Division III (South)
In the previous season Exeter had finished eighth, Southend seventh, level on points, just 0-08 goal average separating the sides, but the Grecians had a better away record than the Blues, but in their first game of the current season Exeter had lost at Brentford 2-4. It was the home performances that dictate the size of the attendance, it's all very well doing well but if the side performs badly in their home games the spectators will get tired and stop coming.
The attendance for the Exeter match was about 7,000 which for a midweek game was quite pleasing however the performance was poor and spineless. The only excuse for this was that the team were tired after the trip to Boscombe, but this did little to appease the disappointed fans.
Jimmy Shankly headed the only goal and although the Exeter forwards were not so clever as those of Southend, they should have scored in the first half.
The headline in the Standard summed it up "WANTED GINGER - Blues Tame Game against Exeter."
Southend went up to second place in the League. Team: Moore; French and Robinson; Dixon, Binks and Sayer; Morris, Townsend, Shankly, Donoven and Clenshaw.
Wednesday 5th September 1928
Division III (South)
Southend were unbeaten and eighth in the league, Exeter were still awaiting their first win and were in a lowly nineteenth place, with just one point from their three games, and that being a 1-1 draw at home to Luton. A long trip to the West country for a midweek game, and in the circumstances it was expected that the home side would claim the points.
Exeter made a lot of changes from the side that had drawn with Luton on Saturday and by the same standard the Southend team was somewhat experimental. Apart from the first few minutes, the Blues always looked likely to take away the points, but after seven minutes Exeter took the lead. The Blues played clever and polished football but couldn't alter the score in the first half.
After fifteen minutes of the second half Shankly headed home from a corner to equalise, Southend then tried their utmost to take the lead but it was denied them until two minutes from time when Morris converted a cross from Clenshaw to give the United the victory they totally deserved.
The headline in the Standard followed up from the readers letter about French with the headlines, "BLUES' GREAT VICTORY. Ineffective Exeter changes. FRENCH RETURNS TO FORM."
Southend remained at second place in the League. Team: Moore; French and Robinson; Dixon, Binks and Sayer; Morris, Townsend, Shankly, Donoven and Clenshaw.
Season 1928-29 | P | W | D | L | F | A | P | |
1 | Luton Town | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 6 |
2 | SOUTHEND UNITED | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 6 |
3 | Brentford | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 5 |
4 | Plymouth Argyle | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 5 |
5 | Queens Park Rangers | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 5 |
6 | Coventry City | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 5 |
7 | Watford | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 5 |
The Club has this season so far has not got a first class back on its books. But this does not entitle the few hooligans to throw cat calls and disgusting language at French such as was the case at times on Saturday. The season has just started and a player keen on keeping his position in the team naturally endeavours to give of his best. French I admit is no class back but is there any credit due to a certain section of the crowd who so early in the season delight in barracking a player in such a cowardly manner.
From the Southend Standard 6th September 1928
Extracts From The "Forgotten Years of the Kursaal" by Peter William Baker