|
The U's are actually the Football League's second youngest side, behind Rushden & Diamonds (1992) having been founded in 1937, and thus the Shrimpers never met the Layer Road side during their Southern League days when Southend's closest rivals were the likes of Clapton Orient and Ipswich Town.
Colchester enjoyed some tasty local derbies with Chelmsford City in their early days, especially during the lare forties before the U's, on the back of some impressive Cup runs, were elected into Division Three (South) of the Football League along with Gillingham in 1950, and just the following a season a new rivalry was formed with Southend United - the only other Essex-based side in the League. Indeed these two sides are the only two Club's to represent the County of Essex in the Football League. West Ham United and Leyton Orient come close but nowadays those town's fall easilty within the London Borough's.
However, it's now been fourteen years since the two sides last met competitively on Monday, 16th April 1990 in a Division Four match. Southend stormed to s 2-0 victory that afternoon, Ian Benjamin giving the Shrimpers a first half lead before a memorable goal from Peter Daley - who made just five substitute appearances for Blues - who ran fully seventy yards before slotting home right in front of the away supporters capped a victory which saw Southend edge nearer promotion whilst the u's were all but condemned to the drop into the Conference.
Colchester were replaced in the Football League by Darlington and it took Ian Atkins' side two years to climb back out, having finished runners-up to Barnet in 1990-91 before clinching the title ahead of Wycombe Wanderers a year later.
Colchester's rise to Division Two was completed however in May 1998 when they claimed a Division Three play-off victory at Wembley against Torquay United. Southend meanwhile swapped places and unfortunately things have stayed in situ ever since.
The two sides actually met four times during 1989-90; Colchester won 2-0 in the League at Roots Hall on Boxing Day whilst our own South Essex heroes clinched a Littlewoods League Cup First Round tie 6-4 on aggregate, 4-3 at Layer Road and 2-1 at Roots Hall.
The first meeting of the rivals came in Division Three (South) on 14th October 1950, Southend running out 4-2 victors at Grainger Road before the double was completed at Layer Road, 3-1, on 24th February 1951.
The U's first victory over Southend came at Layer Road on 12th April 1952, 1-0, but the Shrimpers notched up a 3-2 win at Grainger Road just ten days later.
The first away encounter of 1955-56 saw goals from Roy Hollis (four), Kevin Baron and Johnny McGuigan seal a 6-3 win at Layer Road, whilst Southend also walked the home match, 4-0, at Roots Hall on Christmas Eve.
Colchester's biggest derby win ironically also comes at Roots Hall, 5-2, in the dark days of the mid-eighties. 29th January 1985 for those of you requesting an exact date.
The sides first met in a cup competition in November 1956, the First Round of the FA Cup, and Southend came from behind to clinch a dramatic 4-1 victory courtesy of a Sammy McCrory hat-trick and another from Roy Hollis at Layer Road.
Previous Associate Members Cup meetings have arrived in 1982-83 (1-3 away), 1983-84 (2-0 away), 1985-86 (1-4 away) and 1988-89 (1-2 away).
FULL COMPETITIVE RECORD AGAINST COLCHESTER UNITED
1950-51 - H 4-2, A 3-1
1951-52 - H 3-2, A 0-1
1952-53 - H 4-0, A 3-3
1953-54 - H 3-0, A 1-0
1954-55 - H 4-2, A 0-2
1955-56 - H 4-0, A 6-3
1956-57 - H 3-2, A 2-3 - FA Cup - A 4-1
1957-58 - H 2-3, A 0-1
1958-59 - H 1-1, A 1-0
1959-60 - H 1-0, A 3-2
1960-61 - H 2-1, A 0-2
1962-63 - H 2-3, A 1-3
1963-64 - H 0-0, A 3-3
1964-65 - H 6-3, A 1-3
1968-69 - H 3-1, A 0-4
1969-70 - H 2-1, A 2-0
1970-71 - H 1-1, A 1-1
1971-72 - H 1-4, A 0-1
1974-75 - H 1-1, A 1-1 - Lge Cup - H 0-2
1975-76 - H 2-0, A 1-2
1976-77 - H 0-0, A 1-0
1978-79 - H 1-1, A 1-1
1979-80 - H 0-1, A 1-2
1982-83 - AMC - A 1-3
1983-84 - AMC - A 2-0
1984-85 - H 2-5, A 3-3 - FA Cup - H 2-2, A 2-3
1985-86 - H 2-4, A 0-2 - AMC - A 1-4
1986-87 - H 1-1, A 2-1
1988-89 - AMC - A 1-2
1989-90 - H 0-2, A 2-0 - Lge Cup - H 2-1, A 4-3
2003-04 - A 3-2 - LDV Vans Trophy
In Summary:-
At Grainger Road:
P- 5, W- 5, D- 0, L- 0, F- 18, A- 6
At Roots Hall:
P- 25, W- 9, D- 8, L- 8, F- 41, A- 40
At Layer Road:
P- 35, W- 12, D- 5, L- 18, F- 55, A- 63
Overall:
P - 65, W- 26, D- 13, L- 26, F- 114, A- 109
Mark Wallis
www.thelittlegazette.com