History of Southend United F.C. facts for kids

Southend United F.C. is a professional football club from Southend-on-Sea. It was started in 1906. The club first played in the Southern League before joining the Football League in 1920. For many years, Southend United played in the third level of English football.

The team even reached the second level, called the Championship, in the 1990s and again in the early 2000s. However, after 2009, the club faced big money problems. They managed to avoid serious trouble many times. These money problems continued into the early 2020s. During this time, the club was moved down from the Football League to the fifth level, the National League.

History

Early Years (1906–1958)

Southend United F.C. began on May 19, 1906. A group of footballers and business people met to create a new professional club. They decided to play at a place called Roots Hall Field.

The first manager was Robert Jack. He was also a player and the club secretary. Twelve professional players joined the team. Some of them were famous, like Alfred Ernest Watkins, who played for Wales, and George Molyneux, who played for England.

In their first season, Southend won the Southern League Second Division title. They won it again the next year! This helped them move up to the Southern League First Division in 1908. After World War I, in 1920, Southend United joined the Football League's new Third Division. They stayed in the southern section of this division until 1958. The club almost got promoted twice, finishing 3rd in 1932 and 1950. These were their best league positions for a long time.

Moving Up and Down (1958–1981)

In 1958, Southend United joined the new national Third Division. They stayed there until 1966 when they were moved down to the Fourth Division. Six years later, in 1972, the club was promoted for the first time in the Football League. They finished second behind Grimsby Town.

Southend was moved down again in 1976. But they quickly bounced back, finishing second behind Watford in 1978. Another move down happened in 1980. However, the very next season, 1981, was one of the club's best! They won the Fourth Division Championship and broke many club records. Even with this success and low ticket prices, not many people came to watch the games.

Challenging Times (1981–1987)

Because of money problems, many of Southend United's best players had to be sold. In 1983, a local businessman named Anton Johnson bought a large part of the club. The club was already in debt.

Dave Smith was replaced as manager by Peter Morris in 1983. Morris found that he only had ten players on the team! Later, famous footballer Bobby Moore became the chief executive. The club was moved down to the Fourth Division in 1984, with Bobby Moore as manager. This was a very tough time for the club, with very few fans coming to games.

The club faced more money troubles. However, other important people, like Robert Maxwell and Ken Bates, helped the club by lending money. This helped Southend United pay back money to fans who had saved for Christmas. The club was in a lot of debt, but they kept going.

A Golden Era (1987–1992)

Things started to look up for Southend United in 1987 when they were promoted. This was the start of a "golden era" for the club. They were moved down in 1989, but that was just a small setback.

In 1990 and 1991, Southend earned two promotions in a row! This meant they became "full members" of the Football League for the first time. In 1992, Southend United finished 12th in the old Second Division. This was their highest ever position in the Football League. On New Year's Day 1992, the club was even at the very top of the Second Division for a short time! They hoped for a third promotion in a row, which would have put them in the new Premier League. But their form dropped later in the season, and they missed out.

Changes and Challenges (1992–2003)

Over the next few years, Southend United had many different managers. These included Colin Murphy, Barry Fry, and Peter Taylor. In 1995, former Liverpool player Ronnie Whelan became the player-manager. In his first season, Southend finished 14th in Division One. However, the next year, the club was moved down after finishing last in Division One. Ronnie Whelan left, saying he didn't feel supported.

Alvin Martin took over as manager. But he couldn't stop the club from being moved down a second time in a row, to Division Three. Many key players left, and new ones joined. Alvin Martin left in 1999.

Alan Little then became manager. He signed some new players, but the team didn't have much success. Not many fans came to watch the games. Alan Little's time as manager ended.

David Webb became the new manager, bringing in players like Darryl Flahavan and Leon Cort. David Webb became ill, and Rob Newman took over. Newman was later dismissed. Steve Wignall then became manager, but after more defeats, he was also sacked. In late 2003, former Southend United player Steve Tilson was appointed manager.

During this time, a company called South Eastern Leisure (SEL) took control of Southend United in 1998. They bought the club and its stadium, Roots Hall. SEL planned to move the club to a new, bigger stadium in the northern part of Southend.

Cup Finals and Promotions (2003–2005)

In 2004, Southend reached their first ever national cup final! They played Blackpool in the LDV Vans Trophy final in Cardiff. Over 20,000 Southend fans traveled to watch, but Blackpool won 2–0.

