The Shrimpers’ first ever foray into the competition was a second round defeat to Rochdale at Spotland in the inaugural season of the League Cup, Blues going down by five goals to two. A strange system saw the Third Division side handed a bye through the first round, but it did little as goal from Bud Houghton and Pat Laverty were not enough to defeat the Lancastrians.
The next two campaigns saw no further success, a 1-0 first round defeat to Stoke City in front of 7,553 on Wednesday 13th September 1961 being Roots Hall’s first experience of the knockout competition, and then a 3-2 loss at the hands of Notts County following that up a season later.
Finally, on Wednesday 25th September 1963, United experienced a success in the League Cup, ironically beating our first League One opponents Port Vale by two goals to one at the Hall, with goals coming from Bobby Gilfillan and John McKinven. A month later, Swindon Town won 3-0 at the County Ground to bring about a third round departure - it remains as far as the Seasiders have ever got.
In 1964/5, Blues did at least repeat the trick, this time winning two matches on their way to a third round defeat to Stoke at the Victoria Ground. Southend won 1-0 away at Brentford, and after holding Hull City to a goalless draw at Boothferry Park, saw off the Tigers 3-1 at Roots Hall. Another win came in ‘65/6, 3-1 against Newport County, before a resounding 5-1 defeat to Reading again ended the club’s hopes.
Southend’s biggest win in the competition is still the 6-1 triumph over Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic in 1968/9, a season of massive cup wins with trouncing of Kings Lynn and Brentwood in the FA Cup to follow. This was the first match of the season, and two goals from Eddie Clayton, and one apiece from McKinven, Phil Chisnall, John Kurija and Billy Best sealed the win at Dean Court. A narrow 1-0 reverse to Wolverhampton Wanderers in front of over 18,000 awaited in round two.
In ‘69/70, the Shrimpers played six matches before being beaten 2-1 by Bradford City at Valley Parade. It took three attempts to see off perennial first round victims Brentford for the third time in a decade, 3-2 in a second replay, and then a 2-2 draw at Gay Meadow preceded a 2-0 win over Shrewsbury Town. Defeats to Chelsea (narrowly 1-0), Portsmouth, Aldershot and Charlton Athletic were pieced only by a solitary win against the Shots in the next five seasons.
1974/5 saw a 2-0 second round defeat to Essex rivals Colchester United before the system changed to help bring smaller clubs more money, and also give the bigger sides more of a chance of success, with the first round becoming two-legged. Losses on aggregate to such footballing luminaries as Peterborough United, Northampton Town and Brighton & Hove Albion were to be suffered.
It was not until the fifth season under this format that United recorded a success, and it came against the unfortunate Bees of Griffin Park. A strike from Gerry Fell was added to by an own goal by McNicholl in the first leg, and then away from the Hall, Blues ran riot with a 4-1 success thanks to efforts from Mick Tuohy (twice), Colin Morris and Derrick Parker. In round two, two more from Morris helped secure a 2-1 aggregate win at Burnden Park against Bolton Wanderers, and the run was only ended in a second replay against West Ham United at the Boleyn Ground after 1-1 and 0-0 draws.
Oxford United, Portsmouth, Fulham, Wimbledon and Leyton Orient all conquered the Shrimpers in the next five years, leaving Blues with just twelve overall victories in their first 25 years of competing. The record was to get little better in the next twenty….
Robert Craven
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