| SOUTHEND UNITED 0 CITY 1
FA Cup 4th Round 28th January 1956 attendance 29,500 scorer Hayes ref E Crawford |
Southend Threadgold, Williamson, Howe, Duthie, Stirling, Lawler, Lockhart, McCrory, Hollis, Baron, McGuigan
From TRAUTMANN THE BIOGRAPHY by Alan Rowlands
Eric Thornton of the Manchester Evening News telephoned Southend to find out some facts about the club and was amazed to hear that the match might be postponed. Thornton 
travelled down to Southend, arriving in torrential rain that had been pouring over Essex for days and in his words “I booked a taxi for the ground and gazed upon a fantastic scene. Workmen were digging up the pitch. The chairman, a farmer, was watching the operation and he explained that the ordinary drains were not taking sufficient water. A zig zag trench was being cut across the pitch. The pipes were being opened, and tons of cockleshells were being tossed into them before the soil was shovelled back all over again.”
When Thornton’s story appeared in the Evening News the nationals picked up the story and the Southend tie became the story of the fourth round.
The City team arrived in Southend on Friday 27th January, the day before the match, and were more than a little worried about the pitch. The press with predictable headlines, had screamed about the pitch being a great leveller and they were looking for a shock win by the third division side. The Manchester players’ trepidation was confirmed when they saw the playing area for the first time and the ‘Sand And Cockleshell Heroes’ headlines began to loom before them.
Roy Paul wrote afterwards “The pitch was dreadful to play on and most of the lads came off with skinned knees caused by sand and shells. One man got us through the match, Bert Trautmann. Many people consider Trautmann’s display that day . the finest exhibition of goalkeeping they had ever witnessed. The 25,000 crowd were in awe of his breathtaking reflexes, the Southend players were used to playing on a quagmire and City could not master the conditions. Shots flew at Trautmann from every angle, he was diving headlong at opposing forwards with heartstopping bravado and he caught, punched or tipped away everything the United forwards threw at him. Joe Hayes broke away to score the only goal and Manchester were through to face Lverpool in the 5th round. As the players were trudging wearily off the pitch, Paul commiserated with one of the Southend players, particurlarly about a penalty decision in which the referee had denied them. “Don’t worry Roy, Bert would have fucking saved it anyway!”
JOE HAYES SCORES THE WINNER
…The match turned into an epic one which is still talked about when long standing Southend fans meet in the pub.
…A then record 29,500 people packed into the ground like sardines and witnessed one of the most amazing goalkeeping displays of all time. City’s former German Paratrooper Bert Trautmann chose that unlikely setting to turn in what he later described as “possibly the finest performance” of his career, no Blues fan present would argue with that. He twisted and dived to keep out a more or less incessant barrage of shots and headers, the most memorable being a save from a Roy Hollis shot which had goal stamped all over it.
lt seemed doubly cruel that the 23rd minute goal which eventually beat Southend was one of the softest seen at the ground before or since. Little Joe Hayes stabbed the ball goalwards through the sticky mud. Harry Threadgold had it covered until it struck full-back Arthur Williamson and trickled over the line.
Hardly a goal in keeping with the pulsating action which kept supporters enthralled for 90 nail-biting minutes, …City’s Welsh International Roy Paul said afterwards: “This was the toughest match so far for me. City will never have a tougher game either in Cup or League. These Southend boys gave everything they had in the second half and then kept coming.”
The then Southend boss Harry Warren told Pressmen: “Our boys fought magnificently. I am very proud of them. Manchester City had the luck and Trautmann”.
I was axctually ther at Roots hall for the Manchester city game in 1956, as a mere kid but what a game, the finest display of goalkeeping by Bert Trautmann, one shot from Roy Holis had him twisting in mid-air and tipping the shot over the bar, I will never forget it.
I have tried on numerous occasions to get a video of BBCs grandstand coverage of the highlights of the game but to no avail. Have you any ideas where I could obtain this to show my Grandson and to relive that momentous day?
Many Thanks,
John Sheppard.
It’s on You Tube
I was a 12 year old Southend schoolboy when this match came to Southend United. I seem to recall bunking off school to go to the match, but must have been with my Dad. I can recall vividly the mud and the noise of the huge crowd. It seemed as though Southend must score, but time and again Trautman kept the barrage out. The outstanding memories are of the Roy Hollis shot flying straight towards the top left hand corner of the City goal. The crowd roared, Trautman was for once going the wrong way, to his right, but at the last second he somehow turned in mid air and palmed the ball over the bar with his left hand. We were all stunned, but the onslaught continued and I thought we had actually scored from a goalmouth mele in the City goal. Kevin Baron emerged with his hands aloft. Once again the crowd roared. I thought the ball had crossed the line, but I think he was actually appealing for a penalty. None was forthcoming. I knew I was witnessing one of those games that everyone who was there will remember. How cruel it was that Southend lost, but Bert Trautman earned the respect of every Southend fan and players. I think City went on to win the cup and was that the final in which Trautman was knocked unconscious but played on not realising that he had broken his neck? I later had to explain to my teacher why I had ‘bunked’ school, He was very understanding but warned me not to make a habit of it. I said I didn’t think Southend would give me the opportunity very often. This was their finest hour.
Cycled with my uncle from my home town of Upminster along A127 to the match at Southend to watch them play Man City. Shame they lost! I was coming up to age 15 at the time.
I was a nine year old standing in the bottom corner of the West stand, plenty of room where I stood. No accompanying adult, just me alone in a near 30,000 crowd. Different times.
I was at this game I was 6 and with my Dad in the West Stand can still remember the rain and the muddy pitch. It made me a lifelong Southend supporter still a season ticket hold and have to travel hour and a half to home games in the National League