JANUARY

Southend United made the worst possible start to 1998 by slumping to the bottom of Division Two, just eight months after their relegation from the First Division.

Blues boss Alvin Martin signed Spurs midfielder Kevin Maher and Leeds defender Richard Jobson in an attempt to boost the fortunes of his doomed squad.

Non-league football sees Billericay Town and Canvey Island both stay in touch with the promotion packs in Ryman Division One and Two, and Concord Rangers began the year as leaders of the Essex Senior League.

Local football is a wash out for most of the month as monsoon weather wipes out a great deal of the Saturday and Sunday amateur football programme.

In cricket, Essex batsman Nasser Hussain smashes a glorious unbeaten 131 during England's opening match against West Indies A in Jamaica.

Thurrock swimmer Christopher McGuire nets two silver medals at the National Winter championships in Sheffield. The 16-year-old achieved runners up spot in the 100m and 200m butterfly event.

And finally, Canvey's Nicky Smith gets her year off to a good start. The 26-year-old Castle View PE teacher is selected for England's A-squad match against France in Paris.

FEBRUARY

Great Wakering Rovers' hopes of a Wembley final appearance in the FA Vase were crushed by Potters Bar Town.

Over 700 people watched the Essex Senior League village side bow out as Darren Ferry found the net in extra time to seal a 1-0 victory for the visitors.

Rayleigh soccer star Neil Harris' dream of a move to the bright lights of Anfield also came to an end.

The striker, who was playing non-league with Cambridge City, enjoyed two trials at Liverpool, but the Premier League giants failed to make a firm transfer bid.

However, 20-year-old Harris would play league football later in the year when Millwall signed him.

Westcliff rugby club's Michael Leonard swapped south Essex for the South of France.

The 20-year-old completed the move of a lifetime when he joined European Cup semi-finalists Toulouse.

Mark Gee flew his skis and rifle out to the far east to compete in the 18th Winter Olympic Games in Japan.

The army corporal from Southend represented Britain in the biathlon event, but the 20-year-old returned home medalless.

MARCH

Southend United gave their long suffering fans something to cheer about at last as they strung together some half-decent results.

Blues battled to a 1-1 draw at leaders Watford, a 3-1 midweek win at Wigan Athletic and an amazing 5-3 Roots Hall victory over Bournemouth as they boosted their survival chances.

Phyl Seammen also had reason to be cheerful as she celebrated 50 years as a member of Belfairs Golf Club.

The 89-year-old, whose handicap peaked at 23, joined the club in 1948 and was also honoured in 1960 when she was named ladies team captain.

Hawkwell badminton star Sean Tierney enjoyed a successful month as he proved his worth as a true king of the court - the 11-year-old picked up prizes in the Caroline Boys tournament, Anglia Trophy and Essex Primary Schools competition.

Basildon boxer Georgie Smith made a lightning start in his first pro welterweight bout by knocking Middlesbrough's John Green to the canvas.

The 26-year-old took just one minute and 10 seconds to beat his opponent at Bethnal Green's York Hall.

APRIL

There was bad news for Southend United supporters as a 1-1 draw at York City completed a second successive relegation for Alvin Martin's men.

The Shrimpers, bottom of Division Two, were finally condemned to life in the football league's basement after another season of struggle on and off the pitch.

However, more than 3,000 fans flocked to their Roots Hall home to watch a reserve match between West Ham and Arsenal a few days later as the Gunners' record goalscorer Ian Wright made his long awaited comeback from injury.

Another top scorer was Benfleet's Gary Duffy who bagged an incredible 12 strikes in a row as he secured the maximum ten-pin bowling score of 300 in the Miller Lite Scratch Doubles League at Romford.

The Basildon-based South Essex Gym Club, led by Commonwealth Games double gold winner Annika Reader, were rewarded with gold medals after coming first in the British Women's Team Championships held in Bognor Regis.

And Echosport's Howard Southwood achieved every golfer's dream after 28 years of trying - a hole in one.

The 10-handicapper hit a nine iron to ace the 136-yard 11th hole at his home club Rochford.

MAY

Non-league soccer success launched a hat-trick of celebrations at Billericay Town, Canvey Island and Concord Rangers.

Billericay won promotion to the Ryman League Premier Division with a 4-0 final day home win over Thame United and Canvey lifted the Ryman Second Division championship, with a 2-1 win at Tilbury, to spark remarkable scenes.

The championship was expected to go to close rivals Braintree who were favourites to beat relegated Cheshunt at home with ease to clinch the top honour.

However, the visitors spoiled Braintree's party by winning, which meant Ryman League secretary Nick Robinson had to jump in his car and drive the championship trophy to Tilbury.

