At the turn of the year, and even up until a month ago, there seemed very little possibility that this fixture was going to be played. York were in serious trouble; the administrators threatening to wind up the club with a distinct lack of offers to take control of the club once John Batchelor stated his intention to leave. However, in the past two weeks, the Supporters Club have launched a viable bid which will allow them to take over and move the club into the 2003/4 season. Whilst this has been going on, the Minstermen have continued to hold down an impressive position in the play-off spots of the Third Division.
By contrast, Blues are struggling to attain a place in mid-table mediocrity; the lack of positive results leading to Ron Martin’s decision to sack Rob Newman eight days ago. Newman took charge of the 1-0 victory over Leyton Orient at Roots Hall last Saturday afternoon, a match that ended a five-match losing run, but left his post on Tuesday morning. Martin has appointed Robson, along with assistant coach Steve Tilson, as the gaffer until a replacement is found, a decision that may take as little as a fortnight or until the end of the current campaign to make. The businessman has shown his intention to make his choice sooner rather than later by declaring that he wishes the new boss to have time to pick his squad from those players that are out of contract at the end of the year.
One man who would not have expected to have been given another chance having been told by Newman that his future was elsewhere is Barrington Belgrave. The former Norwich City and Plymouth Argyle forward has now been handed an opportunity to resurrect his United career with his inclusion in the starting line-up. Alongside him up front will be Mark Rawle, the ex-Boston United striker having recovered from a hamstring injury. Both players entertained spectators for 45 minutes at Whaddon Road in the 2-0 Avon Insurance Combination victory over Cheltenham Town reserves on Wednesday afternoon without scoring. Brett Darby offers another option having scored the first in that game but Mark Salter, who netted the winner against Orient, is set to miss out for two or three weeks with a hamstring twinge.
Tesfaye Bramble, who partnered Salter up front in that win, has moved back to the right-wing position, replacing Steven Clark who has been harshly dropped after failing to deliver enough balls into the penalty box last weekend. Bramble, who has often displayed his displeasure at being moved ‘out-of-position’, will now have to impress his talent upon Robson, who has yet to see him in top form at the Hall. On the opposite side, the caretaker manager’s former colleague at Wimbledon, Neil Jenkins, continues on the left-hand flank.
The centre of the park will remain unchanged for the start of the match, with last week’s impressive pair of club captain Kevin Maher and Stuart Thurgood given the chance to continue in the absence of the injured Jay Smith. With the former Aston Villa man set to miss the rest of the campaign, Robson made a move for Coventry City midfielder, and son of Gordon, Gavin Strachan on Thursday’s deadline day for transfers, but the one-time Motherwell and Dundee loanee will not go straight into the starting eleven as the squad already in residence at the Hall get a chance to prove their worth.
The same is also the case regarding Ronnie Henry, the Tottenham Hotspur defender who has been drafted in on loan to replace former Spurs loanee Stephen Kelly; the central defender having prematurely ended his loan spell when Queens Park Rangers made an approach to contract him for the next month. Both Strachan and Henry will occupy places on the bench. Instead the ever-present Leon Cort and Basildon-born Dave McSweeney will fill the centre-back positions, ahead of goalkeeper Darryl Flahavan and inside of full-backs Daryl Sutch and Damon Searle. Stephen Broad also has a chance of making the bench along with Tom Jordan and Mark Beard.
York come into the game with few fresh injury concerns, and on a four-match unbeaten streak. Long-term victim Alex Mathie appears to be no nearer reaching match-fitness, so in his stead top scorer Jon Parkin and shorter sidekick, Burnley loanee Anthony Shandran, will be expecting to fire the Minstermen to victory. Boss Terry Dolan was boosted in the week by news that goalkeeper Michael Ingham had extended his loan spell to a third month at Bootham Crescent. And on Wednesday Dolan also secured the services of fellow Sunderland youngster Keith Graydon, who will be seeking a chance to fire City into the Second Division.
TEAM DETAILS
Southend United starting line-up (4-4-2): Darryl Flahavan; Daryl Sutch, Leon Cort, Dave McSweeney, Damon Searle; Tesfaye Bramble, Kevin Maher, Stuart Thurgood, Neil Jenkins; Barrington Belgrave, Mark Rawle.
Substitutes (from): Danny Gay, Stephen Broad, Steven Clark, Mark Beard, Tom Jordan, Mark Salter, Brett Darby, Gavin Strachan, Ronnie Henry.
York City squad (from): Michael Ingham, David Stockdale, Darren Edmondson, Tom Cowan, Richard Cooper, Gary Hobson, Chris Brass, Graham Potter, Stephen Brackstone, Chris Smith, Scott Jones, Lee Bullock, Leigh Wood, Craig Wilding, Jon Parkin, Lee Nogan, Anthony Shandran, Keith Graydon.
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Eddie Ilderton (Tyne & Wear)
Assistant Referees: Keith Lawson (Scunthorpe), David Richardson (Halifax)
Ilderton is one of the newer referees on the circuit, this being just his second as a Matchday official. Last year he took charge of one F.A. Cup tie between Altrincham and Lancaster City, an F.A. Trophy match and a smattering of Conference fixtures, taking charge of seven games – booking 26 and sending four men off – two in the Cup replay. This year he has had 23 fixtures so far, the bulk of which have been in the Third Division, booking exactly 50 and giving just the two men their marching orders.
