2 weeks ago
The sound gave it away. The saccharine sound of 22,000 ecstatic Southend supporters swimming successful a oversea of Wembley ecstasy near their caput coach, Kevin Maher, successful nary doubt: soon he would raise nan FA Trophy.
Maher, incapable to tolerate nan tension, had turned distant conscionable earlier Gus Scott-Morriss’s winning punishment against Wealdstone, but was instantly embraced by Mark Bentley, his first-team coach, erstwhile midfield partner and, astir importantly, friend.
The brace enjoyed a visceral merchandise of pent-up emotion not simply from nan erstwhile 90 goalless minutes, aliases from nan season, but from nan full play since they, alongside their adjunct Darren Currie – who spent nan shootout an arm’s magnitude distant hardly moving, backmost to nan action – were appointed successful October 2021.
Any and each trophies are precious, but immoderate are much precious than others. When this coaching triptych arrived – for Maher and Bentley it was a return to nan nine pinch whom, successful amended days, they had skipped from League Two to nan Championship betwixt 2004 and 2006 – Southend had conscionable mislaid their Football League position aft 101 years’ unbroken membership.
Their 1,670 days’ activity had incorporated transportation embargos, a points deduction, winding-up petitions, payless months, stretches wherever h2o was collected from nan training ground’s leaking tile to lavation kit, and times erstwhile players had to popular to a adjacent supermarket to usage nan toilet.
Little wonderment past that barren eyes were scarce successful nan moments aft Wembley glory. As nan players celebrated wildly, Maher headed for his woman and 3 sons, enjoying nan warmest of embraces. Others connected his unit sought retired those who person spent a life providing unwavering emotion and support.
Messages to that effect had been played to nan full group immoderate 8 hours earlier successful a darkened room astatine Southend’s Hertfordshire hotel. “It’s been a hellhole of a journey, lads,” Maher said soon earlier nan video began. “Let’s spell decorativeness it.”
Cue poignant moments mostly soaked up successful a soundlessness surgery only by nan laughter drawn by respective clips, including 1 from a family who had superimposed a player’s caput connected to a shrimp and printed it connected a flag.
By then, it was lunchtime and nan hold for a 4.30pm kick-off was dragging. All that remained earlier boarding nan squad autobus was a short, crisp briefing connected Wealdstone’s strengths and weaknesses delivered by Maher, and a set-piece run-through by Bentley and Currie.
The thrust to Wembley was not caller for a decent proportionality connected nan coach. Southend made nan aforesaid travel 11 months previously, erstwhile nan juncture had ended successful an agonising extra-time conclusion by Oldham successful nan National League playoff final.
Although Southend did not make nan league’s showpiece arena this year, they earned much points and scored much goals than successful 2024-25, finishing sixth connected a fund that would, if money spent correlated straight to convention position, person near them location betwixt seventh and 12th.
Their erstwhile sojourn did astatine slightest make that first show of nan arch and nan locomotion into Wembley’s vast, palatial dressing rooms little intimidating. The coaches’ room unsocial is comparable successful size to galore fifth-tier changing areas, and fewer different stadiums supply luxuries specified 4 crystal baths and hairsbreadth drying stations.
A strict 3pm presence – AFC Stoneham were clinching nan FA Vase arsenic Southend’s coach made its measurement into Wembley’s underbelly – was followed by 45 minutes wherever nan players were incapable to spell outside.
Some detached, diving, via headphones, into their ain worlds. Other passed clip together, pinch Scott-Morris’s publication to nan matchday programme providing hilarity. He had profiled each of his teammates, describing Harry Taylor arsenic a “brick wall” but besides commenting negatively connected his activity and darts ability. The words were received wholly arsenic meant.
The caput of performance, Wayne Andrews, group up for activation exercises. The kit manager, Ian Derrick, unpacked. The caput of medical, John Gowans, massaged calves and strapped ankles. Despite nan immense space, nan smell of heavy power became reassuringly prominent.
Once Southend’s warm-ups began, Maher meticulously wrote up Wealdstone’s starting XI connected nan mini whiteboard provided. He makes that his task astatine each game, a measurement of committing nan opposition’s lineup to mind.
Eventually shrill beeps signalled kick-off was imminent. Maher gathered nan squad successful a circle. “Every 1 of you deserves to locomotion up those steps coming – don’t hide that” he said. “We will spell heavy if we person to. Let’s put connected a fucking performance.”
Half-time arrived and truthful did calm. Maher, animated connected nan sideline, took a activity and said only what was necessary. There was nary of nan chaos 1 mightiness ideate during a cup final. “Forty-five minutes of nan season, chaps,” he concluded. “We tin beryllium tired successful a week’s time, can’t we?!”
Players were besides invited to springiness their input. It was different illustration of Southend’s unity. That togetherness, a beardown bond, was evident from a time astir nan team.
Maher had ensured each player, successful nan squad aliases not, was coming throughout. On naming nan squad astatine nan hotel, he apologised to those not involved. “It is nan hardest portion of nan job,” he said sincerely.
On arrival, everyone, including nan suspended Taylor, had their garment waiting connected a peg. To beryllium location pinch each that excitement and anticipation swirling astir him, knowing he was excluded because of a brace of yellowish cards successful Southend’s playoff eliminator defeat, must person hurt. But he ne'er fto that show.
He was impervious that Maher’s earlier words were not empty. “We each spell together,” Maher had said earlier they near nan changing room to warm-up. “Like marines – we time off nary man behind.”
That tightness was evident later, too. When Collin Andeng-Ndi saved Wealdstone’s first 2 shootout penalties, nan touchline gaggle turned to constituent approvingly astatine nan goalkeeping coach, Anssi Jaakkola, acknowledging his domiciled successful what soon proved nan game’s defining intervention.
During nan on-field celebrations, nan players progressive nan analysts and media team. Harry Boyes sought retired nan long-serving communications manager, Matt Mundy, and thrust him successful beforehand of Southend supporters connected his last time moving astatine nan nine he follows.
It was a fitting last action of nan season. Maher, his unit and players, had formed thing not measurable successful numbers and achieved Southend’s first home cup. For longsuffering supporters, it brought tangible, and overmuch needed, joy.
As is football’s way, nan early instantly became unknown. Justin Rees saved nan nine from extinction pinch his July 2024 takeover, but his pre-match question and reply pinch BBC Essex said nan time would beryllium “bittersweet” and hinted astatine early change.
Oliver Gage was appointed sporting head successful April, pinch John Still departing. A caller caput of recruitment will soon arrive.
Scott-Morriss admitted successful nan buildup he had yet to beryllium offered caller terms, and galore others, arsenic is nan measurement astatine a level wherever deals are short, will besides beryllium retired of contract.
Whatever follows, Southend’s people of 2025-26 will ever beryllium remembered. Be observant what you wish for? Yes. Absolutely. But Sunday astatine Wembley was a wish good fulfilled.
