Steve Tilson can now look ahead to next season

The pair, who have instigated a massive revival in the club’s fortunes after taking charge in late November, have been rewarded for their endeavours with permanent deals for the Roots Hall hotseat, taking them at last past the end of the current campaign. Ironically the dynamic duo’s first game as caretaker chiefs was against Rochdale in southeast Essex, when a 4-0 win was the result, with today’s 1-1 draw heralding the board’s announcement.

In an interview with BBC Essex, Ron Martin said, “We wanted to take the pressure off Steve until the end of the season. We said if he continued to perform in terms of results he’d get a long term deal”. Certainly in that respect there is no argument. ‘Tilly’ and ‘Basil’, as the pair are affectionately known, took charge with Blues one point adrift of 22nd-placed Darlington. Now they have been mathematically safe from the drop for a week-and-a-half and – if they defeat promotion-pushing Torquay United in seven days time – could yet finish in the top half of the Nationwide League Division Three table.

As well as that, the twosome guided the Seasiders to their first ever national final at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, when United were sunk by Blackpool by two goals to nil. In fact, the only low-point of their regime was the 1-0 F.A. Cup reversal to Scarborough when Southend wasted the chance to face Premiership money-bags Chelsea.

Martin also explained, “I’ve been discussing the future with Steve, including those of the players and now we’re going to give him and his assistant Paul Brush long-term deals”. The news will come as a massive boost to Shrimpers supporters, who would almost certainly have stayed away in their droves had the deals not been handed out. It will also enhance the club’s chances of keeping key names such as Leon Constantine and Kevin Maher, who have been courted by Hull City and Oxford United and Peterborough United respectively.

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Paul Brush is the other half of the dynamic duo

Tilson and Brush – The Full Record

Sat 22 Nov: D3 – Rochdale (h) W4-0

Sat 29 Nov: D3 – Torquay United (a) L0-3

Sat 6 Dec: FAC2 – Lincoln City (h) W3-0

Tue 9 Dec: LDVAQF – Luton Town (h) W3-0

Sat 13 Dec: D3 – Swansea City (a) W3-2

Sat 20 Dec: D3 – Bristol Rovers (h) L0-1

Fri 26 Dec: D3 – Cambridge United (a) W1-0

Sun 28 Dec: D3 – Oxford United (h) L0-1

Sat 3 Jan: FAC3 – Scarborough (h) D1-1

Fri 9 Jan: D3 – Cheltenham Town (a) D1-1

Wed 14 Jan: FAC3R – Scarborough (a) L0-1

Sat 17 Jan: D3 – Doncaster Rovers (h) L0-2

Tue 20 Jan: LDVASF – Queens Park Rangers (h) W4-0

Sat 24 Jan: D3 – Mansfield Town (a) L0-1

Tue 27 Jan: D3 – York City (h) D0-0

Sat 7 Feb: D3 – Cambridge United (h) W1-0

Tue 10 Feb: LDVAF1 – Colchester United (a) W3-2

Sat 14 Feb: D3 – Kidderminster Harriers (h) W3-0

Tue 17 Feb: LDVAF2 – Colchester United (h) D1-1

Sat 21 Feb: D3 – Leyton Orient (a) L1-2

Tue 24 Feb: D3 – Bury (a) D1-1

Sat 28 Feb: D3 – Macclesfield Town (h) W1-0

Wed 3 Mar: D3 – Boston United (a) W2-0

Sat 6 Mar: D3 – Bristol Rovers (a) D1-1

Sat 13 Mar: D3 – Swansea City (h) D1-1

Tue 16 Mar: D3 – Lincoln City (a) D2-2

Sun 21 Mar: LDVF – Blackpool (n) L0-2

Sat 27 Mar: D3 – Carlisle United (a) W2-1

Fri 2 Apr: D3 – Scunthorpe United (h) W4-2

Sat 10 Apr: D3 – Huddersfield Town (a) L0-1

Mon 12 Apr: D3 – Darlington (h) W3-2

Sat 17 Apr: D3 – Northampton Town (a) D2-2

Tue 20 Apr: D3 – Hull City (h) D2-2

Sat 24 Apr: D3 – Yeovil Town (h) L0-2

Sat 1 May: D3 – Rochdale (a) D1-1

Summary

All Competitions

Played: 34

Won: 14

Drawn: 11

Lost: 9

Scored: 51

Conceded: 38

Division Three

Played: 26

Won: 10

Drawn: 9

Lost: 7

Scored: 36

Conceded: 31

Points: 39

Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com