TEAM FORM
Last Matches
Southend United 1 (Salter 5) Leyton Orient 0. Southend United line-up: Darryl Flahavan; Daryl Sutch, Leon Cort, Stephen Kelly, Damon Searle; Steven Clark (Mark Beard 71), Kevin Maher, Stuart Thurgood, Neil Jenkins; Tesfaye Bramble (Brett Darby 88), Mark Salter. Subs not used: Danny Gay, Dave McSweeney, Tom Jordan.
Wrexham 1 (Morrell 89) York City 1 (Edmondson 6). York City line-up: Michael Ingham; Scott Jones, Chris Brass, Chris Smith, Darren Edmondson; Richard Cooper, Leigh Wood, Graham Potter, Tom Cowan (Stephen Brackstone 46); Jon Parkin (Lee Nogan 72), Anthony Shandran (Craig Wilding 87). Subs not used: David Stockdale, Gary Hobson.
Last Five Matches
York City
D1-1 (away; Wrexham; Edmondson)
W1-0 (away; Bristol Rovers; Edmondson)
W1-0 (home; AFC Bournemouth; Parkin)
W3-1 (home; Cambridge United; Parkin, Nogan, Shandran)
L1-2 (away; Darlington; Bullock)
Southend United
W1-0 (home; Leyton Orient; Salter)
L0-2 (home; Swansea City)
L1-2 (away; Hartlepool United; Sutch)
L0-1 (home; Lincoln City)
L0-1 (away; Kidderminster Harriers)
York City (home)
W1-0 (AFC Bournemouth; Parkin)
W3-1 (Cambridge United; Parkin, Nogan, Shandran)
D1-1 (Bury; Parkin [pen]
D0-0 (Hartlepool United)
W2-1 (Macclesfield Town; Parkin, Bullock)
Southend United (away)
L1-2 (Hartlepool United; Sutch)
L0-1 (Kidderminster Harriers)
L1-2 (Macclesfield Town; Jenkins)
L0-3 (Wrexham)
L1-4 (Scunthorpe United; Smith)
2002/3 SEASON
York City (Overall [Home])
League:
Played: 39 [19]
Won: 16 [10]
Drawn: 12 [7]
Lost: 11 [2]
Scored: 47 [30]
Conceded: 45 [20]
Goal Difference: +2 [+10]
Points: 60 [37]
Position: 5th [4th]
F.A. Cup:
Second Round: L1-2 to Brentford (home)
Worthington Cup:
First Round: L0-1 to Sheffield United (away)
LDV Vans Trophy:
First Round: L3-4 to Lincoln City (away)
Southend United (Overall [Home])
League:
Played: 39 [19]
Won: 15 [5]
Drawn: 3 [2]
Lost: 21 [12]
Scored: 41 [18]
Conceded: 52 [31]
Goal Difference: -11 [-13]
Points: 48 [17]
Position: 14th [21st]
F.A. Cup:
Second Round replay: L2-3 to AFC Bournemouth (away)
Worthington Cup:
First Round: L1-4 to Wimbledon (home)
LDV Vans Trophy:
First Round: L1-6 to Swindon Town (away)
THE HISTORY
Last Five Meetings
12th October 2002 – Southend United 1 (Belgrave 90) York City 0 – Third Division
9th February 2002 – Southend United 0 York City 1 (Parkin 84) – Third Division
20th October 2001 – York City 2 (Nogan 15, Proctor 65) Southend United 1 (Rawle 14) – Third Division
6th March 2001 – York City 1 (Nogan 13) Southend United 0 – Third Division
14th October 2000 – Southend United 1 (Fitzpatrick 11) York City 0 – Third Division
The Complete Head-to-Head Record
2002/3 – H1-0 (League)
2001/2 – H0-1 A1-2 (League)
2000/1 – H1-0 A0-1 (League)
1999/2000 – H0-0 A2-2 (League)
1997/8 – H4-4 A1-1 (League)
1989/90 – H2-0 A1-2 (League)
1987/8 – H3-1 A3-0 (League)
1980/1 – H3-0 A1-0 (League)
1977/8 – H0-0 A2-1 (League)
1973/4 – H3-3 A0-1 (League)
1972/3 – H3-0 A0-2 (League)
1970/1 – H1-0 A0-3 (League)
1969/70 – H1-0 A0-1 (League)
1968/9 – H1-2 A1-1 (League)
1967/8 – H0-1 A2-2 (League)
1966/7 – H2-1 A1-2 (League)
1965/6 – H2-3 A3-0 (League)
1959/60 – H1-1 A3-2 (League)
1936/7 – H3-3 A1-2 (F.A. Cup)
1929/30 – H1-4 (F.A. Cup)
Summary
Overall
Southend United: 14
York City: 14
Draws: 10
In the League
Southend United: 14
York City: 12
Draws: 9
At Bootham Crescent
Southend United: 5
York City: 9
Draws: 4
Robert Craven