Fellow Islanders Concord clinched the Essex Senior League title by beating Stansted, but they were denied promotion to the Third Division of the Ryman League due to limited ground capacity.

The curtain came down on another miserable season at Roots Hall for Southend United as hundreds of fans invaded the pitch in protest against the board and chairman, breaking one of the goal posts, after they lost 3-1 to Wrexham.

JUNE

Basildon fighter Georgie Smith produced another impressive performance against old rival Rimvidas Billius to lift the IBO Intercontinental Welterweight title despite having a damaged hand.

The boxer rose above the pain barrier for 12 rounds at Southend's leisure and tennis centre eventually receiving the unanimous backing of the judge's panel to beat the tough Lithuanian on points.

Southend Swimming Club's Tracey Richardson sprung her way to success at the National Diving Championships at Crystal Palace.

The 16-year-old kept her cool to claim both the one and three metre springboard titles.

Twenty-seven-year-old Leigh athlete Sue Bunting hit the comeback trail with a spring in her step too.

The Southend police constable, who fought her way back from a two-year lay-off with cruciate ligament injuries, lifted the Welsh AAA Championship triple jump crown with a magnificent leap of 10 metres 89.

Young Sam Rowland bowled his way to victory and was rewarded with a bronze medal in Nottingham.

The eight-year-old from Laindon came third out of 3,000 children who entered the 1998 Junior National Ten-Pin Bowling Championships.

And as 1998 reached the half-way stage Thorpe Hall's Brett Taylor kept a firm grip on the Essex Amateur Golf Championship title he won in 1997.

During the final day's play at rain swept Chigwell Taylor produced a superb run of birdies to win by a comfortable four shots with a 214 total.

JULY

Southend United manager Alvin Martin signed a new player-coach in former Reading boss Mick Gooding, plus defenders Rob Newman and Simon Coleman, midfielders Simon Livett and Mark Beard, and striker Alex Burns and David Whyte.

Essex's cricketers compensated for a poor County championship summer by demolishing Leicestershire in the Benson & Hedges Cup Final by 192 runs.

Paul Prichard hit 92 and Nasser Hussain 88 in a second-wicket stand of 134 as Essex made 267, then skittled Leicestershire for 78 in a rain-devastated contest.

Meanwhile, club cricket was plunged into dispute as many leading clubs felt plans for a Shepherd Neame Essex League Premier Division - with games starting at 11am and lasting 120 overs - would be unworkable.

Swimming prodigy Nathalie Brown, 14 of the Borough of Southend club, won a World Youth Games silver medal in the 800m medley.

Also in the pool, 16-year-old diver Tracey Richardson won two national titles, while fellow Southend starlet Karen Smith earned selection for the Commonwealth Games.

South Essex celebrated tripled gold in the All England Schools Championships.

Basildon Athletic Club's Shelley Moles, of Appleton School, Benfleet, won the shot putt, Steven Brown, of Hockley's Greensward School, triumphed in the pole vault, and Thurrock Harrier Steven Frost, of Gable Hall School, Corringham, took the 800m.

AUGUST

Newly-relegated Southend United won their first four games - two in Division Three, and two in the Worthington Cup against Second Division Gillingham.

Westcliff Darts Club round ed off a record-breaking season in which they clinched 22 trophies.

Basildon Alstarz Junior Skater Hockey side won four of their five games in the sport's first ever European Cup.

SEPTEMBER

The agonising gap between joy and gloom came sharply into focus for Southend United, after their outstanding display deserved more than limiting Premiership side Coventry City to a 1-0 first-leg win in the Worthington Cup second-round.

Unfortunately, Coventry were red hot at Roots Hall to end Blues' giantkilling hopes with a 4-0 triumph, 5-0 on aggregrate.

Boss Alvin Martin had strengthened his side with the £90,000 signing of 19-year-old striker Barry Conlon from Manchester City.

Then Cambridge United boss Roy McFarland labelled Southend the best side his team have faced "without doubt" - including Sheffield Wednesday and tipped them for promotion . . . moments after the visitors had been outclassed at Roots Hall, only to win 1-0 and compound Blues' growing fears in Division Three.

West Ham manager Harry Redknapp called for refereeing by video after Division Two side Northampton knocked his Premiership high-flyers out of the Worthington Cup.

Former Billericay striker Steve Jones hit a superb late leveller in Charlton's televised 3-3 thriller at Liverpool - then told the Echo how his brother and friend had both bet against his side.

Away from football, Annika Reeder returned to her Basildon-based South Essex Gym club after retaining the Commonwealth Games title - while Leigh rower Catherine Bishop, 26, won silver at the World Championships in the coxless pairs.

