Southend United 2008/09 - 1: Lose Four, win four, draw a few, Blues live on loans

Marks are out of ten based on their contribution and performance in the games they played throughout their season for the club & they had to have at least 90 minutes under their belt. Apologies if I've missed anyone!

Goalkeepers

Steve Mildenhall - 8; What a turn around for him, even though I hope the there's a change in the song lyrics for Big Steve next season, there's a hint of truth in them, I still see that cross at Walsall sailing over his head and into the net.

However, helped by the 'Dervite' effect along with Clarkey and Captain Adam moving to left back, confidence returned as we used to have the obligatory 'Darryl' save during a game it seemed strange towards the end of the season if Steve didn't come up with one of his own. His extra height did help.

Gets an extra mark for not letting the chanting and comments get him down, got on with the job and looked as good as any keeper in the league by May. Save of the season at Chelsea.

Ian Joyce - 7; Played 2 & a half, Won 3, not bad! Who knows what might have happened if that Crewe forward's shot had smashed into the net early on in Ian's debut instead of the post and safely in his arms. The chants of USA, USA were one of the highlights of the season for me! Looked set for a run until Tilly decided to bring in the more experienced Aussie and great he's been offered another 12 month contract which I hope he signs.

Adam Federici - 9; Made the bench for the drunken Spread eleven and pushed Sammy up to the second southern comfort. Maybe nostalgia won the day for Paul but the Aussie keeper, who joined on loan from Reading while Mildenhall was injured, was brilliant, the complete keeper, and, along with Freedman's goals, stopped the early season slump we found ourselves in.

Only 1 defeat in the 10 games he played for us, only after Dougie limped off against Orient and the players in front of him once again showed their shortcomings did the goals start to go in and the odd error crept into his game. Deserves his 9 for those early games, his display in the rain at Yeovil was THE best I've seen by a Southend keeper, the chants of Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi, while we all got wet made it a day to remember.

A back five with him, Dervite and Harding in it would get me down the bookies for Blues automatic promotion sharpish.

Full-Backs (& part-time centre halves!)

Simon Francis - 7; See 'walkabout' comment below, however came back when the goal leakage was blocked but seemed to have forgotten to score at the other end, injuries to the strikers not helping. Played at centre-half pre-Dervite and didn't look out of place, felt he played well; also left-back, not such a good idea.

We'd certainly missed his set ball kicks and accurate crossing ability without him and Harding and his return against Tranmere showed what he can do when his cross led to Theo's goal as early as the third minute. Still questions about his 'day' job but with good protection around him can be a class act.

Osei Sankofa - 6; Sankofa looked a mess when he played at centre back in the JPT against Orient, the anti-Dervite, he made players around him look and play more badly! Became solid right back cover who Tilly turned to when the goals leaked in and Francis kept going walkabout. Lost his place when said attacking play was needed as Osei hardly came out of the first third let alone his own half but exactly what we needed at the time.

Young guy worth preserving with certainly as a squad player who won't let anyone down, as long as it's not as a central defender again for a while. Hartlepool at home showed all the old faults in that position.

Adam Barrett (c) - 8; Captain Adam is an inspiring player and skipper and long should he reign. Might return to his central defender position sooner rather than later but took his move to left back, as we knew he would, with no complaints and no little skill, he wanted the best for the club. No praise can be high enough for him and I hope he gets another shot at the Championship with Southend. Never less than 100% ect. ect.

Dan Harding - 9; Pure class when chaos was breaking out around him, would love to see him back especially if Clarkey goes. Exceptional talent which I'm sure Keane will want to keep at Ipswich. That free-kick against Leeds will live long in the memory.

Johnny Herd - 6; We all wondered how Johnny would play when he was named at Telford and when he brought their striker down on the edge of the box in the first minutes eyebrows were raised. We didn't have to worry and where did that throw come from? Once he beefs up a touch could be a first team regular that will make discussions about that left back position irrelevant, but not yet.

Centre-Backs

Peter Clarke - 8; Not a lot more can be said regarding Clarkey, just about every player-of-the-season award going, we all want him to sign but probably won't, talking to his agent or not. "Well, just how much dosh will you pay him Tilly?"

