When Canvey Island and Southend United clash in their FA Cup second round tie, Glenn Pennyfather and David Webb will confront each other firmly on opposite sides of the camp.

However, the pair have known the joy of celebrating great soccer success in partnership earlier in their careers.

Gulls coach Glenn Pennyfather spent a nine-year spell with the Roots Hall outfit as a player and Webb was one of six managers he served under there.

During that near decade Blues enjoyed promotion twice and relegation once and it's with particular fond memories that Billericay born Pennyfather remembers the end of the 1986/87 season when, under Webb's management, Southend went up from the then Football League Fourth Division.

A 2-0 win at Stockport clinched Southend's elevation and Pennyfather remembers: "I was lucky enough to score one of the two goals that day - Richard Cadette got the other - and of course you never forget those kind of moments."

The penultimate game saw the popular Gulls' second in command score twice in a 3-1 victory over Cambridge United and these goals were among 43 he managed in 266 appearances, plus seven as substitute, in a Blues career which ended when he was sold to Crystal Palace for £150,000.

He was later to move to Ipswich for £125,000 and finally Bristol City for £75,000 before ending his playing days at Park Lane.

It was at Portman Road that Glenn first took an interest in the coaching side of the game under manager John Lyall, who had previously enjoyed huge success as boss of West Ham.

"John was the best coach I ever worked with," said Pennyfather. "Working with him made me realise that it was an aspect of the game I could get involved with when my playing days were over."

Not that Pennyfather hankers for moving into coaching full-time with a League club. He admitted: "I combine my coaching with Canvey with teaching and that suits me fine.

"I certainly don't have any ambitions to move up to a higher level and coach full-time. It can be a precarious profession for someone like myself with a young family.

Pennyfather and manager Jeff King hold a deep respect for each other and make a marvelous team at Park Lane and it's understandable that the 37-year-old shows particular pride when Canvey are complimented on the level of fitness they displayed in Tuesday's shock win at Nationwide League Division Two Port Vale.

He said: "A lot of the pre-match publicity centered on the fact that Vale were a full-time team taking on part-timers and that their level of fitness would leave us struggling in the closing stages - particularly if it went to extra-time.

"I'm glad to say that never happened. We certainly finished strongest in the first match at our place when we scored two goals in the closing couple of minutes.

"Once again we proved them all wrong by dominating the extra half-hour and full credit to the lads."

Pennyfather admits that the game with Blues will hold a special meaning for him and adds: "Webby has already been on the phone to me talking about the tie - in fact no-one seems to be talking about much else!"

Plotting Gulls' next move - coach Glenn Pennyfather (right) and Canvey manager Jeff King talk tactics in the dugout at Park Lane

Picture: LUAN MARSHALL

By Dick Marshall

Reporter's e-mail: dick.marshall@notes.newsquest.co.uk

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