Two days into April, it was announced that former boss Rob Newman had signed for Chelmsford City. Newman had earlier performed alongside Clarets boss Paul Parker on the last day of March in Steve Tilson’s testimonial. Caretaker manager Stewart Robson had, meanwhile, arranged three pre-season friendlies. Blues would be taking on Gillingham, Canvey Islands and north Essex rivals at Roots Hall, and the Ipswich match has since been added to that list.
Saturday 5th April 2003 – Southend United 2 (Kevin Maher 40, Neil Jenkins 42) Darlington 0
The Shrimpers virtually assured themselves, just five matches before the end of the season, of Third Division football in 2003/4 when they defeated fellow strugglers Darlington in southeast Essex. It was to prove the only victory under Stewart Robson’s leadership, but a vital one nonetheless. In a very poor match, Damon Searle tested Andy Collett with a deep lob, and after the goalkeeper had pushed the ball to the back post, Brett Darby could only poke his effort into the side netting. However, five minutes before the break Rawle’s left-wing centre found Gavin Strachan, and the midfielder’s fizzling shot was deflected home by captain Kevin Maher. Two minutes later Strachan again provided the assist with a long ball forward causing confusion in the Quakers box and Neil Jenkins took advantage by stealing in to head in. The second-half was nondescript save for searing Rawle effort just over the crossbar and the three points belonged to the Seasiders.
Saturday 12th April 2003 – AFC Bournemouth 1 Southend United 0
Seven days on, United made the trip to the south coast for the second time in the campaign and again came away from Dorset with nothing. Unlike the F.A. Cup replay, there was no great entertainment for the commendable travellers as just two shots found their way on target all afternoon. The Cherries were desperate for points to gain an automatic promotion place which was gradually being taken off of them by Wrexham, and scored the only goal after just nine minutes. Wade Elliott set the dangerous Danny Thomas away down the left, and he picked out Stephen Purches, who beat Darryl Flahavan with a header from fully sixteen yards out. With just Mark Rawle ploughing a lone furrow up front there was no response, at least until the second half. Steve Fletcher had by no escaped punishment for flattening Dave McSweeney with a right hook, and the home side escaped once again when Maher was tripped by Elliott in the opposition box. The midfielder had Blues only shot, a low effort which was well saved by Neil Moss. The visiting fans were already in holiday mode, and were looking forward to next season.
And on the eve of the penultimate home clash with Torquay United, the club announced that Steve Wignall had been appointed the new Southend manager. The Liverpudlian came with good pedigree, having lead all three of his previous sides to promotion, those being Doncaster Rovers, Colchester United and Aldershot Town. He also led our Essex rivals to the Auto Windscreens Shield final in 1997. He held off competition from Stewart Robson, who became Head Coach, ex-caretaker boss Steve Thompson and Don MacKay for the position. Steve Tilson was to continue as Youth Development Officer and the club would also be appointing a sports scientist and dietician.
Saturday 19th April 2003 – Southend United 3 (Mark Rawle 2, 40, Neil Jenkins 88) Torquay United 0
Southend’s final victory of 2002/3 came two weeks from the end of the year at home to Torquay under the watchful gaze of new chief Steve Wignall, who resided in the director’s box after introducing himself to the crowd. The home side took the lead after just 109 seconds, Mark Rawle converting Kevin Maher’s excellent through-ball into the net with a fantastic lob. 38 minutes on Rawle was at it again, smashing a 25-yard shot into the top corner with the assistance of a deflection off of Rueben Hazell. Sixty seconds later Rawle was denied by Jason Fowler on the line after Arjan van Heusden had dropped a high ball.
The striker was once again in the action right at the start of the second half as he volleyed over Brett Darby’s cross. Neil Jenkins then twice went close from the inside-left position, firstly denied by Hazell on the near post and then by van Heusden. Leon Cort and Rawle, with his final opportunity of a hat-trick then pushed efforts inches wide, but Jenkins sealed the triumph in spectacular fashion, racing twenty yards with the ball after a Mark Salter flick-on and lashing an unbelievable shot into the top right-hand corner from the edge of the box.