Certainly gave 100% in every game, can still see him putting his body on the line in most games but Scunthorpe away stands out. Was one half of the guilty 'alpha male' central partnership which helped let in far too many goals for far too long until the 'Dervite' effect took over.

His equalising goal at Chelsea is already legend but I'm T&B will have replacements lined up. Hopefully.

Dorian Dervite - 10; A perfect ten, a mark I never give, even when Freddy was scoring hat-tricks at Chesterfield to win a game single handed I give a 9, nobody's perfect. Why here, we did lose some games at the end of his watch, he even looked mortal away to Swindon?

When we lost to Leeds we were seven points off the bottom four, even Tilly saw something had to happen. How long had he been looking at Dorian? I don't know, but it was an inspired signing and was the decision for me that showed Tilly could at last stand up to his senior players. In the end it was a month too late but the Frenchman was outstanding and we nearly did it, however it could have been relegation without him.

The best central defender I've seen at the club in over 40 seasons, he made the players around him improve in every game. The facts about goals given away in open play with him in the side and the points won are well documented. Whatever happens, thanks for the memories Dorian.

(Well, here are the statistics, and his displays were far better than mere figures anyway: P18, W12 D1 L5 F24 A15 PTS. 37 (out of 54).)

Central Midfield

Alan McCormack - 8; Oh how we worried when the headlines screamed 'Macca Out' at the start of the season. And how right we were. Granty and Moose just were not the answer in those early games and how we welcomed him back, that standing ovation when he left the field in his first match back.

Still snapping away, dare one say even more respectful of referees, maybe not, just needs to get his shooting boots back on though there was nothing wrong with that cracker at home to Carlisle.

TLG reckons there might be an offer from a Championship club, how much he improved as the team did in that last quarter of the season. I'm sure it would be turned down if any came, but it would show his importance to any promotion challange 2009/10.

Anthony Grant - 7; Young Snoop Dog looked lost as Macca's replacement first up but named as his favourite playing partner when Anthony replaced the injured Christophe. Annoying at times as he seems to mentally switch off, could open for the West Indies cricket team, however has more speed of thought and feet than originally thought and grew into the role. Still see him as a good squad player than first choice in a promotion winning midfield.

Jean-Francois Christophe - 7; Or John-Paul as I kept writing when he first signed on-loan from Pompey! Good player, tough in tackle just wish he'd look a touch more lively going forward though there he is getting the club's goal-of-the-season with a quite incredible overhead kick at Peterborough and then a header at Northampton that looked like he'd been assisted by the England rugby line out so high did he get up, so what do I know?!!

Does sometimes try the Premiership pass when a short square one will do, if there are no further signings in mid-field should be interesting who T&B decide will start with come August.

Lee Sawyer - 8; How much is the 'we'll still interested' club PR or we will follow it up? Can be no doubt the influence he had during the 12 games he played for us at the start of the season. His mazy runs looked strange at first, at Walsall he seemed to just go round in circles, however they soon turned into something far more positive as the opposition found it hard to push him off the ball for a player of his age and size.

A good engine as they say, liked scoring against Borient which is a plus for any Shrimper. Still only a teenager, surely Chelsea will want to keep him for at least another season then again I'm told he's out of contract, yeh, let's make an offer! Macca and Sawyer would be quite tasty, certainly would make the places in the central midfield competitive, the Moose still fancies it as well!

Robert Milsom - 5; Well we had to get wrong. Did he actually do anything? Noticed him at Scunthorpe passing it around nicely but mostly got lost in the League One rush and returned sharpish to Fulham after only six starts. Actually made his Premiership debut as a sub at Old Trafford of all places but never seen again!

Stuart O' Keefe - 6; Stuart made his debut for Blues on November 18 2008, at home to Telford in the 2-0 win in the FA Cup first-round replay. He made his debut in the Football League against Leyton Orient on January 20 2009, in the 1-1 away draw coming on as a substitute in the 84th minute. His first full league start was against Leeds at Elland Road on January 27.