town sent them back to League One for the 2007 season. With such incredible fluctuations in the club’s performance in recent years, one can only guess at what the future holds.
Honours
- Southern League Division Two – Winners (1907)
- (Old) Fourth Division – Winners (1980), Runners-up (1971, 1977)
- (Old) Third Division – Runners-up (1990)
- Football League Trophy – Runners-up (2005)
- League One – Winners (2006)
- Essex Professional Cup‘ – Winners (1950, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1962, 1965, 1967, 1972, 1973)
- Essex Senior Cup – Winners (1983, 1991, 1997)
- Essex Thameside Trophy – Winners (1990)
Tickets
Tickets for Southend matches can be bought on match days at the ticket office or pre-ordered online, or by the ticket hotline on 08444 77 00 77 at the following prices:
Southend Echo East Stand
Adult: £22 (match day) £20 (advanced)
Senior Citizen: £15 (match day) £13 (advanced)
Student: £14 (match day) £12 (advanced)
Young Person (17 – 20) £14 (match day) £12 (advanced)
Junior (Under 17) £11 (match day) £10 (advanced)
Hi-Tec South Upper
Adult: £22 (match day) £20 (advanced)
Senior Citizen: £15 (match day) £13 (advanced)
Student: £14 (match day) £12 (advanced)
Young Person (17 – 20) £14 (match day) £12 (advanced)
Junior (Under 17) £11 (match day) £10 (advanced)
Essex Auto Group West Stand
Adult: £22 (match day) £20 (advanced)
Senior Citizen: £15 (match day) £13 (advanced)
Student: £14 (match day) £12 (advanced)
Young Person (17 – 20) £14 (match day) £12 (advanced)
Junior (Under 17) £11 (match day) £10 (advanced)
Betterview Windows and Conservatories Enclosure
Family ticket (1 adult and 1 child) £22 (match day) £20 (advanced)
Additional child: £5 (match day) £4 (advanced)
Additional adult: £17 (match day) £16 (advanced)
Travel
Southend United are based at Roots Hall Stadium, easily accessible by car or public transport:
By Car – Leave the M25 at Junction 29 and take the A127 following signs to Southend. Continue towards the town centre and, after the lights by the Bell Pub, take the 3rd exit at the roundabout, signposted A127. The ground is on the right-hand side of the road just past the next set of traffic lights.
By Train – Prittlewell train station is approximately five minutes walk from the stadium and is served by trains from London Liverpool Street. On exiting the station, turn right and, just after the ‘Fish House’ fish and chip shop, turn right again. After 100 yards, the ground will become visible on the left-hand side.
By Bus – Bus numbers 7, 8, 9 and 29 go from Southend bus station and stop outside Roots Hall stadium.
Contacts
For information about matches or for general enquiries contact Southend United at:
Southend United Football Club
Roots Hall Stadium
Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-sea
Essex
SS2 6NQ
Tel: 01702 30 40 50
Fax: 01702 30 41 24
Email: info@southend-united.co.uk