Southend are known as “The Shrimpers”, a reference to the area’s maritime industry that is included as one of the quarters on the club badge.

Founded on 19 May 1906 in the Blue Boar pub, Southend won the Southern League Second Division in both of its two initial seasons and was admitted into the Football League in 1920. It spent the next 44 years in the third tier of English football, before dropping into the 4^th Division in 1966. They spent the next 24 years moving between the third and fourth tiers, winning promotions in 1971–72, 1977–78, 1980–81 (as champions), 1986–87 and 1989–90. They were promoted into the 2^nd Division for the first time at the end of the 1990–91 season. After six seasons in the second tier, they suffered a double relegation in 1997 and 1998. Under manager Steve Tilson, Southend again secured a double promotion in 2004–05 and 2005–06 to win a place in the Championship as L1 champions. However, they only lasted one season in the second tier and then, after two top half League One finishes, were relegated back to League Two in 2010. They secured promotion as play-off winners in 2015, but suffered another double relegation in 2020 and 2021, amid deep financial problems that several times pushed the club to the brink of liquidation, to drop—after 101 years in the Football League—into the National League.

The future is now looking much better for Southend United following a takeover in July 24 by The Custodians of Southend United consortium headed by Australian Justin Rees. In November 2024 Southend United’s future was further boosted by new investment from US-based technology entrepreneur Shivaas Gulati.

James Morton –

After signing a four-year deal with Bristol City in summer 2019, Morton joined FGR on a season-long loan, making his L2 debut when he played the entire match against Oldham on the opening day of the 2019–20 season. In total he played 12 times for FGR. In 2023 he joined Southend from Weston Super Mare.

Ryan Inniss played for Southend on loan from C Palace in 2016/17 season making 12 appearances in all competitions.

Harry Cardwell played for Southend 2022-23. He made 79 appearances and scored 27 goals.

James Morton signing for Southend.

In short, pretty well. After losing to Oldham Athletic in a closely fought National League final at Wembley last season, Southend were considered among the favourites to win the National League in 2025/26. Thus far – well, they are showing better form than last season, when they only crept into the playoff places at the end of the season, as Gateshead faded rather. Arguably one of the seven teams in the race to become league champions, Southend currently sit seventh in the table, with nine wins and 32 points from 18 games. Progress has been steady and consistent rather than dramatic, with little in the ways of obvious highs and lows.

The play-off semifinals…..where Rovers tasted defeat in a penalty shoot-out after a fairly equally matched 120 minutes. After a goalless first half, Southend went head, but Ryan Inniss equalised for Rovers not long after. 1 – 1 after 90 minutes meant another 30 minutes of play. And while Emmanuel Osadebe put FGR ahead, it was not to be: Jack Bridge for Southend brought the score to 2 – 2 in injury time, before his team went on to win on penalties, while some of Rovers’ best penalty-takers languished on the sidelines, not having been brought onto the pitch before the additional time was up.

A memorable, even if ultimately disappointing, evening at The New Lawn. Re-live the highlights and lowlights here

Osadebe in the play-off semi-final

Kevin Maher started his playing career at Spurs but spent most of his career at Southend where he played 385 times. He also played for Oldham, Gillingham & Dagenham. Although born in Ilford he represented Ireland at U21 level.

Maher started his coaching career at Southend U21s and has been manager at Chelmsford and twice caretaker manager at Bristol Rovers before returning to Southend as manager in 2021.

John Still was appointed as Southend’s Head of Football in November 2021.

Overseeing the scouting and recruitment departments at Roots Hall, he has more experience than almost anyone in the game, having turned professional in 1967 and managed since 1976. After a short-lived playing career, Still’s first job as manager came at Leytonstone when he was just 26, and he’s gone onto take charge of both Barnet and Dagenham & Redbridge over three separate spells, also managing Luton Town and Peterborough United. Still was the first manager to guide three clubs out of non-league into the EFL and was Luton’s manager when they were promoted to League Two to start their rise to the Premier League.

Southend Utd’s crest  – a version of which has been in use on-and-off since the 1960s – is largely self-explanatory, comprising the three saexes (swords) of Essex, waves representing the sea (or, at least, the outer reaches of the Thames Estuary) a football, and a shrimp to represent the local seafood industry, it hasn’t always been so. For much of the 1980s and 1990s an anchor replaced the football, while, more curiously, the shrimp was replaced by a lion. Not that the wildlife of South Essex had become suddenly exotic and wilder than usual, but for whatever reason the club’s owner, Vic Jobson, clearly wanted the club have a slightly more aggressive  – not say roaring – image. The change wasn’t popular with the fans, but the shrimp didn’t reappear until 2000.

Justin Bieber with his Southend shirt moaning ‘ Why do I always have to play in goal?’

‘Tell me about it’ replies Gus Scott-Morriss.

The slightly odd connection between Bieber and Southend started in 2015 when Shrimpers midfielder Ryan Leonard credited the pop star’s songs for breaking his goal drought. The 23-year-old had gone 17 games without a goal in all competitions before his first goal at the end October sparked a goalscoring run of three goals in the last four games. “Since we started playing Justin Bieber I’ve starting scoring again,” he said

Leonard was Southend ‘Player of the Season’ 3 times before joining Sheffield United, he now plays for Millwall.

FpSinger Alison Moyet, once of Yazoo before enjoying a solo career,  was a Southend season ticket holder for several years and named her dog ‘Tilly’ after Steve Tilson. She wrote the song ‘Blue‘ about her love of Southend United (Stan Collymore getting a reference in the lyrics) – and the life of a home-and-away supporter of a lower-league team. Shrewsbury is a terribly long way from Southend.

Parking is available in the adjacent school car park, just a short walk from the stadium. Spaces cost £15 per car and must be booked in advance by calling 0333 123 1889 (Monday, Thursday and Friday at 11am to 2pm) or by emailing reception@fgr.co.uk.

Alternatively, you can use the Park and Ride service from Renishaw (Bath Road, Nailsworth, Stroud, GL5 5EY). It opens at 12:30pm on matchdays and costs £5 per car (card only).

If parking on surrounding streets, please be considerate of local residents.

The Green Man bar and Fan Zone will be open pre-match for food, drink, and live music, with bands performing before each game. Both will also be open at half-time, while the Green Man stays open after the final whistle, showing live Sky Sports games. This season, the Gym Bar also returns for East Stand ticket-holders.

The New Lawn is a cashless stadium — card and contactless payments only.

Hospitality details and offers:

The FGR Shop will be open in the Fan Zone, East Stand concourse, and the Carol Embrey Suite.

A free digital matchday programme will be available online before each home game. Keep an eye on the club’s social media channels for the download link ahead of kick-off.