There were no promotions to celebrate at Roots Hall between 1991 and 2004. There were, however, a couple of relegations.

At the end of the 1998-99 season, Southend were just six points away from dropping out of the league altogether, and between 1996 and 2004 they finished in the top half of the table only once.

But in recent seasons Southend have been transformed, and they can now be classed as over-achievers. Despite severe debts and employing six managers in seven years, they managed to achieve promotions in 2005 and 2006, and got over the disappointment of relegation in 2007 to reach the League One play-offs last term. Is this is a Premier League club in the making? We’d say No, but we’d have said the same thing about Hull City.