Pre-Season

Luke Moore scored two spot-kicks in pre-season

Thursday July 24^th – Kingstonian 2 Southend United U19s 0

Saturday July 26^th – Southend United U19s 7 (Skelton, Bourne, Moore [pen], Hahn, Lawson, Byrne, Bourne) Leigh Ramblers U19s 2

Saturday August 2^nd – Southend United U19s 2 (Williams, Anderson) Cambridge City U19s 2

Tuesday August 5^th – Maldon Town U19s 2 Southend United U19s 8 (Moore [pen], Bourne (2), Clark (2), Hahn (2), Kightly)

The season started with five pre-season friendlies against sides of varying strength. First up were local side Concord Rangers at Boots & Laces, but they were quickly dispatched with two goals either side of half-time. First choice pair Joe Ilett (with two goals) and Steven Bourne (who set up the first) started the rout, and substitutes Tommy Byrne and Mitchell Hahn wrapped matters up. Five days later the youths travelled to Kingstonian to take on what amounted to the K’s reserve side – Mark Beard excepted – and put up a brave fight before falling 2-0.

Leigh Ramblers were next, and they were thrashed 7-2 at Boots & Laces by a weakened side just two days after the team had travelled to Surrey. The visitors took the lead through Paul Jenkins, but seven minutes later Nick Skelton equalised in a fine performance, and Bourne made sure Blues led at the break. In the second period a Luke Moore penalty, Hahn, James Lawson and Byrne scored four inside seven minutes, and after the Ramblers pulled one back, Bourne completed the scoring with a little under five minutes to go.

Goals from unlikely sources made sure United went through their home pre-season campaign undefeated. Twice Cambridge took the lead, but Stuart Williams equalised first within minutes of the interval, and then Phil Anderson converted Lawson’s low cross with a diving header ninety seconds from the end to ensure a 2-2 draw. There was no such trouble at The Wallace Binder Ground three days later. Anthony Clark may have had to take the bus after his car broke down, but after he was felled for Moore to slam home a spot-kick, he added two goals of his own amongst further strikes from Bourne (2), Hahn (2) and a wonder strike from wonder boy Michael Kightly to round matters off with an 8-2 victory.

August

Daryl Plummer netted vital goals in East London

Saturday 9^th August – Colchester United 5 Southend United 1 (Hahn) – Youth Alliance

Saturday 23^rd August – Leyton Orient 1 Southend United 2 (Plummer 2) – Youth Alliance

Saturday 30^th August – Southend United 5 (Bourne, Byrne, North, own goal, Ilett)) Essex County FA 0 – Friendly

Under-17s

Saturday 9^th August – Southend United 2 Wycombe Wanderers 3 – Youth Alliance

Saturday 16^th August – Southend United 3 Queens Park Rangers 3 – Youth Alliance

Saturday 23^rd August – Southend United 4 Colchester United 1 – Youth Alliance

The new season finally got underway, with much anticipation, for the Under-19s at Colchester United’s Garrison ‘B’ Ground. Unfortunately things did not go the Shrimpers way, and inside twenty minutes they were one-down to a penalty and had watched in horror as Jamie Gray was sent off for stamping. The U’s added another before Mitch Hahn marked his competitive debut for the youngsters with a well-taken strike to hand Southend a chance. Three late goals put paid to any hope of that revival taking place.

Two weeks later and TLG made the frantic trip to Walthamstow and back to witness the Shrimpers get their first win of the season. It didn’t look like it was going to end that way when Ben Price headed into his own net just before the break, but Daryl Plummer scored two superlative goals to put Southend in the driving seat, and despite an incredible ten minutes of stoppage time, Nick Morgan made three excellent saves to maintain the three points.

A combined side took to the pitch at the end of the month, following three home games for the Under-17s. First up was a narrow defeat to Wycombe before the first point was notched in a thrilling 3-3 draw with QPR. Tommy Byrne, as expected, was amongst the goals that day, and again he was scoring for fun as the youngsters easily overcame Colchester at Boots & Laces late in the month.

Steve Tilson arranged a friendly for the 30^th, a free weekend for both sides in the calendar, and the Essex County F.A. representative side were the visitors. Steven Bourne scored the first just eleven minutes in, and Southend did not look back – Byrne notched another just after the break, 16-year-old Joe North added a third, and after an own goal helped the home side on their way, Joe Ilett completed the scoring eight minutes from the end.

