16/10/54: Southend United (H)

I'm delighted to see this one again after all these years. At one time I did have copies of every programme spanning my first 13 years or so, but I've moved around a lot over the years and now have no idea what happened to them.

As I was only 8 at the time, my gran took me to my first few games and we sat at the back of the grandstand, but after that she was happy to let me go with some friends from Upper Polsham Road Primary School. I had actually wanted to go to the Exeter game a fortnight earlier, but she was worried in case there would be trouble and the danger of being crushed in a much bigger crowd!!

As for the game, as you would imagine from the score Torquay dominated throughout. Southend played with a formation of 3-3-4, with three attack minded wing-halves and dual centre-forwards, unusual in those days, in Roy Hollis and Kevin Baron, who had been a regular for Liverpool in the old First Division.

These two were really well controlled by Webber and Norman in our own formation of 4-2-4, although Baron did score the best goal of the game, a thumping shot from outside the area which gave Alf Jefferies no chance.

Don Mills had a brilliant game and scored twice to boot. Sam Collins' penalty was, I believe, the result of handball on the goal-line, and in those days the award of a spot-kick was sensibly considered punishment enough, without the ridiculous sendings-off which are common in the modern era.

As it was my first game and I was thrilled to be able to go to a football match, I'm afraid I don't recall much more than that.

I'm looking forward to the Rotherham game next week, as they are one of the few teams I have never seen in a Football League match.

These progamme reproductions are, for me, a great source of nostalgia and also a test of my memory of the games which I really relish. I still reckon that the best game I ever saw at Plainmoor was United 3 Mansfield Town 3 in October 1962. I don't suppose you have that one ?

Ground developments at Plainmoor....delicious invalid lily-white trip at Pascoe's....a coach to Argyle v Chelsea under lights (Chelsea were to become champions that season)....a Poppy Ball at the Imperial....pennant flags at a shilling a throw....a winning programme number for Mr Hargreaves of Preston, Lancs....and, naturally enough, another Whist Drive at the Co-operative Hall (any memories of those? Hmm, thought not).