TLG Review of 2004 – July - Shrimpers24

Spencer Prior finally joined after a month of indecision

The Shrimpers first act of the month was to add Canvey Island to an already hectic pre-season schedule. The Gulls would visit Roots Hall instead of the match being played at Park Lane, as is usual when non-League sides face League opposition. Jeff King, the Island chairman and manager, was believed to be behind the decision in order for the two clubs to gain the maximum possible revenue.

More importantly, both Che Wilson and Lewis Hunt decided that their futures lay in southeast Essex. Hunt, who had played over thirty games for Blues since linking up on loan from Derby County in October, had received offers from other clubs, but finally put pen to paper on a one-year deal. The same contract was on the table to Wilson, and he readily agreed to the extension, although fellow defender Mark Warren left the club for Fisher Athletic as a result of receiving what he described as an unacceptable proposition.

It was also disclosed that Alex Revell, the former Cambridge United forward, had intended to join the club in a training capacity, only to be thwarted by a cracked bone in his foot. The 20-year-old had been involved with the squad at the end of the 2003/4 campaign, and was hoping to return to action during the pre-season segment of the season. On the same day, United confirmed that seven changes had been made to the fixture list, with all of the games moved from a Saturday afternoon to a Friday night. Five such clashes were at home, and only minimally due to the England international games, with the switches outraging working supporters.

Southend were variously rated 16/1 or 33/1 to become champions of Coca-Cola League Two, and as far out as 9/1 to be promoted as the bookmakers revealed their odds for the upcoming season. Northampton Town, Chester City and then either Yeovil Town or Grimsby Town were rated as the four sides most likely to be challenging for the title in 2004/5.

More off the field news saw West Ham United revealed as the opposition for the Carling Cup first round after the draw was made on July 8th. It was to be the third local derby in a cup competition inside a year after two games apiece with Canvey Island (FA Cup) and Colchester United (LDV Vans Trophy area final) during 2003/4, and would take place at the Boleyn Ground in August.

Shrimpers’ supremo Ron Martin then told the Southend Evening Echo that Southend supporters should not be worried about the club’s financial situation. Former boss Steve Wignall was claiming payment of £25,000 (a third of his remaining wages) should be paid, whilst Martin and deputy chairman Geoffrey King weighed up whether to counter-sue the ex-Colchester man for £50,000. Martin also said that the rent on Roots Hall and Boots & Laces had been written off up to July 2003.

As the playing staff came together to start training for the upcoming campaign, striker Lawrie Dudfield became the first player to fall victim to the hard ground. Dudfield was injured playing keep ball at the club’s Gloucester Park training complex, while Carl Pettefer and Jay Smith resumed light training. Trialists in the form of Luton Town youngster Matthew Judge and former Crystal Palace trainee Ben Surey were also involved at Blues’ Basildon base, which offered increased gymnastic facilities.

Mark Gower scored the first goal of the Shrimpers' pre-season campaign

Just over a week later, the Seasiders’ pre-season schedule kicked in with a clash against Southern League Division One East club East Thurrock United at Rookery Hill. On a beautiful sunny day, United ran riot, even though it took them 34 minutes to open the scoring through Mark Gower. Jimmy Corbett added another just before half-time before an almost completely new side appeared for the second half. Tesfaye Bramble’s mishit preceded a quick Wayne Gray double, and Michael Husbands added a sixth. The seventh goal was an own goal, Lee Burns putting a Nicky Nicolau cross through his own net, the only sour point being a knock to Mark Bentley.

Two days later another two sides lined up against Canvey. Youngsters Stuart Williams, Max Porter and Michael Kightly, as well as Spencer Prior, all played a part in the game, which started with Lee Boylan converting a penalty kick after referee Mick Thorpe somehow believed Lewis Hunt had pushed Ben Chenery as he headed over. Two minutes before half-time it was all square as John Kennedy scythed down Gower and Kevin Maher made sure from twelve yards. Seven minutes after the interval, Duncan Jupp’s swirling cross was met by Gray, who added his third goal in two games. Kightly caused more problems after the break, but with no addition to the 2-1 scoreline.

The Hall was again in use 48 hours later, when FA Cup finalists Millwall were the visitors in front of a healthy 2302-strong crowd. Just two minutes in, Paul Ifill waltzed through the defence and rounded Bart Griemink to give the Lions the lead, and there was no coming back from then onwards, despite a decent second-half display. Jody Morris tucked home Millwall’s second to make sure of their 2-0 victory.

Both Judge and Surey had had chances to impress, with the former missing a sitter against Canvey and spoiling his chances of a deal. As a result, neither travelled to Victoria Road on the Saturday to face Dagenham & Redbridge, where Drewe Broughton, a former Daggers loanee, gave the Shrimpers the lead with a powerful header from a Gower cross on the half-hour. Wholesale changes were again the order of the day at the break, but Gray tucked in from a Wilson centre and then poked home a rebound from Tony Roberts. United led 3-0 with fifteen minutes left, but hesitancy from Bart Griemink allowed former Blues youth-teamer Tony Boot and then Lee Goodwin and Jake Leberl to earn Dagenham a draw.

Against Billericay Town at New Lodge a youthful-looking side took the lead against ‘Ricay after just four minutes, with old-timers Wilson and Broughton combining for the taller of the two to chip an advancing David McCarthy for 1-0. Nicolau hit the crossbar with a speculative effort, but Broughton had to go off injured after crashing into the advertising hoardings in an innocuous challenge with the goalkeeper. Inevitably, ex-Southend defender Dave McSweeney equalised, planting a header past a helpless Darryl Flahavan from a Danny Jones corner.

Brighton & Hove Albion became the second Coca-Cola Championship side to visit the Hall on the Wednesday, with Spencer Prior making his first start after signing a new two-year contract with the Shrimpers, rejoining the club over a decade after departing for Premiership Norwich City. Lewis Hunt rattled the crossbar just after half-time in the closest the game had to a goal, with Leon Knight heading straight at Flahavan at the other end.

Blues made it 356 minutes without a goal when they completed the build-up to the season with a goalless draw at Grays Athletic’s building site-like Recreation Ground. Former goalkeeper Carl Emberson was celebrating his signing of a one-year deal with the Blues, alongside more ex-Shrimpers in Daniel Lunan and Stuart Thurgood, the captain. It was an awful match in boiling conditions, Gower fluffing his finish after rounding Emberson and Dudfield seeing the shotstopper palm his effort around the post. There was still a lot of work for Steve Tilson and Paul Brush to undertake.

Newsround (click on headline for full TLG story):

Thu 01 Jul | Shrimpers Add Gulls To Pre-Season Schedule

Thu 01 Jul | Defensive Duo Put Pen To Paper

Fri 02 Jul | Revell Injury Keeps Him Out Of Spotlight

Fri 02 Jul | Seven Changes Made To Fixture List

Tue 06 Jul | League Two Pre-Season Odds

Thu 08 Jul | Carling Cup First Round Draw

Thu 08 Jul | Shrimpers Supremo Shrugs Off Fans’ Fears

Fri 09 Jul | Trialists Hope To Make Right Impression

Fri 09 Jul | Dudfield Joins Crocked List

Sat 24 Jul | Duo Adjudged Surplus To Requirements

Mon 26 Jul | Spinner Offered Two-Year Deal