Revell: 'I had a frustrating time when I was there because I was injured'
So as Shrimpers shot stopper Glenn Morris says hi to the travelling O's fans once again, striker Alex Revell can do the same to the home crowd before Tuesday evening's Carling Cup first round game against League One side Leyton Orient.
The former Brighton targetman spent two and a half years at Southend but never really showed his true potential expected of a 150k signing, not helped by breaking his leg, ironically against the O's in January 2009, the last time the sides met as the Shrimpers came out on top 2-1.
Revell told www.leytonorient.com: "It would be nice to score anywhere to be honest, it doesn't really bother me that it's back at Southend. I had a frustrating time when I was there because I was injured and it was one thing after another. But those days are gone and I can only concentrate on what I'm doing here. It would be nice to get my first goal of the season there because I want to do as well as I can this year. I want to crack on and do better than last season. We're very much looking forward to tonight's game. After the disappointing result on Tuesday there's no better thing to have a derby game so soon. It's a good chance to go there and show people what we're about this year. It's an important game to go and win."
Fair enough Alex, who always impressed the faithful with his effort if not his goal scoring flair, 4 goals in 34 games was just not good enough.
However, he didn't deserve the comments made by board member to then Shrimpers CEO Geoffrey King at the time of his leaving, and speaking to the Echo while thanking the Roots Hall crowd, would not drawn into saying anything about the fat boy.
Revell told www.echo-news.co.uk: "The support I got from the Southend supporters was just amazing and to be honest it's probably what got me through a really tough time. I'll always appreciate that and they were good to me the whole time I was there. I'm excited about coming back to play there tonight because I never had a chance to say goodbye when I left. But I hope this is the one game Southend play badly in this season because I always look out for their results and would like to see them do well this year."
And King........
He continued: "In all honesty that's all water under the bridge for me now and it doesn't fire me up to make sure I play well tonight. I've never said anything about all that and I think that makes me the better person but the way my time at Southend ended was certainly very unfortunate.”
S24's Orient player-to-watch: www.southendunited-mad.co.uk
The Revell Files
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alexander David Revell | ||
| Date of birth | 7 July 1983 | ||
| Place of birth | Cambridge, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Leyton Orient | ||
| Number | 9 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1997–2000 | Cambridge United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2000–2004 | Cambridge United | 57 | (5) |
| 2003 | → Kettering Town (loan) | 7 | (1) |
| 2004–2006 | Braintree Town | 65 | (34) |
| 2006–2007 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 59 | (13) |
| 2008–2010 | Southend United | 34 | (4) |
| 2009–2010 | → Swindon Town (loan) | 10 | (2) |
| 2010 | → Wycombe Wanderers (loan) | 15 | (6) |
| 2010– | Leyton Orient | 40 | (13) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 6 August 2011. † Appearances (Goals). |
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(Player info supplied by Wikipedia, for the full article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Revell)