Southend United F.C. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Southend United

Full name	Southend United Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Shrimpers, The Seasiders
Founded	19 May 1906; 119 years ago (1906-05-19)
Ground	Roots Hall
Ground Capacity	12,492
Chairman	Ron Martin
Head coach	Kevin Maher
League	League One
2018–19	League One, 19th of 24
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Southend United Football Club is a professional association football team from Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England. They are often called "The Shrimpers" because of the area's history with the sea. This nickname is even on their club badge!

As of the 2022–23 season, Southend United plays in the National League. This is the fifth level of English football. The club is owned by a person named Ron Martin.

Southend United was started on May 19, 1906, in a pub called the Blue Boar. They quickly won the Southern League Second Division twice. In 1920, they joined the Football League. For 44 years, they played in the third tier of English football.

They moved between the third and fourth tiers for the next 24 years. They earned promotions in 1971–72, 1977–78, 1980–81 (when they were champions), 1986–87, and 1989–90. In 1990–91, they reached the second tier for the first time.

After six seasons there, they were relegated twice in a row in 1997 and 1998. Under manager Steve Tilson, Southend got promoted twice again in 2004–05 and 2005–06. This earned them a spot in the Championship as League One champions.

However, they only stayed in the second tier for one season. They were relegated back to League Two in 2010. They won promotion again through the play-offs in 2015. But then, they faced two more relegations in 2020 and 2021. This happened during some financial difficulties for the club. After 101 years in the Football League, the club moved to the National League for the 2021–22 season, where they play today.

The club's home ground is Roots Hall Stadium in Prittlewell. There are plans to build a new stadium at Fossetts Farm. Southend United has a big rivalry with nearby club Colchester United. Their games are known as the Essex derby.

Club History

Early Years (1906–1984)

This chart shows where Southend United finished in the league each season.

Southend United F.C. started in 1906. They played in the Southern Football League until 1920. Then, they helped create the Football League's new Third Division. In their first season, they finished 17th.

In 1921, the Third Division was split into northern and southern sections. Southend United joined the southern part. They stayed there until the league changed in 1958. Southend almost got promoted twice, finishing 3rd in 1932 and 1950. These were the club's highest league positions until 1991.

Southend United joined the new national Third Division in 1958. They stayed there until 1966 when they were relegated for the first time. They moved down to the Football League Fourth Division. It took six seasons until 1972 for them to get promoted again. They finished second behind Grimsby Town.

In 1976, Southend was relegated again. But they quickly bounced back, finishing second behind Watford in 1978. Another relegation happened in 1980. This was followed by one of their best seasons ever! They won the Fourth Division Championship in 1981. They even broke several club records that year.

Ups and Downs (1984–2004)

In 1984, the club was relegated to the Football League Fourth Division. Bobby Moore, a famous football player, was their manager then. The next season, they finished 20th. They just barely avoided having to leave the Football League.

However, Southend earned promotion in 1987. They were relegated again in 1989. But then, they had two promotions in a row in 1990 and 1991. This brought Southend United to the second tier of the English Football League. In 1992, under manager David Webb, the club finished 12th. They even briefly topped the division on New Year's Day, 1992.

After a few more managers, Ronnie Whelan, a former Liverpool player, became player-manager in 1995. Southend finished 14th in Division One in his first season. But they were relegated a year later. Whelan left the club after a disagreement.

Alvin Martin took over, but he couldn't stop a second relegation in a row. Martin left in April 1999. After a few more changes, former Southend United player Steve Tilson became manager in late 2003.

Tilson's Success (2004–2010)

Under Steve Tilson, Southend reached their first national cup final. They played Blackpool in the Football League Trophy final in Cardiff. More than 20,000 Southend fans traveled to watch, but Blackpool won 2–0.

Tilson then led Southend to promotion to League 1 in 2005. They also reached the Football League Trophy final again, losing 2–0 to Wrexham. But their third trip to the Millennium Stadium was a success! They won the League Two play-off final against Lincoln City. This was the club's first promotion through the play-off system.

In May 2006, Southend became League One champions! They beat Bristol City 1–0 at Roots Hall. This was the club's first title in 25 years. Tilson was even named the League Manager Association's Manager-of-the-Season for League One.

Southend started the 2006–07 season well. They won against Stoke City and Sunderland. But then they didn't win a league game for 18 matches. However, they did beat the famous Manchester United 1–0 in a League Cup game in November 2006. Freddy Eastwood scored the winning goal!

