In English football, the Essex derby is the local derby between two of the three professional teams in the English county of Essex – Colchester United and Southend United. The first Essex derby match that took place was a 4–2 victory for Southend in a Third Division South tie on 14 October 1950. The derby has been contested in four different competitions, with Southend winning 34 of the games, Colchester winning 31 and 17 have been drawn. The other professional team in Essex is Braintree Town.
History Southend United were one of 24 teams that co-founded The Football League's new Third Division in 1920 for the upcoming 1920–21 season. Colchester United were promoted into The Football League, joining the Third Division South for the 1950–51 season. The first match between Colchester United and Southend United was 14 October 1950, a Third Division South game won by Southend 4–2.
From 1989 to 2004, the two clubs did not meet in any competitive fixtures. The two clubs both reached the Football League Trophy Southern Area Final, where they met for the first time in 15 years on 10 February 2004, at Layer Road for the first leg, with Southend winning 3–2. They met six days later at Roots Hall, for the Southern Area Final second leg, where the teams drew 1–1 and Southend winning 4–3 on aggregate to reach the overall final of the Football League Trophy at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.
During an Essex derby match on 25 November 2006, there were three dismissals, two for Southend and one for Colchester. Southend's captain, Kevin Maher was sent-off in the 51st minute for an off-the-ball incident involving Colchester's captain, Karl Duguid. Maher claimed that Duguid had cheated by conning the referee due to his over-reacting, and claimed; "He clipped my leg, so I turned to say 'What are you doing?' and he fell over clutching his face like he'd been poleaxed by Mike Tyson." Duguid stated in his defence; "He chested me and put his face in my face. That's a headbutt, a sending-off offence." Mark Gower picked up a yellow card for dissent after arguing with the referee, Steve Bennett, about the sending off. Five minutes later, Gower was booked again, this time for a late challenge on Duguid. Chris Barker was sent-off in the 78th minute, after he was booked twice. Southend appealed against the red card, which was rejected by The Football Association's disciplinary commission.
The Essex derby returned for the 2015–16 League One season after Southend were promoted through the League Two play-offs, seeing a return of the fixture for the first time since the 2009–10 season. Southend won the first match between the sides in five years on 26 December 2015 by 2–0 at the Colchester Community Stadium. The match at Roots Hall during the same season was a fiery affair which saw Colchester vice-captain Alex Gilbey sent off for a foul on Southend's Ryan Leonard in the first-half. After former U's player Anthony Wordsworth had put the Shrimpers ahead in the 82nd-minute, Adam Barrett soon doubled the home side's advantage before crowd trouble started. After Barrett had run the length of the pitch to celebrate close to the away fans, a lone Southend supporter jumped onto the pitch and began throwing punches at the Colchester fans. Stewards eventually restrained the man, while other fans had also followed suit in jumping on the pitch, but further violence was avoided after Southend players, police and stewards ushered the fans back into the stands. Police said that the matter would be investigated after video evidence emerged. The game ended 3–0 to Southend. The man involved in the incident admitted affray and pitch invasion at Southend Magistrates Court on 24 February. He was give an eight-week suspended prison sentence and was ordered to pay £265 in fines, while receiving a five-year banning order that prohibited him from attending any football match in the country until 2021.
The largest Essex derby victory was recorded on 10 November 2020, when Colchester beat Southend 6–1 at the Community Stadium. Jevani Brown registered a hat-trick for the U's in the dead rubber EFL Trophy group stage match.
Statistics and results
Colchester United in the league at home DateVenueScoreCompetitionAttendance3 March 1951Layer RoadThird Division (S)12,36012 April 1952Layer RoadThird Division (S)11,96718 October 1952Layer RoadThird Division (S)10,58929 April 1954Layer RoadThird Division (S)6,0358 April 1955Layer RoadThird Division (S)10,80927 August 1955Layer RoadThird Division (S)8,91518 August 1956Layer RoadThird Division (S)11,45411 January 1958Layer RoadThird Division (S)9,35729 September 1958Layer RoadThird Division6,83315 April 1960Layer RoadThird Division10,3173 December 1960Layer RoadThird Division5,0074 May 1963Layer RoadThird Division7,24414 October 1963Layer RoadThird Division6,61020 March 1965Layer RoadThird Division2,92929 November 1968Layer RoadFourth Division10,6048 November 1969Layer RoadFourth Division6,02113 November 1970Layer RoadFourth Division7,77718 October 1971Layer RoadFourth Division9,80729 October 1974Layer RoadThird Division6,54717 April 1976Layer RoadThird Division4,26019 March 1977Layer RoadFourth Division6,63720 October 1978Layer RoadThird Division5,88122 February 1980Layer RoadThird Division6,13525 August 1984Layer RoadFourth Division2,3784 February 1986Layer RoadFourth Division1,91520 March 1987Layer RoadFourth Division3,35716 April 1990Layer RoadFourth Division5,2834 March 2006Layer RoadLeague One5,92025 November 2006Layer RoadChampionship5,95421 February 2009CCSLeague One8,6518 February 2010CCSLeague One6,46626 December 2015CCSLeague One9,22220 April 2021CCSLeague Two0
