Southend United began pre-season training with a huge cloud hanging over the goalkeeping situation at Roots Hall. However, on the 3rd of July, Darryl Flahavan finally pledged his future to the Shrimpers by adding another year to his existing contract. Blues boss Rob Newman also made a couple of additions to the squad as Danny Maye, formerly of Port Vale, was offered a three-month deal and Wimbledon midfielder Ian Selley joined the squad on loan having already spent much of pre-season training with the Seasiders. He brought down England Under-20 international left-back Neil Jenkins with him, and the versatile Carshalton-born talent eventually joined the United squad as well.
Friday 12th July 2002 - Burnham Ramblers 0 Southend United 4 (Mark Salter 5, Mark Beard 30, Tony Richards 47, Phil Whelan 81)
The pre-season matches finally got underway at Burnham Ramblers on the 12th of the month as Southend travelled to Leslie Fields. On a pleasant evening it was trialist Mark Salter who opened proceedings brightly, nodding home Maye’s left-wing centre. On the half-hour, Salter turned provider as he flicked the ball into the path of Mark Beard, and the 1998/9 Player-of-the-Year coolly stroked home the second. With manager Rob Newman using Sven Goran Eriksson’s ploy of fielding a completely different team in the second half, and Tony Richards struck the first goal after the break two minutes in. With forwards Barrington Belgrave and Danny Webb far from potent, it was left to Phil Whelan to head home from a Jenkins corner to seal the victory with just seven minutes left.
Monday 15th July 2002 – Braintree Town 2 Southend United 2 (Mark Rawle 53, 72)
Southend’s pre-season then failed to gain on the momentum gained by the victory against Ramblers as the side stuttered to a two-all draw with Braintree. The first half at Cressing Road was forgettable, but it only took five minutes of the second period for Gavin Cowan to hand the home side the advantage. Three minutes later and the Shrimpers were level, substitute Mark Rawle, who had replaced the injured Danny Maye after just 25 minutes, twisting and turning in the penalty box to guide Tony Richards right-wing cross goalwards.
Ten minutes later, referee Mike Bull awarded Town a penalty, but goalkeeper Darryl Flahavan guessed correctly and blocked Bradley Quinton’s spot-kick. Two minutes later Flahavan made a stunning double save from Neil Cousins and Dean Parratt, allowing Rawle to fire low from twenty yards and put Blues ahead again. The officiating Bull then shrouded the fixture into controversy by giving the Ryman Premier League team another penalty, this time Dave McSweeney adjudged to have handled a fierce cross. Parratt made no mistake second time around and the scores finished level.
On the same day it emerged that Rebus Technologies would have to pull out of their deal to sponsor the Seasiders, and Martin Dawn Plc was announced as the new first-team sponsor. The new colours of the kit, both home and away, were to be launched at the Meet The Blues Day.
Thursday 18th July 2002 – Kings Lynn 2 Southend United 0
The following Thursday, matters started to show signs of going horribly wrong as a visit to Dr. Martens Eastern Division Kings Lynn at The Walks ended with the visiting Shrimpers failing to find the target at all on a bright evening in Norfolk. In front of 437 hearty souls, and with a side consisting mainly of trialists and youth team regulars and with Danny Gay returning to Lynn between the sticks, it took just 19 minutes for the home side to take the lead, Adam Weston beating Gay from the edge of the box. As the custodian continued to keep the scoreline respectable, and Chris Bacon ridiculously smashed over from six yards, only one wayward shot from Neil Jenkins offered any hope for the visitors. Ten minutes from time, a penalty from Carl Holmes completed the agony.
Saturday 20th July 2002 – Margate 3 Southend United 2 (Tesfaye Bramble 23, Ian Selley 85)
Within 48 hours, a much stronger side had also gone down, this time to Conference outfit Margate. Southend may have dominated possession, but they failed to take advantage and the Kent team prevailed, despite Kevin Maher testing the home side after just 54 seconds. Two minutes later, Margate were in front, Jay Saunders getting in front of Flahavan to power home Paul Lamb’s corner. Finally, midway through the first period, Tes Bramble started a solo run forty yards from goal, and after holding off Iain O’Connell powered home spectacularly from the edge of the area.
Simon Beard’s twenty yard effort then restored Margate’s advantage just a minute from the break and, having watched the likes of Mark Rawle, Danny Webb, Danny Maye and Steven Clark waste good opportunities, O’Connell headed home the second ten minutes from the end. Rawle and Webb missed more good chances, but Ian Selley did manage to fire home a free-kick from fully twenty-five yards – sadly it was not enough.
Supporters had to wait just one day longer as the side turned out at the Boots & Laces for the annual Meet The Blues day extravaganza. The new home strip was made available for general sale, the sky blue away shirt to be released later in the season and a red strip to follow afterwards.
Tuesday 23rd July 2002 – Southend United 1 (Damon Searle 75) West Ham United 3
Roots Hall was buzzing for its first match of the pre-season period, and the 8,470-strong crowd constituted the higher number of attendees all season. The Hammers sent a good side to the seaside, including the likes of Joe Cole, Paulo Di Canio and Jermaine Defoe. Indeed, the youngster caused early problems, forcing Flahavan into two fine saves before Barrington Belgrave failed to put the Shrimpers in front when he screwed his shot agonisingly wide of Raimond van der Gouw’s goal on 22 minutes. On the stroke of half-time, Di Canio’s corner was not dealt with, and almost against the run of play, Defoe struck home from twenty yards.