Despite this, Southend was relegated back to League One in 2007. They finished sixth in League One at the end of 2007–08. This meant they qualified for a play-off spot. They drew the first leg against Doncaster Rovers 0–0 but lost the second leg 5–1.

The next season, Southend finished 8th, just missing the play-offs. The 2009–2010 season was harder. A long period with only one win meant Southend was in trouble. They were relegated to League Two on April 24, 2010. On July 4, 2010, manager Steve Tilson left the club after seven years.

Money Troubles (2009–10)

During the 2009–10 season, Southend faced problems with unpaid bills. This meant they couldn't pay their players on time in February 2010. The Professional Footballers Association had to step in to help the players. The club was also not allowed to sign new players until they paid back the money.

The club was given extensions to pay their bills. On April 20, 2010, the bills were paid. In August 2010, all actions against Southend United were stopped.

Recent Years (2011–Present)

On July 5, 2010, Paul Sturrock became the new manager. He led Southend to 13th place in his first season. The next season, they did much better. They were at the top of League Two for 11 weeks! But then their form dropped, and they had to enter the play-offs. Southend lost the play-off semi-final against Crewe Alexandra 3–2.

Southend United players at Wembley Stadium.

At the start of the 2012–13 season, the club couldn't sign new players. This meant they had a smaller team. However, a successful loan player, Britt Assombalonga from Watford, helped Southend go 14 games without losing. They reached 4th place in the league.

Their league form dipped in early 2013. But the club reached its first Wembley cup final in the Football League Trophy. Paul Sturrock was removed as manager two weeks before the final. But he was asked to manage the team for the final. Sturrock refused and watched from the stands. Southend brought a record 33,000 fans to the match, but they lost 2–0 to Crewe Alexandra.

Phil Brown took over as manager. He only won one of his first eight games. Southend finished the season in 11th place. In 2015, Brown led the team to League One through a play-off final. They beat Wycombe Wanderers 7–6 on penalties!

At the end of the 2016–2017 season, the club just missed the play-offs for the Championship by one point. The next season, Southend finished 10th. But in 2018–2019, they slipped to 19th. They avoided relegation only because of goal difference.

On October 22, 2019, Sol Campbell became Southend's manager. His first game was a 3–1 home loss to Ipswich Town on October 25.

More Money Troubles and Relegations

Southend faced more money problems in late 2019. Players and other staff were not paid on time. The club chairman, Ron Martin, paid the money. He promised it wouldn't happen again. The club was charged with misconduct by the EFL for not paying players on time. They also played a player who wasn't allowed to play.

On April 2, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, Southend put some staff and players on temporary leave. This was to help the club manage its money. On June 9, football clubs agreed to end the 2019–20 season early. Southend was relegated to League Two. On June 30, 2020, manager Campbell and his assistants left the club.

On August 13, 2020, Mark Molesley became the new manager. On October 28, 2020, the club finally paid its tax debts. On April 9, 2021, Molesley was removed as manager. He had only won eight games out of 45. The club was in 23rd place.

Phil Brown returned as manager, but he couldn't save the team. Southend was relegated for a second time in a row on May 1, 2021. They dropped out of the Football League after 101 years. Brown then signed a two-year contract to manage the club.

In August 2021, Southend said their total debt in July 2019 was £17.4 million. Most of this was owed to the chairman's companies. On August 21, 2021, Southend started their first season in the National League. They won 1–0 at King's Lynn Town.

But after six games without a win, manager Phil Brown was worried. He said Southend was in a "massive chasm." On October 5 and 9, 2021, Southend fans protested. They wanted chairman Ron Martin to leave. After a 4–0 loss to Chesterfield, Brown was removed as manager.

On October 20, 2021, Kevin Maher returned to the club as head coach. He was supported by Darren Currie and Mark Bentley. In December 2021, Southend faced another problem. They were not allowed to sign new players because of unpaid tax debts. This was due to two relegations and less income. In May 2022, Southend finished their first National League season in 13th place.

More Recent Money Troubles

On September 30, 2022, the club was again not allowed to sign new players. This was because of a missed payment to tax authorities. The next day, fans protested. The club's shirt sponsor even said they would stop supporting the club, but later changed their mind.

