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Essex Senior League Preview: The Clubs

Essex Senior League Preview: The Clubs

Michael Woods13 Jun 2022 - 09:24
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Part 13: Southend Manor

Having looked in danger of being relegated at one stage of the season, Manor eventually finished a comfortable nine points above the drop zone.

Brief History:

Southend Manor were formed in 1955, with the Manor suffix being a nod to Eton Manor, for whom one of the club’s founders had played. Initially the club competed in the Southend Youth League before moving to the Southend Borough Combination, which was won six times between 1972 and 1982.

Progress was hampered by a lack of a suitable ground, but the club moved into their current ground at to Southchurch Park and were admitted into the Essex Senior League’s Reserve Division in 1985. In 1988 Manor were granted Senior status and joined the Essex Senior League proper, and they were champions in just their third season, 1990-91. Since then, they have also won the Essex Senior Trophy, the Harry Fisher Memorial Trophy (twice), and the Eastern Floodlight Competition.

The club reached the 4th Qualifying Round of the FA Cup in 2011-12, the first time an Essex Senior League side had done so since 1993, beating Romford en route, before losing 3-1 to then Conference side Kettering Town.

Since winning the league back in 1991, Manor have twice been runners-up, but since 2013 have only managed a top ten finish once, in 2017, when they finished seventh.

Previous Meetings:

Romford have met Southend Manor on thirty-six occasions since 1992, of which Boro have won 19, and lost 11. Manor were Romford’s opponents in the 1996 Essex Senior League Cup Final, which Boro won 2-0 to complete the league and cup double. The most recent meeting between the clubs was the 2011 FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round tie which Manor won 4-2 at Southchurch Park.

Boro’s last win over Manor was at the start of the 2008-09 season, 4-0 in an ESL game played at Aveley.

Last Season:

There were times last season when a drop to Step 6 looked a possibility for Manor, but a good run at the tail end of the season saw them eventually finish 17th with 34 points, nine more than relegated St Margaretsbury.

In the FA Cup, a 1-0 Extra-Preliminary Round win over London Colney earned a trip to Felixstowe & Walton United, who eventually prevailed 5-3, although having trailed 4-1 at one time, Manor reduced the arrears to 4-3 as the match entered injury time.

In the FA Vase, a convincing 8-0 win at Biggleswade earned a tie against ESL rivals Saffron Walden Town who won their 2nd Qualifying Round tie 3-0.

The Errington Challenge Cup saw Manor fall 1-0 at the first hurdle against Walthamstow, and they suffered a similar fate in the Peter Butcher Memorial Trophy where they lost at Redbridge.

Home Ground and How to Get There:

Usually referred to as Southchurch Park, Southend Manor’s home ground is the Arena Stadium, Northumberland Crescent, Southend on Sea, Essex, SS1 2XB.

By road, follow signs for Central Seafront which goes past The Kursaal. Turn left at the traffic lights and then go along the seafront before turning left into Lifstan Way just after Ocean Beach Café.

Turn left into Northumberland Crescent, and the entrance to Southchurch Park car park is on the left.

By rail, the nearest stations are:
Southend East (Greater Anglia): 10-15 Minute Walk
Southend Central (C2C): 25 Minute Walk
Southend Victoria (C2C): 30 Minute Walk

Website:
https://southendmanorfc.co.uk/

Twitter:
@SouthendManorFC

Further reading