The dynamic pairing of Benfleet roofer John Chambers and Peter Clark won the British Sidecar Motorcross Championship after holding on to their overall lead in the final round at Toddington, Luton.

Keir Dove, 13, won the Basildon Junior Angler of the Year championships in a 58-strong field - thought to be the biggest ever - at Gloucester Park.

OCTOBER

Speculation mounted over Martin Dawn's planned takeover of Southend United.

Shrimpers' manager Alvin Martin hinted that he might consider resigning unless the fast-slumping Blues surge up the table by Christmas.

Meanwhile, ex-Southend star Andy Sussex returned from injury to score, and generally inspire, Canvey to their first ever FA Trophy victory, 1-0 at home to Wisbech.

However, despite in-form David Adekola pulling a goal back amid late pressure, Billericay bowed out 2-1 at Worcester City.

West Ham sparked a row, and dominated the national sporting headlines, after TV cameras caught John Hartson appearing to kick team-mate Eyal Berkovic viciously in the face during training.

Southend Rugby Club's desperate struggle in London League One worsened when new coach Dave Wheeler suddenly quit.

Young Emma Jagger was outstanding as Wickford's all-conquering Carousel Gym Club covered themselves in County Championship glory.

The annual Southend 10K race saw a record 1,392 runners finish on a course switched from Pier Hill to an all-seafront route. Ilford runner Amin Kokai won in 31m 19s, with Thurrock Harriers' Graeme Garner the first south Essex athlete home, in seventh place.

American Football Club Southend Sabres sealed a sponsorship deal for 1999 with DTR Communications.

NOVEMBER

At last! Billericay-based property developers Martin Dawn took over Southend United, with John Main replacing Vic Jobson as chairman.

The new bosses pledged to make money available for new players, reform Blues' reserves, and step up plans to move to a new stadium.

The news briefly diverted attention from Blues' on-field plight, which peaked when bottom-placed Conference side Doncaster Rovers deservedly triumphed 1-0 at Roots Hall in the FA Cup first-round.

Later, though, loan debutants Scott Houghton and Kevin Rapley starred in an impressive 1-0 defeat of Plymouth.

Skilful new boy Steve Parmenter spurred Canvey to a 5-0 home replay win against Evesham, to set up a mouthwatering FA Trophy third-round tie at holders and Conference second favourites Cheltenham.

Meanwhile, Billericay briefly topped the Ryman League Premier Division.

Vange boxer Georgie Smith, 27, called for a re-match after losing the first defence of his IBO International Welterweight Crown to Scot Charlie Kane on points.

Penny Bonnett, 15, from Wickford side Barnhall, was picked for the England under-17 netball squad - after 19-year-old Eastwood player Karen Jones had been training with the national u-21s.

Hullbridge golfer Ian Bainbridge, 50, who was caddying for Essex professional Darren Parker, cheated death but fractured his skull in a Spanish road smash.

DECEMBER

Eastwood prodigy Danny Hunt, 17, from Eastwood, won the National Amateur Boxing Club title for a record third year in a row. He also became the first person ever to win the award for most stylish finalist of the finals' night for three successive seasons.

Basildon Kickboxing Club's Scott Cameron, Neil Burns, Ricky Judd and Shane Burns returned after superb triumphs in the European championships.

Another Basildon club, this time the swimmers, rounded off a truly memorable year when coach Steve Ham announced plans to dominate county events within five years. The club won two leagues and four galas this season.

Wickford snooker starlet Lisa Ingall, 18, beat Tony Drago 2-0 in an exhibition match.

South African rugby legends Joost Van Der Westhuizen and Krynauw Otto coached Thurrock Rugby club's youth and mini sides - just a day after playing at Twickenham when England ended the Springboks' record-equalling run of wins.

Stanford-based Stanham notched a record 31-0 victory against Brandon Grove in the top under-14 division of the Thundermite Football League.

(Right) We're going up! - Joyous scenes from Billericay Town's dressing room after the New Lodge club returned to the Ryman Premier Division for the first time in twelve years

Pitching their claim - Angry Southend United supporters show their frustration at Blues' second successive relegation by staging a pitch invasion after their 3-1 defeat by Wrexham at Roots Hall

(Right) Hit man - Southend United finally released the purse strings to sign 19-year-old striker Barry Conlon from Manchester City for £90,000

Full set - Basildon-based gymnast Annika Reeder won gold, silver and bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur

They're off - a bumper number of entries get underway in the Southend 10k

(Right) In top gear - Benfleet roofer John Chambers (right) and Peter Clark clinched the British Sidecar motorcross title

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