In 2004, Steve Tilson and his assistant Paul Brush became the permanent management team. They led Southend to promotion to League One in 2005. They also made a second appearance in the Football League Trophy final, but lost again, this time to Wrexham.

However, their third trip to the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff brought success! In the League Two play-off final against Lincoln City, Southend won! Goals from Freddy Eastwood and Duncan Jupp gave the club their first promotion through the play-off system. It was also their first major trophy since 1981.

Reaching the Championship (2006–2009)

On April 29, 2006, Southend was promoted to the Football League Championship! This happened after a 2–2 draw with Swansea City. Southend was then crowned League One champions on May 6, 2006, after beating Bristol City 1–0 at Roots Hall. This was the club's first title in 25 years. Manager Steve Tilson was named the League Manager Association's Manager-of-the-Season for League One.

Famous Win Against Manchester United (2006)

Southend had a very famous victory on November 7, 2006. They beat Manchester United, the Premier League champions, in the League Cup! Manchester United had a very strong team, including famous players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney.

After 25 minutes, Freddy Eastwood scored a fantastic free-kick that curled into the top corner of the net. Southend held on to win 1–0. This was one of the most memorable victories in the club's history. It is the only time these two teams have played, so Southend has a perfect record against Manchester United!

Back to League One (2007)

Southend started the 2006–07 season quite well, winning their first game against Stoke City. However, they then went 18 league games without a win. They eventually started winning again in December 2006. Southend managed to climb out of the relegation zone in March 2007. But after a tough home defeat to rivals Colchester and only 10 league wins all season, Southend was moved back down to League One.

Back in League One, Southend strengthened their team. They finished sixth in League One at the end of the 2007–08 season. This meant they qualified for the play-offs against Doncaster Rovers. Southend drew the first game 0–0 but lost the second game 5–1.

After this play-off defeat, manager Steve Tilson made many changes to the team. Many players left, and new ones joined. Despite these changes, Southend finished eighth in League One in the next season, just missing out on the play-offs.

Money Troubles and Relegation (2009–2010)

In October 2009, Southend faced serious money problems with the tax authorities. This also meant the club could not sign new players. The team had very few fit players because of injuries and suspensions.

Southend worked hard to avoid serious financial trouble. They managed to pay off their tax bill in November 2009, and the ban on signing players was lifted in December. However, more money problems came up in February 2010. The club was again unable to pay players on time. They faced another ban on signing players.

Despite these challenges, the club managed to pay the outstanding bills. In August 2010, all the money problems with the tax authorities were settled. The ban on signing players was lifted.

However, the team's performance suffered. A very poor run of games in 2010 meant Southend was moved down to League Two on April 24, 2010. Many high-earning players left the club. On July 4, 2010, manager Steve Tilson left after seven years.

New Managers and Wembley (2010–2019)

On July 5, 2010, Paul Sturrock became the new manager. He led Southend to a good 13th-place finish in his first season. The next season, the club did even better, spending 11 weeks at the top of League 2. They finished 4th, which meant they entered the play-offs. However, Southend lost the play-off semi-final to Crewe Alexandra.

In the 2012–13 season, the club again faced a ban on signing players. This meant they started with fewer players. Despite this, they reached their first ever Wembley cup final in the Football League Trophy. Southend took a record 33,000 fans to the match, but they lost 2–0 to Crewe Alexandra.

Phil Brown became the new manager. He helped the team improve. In 2015, Phil Brown led the team to promotion to League One after a thrilling play-off final against Wycombe Wanderers, which they won on penalties. At the end of the 2016/2017 season, the club almost made it to the Championship play-offs, missing out by just one point.

On October 22, 2019, former famous footballer Sol Campbell was appointed manager of Southend.

Recent Challenges (2020–present)

Money Troubles and Relegations

Southend United continued to face serious money problems in 2020. This led to delays in paying staff and players. The club chairman worked to solve these issues, and the club avoided major financial penalties.

However, the team's performance was difficult. On April 2, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Southend had to temporarily stop paying some staff and players. On June 9, Football League clubs decided to end the 2019–20 season early. Southend was moved down to League Two.

On August 13, 2020, Mark Molesley became the new manager. But he only won eight games out of 45. On April 9, 2021, Molesley was sacked. Phil Brown returned as manager, but he couldn't save the team. Southend was moved down a second time in a row on May 1, 2021. This meant they left the Football League after 101 years and dropped into the National League.