Monday 21st April 2003 – Boston United 1 Southend United 0
Two days later came arguably the worst display of the whole campaign as two distinctly poor sides contrived to attempt to put the entire crowd in neck braces for the close season and heap an incredible strain on the under-pressure NHS, if not just for that but also depression. A dull first half saw veteran midfielder Nail Redfearn hit two tame shots wide and Leon Cort power a header just wide on twenty minutes. Only the blatantly missed elbowing of Damon Searle by substitute Stuart Douglas stimulated the crowd on Bank Holiday Monday. In the second half Jenkins fired poorly over from a Maher corner and Rawle was hauled down in the penalty area unnoticed by Stuart Balmer. Sub Mark Angel thwacked an effort against the crossbar at the other end but Boston got the three points that guaranteed their survival when an under-hit Dave McSweeney backpass left Flahavan stretching and he upended forward David Town. The custodian escaped with just a booking, which suggests that there was little contact, but Angel sent Flahavan the wrong way and Boston won 1-0. Mark Beard drove a shot into the side netting, but it was too little, too late.
Saturday 26th April 2003 – Southend United 1 (Leon Cort 13) Bury 2
The home season came to an end with a defeat as visitors Bury clinched the victory that secured their place in the play-offs. Just ten minutes in George Clegg’s right-wing corner picked out Michael Nelson and he headed past Flahavan. However, three minutes later Leon Cort pulled the scores level with a right-footed half-volley from a Brett Darby assist. In an entertaining if not chance-ridden 90 minutes, the Shakers went ahead again two minutes after the restart when Jon Newby crossed for Lee Connell to head bullet-like past a flailing Flahavan. The defeat was a record tenth for the Shrimpers at Roots Hall.
Saturday 3rd May 2003 – Exeter City 1 Southend United 0
Exeter City needed a victory to ensure Football League survival and their place as Southend’s oldest opponents. 9036 packed into the ground, the highest St. James’ Park gathering for 21 years, but it was not to prove enough as Swansea City defeated Hull City 4-2 to maintain their place in the Third Division. For Southend, it was the ninth consecutive loss away from home, and a record 29th in all competitions. Tesfaye Bramble could have made it so much different had he converted a sixth minute penalty in a match which kicked off fifteen minutes late. The former Cambridge City front man tapped the ball into the path of custodian Kevin Miller instead. The match was not entertaining as the Grecians already knew that their fate was sealed at the Vetch Field, and Michael Kightly, a late substitute making his debut was fouled in the area after a twisting run. Referee Mick Fletcher waved play on and it quickly moved to the other end, where Steve Flack beat Flahavan, who had crucially hesitated, and scored City’s last goal in League football for the foreseeable future. 
The future now lies with the likes of Kightly, manager Wignall and his summer signings, and we can look forward to an improved 2003/4 campaign. Hopefully this time next year we will be gazing forward towards a Second Division season in 2004/5. We can but hope…
Final Third Division table:
1. Rushden & Diamonds Pl46 W24 D15 L7 F73 A47 Pts87 GD26
2. Hartlepool United Pl46 W24 D13 L9 F71 A51 Pts85 GD20
3. Wrexham Pl46 W23 D15 L8 F84 A50 Pts84 GD34
-----------------------------------------------------------------4. AFC Bournemouth Pl46 W20 D14 L12 F60 A48 Pts74 GD12
5. Scunthorpe United Pl46 W19 D15 L12 F68 A49 Pts72 GD19
6. Lincoln City Pl46 W18 D16 L12 F46 A37 Pts70 GD9
7. Bury Pl46 W18 D16 L12 F57 A56 Pts70 GD1
-----------------------------------------------------------------8. Oxford United Pl46 W19 D12 L15 F57 A47 Pts69 GD10
9. Torquay United Pl46 W16 D18 L12 F71 A71 Pts66 GD0
10. York City Pl46 W17 D15 L14 F52 A53 Pts66 GD-1
11. Kidderminster Harriers Pl46 W16 D15 L15 F62 A63 GD-1
12. Cambridge United Pl46 W16 D13 L17 F67 A70 Pts61 GD-3
13. Hull City Pl46 W14 D17 L15 F58 A53 Pts59 GD5
14. Darlington Pl46 W12 D18 L16 F58 A59 Pts54 GD-1
15. Boston United* Pl46 W15 D13 L18 F55 A56 Pts54 GD-1
16. Macclesfield Town Pl46 W14 D12 L20 F57 A63 Pts54 GD-6
17. Southend United Pl46 W17 D3 L26 F47 A59 Pts54 GD-12
