Southend United's Best-Ever Player: Stan Collymore

Southend United's legendary striker Stan Collymore has been named the club's best-ever player in an Echo poll. Collymore scored an impressive 18 goals in 33 games for the Shrimpers during his seven-month stint at Roots Hall.

What made Collymore stand out?

Collymore's time at Southend was a pivotal moment in his career, giving him the confidence to become an established Football League striker. He credits the club with helping him develop his skills and believes it was the most important period of his career.

Why does Collymore's legacy matter for Southend?

Collymore's legacy continues to inspire the club, and he remains proud of the work he did during his time at Southend. He hopes to see the Shrimpers succeed with the newly-appointed Kieron Dyer in charge this season.

What comes next for Southend?

The club is currently 13th in the table and will face Eastleigh at home on 2027-02-16. Collymore believes that if the new consortium builds on the groundwork he laid, Southend has every chance of getting back into the Football League.

Collymore's appointment as senior football strategist in November 2021 was instrumental in the appointments of Tom Lawrence as chief executive and Kevin Maher as head coach. He is proud of the work he did during his time at Southend and hopes it will leave a lasting legacy for the club.

Despite no longer being at the club, Collymore continues to track Southend's results and is excited to see the new season unfold. He believes that with the right leadership and a solid plan, the Shrimpers can achieve great things.

Left-back Chris Powell, who also went on to play for England, was second in the poll for Blues' best-ever player. Powell is proud to have lined up for the Shrimpers towards the start of his career and believes it was a great time for the club.