24 Facts About Southend United

Southend United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England.

Southend United are known as "The Shrimpers", a reference to the area's maritime industry included as one of the quarters on the club badge.

In 1921, the Third Division was regionalised with Southend United joining the southern section and here they remained until league re-structure in 1958.

Southend United came close to promotion twice when they finished 3rd in 1932 and 1950, the club's highest league positions until 1991.

Southend United joined the new national Third Division in 1958, where they remained until 1966 when they suffered their first ever relegation, into the Fourth Division.

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In 1976 Southend United suffered relegation again before taking another runners-up spot behind Watford in 1978.

Southend United were managed by Colin Murphy, Barry Fry and then Peter Taylor over the next three seasons.

Southend United finished 14th in Division One in his first season as a manager, but were relegated a year later and Whelan left the club, later winning a case for wrongful dismissal.

Southend United was replaced by Alvin Martin but Martin was unable to avoid a second consecutive relegation.

Under Tilson, Southend United reached their first national cup final, meeting Blackpool in the final of the Football League Trophy at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

Southend United briefly escaped the relegation zone in March 2007 but only 10 league wins in the season meant the Shrimpers were relegated back to League One.

In February 2010 Southend United players were not paid, the Professional Footballers Association had to pay the players, and the club were placed under a transfer embargo until they paid the money back.

In March 2010 Southend United were given a 35-day extension to pay the unpaid bill or face administration, and further seven day extension in April 2010.

On 20 April 2010 the bill was paid, and in August 2010 all actions against Southend United were dropped and an agreement was reached with HMRC.

Phil Brown was brought in as Sturrock's successor but picked up just one win in his eight games in charge as Southend United finished the season in 11th position, with only six league wins at Roots Hall all season.

At this point, Southend United were 22nd in League One, 15 points from safety after winning only one of 24 league games.

On 2 April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, Southend put "several staff and some players" on furlough under the UK Government's emergency job retention scheme.

On 13 August 2020, Southend United appointed Mark Molesley, formerly manager of Weymouth, as their new manager on a three-year contract.

In December 2021, Southend United was placed under a National League embargo because of HMRC debts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic; after back-to-back relegations and 18 months of reduced income, CEO Lawrence said the club was "in a deteriorating income position".

In May 2022, Southend United finished their first National League season in 13th position.

Fans group Save Our Southend United blamed "the utter ineptitude of Ron Martin in running the club properly, " saying they judged him "to be an unfit and improper owner".

Southend United said bridging finance would enable the club to discharge its HMRC debt in full.

The site previous to Southend United purchasing it in 1952 had been used as a sand quarry, by the council as a landfill site and by the local gas board .

Southend United had hit bad times in the mid-1980s and new chairman Vic Jobson sold virtually all of the South Bank for development, leaving just a tiny block of 15 steps.