18. Leyton Orient Pl46 W14 D11 L21 F51 A61 Pts53 GD-10
19. Rochdale Pl46 W12 D16 L18 F63 A70 Pts52 GD-7
20. Bristol Rovers Pl46 W12 D15 L19 F50 A57 Pts51 GD-7
21. Swansea City Pl46 W12 D13 L21 F48 A65 Pts49 GD-17
22. Carlisle United Pl46 W13 D10 L23 F52 A78 Pts49 GD-26
-----------------------------------------------------------------23. Exeter City Pl46 W11 D15 L20 F50 A64 Pts48 GD-14
24. Shrewsbury Town Pl46 W9 D14 L23 F62 A92 Pts41 GD-30
*Boston United deducted four points for financial irregularities
TLG Player-of-the-Month; April & May
Winner: Leon Cort
In a season where five different men collected TLG Man-of-the-Match awards, Cort was the only person to receive two. At the end of a poor campaign, the colossus at the back did not have a bad game, and indeed carried the rest of the side through the defeats at Dean Court and York Street, where single-goal margins may have been much more if it were not for his presence.
Runner-Up: Dave McSweeney
Cort’s central defensive colleague McSweeney was a close second, having his best match of the period in the very last game of the season at St. James’ Park where even his partner proved to be a little fallible. McSweeney was in fine form as the season ended, and it showed as just five goals were conceded in the last six games. The Basildon-born talent did enough upon the arrival of Wignall to secure a deal for 2003/4.
Third Place: Mark Rawle
Rawle was also offered a new deal, but infamously turned it down to move to Oxford United, and he contributed nearly half of United’s goals in the period, despite only netting in one game. Much of the credit gained came from the fact that for the first half of April he was employed as a lone striker, and he tried manfully to overcome this, getting his reward alongside Mark Salter in the fixture against Torquay. Rawle certainly improved as a player if his talents as a person did not.
TLG Player-of-the-Season
Winner: Leon Cort
Cort also deserves the ultimate prize from TLG, that of player of the season. It may not be as important as the Players’ Player-of-the-Year or Supporters’ Player-of-the-Year awards, but it is just as heartfelt. Cort was outstanding throughout 2002/3, like a rock at the heart of defence, whether it be in a four or a five. His performance levels rarely dropped below that of good, and reached excellence, particularly alongside Stephen Broad and Stephen Kelly. He also had the talent to make average players such as Dave McSweeney (who could yet improve) or Ronnie Henry look good. The knack of scoring goals, most notably the record-breaking hat-trick against Boston United at Roots Hall in December, was also a vital component in his game, and helped keep the Shrimpers afloat. Next season, alongside an experienced partner in Mark Warren, Cort will surely be chased by higher division clubs.
Runner-Up: Jay Smith
The lively midfielder may have missed the last two months through injury, but his impact upon the side cannot have gone unnoticed by the army of Blues supporters. Smith was always full of heart, even if he was not on top form. However, for much of the campaign he was right on form, scoring five goals in all, including strikes in memorable home displays against Cambridge United and Hull City and the away triumph at Shrewsbury Town. Smith’s energetic performances were perhaps never bettered than in the game at Gigg Lane, when his second half levels of passing and tackling were pivotal in 45 minutes that the Third Division can rarely produce.
Third Place: Neil Jenkins
Jenkins experienced just one dip in form during the turn of the year, but his first full season of Nationwide League football was largely a success, including his call-up as stand-by for the England Under-20 squad in Germany during October. Jenkins started as he meant to go on by scoring a freakish goal at Boothferry Park, and ended the campaign in similar style three Saturday’s from the season’s end when he scored a close contender for Goal Of The Season against Torquay United. In between were a series of impressive displays on the left-hand side of midfield, and one memorable substitute appearance at Macclesfield Town in the pouring rain when replacing Steve Tilson, scoring a consolation and celebrating the birth of his newborn baby.
Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com