September

Joe Ilett scored the first of nine goals at Wycombe

Under-19s

Saturday 6^th September – Gillingham 2 Southend United 2 – Youth Alliance

Saturday 13^th September – Southend United 2 (Plummer 2) Brighton & Hove Albion 4 – Youth Alliance

Saturday 20^th September – Wycombe Wanderers 5 Southend United 4 (Ilett, Kightly, Moore, Bourne)

Under-17s

Saturday 6^th September – Southend United 6 Oxford United 0 – Youth Alliance

Saturday 13^th September – Northampton Town 2 Southend United 3 – Youth Alliance

Saturday 20^th September – Gillingham 4 Southend United 2 – Youth Alliance

Saturday 27^th September – Southend United 6 Luton Town 2 – Youth Alliance

The Under-19s continued a solid start to the season to pick up their fourth point from a possible nine in a 2-2 at Gillingham – amazingly their third away match in a row at the outset of the campaign. However, seven days later they were hoping that they could play all their fixtures on the road as they faced up to Brighton at Boots & Laces – and were on the receiving end of a 4-2 defeat – Daryl Plummer continuing his good form with two more goals.

It was at Monks Risborough that perhaps the most incredible of all the Shrimpers youth matches this season occurred. On three occasions Southend headed Wycombe in their own back yard – Joe Ilett put them one in front, Michael Kightly and Luke Moore stabbed the Shrimpers 3-1 ahead, and just after half-time Steven Bourne made it 4-3 – yet unfortunately the Chairboys were able to net two strikes with twenty minutes left to record a 5-4 win.

At the same time, Tommy Byrne was firing home for fun in the Under-17s. He found the back of the net four times in a 6-0 demolition of Oxford as the first team were losing 2-0 in the Chilterns themselves, with Joe’s North and Pavey adding the others. A week later, James Lawson’s late first-half goal put the Under-17s back in with a shout at 1-2 against basement club Northampton Town. Byrne then chipped the keeper and slammed home a second with a fine drive to complete a magnificent turnaround.

A slight set-back arrived in Stroud as Gillingham inflicted a bad-tempered 4-2 reverse upon the youngsters – Byrne and Pavey the goalscorers as they were forced to ignore the constant chirping and incitement offered by the Kent supporters. Happier days returned for the last game of the month as a 6-2 win over Luton Town – inspired by a hat-trick from Byrne, who had scored in every Under-17 match in 2003/4 at the time before succumbing to a groin strain, and further goals from Taylor Lang and a couple of own goals.

October

Steven Bourne scored a cracker at Pompey

Saturday 4^th October – Southend United 1 (Kightly) Brentford 1 – Youth Alliance

Saturday 11^th October – Southend United 0 Luton Town 1 – Youth Alliance Cup

Saturday 18^th October – Portsmouth 3 Southend United 3 (Moore, Skelton, Bourne) – Youth Alliance

Saturday 25^th October – Southend United 0 Gillingham 4 – Youth Alliance

Under-18s

Thursday 23^rd October – Southend United 0 Leyton Orient 1 – F.A. Youth Cup

Under-17s

Saturday 4^th October – Brighton & Hove Albion 1 Southend United 0 – Youth Alliance

Saturday 11^th October – Southend United 1 Rushden & Diamonds 2 – Youth Alliance

Saturday 18^th October – Southend United 0 Brentford 2 – Youth Alliance

Saturday 25^th October – Cambridge United 2 Southend United 2 – Youth Alliance

October was expected to be the month in which Blues’ Youths took off in 2003/4. However, what eventually happened was that the campaign went into reverse, and United ended up struggling in the Under-19 Youth Alliance, off the pace in the seventeens and out of the F.A. Youth Cup. It was the later that hurt the most as the first- and second-years failed to show the 230-strong crowd at Roots Hall what they really are capable of. Earl Sterling’s diving header just before the break broke Shrimpers’ hearts, and despite Bourne nodded against the crossbar himself, and a frantic late struggle, a lacklustre display ultimately got what it deserved.

The Under-19s started the month in front of the TLG at Boots & Laces in a tight game against Brentford. A point in the end was the reward for a battling performance, Michael Kightly driving low into the bottom corner in the second minute of added time to dumbfound the obnoxious Bees supporters by the clubhouse. The next week the Under-19s lost out to a late goal in the F.A. Youth Cup, but they bounced back to claim at point at then-bottom side Portsmouth. Luke Moore put Southend in front and Nick Skelton again went on a jinxing run to level at 2-2. But the best was saved for last as Bourne crashed home from outside the box to equalise at the very end. Seven days later and a 4-0 defeat to Gillingham dampened spirits (and left United bottom) again.