Di Canio and Defoe both forced Flahavan into world-class stops, and the home team were rewarded for their endeavours with a spectacular equaliser fifteen minutes from time. A blatant foul by Tomas Repka on Belgrave allowed Damon Searle the opportunity to blast home a sensational set-piece from 25 yards into the top left hand corner. Eight minutes later, Frederic Kanoute netted from a tight angle before Vladimir Labant stretched the score to 3-1 and put a slightly unfair complexion on the night’s entertainment.
The next day the draw for the first round of the Worthington Cup took place, and United were pulled out the hat just seconds before Wimbledon, meaning a September meeting against the Dons. Blues had already lined up a pre-season friendly against the side nicknamed Franchise F.C. for their move to Milton Keynes, and had Ian Selley on loan from Selhurst Park.
Thursday 25th July 2002 – Heybridge Swifts 1 Southend United 1 (Tesfaye Bramble 52)
The Shrimpers slumped into another poor performance two days after the promising display against West Ham as they drew 1-1 against Heybridge Swifts with a weakened side. After a dull opening, it was the home team that took the lead on 35 minutes when Steve Portway confidently beat Danny Gay from an acute angle. Seven minutes after the break, Tes Bramble found the net at the second attempt to equalise from a long punt forward courtesy of Daniel Lunan. Former Shrimpers scholar Chris Wilson tested Gay twice after that goal, but the score remained the same.
Saturday 27th July 2002 – Southend United 0 Charlton Athletic 2
Another couple of days passed before Premiership side Charlton Athletic visited Roots Hall, and once again, Blues saved their best for the home crowd. In a dull match, the Shrimpers again matched their higher-level opponents, Jonaton Johansson giving the Addicks the lead with a rebound header four yards out after Flahavan had saved from Gary Rowett. Darryl Flahavan then failed to claim another Claus Jensen corner, and Mark Fish took advantage to make it 2-0.
As the final full week before the end of pre-season began, manager Rob Newman unveiled his master marksman for the upcoming campaign – Graeme Jones. The former Wigan Athletic and St. Johnstone striker, who netted 32 goals whilst Newman was in Lancashire with him, had watched both matches against West Ham and Charlton, and would take his place in the starting line-up the following night.
Tuesday 30th July 2002 – Southend United 1 (Barrington Belgrave 57) Tottenham Hotspur XI 4
However, the match itself, in which Jones completed an hour’s action, was the most worrying of the whole schedule, as a Spurs Under-19 side with the exception of Oyvind Leonhardsen, steam-rollered Blues. Young John Sutton, brother of Glasgow Celtic’s Chris, had already wasted a couple of chances before he set up Danny Barnard for the opener. The failure to clear a corner then allowed Leonhardsen to fire home a stunning 25-yard shot before Sutton again only found Flahavan’s hands. Neil Jenkins did test the Spurs ‘keeper Shwan Jelel a couple of times and Barrington Belgrave could have won a penalty after being hauled down by Johnnie Jackson in the box, but at half-time it was not enough.
Jackson, who would haunt the Shrimpers later in the season, hit the woodwork from a free-kick before Belgrave was slipped through by Damon Searle, only to miss. On 57 minutes, the former Yeovil man finally got on the scoresheet, heading Kevin Maher’s cross against the crossbar and over the goalline according to assistant referee Neil Perkin. A superb header from Ian Selley was saved by Jelel before Searle stabbed straight at the custodian from close range. But that was that, and Rohan Ricketts put another past Flahavan, Neil Jenkins’ stinging shot being saved later by Jelel. Substitute Dean Marney then headed past Flahavan to complete the embarrassment.
Thursday 1st August 2002 – Chelmsford City 1 Southend United 6 (Mark Rawle 7, 38, Leon Cort 33, Graeme Jones 43, Ian Selley 78, Danny Webb 81)
A 6-1 win over Dr. Martens Premier side Chelmsford City did a little to recover the Seasiders pride. Mark Rawle poked home the first after just seven minutes, but again a corner caused difficulties in the Southend box and Lee Kersley took advantage of Dean Gibbs’ flag-kick to equalise. Three minutes after that goal, Danny Gay pushed a Phil Gray penalty over the crossbar and the pressure ended with Southend showing more fight.
Kevin Maher rattled the crossbar before a frenetic period just after the half-hour put the visitors well in control. Leon Cort found the net first from a Kevin Maher corner on 33 minutes before a mishit from Rawle beat goalkeeper Richard Hurst from ten yards five minutes later. Another five passed before Graeme Jones tucked home on the goalline to deny Rawle a hat-trick. After the break Newman rang the changes, but after more opportunities, Ian Selley connected with Danny Webb’s cross from eight yards before Webb headed home a Jon McGrath cross nine minutes from the end to complete the rout.
Saturday 3rd August 2002 – Southend United 1 (Graeme Jones 72) Wimbledon 2
Torrential rain over Roots Hall put this fixture in jeopardy, but incredibly Boots & Laces was almost bone-dry, and the urgency of both bosses meant the game went ahead at the Shrimpers training ground. In a decent performance, Neil Shipperley and Joel McAnuff handed the visitors a 2-0 lead, but Graeme Jones found the net again to narrow the advantage and pressure from Blues just could not create the second goal.
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Robert Craven