Fans blamed the chairman, Ron Martin, for not running the club properly. Martin said a delay caused the missed payment. He said he would get money to pay the debt. However, in October 2022, the tax authorities started a process to get the money. This process was delayed, but it meant the club still couldn't sign new players.

Some staff members were late getting their October 2022 salaries. The supporters group and the shirt sponsor each loaned the club £40,000. The club's CEO said this was "humbling." He added that moving to the new stadium at Fossetts Farm would help solve the money problems. Wages for November and some of December 2022 were also paid late. The CEO said the club needed about £2 million more each year. Getting promoted to League Two would help reduce these losses.

Club Stadium

Southend United has played its home games at five different places. These include the original Roots Hall, the Kursaal, the Southend Stadium, the rented New Writtle Street Stadium, and the current Roots Hall.

Roots Hall was the first stadium the club owned. It was built where their first home ground used to be. The land was used as a sand quarry and a landfill before the club bought it in 1952. It took 10 years to finish building Roots Hall.

The first game at the new Roots Hall was on August 20, 1955. Southend won 3–1 against Norwich City. About 12,190 people attended. But the stadium was not finished. The main East Stand was barely built. Only a few steps of seating were around the ground.

The pitch itself had problems because it was built on top of a lot of rubbish. It didn't drain well when it rained. So, the pitch was completely re-laid in 1956. A proper drainage system was built. The West Bank roof was also extended.

The seating areas were finished soon after. The huge South Bank area was fully completed in 1964. The North Bank roof was extended in the early 1960s. The East Stand was made longer in 1966. Floodlights were also put in during this time.

Roots Hall was designed to hold 35,000 fans. The South Bank alone could hold over 15,000 people. The most people ever at the ground was 31,090. This was for an FA Cup game against Liverpool in January 1979.

In 1988, Roots Hall changed a lot. The club sold most of the South Bank area for building. This left only a small part of the seating. In 1994, seats were added to the original seating areas. A second level was also added. The West Bank had already gotten seats in 1992.

In 1995, the Gilbert & Rose West Stand roof was extended. It connected with the North and South Stands. Seats were added in each corner. This gave Roots Hall its current look. It can now hold just under 12,500 people.

On January 24, 2007, the Southend-on-Sea Borough Council agreed to allow a new 22,000-seat stadium. This new stadium would be at Fossetts Farm. The government approved the plans on March 6, 2008.

However, it took another 12 years for real plans to appear. In April 2020, a deal was made between Southend United, the council, and a housing group. The plans were approved in October 2021. The new stadium would have a 107-bed hotel and tall apartment buildings.

Club Rivalries

Colchester United

Southend players celebrating in front of Colchester fans.

Southend United has a strong local rivalry with another team from Essex, Colchester United. This rivalry goes back many years.

At the end of the 1989–90 season, Southend was promoted. But Colchester left the Football League. So, the clubs didn't play each other for almost 15 years. They met again in 2004 in the Southern Final of the Football League Trophy. Southend won 4–3 overall. This was their first time reaching a national cup final.

The next season, they met again in the same competition. Southend won again after a penalty shootout. Both clubs were promoted from League One at the end of the 2005–06 season. Southend won the top spot after a long fight. Southend has won 30 games against Colchester, while Colchester has won 25. They have drawn 17 times. Their last game was in October 2018. Colchester won 2–0.

Leyton Orient

There is also a strong rivalry between Southend and Leyton Orient. This started between 1998 and 2005. During that time, Leyton Orient was the closest league rival to Southend.

These games are always exciting. Southend sees Leyton Orient as a secondary rival compared to Colchester United. This is because of where the clubs are located and their history.

Southend beat Leyton Orient in the 2012–13 Football League Trophy Southern Area Final. This earned them a spot at Wembley in the final against Crewe Alexandra. Southend won the first game 1–0. They drew the second game 2–2. This meant they won 3–2 overall, even though they were in a lower division than Orient at the time.

Dagenham & Redbridge

Since Southend was relegated to the National League, a rivalry with Dagenham & Redbridge F.C. has started. However, this rivalry is mostly recognized by the London club.

