Archived News from January 2004
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STAGSNET`S STATISTICAL PREVIEW
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Southend is yet another side which faced the Stags in their first league season way back in 1931-32 and the Shrimpers, founder members of the old division 3 (S) in the early 20's, were also along with the Stags founder members of the old 3rd division in 1958-59. And the total stats of the league encounters between the Stags and the Shrimpers are quite evenly balanced. And the teams have yet to play a goal-less draw at Southend, but have registered three to date at Field Mill, among them the up-to-date latest encounter on August 18, 2001, watched by only 2774 who saw the only goal-less home game that season.
The very first league encounter on November 7, 1931, was the up to this day highest-scoring one as the teams shared eight goals. 8833 watched the following Stags scorers that day: Readman, Johnson (2) and Browne. Memorable Stags v Southend league fixtures: * The Stags v Southend home fixture in the nearly-promotion to the old 2nd division season in 1964-65 on April 5, 1965 saw the Stags' second-highest home win as the Shrimpers were completely peeled to the tune of 6-1 and four strikes from Bill Curry, his best haul that season. Anderson and a Morris penalty completed the rout in front of 11850. And the away fixture at Roots Hall just about two months earlier, on January 30, saw the Stags record their second-highest away victory that season as well to a 4-1 scoreline. 5360 saw Hall, Middleton, Tyrer and Scanlon all hit the target once. * A 2-0 home win on May 9, 1966 (scorers: Gregson and Morris, attendance 6544) proved to be very crucial for both teams a few weeks later in the England World Cup Championship year. The outcome: Stags stayed up, and the Shrimpers were relegated to the old fourth for the first time ever which meant that the old third division lost their last founder member. * Also the mid-eighties Shrimpers trips to Stagsland proved fruitless as the Stags won four consecutive home fixtures without conceding a goal. Among then was a 3-0 (Vinter, Kearney pen and an own-goal, attendance 3705) on September 28, 1985, which smashed Southend's then unbeaten league record to pieces. That game proved to be a pointer to the fortunes of both clubs later on – as the Stags were to mount a successful promotion attempt – which I honestly thought could be doable after that game! – and the Shrimpers slipping away into mid-table tedium. Another one was the first one in charge for George Foster a couple of seasons later. On Februay 11, 1989, 2562 watched a 4-0 mauling courtesy of two goals from Cassells, one apiece from Charles and Kent. Notable is also that the highest Stags home and away defeat against Southend was recorded in the same season as well, This happened in 1958-59 when the home game was lost 1-4 and the away one 1-5. All other Southend triumphs at Field Mill have been recorded by the only goal of the game, the latest on September 29, 1990, when 2121 saw a Benjamin strike that gained Southend top position early on. Notable from that season is that the current Leyton Orient manager Martin Ling played for both sides that campaign, Ling for the Stags on loan from Southend for three games early on in 1991. The first away win at Southend was gained on February 12, 1938 in the old division 3 (S), when the Stags won by the only goal of the game thanks to a Speed penalty. The game at Southend in 2000-01 was surrounded by tragic circumstances and thus replayed when the season was over. Earlier this season, the Stags routed Southend at their headquarters to an Iyseden Christie show – as he banged in a hat-trick – and in fact, the win could have been achieved with a much higher margin! The Shrimpers have also experienced a managerial upheaval this season. After the home defeat against Northampton on November 1, 2003, Steve Wignall was sacked and replaced by David Webb, who then started his fourth spell at Southend! Two successive Southend managers have previously managed the Stags. Dave Smith left the Stags for Southend in April 1976, but were unable to save the Shrimpers from relegation – but later achieved two promotions – among them in 1980-81 as division 4 Champions – the clubs were relegated together in 1979-80. When Smith left in 1983, Peter Morris took over but with yet another relegation from the old third in 1983-84 to show. Other notable Shrimpers hot-seaters were Arthur Rowley, Bobby Moore and Peter Taylor. The teams have only faced each other once in the FA Cup, and that was in the memorable 1968-69 season when a 4th round tie at Field Mill on January 25, 1969 – nearly exactly to the day 35 years ago! - , ended up with the Stags as lucky 2-1 winners (details of that game in the Vintage Stags section). Both sides have also figured in unbelievable away fixtures this season. Why? The answer is winning with more than ONE player sent-off. While the Stags got two players ordered off at Cambridge on September 27, 2003, yet winning 2-1, Southend got THREE red cards at Swansea (where else this season???) on December 13. After the third Shrimpers sending-off, they still managed to SCORE in the final minute. That proved to be decisive – as Southend won 3-2 with Swansea's second goal coming in the dying seconds. Played for both sides: Leonard Bayliss, Stuart Brace, Leslie Butler, A E Donoven, Mickey Laverick, Martin Ling, Ian Mackenzie, Paul Matthews, Eric Steele. Managed both sides: Dave Smith, Peter Morris. Home stats: P 22, W 11, D 7, L 4, GF 43, GA 22 Away stats: P 23, W 6, D 5, 5, L 12, GF 29, GA 38 FA Cup: P 1, W 1, D 0, L 0, GF 2, GA 1 Season Home Date Away Date 1931-32 4-4 1931-11-07 2-5 1932-03-19 Div 3 (S) 1937-38 2-2 1937-10-02 1-0 1938-02-12 Div 3 (S) 1938-39 3-1 1938-10-08 0-2 1939-02-11 Div 3 (S) 1946-47 0-1 1947-02-01 1-1 1946-09-28 Div 3 (S) 1958-59 1-4 1959-04-11 1-5 1958-11-22 Div 3 (old) 1959-60 1-1 1959-09-14 2-0 1959-09-07 Div 3 (old) 1963-64 4-1 1963-11-09 1-2 1964-04-20 Div 3 (old) 1964-65 6-1 1965-04-05 4-1 1965-01-30 Div 3 (old) 1965-66 2-0 1966-05-09 0-1 1966-01-08 Div 3 (old) 1975-76 3-1 1976-03-15 2-2 1975-10-17 Div 3 (old) 1978-79 1-1 1978-08-26 1-1 1978-11-17 Div 3 (old) 1979-80 3-1 1980-04-12 1-1 1980-03-17 Div 3 (old) 1980-81 0-1 1981-03-07 0-2 1980-10-03 Div 4 (old) 1984-85 1-0 1985-05-06 3-1 1984-12-29 Div 4 (old) 1985-86 3-0 1985-09-28 1-3 1986-04-15 Div 4 (old) 1987-88 1-0 1987-09-19 1-2 1988-01-15 Div 3 (old) 1988-89 4-0 1989-02-11 1-1 1988-10-04 Div 3 (old) 1990-91 0-1 1990-09-29 1-2 1991-03-15 Div 3 (old) 1998-99 0-0 1999-04-10 2-1 1998-10-20 Div 3 1999-2000 3-1 2000-01-22 0-1 1999-08-21 Div 3 2000-01 1-1 2000-10-28 1-3 2001-05-08 Div 3 2001-02 0-0 2001-08-18 0-1 2002-01-12 Div 3 2003-04 (at Roots Hall) 3-0 2003-08-23 Div 3 FA Cup: 1968-69 2-1 1969-01-25 (4th Round at Field Mill) Svante Bernhard aka Sweden Stag (pictured, above right) Some details are courtesy of the Stags centenary book! |
Latest | January 2004