Tuesday 25th December 1923
Southend were fourteenth, Aberdare eighteenth, but there was only two points between them, but as the Blues had only lost one home match and Aberdare had only won two of their ten away games (conceding 23 goals in the process), confidence was high. It was gloriously fine, crisp Christmas Day morning but the pitch was frozen and not ideal for playing, but 7,000 spectators attended. Team: Hall; W. Evans and Taylor; Dorey, Edwards and Dreyer; Johnson, Dobson, McClelland, Slater and Maycock.
CHRISTMAS MORNING AT THE KURSAAL
Two inexcusable decisions by the referee in the Christmas morning match at the Kursaal resulted in the brace of goals which were divided by Aberdare and the United. In the first instance Mr. Greenland pulled up McClleland for offside when he was three foot inside his own half at the moment he started for the ball and Aberdare scored from the subsequent free kick. Then in the final five minutes he awarded a penalty against Worrell for a perfectly legitimate, though vigorous shoulder charge on Slater, and just when it looked like "all Lombard Street to a China Orange" that the Welshmen gaining their first victory over the Blues.
From the Southend Standard 27h December 1923.
The fixtures had ordained a return trip to Aberdare the following day, which meant that within an hour and a half of the end of the Christmas morning fixture the team had to board the train for the return fixture. The Standard stated that no one out of "bedlam" would have organised such fixtures. Southend stayed at fourteenth place in the league.
Wednesday26th December 1923
On Boxing Day the Blues had the return match at the Athletic Stadium Aberdare. They were in eighteenth position but had only played eight home games opposed to eleven away and of those eight home games they had won four, drawn two and lost two. Southend lost 2-5, but were still in 15th place five points ahead of the drop zone. Team: Hall; Taylor and W. Evans; Kay, Edwards and Dorey; Johnson, Dobson, Goodwin, Slater and Davies.
The exchanges up to the interval did not warrant such a disparity as a 1-4 score suggested. The Southend forwards combined nicely at periods, but the backs were very weak. Hall also ought to have intercepted two of the centres from which goals occurred. The great fault however was with the backs. After the second half was 22 minutes old, Davies obtained a beautiful goal for Southend. He beat the defence in fine style and placed the ball in the top of the net out of Duckworth's reach. Ten minutes from the end Aberdare gained their fifth.
From the Southend Standard 27h December 1923
London Combination: At the Kursaal the Reserves had a really good attraction when they drew 1-1 with Chelsea in the Combination in front of 6,000 spectators there were many changes to both sides Baker from Rayleigh replacing Maidment in the Southend goal while the Chelsea side made seven changes from the programme, which meant "buying a programme became futile" as the Standard pointed out. It was a spirited encounter Southend obtained the equaliser through a penalty, thanks to Lunn minutes before the end.
Extracts from: "The Forgotten Years of the Kursaal" by Peter William Baker
Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Forgotten-Years-Kursaal-Southend-United/dp/0955597641/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261127372&sr=1-1