TODAY is the sixth day of our ’23 in 23’ series, and Southend United are the team under the spotlight.
WHEN DO WE PLAY THEM?
Home: Tuesday 2 October
Away: Monday 22 April
CLUB HISTORY
Southend United were formed in 1906 and elected into the Football League in 1920. They were crowned Southern League Division One champions twice between 1906 and 1908. In 1981, Southend won Division Four and finished runners-up in Division Three a decade later.
The Shrimpers have won the League Two play-offs twice, also a decade apart, with successes in the 2004/5 and 2014/15 seasons.
In 2005/6, Southend won League One to gain promotion to the Championship and were relegated from the second-tier along with Leeds United and Luton Town a year later.
Roy Hollis is the club’s all-time top goalscorer. Hollis netted 135 times between 1954 and 1960 for the Roots Hall side.
LAST SEASON
Southend finished 10th in League One last season, winning 17 games and scoring 58 goals. Their minus four goal difference was the lowest of any side inside the top 10, and the second lowest in the top half.
GROUND
Roots Hall, in its current form, was opened in 1955. Southend had previously played on the site that would become the stadium prior to World War One.
Southend’s first game at the newly-opened Roots Hall took place on August 20 1955 against Norwich City. It has a capacity of 12,392 and is roughly 165 miles from the Pirelli Stadium.
MANAGER
Former Derby County defender Chris Powell is the man at the helm of Southend United. Powell took over from former Hull boss Phil Brown last season and won nine of his 18 games in charge to pull the Shrimpers away from the bottom half and into the top 10.
INCOMINGS
Striker Tom Hopper has joined Southend from Scunthorpe United. The former Leicester city youngster scored seven goals in 38 League One games last season, assisting three.
23-year-old centre-half Harry Lennon has joined from Charlton Athletic. Lennon made 10 League One appearances as the Addicks secured a play-off place last season.