Club Players

Current Squad

No. Position Player 1 GK Steve Arnold 2 DF Gus Scott-Morriss 3 DF Nathan Ralph (captain) 4 DF Louis Lomas 5 DF Shaun Hobson 6 DF Ollie Kensdale 7 MF Jack Bridge 8 MF Noor Husin 9 FW Rhys Murphy 10 FW Dan Mooney 11 MF Callum Powell 12 DF Tom Clifford 14 MF Jack Wood 16 MF Harry Taylor 17 MF Cavaghn Miley

No. Position Player 18 MF Wesley Fonguck 19 FW Chris Wreh 21 MF Jon Benton 22 DF Kacper Łopata 23 FW Harry Cardwell 24 DF Jason Demetriou 25 DF Louis Arrowsmith 26 DF Tommy Davis 27 DF Jaden Crowhurst 28 MF Oli Coker 29 DF Luke Reeve 30 GK Collin Andeng-Ndi 35 FW Henry Sandat 36 FW Max Fiddes 39 FW Jake Hyde (on loan from Wrexham)

Player of the Year

Top League Scorer

Club Managers

Club Management

Academy Staff

• Academy manager: Vacant
• Academy operations secretary/U21s secretary: Lis Orford
• Head of coaching: Ian Hart
• U23 manager: Vacant
• Professional development phase coach: Danny Heath
• Lead youth development phase coach: Mark Moss
• Lead foundation phase coach: Daniel Costa
• Education and welfare officer: Elaine Hume
• Academy lead physiotherapist: Vacant
• Under 21 strength and conditioning coach: Jon Rossi
• Under 18 strength and conditioning coach: Cat Malcolm

Club Honours

League Titles

• League One/Third Division (Tier 3)
  • Champions (1): 2005–06
  • Runners-up: 1990–91
• League Two/Fourth Division (Tier 4)
  • Champions (1): 1980–81
  • Runners-up: 1971–72, 1977–78
  • Third-place promotion: 1986–87
  • Play-off Winners: 2004–05, 2014–15
• Southern League Second Division
  • Winners (2): 1906–07, 1907–08
  • Runners-up: 1912–13

Cup Wins

• Football League Trophy
  • Runners-up: 2003–04, 2004–05, 2012–13
• Essex Professional Cup
  • Winners (10): 1950, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1962, 1965, 1967, 1972, 1973
• Essex Senior Cup
  • Winners (3): 1983, 1991, 1997, 2008
• Essex Thameside Trophy
  • Winners: 1990

Club Records

• Biggest victory as a league club: 10–1 vs. Golders Green, FA Cup, 1934–35; 10–1 vs. Brentwood, FA Cup, 1968–69; 10–1 vs. Aldershot, Football League Trophy, 1990–91
• Heaviest defeat as a league club: 1–9 vs. Brighton & Hove Albion, 1965–66
• Highest attendance (all games): 31,033 vs. Liverpool, FA Cup, January 10, 1979
• Highest attendance (League games): 21,020 vs. Leyton Orient, Football League Third Division South, September 9, 1955
• Lowest attendance (all games): 641 vs. Brighton and Hove Albion U23s, EFL Trophy, October 1, 2019
• Highest average attendance: 12,089 in 1949–50 Football League Third Division South – Southend Stadium
• Lowest average attendance: 2,103 in 1984–85 Football League Fourth Division – Roots Hall
• Most points in a season: 85 in 1990–91 Football League Third Division
• Fewest points in a season: 19 in 2019-20, EFL League One (season was shorter due to COVID-19 pandemic)
• Most appearances (all games): Alan Moody (506 games – 1972–1984)
• Most appearances (League games): Sandy Anderson (452 games – 1950–1962)
• Most appearances (FA Cup): Alan Moody (32 games – 1972–1984)
• Most appearances (League Cup): David Martin (25 games – 1986–1993)
• Most appearances (other cup games): Kevin Maher (26 games – 1998 to 2008)
• Most appearances (single season): Sean Clohessy (59 games – 2012–2013)
• Most goals (all games): Roy Hollis (135 goals – 1954–1960)
• Most goals (League games): Roy Hollis (120 goals – 1954–1960)
• Most goals (FA Cup): Roy Hollis (15 goals – 1954–1960) and Billy Best (15 goals – 1968–1973)
• Most goals (League Cup): Sammy McMillan (15 goals – 1967–69) and David Martin (15 goals – 1986–1993)
• Most goals (other cup games): Brett Angell (10 goals – 1990–1994)
• Consecutive wins (League): 8 (August 29, 2005 – October 9, 2005)
• Consecutive clean sheets (League): 8 (March 21, 2015 – April 25, 2015)

Club Kit

See also

In Spanish: Southend United Football Club para niños