In August 2021, Southend shared that their total debt was very high. The club started their first National League season with a win, but then had a tough run of games. Fans protested, asking for the chairman, Ron Martin, to leave. On October 20, 2021, Kevin Maher, a former Southend player, returned as head coach. In December 2021, Southend faced another ban on signing players because of tax debts. In May 2022, Southend finished their first National League season in 13th place.

More Money Problems

The club continued to face money problems. In September 2022, they were again banned from signing players because of a missed tax payment. The tax authorities then asked for the club to be closed down. This hearing was delayed several times. Staff wages were also paid late. The club's CEO said they needed a lot more money each year to keep going.

In January 2023, the club's financial records were very late. The tax authorities again tried to close the company down. The hearing was delayed again. The chairman said he was looking for a large loan to pay off debts. Fans became worried and even started planning for a "phoenix club," which is a new club formed from the old one.

In February 2023, the club had to find new medical staff for games because of unpaid fees. The chairman said paying the tax bill by March would be "close." Players' wages were also paid very late. Less than 24 hours before a court hearing, the club announced they had paid the large tax bill. The request to close the club was dismissed. However, the ban on signing players remained. Supporters were still worried about the club's future.

In April 2023, the club finished their second National League season in 8th place. Some staff had not been paid for two months.

Club for Sale

On March 17, 2023, the club officially started looking for a buyer or new investors.

Despite some money being put into the club in February, the financial problems continued. In April 2023, the club faced another request to be closed down by the tax authorities. This was their 18th such request! Other companies were also involved because of unpaid debts. The hearing was delayed again to give the chairman more time to sell the club.

In May 2023, it was reported that the chairman was talking to a group about buying the club. However, discussions were also happening with other interested parties.

In May 2023, the club got a court order to unfreeze a bank account so they could pay players and accountants. But some staff were still waiting for wages. Players and staff went unpaid again at the end of June. Players refused to train until they were paid. Other sponsors also withdrew their support. The water supply to the club's training ground was even turned off due to unpaid bills.

In July 2023, the court hearing was delayed again. This was to allow more time for a sale to happen. A pre-season friendly game was cancelled because the club had too many injured players and not enough players under contract. Local politicians also got involved, asking the chairman to provide information to the league. The chairman said he would sell his share in the club for £1, but wanted £4.5 million for Roots Hall stadium. The club also needed £1 million quickly to pay off its latest tax bill and lift the ban on signing players.

In July 2023, the club was allowed by the court to pay £300,000 in football-related debts. This helped them stay in the National League. The league said the club could play in the 2023–2024 season, but they had to pay their tax debt by August 23, 2023. If they broke these rules, they would lose 10 points automatically.

To get Roots Hall ready for the new season, the club cancelled another friendly game. Over 160 fans volunteered to clean and paint the stadium to help it get a safety certificate. Even with a small squad, Southend won their first two games of the season.

Points Deduction

On August 23, 2023, the court hearing was delayed for a final time. The judge warned the club that it would be closed down if the deadline was missed. Because some tax debt was still unpaid, the club was deducted 10 points by the National League. The club tried to appeal this, but it was not successful. The chairman said he was confident a sale to an Australian buyer, Justin Rees, would be finished by the end of September.

On September 7, 2023, the local council said they would consider investing in the club to help it survive. This might involve buying Roots Hall.

On September 16, 2023, Southend lost a game and had two players sent off. This meant they had very few players available for their next match. The manager had to ask the league about getting more players. The club signed a new goalkeeper, David Martin, who played immediately.

On September 20, 2023, the Justin Rees group said they had made two offers to the chairman, but neither was accepted. They thought a deal was unlikely before the October 4 court date. The group wanted to keep and improve Roots Hall as the club's stadium.

Fans protested against the chairman before a game on September 23, 2023. Southend lost that game. Two draws in later games left Southend near the bottom of the league.

Club Sold to Justin Rees Group

On October 3, 2023, the club confirmed that they had reached an agreement to sell the club to the Justin Rees group! The official takeover was planned for November. The deal meant the club would stay at Roots Hall. This news came the day before the court hearing about the tax debt. The tax debt was paid, and the request to close the club was dismissed.

On December 4, 2023, fans asked for an update because the takeover was still not finished. The new group said they needed more time to sort out important details. On December 23, 2023, the chairman and the Rees group signed contracts for the sale. The deal still needed approval from the local council. After 15 months, Southend's ban on signing players was finally lifted on December 28, 2023! The club ownership was expected to officially change in early 2024.

Images for kids

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  Chart of table positions of Southend in the League.

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  Southend United at Wembley