nickbennett_blog

Tag: paul

  • We’re all in the Gutter

    I’ve just read my prediction post for last season. ‘This season’s goal will be the same as last year…survival. Plain and simple. Survival is not just in footballing terms but also in financial terms’. Well, 1 out of 2 ain’t bad as Mr Meatloaf might say. So my hopes for this season are exactly the same. Boring eh, for the third season on the trot.

    These recent months have been the hardest months to endure as a football fan. I’ll take the Pepsi test with any other football fan that reckons they’ve had it worse. Man City got relegated years ago yet still gloat to this day at how hardcore they were when they were in the second tier of English football…yawn! Portsmouth is looking at administration in the face…at least you got something for your money. And finally, Chester City who went completely out of business… erm alright bad example. So to demonstrate the past few months in as brief a way as possible…

    Southend was relegated to league 2
    Me : ‘Still, at least it can’t get any worse’
    Southend release 90% of playing staff
    Me : ‘Erm now it can’t get any worse’
    Southend sack long serving manager Steve Tilson
    Me : ‘Ok, this is it now the lowest of the low’
    HMRC take Southend to High Court for administration hearing
    Me: ‘Right, baring a Tsunami this truly cannot get any worse’
    Southend Chairman questioned on sexual assault charges
    Me : ‘Fine, I give up’

    This week though something amazing happened. I actually received some good news. The HMRC dropped its case against us after it was proven that (with the help of Sainsbury’s) we were a viable business that could meet all future tax bills. Hooray! I don’t know how we did it! We don’t (as far as I can see) have any viable assets. Apparently, even the programs have been sold off to another company.

    Things may be bad at the moment but we’re still alive…just. Our team is made up of all new faces and there is a tried and tested manager at the helm in Paul Sturrock. So I’m making 2 predictions, my head prediction says relegation and administration while my heart says playoffs and a lovely new stadium for next year. So we may currently be in the gutter let’s just hope we’re looking up at the stars!

  • National Disgrace

    Wembley, the history, the dreams, and the £6 soggy pizza. OK, in case you’re wondering why a Southend fan was at Wembley it wasn’t to watch the Quo or to see the Chuckle Brothers (who were in the Rotherham end by the way). It was in fact to watch Dagenham in the league 2 playoff final. The main reason for the visit was to watch Paul Benson (a friend from school) who is currently playing up front for the Daggers.

    The game itself was great. Beano scored and the daggers won 3-2 in a thrilling game. Halftime was a different story! A baying crowd demanded booze from the idle staff. Apparently, it’s essential that alcohol is served at half-time on the dot and not a second before!

    Eventually, I got to the front where the following conversation took place.

    Me : ‘6 beers, a bottle of water, and a slice of pizza please’
    Vendor: ‘Vegetarian or meat’
    Me: ‘Meat’
    Vendor: ‘We only have vegetarian’
    Me: ‘Right!’

    I could sense the angry crowd behind me getting angrier.

    Me: ‘Whatever, just hurry up’

    He proceeded to get the only manky bit of pizza remaining from the shelf and handed it to me. He then started to pour each and every beer individually from bottles. I eventually got my order which cost £30 and I even had a spare 2 minutes to enjoy my £4 beer and £6 rubber bread pizza!

    I’m trying to work out why our national stadium would be so chaotic?? Perhaps it was the fact that the crowd was lower than normal or maybe that Millwall had played the day before (I assume drinking the place dry). The organisers are surely missing a trick here. How often are Dagenham and Rotherham fans going to get to go to Wembley? Why not make it a trip to remember! Without this debacle, fans may choose to come to Wembley for other events like the Quo!

    By the way, I hate the Quo…love the Chuckle brothers!