It Just Gets Worse...

The shambolic soap opera at Southend United has taken a few more dramatic twists this week. On Tuesday it was revealed that chairman Ron Martin has been arrested for sexual assault, yes sexual assault (as if his financial problems aren't enough), against his house cleaner. I would like to stress that he has only been arrested, not charged, and that he has been released on bail until August. Martin denies the accusation and I personally doubt that there's any truth in it. Nevertheless, it is more damaging publicity for himself and the club. Martin released a statement explaining that he has been at home recently recovering from operations on both knees and that the supposed incident occured when the cleaner helped him up from a fall. Let's hope this matter is resolved swiftly and that he can get back to sorting out his football club.

Then this morning, it was announced that Adam Barrett and Alan McCormack, captain and vice-captain respectively of the team for the last two or three seasons, have had their contracts terminated due to a wage cap being imposed on the club and presumably, those two exceeding that cap. Neither player was brilliant last season (who was?) but they have both given good service to the club for a number of years and both are big characters in the dressing room who will be missed, particularly Barrett who has been at the club since 2004 and who I wrote about in my last blog. Regardless of quality, the team can't afford to being losing numbers at the moment. With our first friendly against Ipswich just two weeks away, we have 10 players under contract (2 of whom are on the transfer list) plus 2 players who haven't yet officially signed new contracts. It's also disappointing that we couldn't sell Barrett and McCormack and make some money from them. We really need to start acquiring players rather than losing them soon, otherwise there seems to a serious danger that we might not have a team next season. Oh and just to add another little ingredient to this royal mess, physio John Stannard, another member of staff who has given long and loyal service to the club, has been released and youth-team physio Ben Clarkson promoted to the first-team post. And you thought watching England was bad...

Billy Blenheim

*Image courtesy of the Southend Evening Echo

The Demise of Grays Athletic Football Club

27th September 2005: Dagenham and Redbridge 1…Grays Athletic 2. Stevland Angus has just taken Grays Athletic three points clear at the top of the Nationwide Conference while Essex rivals Dagenham and Redbridge drop down to a humdrum 10th. Five hundred ‘G-Men’ mustered in the Pondfield Terrace are maniacal, I walk dolefully towards the exit not quite being able to comprehend what quite has just happened. “One Team in Essex, There’s only One Team In Essex” is echoed ardently throughout Victoria Road. Grays Athletic had expedited up the non-league hierarchy to not only become the best non-league side in Essex, but the best non-league side full stop. Nearly five years down the line, to pronounce that these two Essex clubs paths had gone different ways would be the grandest of understatements.

Gary Hooper, Aaron McLean, John Nutter, Dennis Oli and our very own Stuart Thurgood (who incidentally scored) were present that night. Now, are all household league names, this was a exceptionally talented team which under the prudent guidance of current Barnet manager Mark “Stimo” Stimson, won the F.A Trophy at everyone’s favourite second team’s stadium: Upton Park and took Grays to the Conference play-offs, only to miss out narrowly 5-4 on aggregate to Halifax Town. The mercurial rise of such a small club however was primarily due to one man- the prosperous Micky Woodward.

A name now recognised by many in Essex was the monetary vanguard behind Gray’s assault on ‘tinpot’ grounds around the country. Felicitous and hungry for success, Woodward was upsetting the non-league pyramid but pleasing many outside of it. Ricky George wrote in a Telegraph article a week before Grays encounter with Dagenham and Redbridge; “It's a great story and one that supporters up and down the country will be following with interest”. The former chairman of Barkingside FC was certainly more likable than the arriviste Karl Williams who fell before him after orchestrating a similar raid on non-league football with Hornchurch FC until his company Coldseal Windows went bust ultimately triggering the liquidation of the club.

But polite and passionate as Woodward was, his ambition was somewhat disillusioned and simply unrealistic. While his first five years as chairman were marked by incessant success, the past five years have been nothing less than a disaster. Betting allegations, point’s deductions, floodlight failure (many Dagenham fans will sympathise with this one) and managerial chaos have all culminated in what many could say the demise of Grays Athletic Football Club. At one point, Woodward tried a stint at management without any previous football experience…madness. However if Grays thought it couldn’t get any grimmer, regrettably it just has.

Goodbye to Bridge Road.

Now under a new regime including ex- West Ham player John Moncur and Chief Executive Andy Swallow, Grays Athletic are waving goodbye to the New Rec where they have played for 120 years after the owners decided not to extend the clubs lease for next season. Memories of Bridge Road are most likely irksome for many Dagenham fans. Many won’t have forgot the infamous F.A Trophy game when ‘massive’ Dagenham and Redbridge turned up with over one thousand fans which Woodward really hadn’t prepared for. However, I always admired that Woodward had the courage to walk over to us himself, the exasperation of over 1,000 Daggers couldn’t have been a nice experience, although I can’t help but think that enmity is something he is quite use to closer to home.

