TLG Review of 2004 – October - Shrimpers24

Freddy Eastwood announced his arrival on the scene in the most emphatic fashion possible

After the win over Colchester United, Southend drew a home tie with Shrewsbury Town out of the bag on the morning of the League Two clash with Darlington at the Williamson Motors Stadium. Unfortunately for Steve Tilson’s men, the Quakers unleashed the might of ex-Premiership duo Clyde Wijnhard (Leeds United) and Alun Armstrong (Ipswich Town) on the division, and crashed 4-0 to an Armstrong hat-trick, completed only minutes into the second half, and the second goal of the game by his partner in crime. It was an eminently forgettable day.

Two days later, with Adam Barrett leading the scoring charts with five and Lawrie Dudfield the closest Blues forward to him with two in the match against Rushden & Diamonds, Tilson swooped for unknown Grays Athletic front man Freddy Eastwood on a month’s loan from the Recreation Ground. Eastwood had been a youngster at Southend, but turned down a scholarship in favour of three years at West Ham United. This was another bite at the League football cherry.

Mark Bentley’s appeal against his dismissal at Layer Road failed after referee Paul Robinson failed to take into account dodgy video evidence from the Colchester cameras, and manager Tilson was frustrated as Eastwood made an impressive reserve debut in a 2-1 defeat to Millwall at the New Den. Tilson failed in a bid to bring a ‘guaranteed twenty-goals-a-season man’ to Roots Hall just prior to Eastwood’s arrival.

Friday Night Football was back at the Hall for the clash against Boston United, but not one of the 5688-strong crowd could have expected the fireworks that followed. Another routine Southend win seemed to be on the cards when Mark Gower converted a Wayne Gray pass and then the forward grabbed a goal for himself from an insightful through ball. However, Darryl Flahavan instinctively saved an Andy Kirk lob outside the area with his hands and was sent off, and Tesfaye Bramble, in the absence of a recognised custodian, took over between the sticks. Bentley, by now, was serving the first match of a three-game suspension, but the forward did well, only conceding a scrappy Kirk shot four minutes after half-time and making magnificent saves from Courtney Pitt, Kirk again and Paul Ellender.

Now, with Flahavan out for the next match against Swansea City, and Griemink still injured, Tilson was left in some disarray. The Shrimpers chief told the club’s official website, “Now we can offer first-team football for one match, we should find things a lot less difficult”. ‘Things’ were not very easy, though, as Terry Alderton, a comedian and actor who supports Southend with a passion, signed on non-contract terms for the SKY cameras at Roots Hall. Nick Morgan, the youth-team custodian, must have wondered exactly where he stood.

Thankfully, as he made a plea to Tilson to hand him a starting spot against the Swans, he was saved the blushes of being on the bench to a comedy ‘keeper as Tilson made a move for Bristol Rovers’ reserve team shotstopper Ryan Clarke, unfortunate to be behind Kevin Miller in the pecking order at the Memorial Stadium with Ian Atkins not employing a substitute on the bench. Clarke came in on a month’s loan as striker Drewe Broughton went out in search of first-team football to Rushden & Diamonds.

Bramble had aggravated an injury in goal against the Pilgrims, and so Eastwood was handed his debut in the game against the table-topping Welshmen. Nobody could quite believe what happened next – 7.7 seconds into his debut, the Grays loanee struck with a header from a Gray cross and Blues were one-up. Paul Connor equalised soon after for City, but just before half-time Spencer Prior nodded United 2-1 up. Thirteen minutes after the interval, Gray’s cross supplied Eastwood with the ammunition to add a third, and despite Adrian Forbes grabbing one back, Eastwood rounded off a marvellous debut hat-trick with a low shot from 25 yards after cutting in from the left. Lee Trundle hit the crossbar from the halfway line, but nobody was able to deny the youngster his place in the headlines.

Three days later he was at it again as Scunthorpe United, the side who knocked Swansea off of the top courtesy of Southend’s win, defeated Blues 3-2 at Glanford Park. Again it was Wayne Gray who provided the ammunition with a cross from the right to give the Seasiders the lead, but Cleveland Taylor’s cross was knocked into his own net by Spencer Prior, and then Paul Hayes’ shot looped up off of Adam Barrett over the returning Flahavan to give the Iron the lead before half-time. Jimmy Corbett stunned the crowd with a magnificent dipping shot on the half-volley just under the bar to equalise, but the Shrimpers were denied as Hayes converted a poorly-defended Peter Beagrie corner.

Eastwood’s arrival was causing more forwards to leave Roots Hall, and Michael Husbands trialled for Nationwide Conference side Forest Green Rovers near to his hometown of Birmingham. He picked up a knock and was taken off after a goalless 55 minutes, and came back to recuperate with United. Mark Stimson, an ex-Shrimper and now boss at Grays, told old team-mate Tilson that his protégé’s signature would cost Ron Martin dear.

Canvey Island predictably stuck their oar into the debate when manager Jeff King claimed that the Gulls were interested in signing the young centre-forward, but in truth there was never any real chance of Eastwood snubbing the Shrimpers for a struggling Nationwide Conference side. Michael Kightly was on his way out of Roots Hall – to Farnborough Town on loan – whilst Jimmy Quinn shocked Saturday’s opposition Shrewsbury Town by quitting on the eve of the match against United.

But Wayne Gray was just as important to the Shrimpers' continuing good form

In terrible conditions, on a boggy pitch, Blues battled to a 1-1 draw against the Salop with the game very close to being called off. Ryan Lowe’s stupendous finish from the edge of the penalty area gave the Shrews the lead, but to their credit, and with everything against them in the pouring rain, Southend struck back a quarter of an hour after half-time as Wayne Gray sprinted clear of the defence to guide the ball home. It was a point gained, despite Town’s lowly League position.

Blues announced that the match against Chester City was to be moved to a Friday night to allow people more time to do their Christmas shopping, with the Seals apparently the instigators as they wanted most of their away games to take place before the weekend. Steve Tilson was more intent on obtaining Grays’ attention, and he launched himself into yet more talks with the Conference South side over Freddy Eastwood’s future as a host of Football League clubs lined up for his signature. An FA Cup draw saw Southend pull Luton Town out of the hat for the third time in four years of cup competitions.

That first round draw took place after United had seen off Northampton Town at the Hall by two goals to one to record yet another three points and haul themselves into seventh place in the table. It was an end-to-end encounter, and the Shrimpers managed to get themselves off of the mark first, Mark Gower firing home an unstoppable effort. Eric Sabin was felled by Che Wilson, but Darryl Flahavan palmed away Martin Smith’s penalty to annoy the Cobblers, and Josh Low and Scott McGleish went close. However, it was Wayne Gray that scored next, latching on to Eastwood’s pass, and despite a late strike from Sabin, Southend ended the month on a high.

Newsround (click on headline for full story):

Sat 02 Oct | LDV Vans Trophy Second Round Draw

Mon 04 Oct | Blues Unveil New Forward

Tue 05 Oct | Bentley Appeal Fails

Wed 06 Oct | Shrimpers Failed In Bid For Striker

Mon 11 Oct | Tilson Hopeful of Securing Shotstopper

Wed 13 Oct | Alderton Signature Set To Raise Gate

Wed 13 Oct | Clarke Set To Sign

Thu 14 Oct | Broughton Off To Diamonds

Thu 14 Oct | ‘Keepers’ War Of Words Over Starting Slot

Mon 18 Oct | Eastwood Earns The Plaudits

Wed 20 Oct | Husbands In Trial Separation