Southend United in the league at home DateVenueScoreCompetitionAttendance14 October 1950Southend StadiumThird Division (S)21,00022 April 1952Southend StadiumThird Division (S)7,5007 March 1953Southend StadiumThird Division (S)10,25013 March 1954Southend StadiumThird Division (S)8,10011 April 1955Roots HallThird Division (S)14,00024 December 1955Roots HallThird Division (S)7,50015 December 1956Roots HallThird Division (S)7,5007 September 1957Roots HallThird Division (S)19,00024 September 1958Roots HallThird Division12,00018 April 1960Roots HallThird Division12,53325 February 1961Roots HallThird Division6,04722 September 1962Roots HallThird Division11,4877 October 1963Roots HallThird Division8,8757 November 1964Roots HallThird Division6,94114 February 1969Roots HallFourth Division12,68121 February 1970Roots HallFourth Division6,77812 March 1971Roots HallFourth Division9,40628 January 1972Roots HallFourth Division8,87125 April 1975Roots HallThird Division5,92426 December 1975Roots HallThird Division6,1678 October 1976Roots HallFourth Division6,6902 March 1979Roots HallThird Division6,95712 October 1979Roots HallThird Division5,94429 January 1985Roots HallFourth Division2,40122 October 1985Roots HallFourth Division8,12010 October 1986Roots HallFourth Division4,00426 December 1989Roots HallFourth Division5,56329 August 2005Roots HallLeague One7,3446 April 2007Roots HallChampionship10,5521 November 2008Roots HallLeague One8,92026 December 2009Roots HallLeague One10,3296 February 2016Roots HallLeague One10,27926 December 2020Roots HallLeague Two0
Cup Matches
DateVenueHome teamScoreCompetitionRoundAttendance17 November 1956Layer RoadColchester UnitedFA Cup1st Round11,28011 September 1974Roots HallSouthend UnitedLeague Cup2nd Round7,85613 August 1982Layer RoadColchester UnitedLeague Group Cup1st Round1,66213 March 1984Layer RoadColchester UnitedAssociate Members Cup2nd Round2,84117 November 1984Roots HallSouthend UnitedFA Cup1st Round2,93521 November 1984Layer RoadColchester UnitedFA Cup1st Round replay3,90714 January 1986Layer RoadColchester UnitedAssociate Members Cup1st Round1,36420 December 1988Layer RoadColchester UnitedAssociate Members CupQualifying Group99322 August 1989Layer RoadColchester UnitedLeague Cup1st Round 1st Leg3,53729 August 1989Roots HallSouthend UnitedLeague Cup1st Round 2nd Leg3,76310 February 2004Layer RoadColchester UnitedFootball League TrophySouthern Area Final 1st Leg5,40117 February 2004Roots HallSouthend UnitedFootball League TrophySouthern Area Final 2nd Leg9,60329 September 2004Layer RoadColchester UnitedFootball League Trophy1st Round9,6037 November 2017Roots HallSouthend UnitedEFL TrophyGroup stage2,7819 October 2018CCSColchester UnitedEFL TrophyGroup stage1,51610 November 2020CCSColchester UnitedEFL TrophyGroup stage0
Results
Statistics correct as of 26 December 2020.
Colchester wins Draws Southend wins Colchester goals Southend goals League 23 14 28 100 115 FA Cup 1 1 1 6 8 EFL Cup 1 0 2 6 6 EFL Trophy 4 2 3 18 12League Group Cup 1 0 0 3 1 Total 30 17 34 133 142
Shared player history Notable players who have been transferred directly between the clubs are listed below.
Colchester to Southend PlayerColchester United careerSouthend United careerCareerAppsGoalsCareerAppsGoals Owen Simpson1968–19694541969–1971731 Roy McDonough1981–19831990–1994267821983–19841985–199026444 Tony Hadley1983–19845501974–19831984–198533721 Mario Walsh1987–19891990–199190351989–1990163 Morrys Scott199040199000 Ben Lewis1995–1997301997–1998191 Mark Warren2002–20032102003–2004392 Garry Richards2004–20072412007–2008140 Pat Baldwin2002–20122422201220 John White2004–201325502013–00
Southend to Colchester PlayerSouthend United careerColchester United careerCareerAppsGoalsCareerAppsGoals Doug Beach1947–19494201945–19461949–1950392 Billy Leighton1938–19391801945–194640 Len Jones1949–19503301950–1953744 Frank Coombs1950–19512001951–1954380 Peter Bullock19651221965–196810233 Alan Shires1965–1966101966–1968253 Bobby Howlett1967–1969601969–1970180 John Kurila1968–197010221970–1971654 Alex Smith1970–197414011974–1975441 Tony Hadley1974–19831984–1985337211983–1984550 Kirk Game1984–1985001985–1987380 Nicky Smith1987–19907261990–199419015 Mario Walsh1989–19901631987–19891990–19919035 Roy McDonough1983–19841985–1990264441981–19831990–199426782 Jason Cook1989–19913921991–1993845 Christian Hyslop1989–19932001993–199480 Adam Locke1990–19948741994–19971038 Merrick James-Lewis2010–201210201200
Notes
References