Many Essex fans will have seen that Grays finished bottom of the Blue Square Premier this season on a dour twenty six points. However the failure to beat the drop stretches much deeper beyond that simple figure. Without a ground, they have no other choice than to ground share, although the most likely target is East Thurrock which is six miles away, hardly desirable. With attendances now barely reaching the three hundred mark, even the strongest of optimist will struggle to see a future for the club as they plunge back down to non-league obscurity. Not only do they need to find somewhere to play, they need to find a league to play in. The Ryman League Premier has refused them entry, although they have subsequently appealed this decision. Meanwhile, 10 miles down the road, the club they looked to have overtaken in the football hierarchy were celebrating a promotion to the third tier of football, talk about grabbing your balls and sticking a finger up your arse while you’re there!

“Grays will be next” was the phrase being pontificated by most football teams five years ago including myself, however to say that I have been grinning disdainfully since they begun to deconstruct would be very wrong. I may not speak for most Dagenham fans, but Grays Athletic is the only side that felt like a true Essex Derby. The disappointment, grief and hurt from that night were emotions that should be felt from a derby. Yes, the skirmishes with Barnet and Southend have fomented some spice but have they ever been truly believable? Losing at Underhill has become as inevitable as an England keeper fucking up in a major competition, it isn’t a proper derby and I doubt it ever will be. If anything our relationship with Grays is now pretty happy bloody dory, we let them have our ex captain Anwar Uddin for a few weeks not that it made any contribution in their plight to beat the drop.

Rummaging into the politics at Grays would be a big step out of my depth, however from the outside it’s a pretty clear that a big lesson has been learnt. Football clubs shouldn’t be dallied with like a neglected toy. They are a human subsidence that carries history, emotion and a sense of togetherness. You only have to look at recent pictures of Scarborough’s McCann stadium to emphasis the message further. However let’s not forget that Woodward isn’t the only one that has chased the dream; the number of league clubs that have entered administration tells a story in itself concerning the mismanagement that currently exists within modern football, although not helped by a crippling recession.

As far as I know, Woodward is still part of the club and his early business endeavours have been replaced by a raw passion for the club, I hope together with Moncur and Swallow they can turn it around. Eastwood, Kightly, McLean are just some of the talent that Grays have produced over the past decade. They are a proud club with hard-working people. While Grays Athletic may not have died just yet, you can’t help but think they are laying perilously in their hospital bed waiting for their fate. I can only wish them good luck in finding a new ground, hopefully back in Grays and make a return to the Conference one day built upon graft, heart and living within their means. “One Team In Essex” they chanted, let’s just hope they are simply a team in Essex in the years to come.


UPDATE: Grays Athletic Win Appeal.

In the process of writing this blog, Grays Athletic won their appeal to compete in the Ryman Premier League next season, ground sharing at East Thurrock United. While the club still finds itself in a deep hole with many disquiet fans, this is great news for the club. I wish Andy Swallow and everyone at the club good luck as they try to rebuild the club.

Shaun (D&R)

Football League Fixtures 2010/2011

The 2010/2011 Fixtures have been released. Here are the respective views in brief by our three Essex panelists.

Camulodunum (CUFC)- Colchester United

"It's a given that we're always away first game of the season so I'm not surprised. Daggers at home on the 28th September, I'll be looking forward to that, although slightly nervous as they'll treat it as a cup final and beat us.....


The first 2 homes game, we play both Sheffield Wednesday and Plymouth at home which I see as good to get them out of the way early. Hopefully we'll have a bit of early season optimism and pull a few big crowds.


Bristol Rovers at home last game of the season, my birthday - Secure a play-off place?! C'mon!!!"

SOTD (D&R)- Dagenham and Redbridge

"Away to Sheffield blimming Wednesday. If League One football hadn't hit Sheffield Wednesday fans yet, Then it will come down like a ton of bricks when they scan over the fixtures to find their first game is against Dagenham and Redbridge, the famous pub team from Essex. Literally the perfect game to begin our League One campaign. Over 20,000 fans, sunshine (We hope), A city with plenty of boozers and a game that will epitomise the achievement's of John Still and his warrior Daggers.

For personal reasons it gets even better, I have just finished studying in Sheffield so a weekender with old friends beckons. "How many will you take?" will probably be the frequent question posed by Wednesday fans on our forum in the upcoming weeks. I'm going to be optimistic and say over a thousand. We took over 500 for Stockport which was our first ever league game, But i don't think many people will want to miss possibly our biggest league game in our history. Luckily being skint this summer is a blessing in disguise as I don't have a holiday booked in August, although I'm aware than many others do...perhaps there will be another volcanic eruption if you're lucky?

