Where have all the fans gone?

Whatever happened to the missing thousands at Roots Hall on Saturday? That must be the burning question on the lips of Southend boss David Webb and his men.

More than 7,000 Blues "fans" turned up for the previous weekend's FA Cup clash against Canvey and yet only a miserable 3,889 gate saw Saturday's visit of runaway leaders Chesterfield and around 500 of those were from Derbyshire.

Those at the Canvey game must have left impressed by Southend's stylish display in what were truly atrocious conditions and yet why didn't more of them return?

It wasn't as if the opposition was poor because Chesterfield arrived boasting a 14-match unbeaten run on their travels and riding high at the top of the table.

Surely the lure of Christmas shopping with the family couldn't have proved that attractive.

But those who did not turn up missed a cracker - easily the best home game I've seen for many a long year.

Blues showed a refreshing willingness to work hard. Everyone played their part, especially two-goal hero Ben Abbey, who looked sharp and positive - the potential to be the striker the club has cried out for for years.

Hopefully Martin Carruthers will regain his confidence in front of goal to give Southend two front men to strike fear into the opposition.

Webb seems to be getting his message across and is producing a team of young, hungry players far removed from some of the overpaid underachievers we've been forced so endure over recent seasons.

And they certainly deserve bigger support than they got on Saturday.

Don't let the club down now that they at last seem to be on the way back. Let's see a really bumper crowd on Boxing Day against near neighbours Leyton Orient.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.