The Under-17s were enduring a rough ride as well despite occupying a lofty position. Without star man Byrne, they slipped to a 1-0 loss against Brighton, who we heading the pack at the time, before being beaten 2-1 at home by Rushden & Diamonds. A further defeat, 2-0 to Brentford, followed, including a missed penalty by Joe North, but they ended up gaining an unexpected point at Cambridge, who had failed to win just twice before at the time.

November

Nick Morgan's return did not stop the goals going in at the wrong end

Saturday 1^st November – Brighton & Hove Albion 3 Southend United 0 – Youth Alliance

Saturday 8^th November – Southend United 0 Wycombe Wanderers 0 – Youth Alliance

Saturday 29^th November – Brentford 1 Southend United 2 – Youth Alliance

Under-17s

Saturday 1^st November – Southend United 2 Leyton Orient 1 – Youth Alliance

Saturday 8^th November – Portsmouth 2 Southend United 3 – Youth Alliance

Saturday 15^th November – Southend United 2 Gillingham 1 – Youth Alliance

Saturday 29^th November – Southend United 0 Brighton & Hove Albion 3 – Youth Alliance

November turned out to be a decent month for both sides, although it did not look that way when the Under-19s were thrashed 3-0 on the south coast by an ever-improving Brighton side who were now beginning to put pressure on Colchester at the head of the table. An extremely dull goalless draw at home to Wycombe Wanderers followed as the Shrimpers continued their run of having failed to win at Boots & Laces in the Youth Alliance in 2003/4. But the shining light was a 2-1 win at Brentford in the final game of the month, meaning that Blues climbed off of the bottom of the table, and re-ignited hopes of getting into Merit Division One.

The Under-17s started off in fine form as they raced into a two-goal lead against Leyton Orient at Boots & Laces on the opening day of the month courtesy of early goals from Jack Newman and Oliver Stroud. However, the game turned when the young O’s shotstopper had to be carried off, and his much taller replacement appeared far more secure between the sticks. The visitors equalised on the half-hour, and a tense period followed, not aided by James Lawson’s penalty miss. Blues held on and things got even better a week later when they beat Portsmouth 3-2. A revengeful 2-1 win over Gillingham followed, but a 3-0 reverse to Brighton set the Shrimpers back in their bid for a top three place.

December

Captain Jamie Gray steadied the ship against Colchester

Saturday 6^th December – Southend United 0 Portsmouth 4 – Youth Alliance

Saturday 13^th December – Southend United 1 (Hahn) Colchester United 0 – Youth Alliance

Under-17s

Saturday 6^th December – Rushden & Diamonds 1 Southend United 1 – Youth Alliance

Due to an irregular number of away games at the start of the season, Blues’ Under-19s are finishing with three home games in a row, and two of those matches have passed already in December, with the final fixture of the Umbro Isotonic Youth Alliance to be played on January 24^th against Leyton Orient. First up was a clash against Portsmouth to decide who would climb clear of the bottom two. It was to be Pompey as they raced away to a 4-0 win. But seven days later Southend gave themselves a superb chance to reach Merit Division Two with a one-nil win over table-topping Colchester, who needed just one more win to claim the title. Mitch Hahn claimed the all-important goal. The postponement of the game against Brentford meant that the Under-17s played just one game, drawing 1-1 at Rushden.

How It All Stands

Stuart Williams joined Michael Kightly in first team contention during 2003

Umbro Isotonic Football League Youth Alliance South-East Conference

Played 13 | Won 3 | Drawn 4 | Lost 6 | Scored 18 | Conceded 33 | Goal Difference –15 | Points 13 | Position 7^th (out of 8)

Umbro Isotonic Youth Alliance Cup

First Round: lost to Luton Town (home) 0-1

Under-18s

F.A. Youth Cup

First Round: lost to Leyton Orient (home) 0-1

Under-17s

Umbro Isotonic Football League Youth Alliance South-East Conference

Played 16 | Won 7 | Drawn 3 | Lost 6 | Scored 37 | Conceded 30 | Goal Difference +7 | Points 24 | Position 6^th (out of 14)