From a Southend fan, bit late, but...

SeasideShrimper · Post by **SeasideShrimper** » Wed May 31, 2017 4:13 pm

Congratulations on promotion!

You deserve it. Enjoyed my trip to The Macron back in September. Nice ground, nice fans, great away day.

I think you'll easily stay up this time round in the Championship and then you'll build on it and will be challenging for the playoffs in the next 2-3 years. That, I think, will shortly be followed by promotion back to where you belong.

Good luck for the forthcoming season

All the best,

SS

Dave Sutton's barnet · Post by **Dave Sutton's barnet** » Wed May 31, 2017 4:54 pm

Thanks, chum. How's things down there? I would assume your guess your highest finish in nine seasons means Phil Brown's stock has risen from this time last year when he was all but begging Bolton to employ him; has he been forgiven by all, most or not nearly enough Shrimpers?

SeasideShrimper · Post by **SeasideShrimper** » Wed May 31, 2017 5:08 pm

Brown seems to have been forgiven by the majority of us. There are, of course, that small minority who want him gone, which for the life of me, I can't understand. He's just guided us to 7th place in League One and we missed out on the playoffs by a single point, thanks to our friends at Millwall.

I should think he'll stay for a good few years to come and even longer if we ever get this new stadium, as that was one of his main reasons for joining us in the first place. Some of our fans think he'll join Portsmouth now their gaffer has left to join Wigan. Brown will certainly be in the running but I don't think he'll go.

Dave Sutton's barnet · Post by **Dave Sutton's barnet** » Wed May 31, 2017 5:25 pm

Thanks. Interesting. He's an ambitious man, but he's also fairly loyal. Might not have felt that way last summer, but he does have a special bond with Bolton, where he spent 15 years as player, captain, assistant and caretaker. I'd be surprised if he had his head turned by Pompey, where expectations are high and you suspect he'd have to win the fans over; the only reason to leave might be more push than pull, if he thinks he's taken Southend as far as he can – although the new stadium sounds like a decent carrot. Seems from a distance like he's also worked hard to build relationships which have allowed you loanees from clubs like West Ham, Spurs, Palace and Brighton; obviously there's no saying they wouldn't do business with Pompey, but there'd be a lot of starting again.

I think the vast majority of Bolton fans wish him well, and have nothing against Southend. The nature of our late winner at yours - sickening as it must have been for you – is already in legend as one of those bonkers moments that make the whole thing worthwhile; I daresay some of that fondness will rub off on Southend, and there'll be a few Boltonians smiling if you follow us up next year. Good luck.