"No, I'm not selling these on the high street, it's not the Big Issue!"
It's always nice to start a new review section with a five star one and we have no hesitation in passing on our highest recommendation to this book by one of our longest standing, well at least he still is, supporters.
A couple of exclusive quotes below then the link to the brand new ShrimperZone shop where you can purchase the book for £11.99 if you wish. The perfect early Christmas present, only 111 days to go!
Workington away 4th November 1967
An overnight coach trip to Workington was full of incident including the following:
We were all full of high spirits, one lad came up to and said "watch out for the Workington No. 9 today" "Why?" we said. He started to unbutton his shirt and underneath he had a bright red shirt with a number 9 on it "because" he said "he won't have a shirt on!", he had broken into the changing rooms and pinched a Workington shirt, sadly they must have two sets of kit because the centre forward was wearing a No. 9 shirt.
Another lad came up to us and said no need to pay here, the ground backs on to a river, but it's only a trickle, just paddle past the fence and you're in. Unfortunately when he tried this several hours later the tide was in, and he got into the ground but with his trousers wet almost up to the waist. The police took one look at him and threw him out.
Chesterfield Away 8th December 2001
Another of Uncle Ron's bargain coach trips, with eight very distinctive Supreme coaches waiting for us, we all piled on and off we went, making the usual stop at a service station just outside of Chesterfield so that we could all be convoyed in by the police. Off we went with a Police bike at the front and another at the back and into Chesterfield itself. We reached a big roundabout not far from the ground, but it appeared that the police didn't know the way. With all other traffic stopped we had all eight coaches going round the roundabout with the police bikes chasing each other tails, nobody seemed to know which turning to take. Eventually we found it and parked up right outside the away end.
I had phoned my son and knew where he was drinking and soon found the pub but was stopped by a policeman outside "You don't want to go in their mate" he told me "it's all about to kick off", I ignored his warning and walked in, The pub was teeming with Southend fans as I entered I found out what these lads were going do with a new toy they had, "a Col Ewe fan on a piece of string". Quite who this was all going to take off with I'm not sure there wasn't a Chesterfield fan in sight.
My Life as a Shrimper...
...is the story of an ordinary fan struggling through life with his trusty and faithful companion, Southend United FC.
The book is not about players or match reports but about you, me and all Southend fans whose allegiance to the club lasts a lifetime.
The book is carefully researched with snippets from programmes and newspapers, and with extracts from league tables etc.
* Identify then relive the times.
* Resurrect your own forgotten memories.
The journey starts with Dad of Dave during adolescence with the troubled and sometimes comic times of the 60's in pre-segregation football.
In the 70's, it all started getting serious as fatherhood led to enforced hibernation from the Shrimpers.
Through the 80's and 90's, a young Dave was converted to the faith, where he soon learned about respect and authority.
Into the new Milenium, Dad of Dave found himself getting older. His son now a man, they still traveled together - well, most of the time...
Click on below to purchase this must read book for any true Shrimper.
www.shrimperzone.com/Shop-Life-as-a-Shrimper.html
Good reading.