As for other fixtures, my first instinct was to look at when we are playing Colchester in our first Essex league derby for a number of years. Unfortunately my fears were confirmed, both games on Tuesday Night. However, the away game is quite early in the season so I can see us taking quite a few.

As for the others, Southampton and Plymouth on Tuesday Nights will be a mission to get to, but I'm sure many Daggers fans will try every avenue possible to get to these. Bournemouth away on a Saturday for once and still when it is quite warm, could be a quality weekender while Tranmere may persuade many to take in the culture of Liverpool City Centre!

Overall I'm pleased with them. Our first 3 home games are arguably winnable. Peterborough away on he last day of the season already cries out Mackail-Smith relegating Dagenham and Redbridge, but my only thoughts are on Sheffield at the moment.

I'm off to look at the fixtures again, even Dagenham vs Walsall is quite surreal to look at!


Billy Blenheim (SUFC)- Southend United

So, the fixtures for next season have been announced and Southend fans face the thrilling prospect of trips to beautiful British towns such as Bury, Crewe and Morecambe. Yes, I am being slightly sarcastic. The fixture list is only bound to compel the misery at being relegated. One post on Shrimperzone reads: "It finally dawned on me that with the fixtures coming out today this must be how the also rans must feel every year." We mustn't be arrogant and big-headed though. Only 6 seasons ago we were in League Two and promotion next year will be difficult given our financial situation and lack of players.

And there isn't even a proper local derby to look forward to this season, with Gillingham and Barnet being our closest trips. Annoyingly, both of the Gillingham games are on a Tuesday night. 'Highlights' of the season are definitely Oxford away on New Years Day and Wycombe away on the final day of the season, two fairly short trips. The Shrimpers begin the season at home (for the 7th season in a row) to fellow relegated and skint Stockport, before a not too distant journey to Aldershot. On the positive side, there are plenty of new grounds for Shrimpers fans to visit next season and they will be one of the biggest clubs in League Two next season, if you don't take into account our dire finances and threadbare squad"

Carling Cup Draw 2010

First Round Draw: Games to be played the week beginning 9th August 2010

Southend United v Bristol City
Billy Blenheim - "The first round draw of the Carling Cup is never great as the Premiership teams aren't in it, so there aren't many financial opportunities for us. A home draw against Championship opposition is probably the best we could ask for. Also a chance to see Jamal Campbell-Ryce again. We just need a team to play against them with now... "

Milton Keynes Dons v Dagenham & Redbridge
Shaun (D&R) - "Well that's another 1st round exit, bring on the fixtures tomorrow"

Hereford United v Colchester United

Camulodunum; "Meh, rubbish draw for us again and I certaintly will not be making the trip west."

To view the draw in full click http://www.carling.com/carlingcup/fixtures/

Essex XI

After a week of debate, sweat and research (We won't lie, our Ryman Premier League knowledge was pretty rusty). We have came up with our very own Essex XI.

The Eleven have been based on player's respective performances in their own league, rather than on ability. We have tried to take into account most of the Essex Teams within the non-league pyramid. We believe the selection is a good reflection on last season's performances at Essex clubs. Feel free to comment if you agree or disagree.

Just click the Essex XI tab on the top which will take to you to the selection or click here

SOTD (D&R) and Camulodunum (CUFC)

Shambles at Southend

Whilst most football fans in the country are sitting back and enjoying the World Cup, Southend United fans will also be concerned with what's going on at their club at the moment. The Shrimpers had a disastrous season in which the club nearly went into administration and which ended with relegation to League Two, making them the lowest league team in Essex (congratulations to Dagenham & Redbridge, by the way). And things don't look like improving any time soon. It came out last week that some of the staff still haven't been paid their wages for May and a number of players have been placed on the transfer list by request, including club captain Adam Barrett, who has made almost 250 appearances for Southend and is the only remaining player from the squad that won promotion from League Two in 2005. Things must be bad at Roots Hall if even Barrett, a local boy with genuine passion and loyalty towards the club, has had enough and wants to leave.


It begs the question of how long it will be before manager Steve Tilson makes the same decision. Barrett may not be as good as he was in his first two seasons for the club but he's a major character at the club and if he does depart, it means even more re-building to be done in pre-season. We have just 11 players under contract at the moment (4 of whom are reported to be on the transfer list), plus 3 who have been offered new deals but are yet to sign. That means up to 10 new signings could be needed before the start of the season. But that won't be happening any time soon since we're still under a transfer embargo. And then there's the small matter of appointing an assistant manager after Paul Brush was wrongly sacked towards the end of last season. Things couldn't get much worse.

