The Shrimpers, who last faced the U’s in a League fixture in the old Division Four on Easter Monday 1990, will travel to Layer Road hoping to emulate that 2-0 victory – secured with goals from Ian Benjamin and Peter Daly which effectively relegated The north Essex club to the GM Vauxhall Conference whilst the Shrimpers were promoted – on 4th March 2006.
Last season, of course, Blues travelled to Layer Road and secured a 5-3 penalty kick-victory over their rivals after a 1-1 LDV Vans Trophy draw. It was the second successive triumph at the ramshackle old ground in consecutive seasons, a 3-2 win in the same competition helping to seal a 4-3 aggregate win in the area finals. The return match at Roots Hall will take place on Monday 29 September, with Southend looking to extend a 27-26 lead in the head-to-head record between Essex’s only two Football League sides.
The first day of 2005/6 will see the Seasiders face at home to Port Vale. In the past ten seasons, United have won five, drawn three and lost two on the opening day of the new term. The ten-year record on day one of a League season is as follows:
Sat 12 Aug 1995: Portsmouth @ Fratton Park – L2-4
Sat 17 Aug 1996: Tranmere Rovers @ Roots Hall - D1-1
Sat 09 Aug 1997: Carlisle United @ Roots Hall – D1-1
Sat 08 Aug 1998: Scarborough @ the McCain Stadium - W2-1
Sat 07 Aug 1999: Plymouth Argyle @ Roots Hall – W2-1
Sat 12 Aug 2000: Brighton & Hove Albion @ Roots Hall – W2-0
Sat 11 Aug 2001: Darlington @ Roots Hall – W1-0
Sat 10 Aug 2002: Hull City @ Boothferry Park – D2-2
Sat 09 Aug 2003: Cheltenham Town @ Roots Hall – W2-0
Sat 07 Aug 2004: Cheltenham Town @ Roots Hall – L0-2
Boxing Day, which has also been predominantly a good day for United, will see Southend at home against Milton Keynes Dons. In the past ten years five victories, three draws and two losses have been played out by the Shrimpers, with Freddy Eastwood the latest top-scorer (they have all netted in the festive fixture on the last four occasions) to net at Wycombe Wanderers in 2004/5. The last decade has seen the following results:
Tue 26 Dec 1995: Norwich City @ Carrow Road – W1-0
Thu 26 Dec 1996: Charlton Athletic @ Roots Hall – L0-2
Fri 26 Dec 1997: Brentford @ Griffin Park – D1-1
Sat 26 Dec 1998: Peterborough United @ Roots Hall – W2-0
Sun 26 Dec 1999: Northampton Town @ Roots Hall – D2-2
Tue 26 Dec 2000: Leyton Orient @ Roots Hall – L0-1
Wed 26 Dec 2001: Rushden & Diamonds @ Roots Hall – W4-2
Thu 26 Dec 2002: Cambridge United @ the Abbey Stadium – D1-1
Fri 26 Dec 2003: Cambridge United @ the Abbey Stadium – W1-0
Sun 26 Dec 2004: Wycombe Wanderers @ Adams Park – W1-0
Finally, the key draw for all sides in this season’s Coca-Cola League One is the trip to the City Ground, home of two-time European Champions Nottingham Forest. Blues will go there on Saturday 19th October, looking to win their second match at the historic ground. Southend won on their first visit there in April 1950, but lost in April 1951 and December 1993. The clash on the first day of the 1993/4 campaign was Forest’s first after the end of legendary manager Brian Clough’s reign at the club, ending in a televised 1-1 draw.
Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com