Chairman Ron Martin insists that Tilson will be able to sign players before the start of next season and that the future remains bright for the club but it's very difficult for Shrimpers fans to share his optimism. With a strict budget in place, new signings are likely to be all loan signings or free transfers and largely players from the lower leagues, maybe even from non-league, who will be on lower wages than their predecessors. The likes of Barrett, Simon Francis (who the club is accepting bids for), Franck Moussa and Alan McCormack are apparently on high League One wages and it's clear that the club is prepared to let them go for financial reasons. All this is being done with the new stadium in mind but with the team's best players leaving, Southend could turn into the next Darlington, playing League Two (or now Conference) football in front of 3000 fans in a shiny but empty 22,000-seater stadium. For now the fans are remaining loyal with attendances looking to remain stable next season and the priority between now and August must be signing players on lower wages but who are capable of doing well in League Two. Tilson has an eye for non-league talent and who knows, he could find another Freddy Eastwood. We can only hope.

Billy Blenheim

“Just a Pub Team from Essex…Now a Pub Team in League One”

It seems only right to start my escapade into the blog-fi world by smugly pronouncing Dagenham and Redbridge as a Coca-Cola NPower League One side. Yes it was bloody ages ago now (well under two weeks) and yes most people are dwelling over what team they have been drawn in their World Cup sweepstake at work (Algeria…not sure why I bothered) but I stop you right there and ask you to yell the words League One to the nearest person next to you. I don’t know about you but I don’t want to move on just yet and why should I?

If anything, I want to scream it down the throats at every person that doubted us, every person that wrote us off because of that most illustrious of football statistic: Average attendance. For anyone that is a regular reader of the ‘The Football Forum’, BigDaveCUFC was as quick as Ryan Taylor’s header to claim that “one relegation spot has already been taken”. Luckily for Dave, these kind of comments rarely come back to haunt the perpetrators because in nine months time, I won’t remember and to be honest I won’t care. Ironically this time it will, unless the blog disappears and catches up with those Rotherham fans leaving so quick…they missed the fireworks!

But isn’t this the one time that we can stop being the nice little team from Essex and gloat a little? I’m not advocating a ultra character transformation, just a week where we can stick our fingers up to the people that instantly cast us off as some tinpot Essex outfit that will get relegated without any research or consideration. If not fingers, then a polite reminder at the extraordinary club that you are so lucky to support. That West Ham fan at work that belittles you for supporting such a small team, or that Barnet fan that said you would fizzle out after Christmas, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to give abit back. They probably won’t give a flying monkeys but it’s nice to swim in your own self-content for a change isn’t it?

Okay I'll remove the tongue out of my cheek a little because the fact is that not many of us will. We are a very self-deprecating lot. We don’t brag, we don’t patronise, we just get on with our job quietly in the corner. While the quiet zone was benignantly intruded by 13,000 fans two week ago, it will soon blow away and what will be left will be John Still looking for the next batch of non-league stars to help forge a team that is capable of staying up. The vital question therefore is can we do it?

Of course we can. People that know me probably won't have met such a pessimist so this sudden burst of optimism has even got my eyelids blinking sporadically but we have plenty of reasons to be confident. We have John Still, one of the best managers in the league, we have a narrow pitch plus a direct style that won’t let these League One supremos play us off the park so easily and finally we seem to have fate tagging along with us. When cult hero Graeme Montgomery scored that last gasp winner against Burton., don’t tell me that you didn’t just start to think the script was already written. What if we are the lucky few, the lucky bunch of supporter's that get to witness the second coming of another Wimbledon story as Roberts put it in one of his post-match interviews. Roberts certainly brings the "Crazy Gang" element to the fairytale while a return for Ashley Vickers may give us the bite that we desire. Perhaps I’m treading into fantasy land although I'm pretty sure I made that leap when I arrived at Wembley last Sunday.

What about the other Essex teams within the non-league pyramid? I hope that Dagenham and Redbridge can act as an inspiration, a incentive for other Essex teams currently toiling away, that league football is possible . My only hope when I started supporting Daggers following their promotion from the Ryman League was to one day see us become a football league club and yet at twenty one years old, I’m about to embark on trips to Hillsborough, The Valley and St Marys. John Still has proven that success can be obtained without throwing pots of money, without ridiculous wages or hiring a famous Swede but with hard graft and an abundance of character. Telford, Hornchurch and more recently Salisbury show the dangers of trying to ‘buy’ the league. One of the purposes of this blog is to illustrate the events which took place at Grays Athletic, Canvey Island and Hornchurch but also show how they have started to turn their fortunes around. I leave you with a video from last Sunday that shows the final whistle celebrations and a scruffy student about to weep like a girl. There is a week before the fixtures come out, Have a swim and enjoy it!

SOTD