The supporter
behind the site.

It started on the terraces.

My first Southend United match was at home to Swansea City in 1986. We lost. I kept going. That probably tells you quite a lot about being a Southend supporter.

Some of my fondest football memories are of the North Bank at Roots Hall. The noise, the celebrations and knowing exactly where you stood among it all. Those memories stay with you. Years later, an old piece of match footage can bring the whole thing back.

“The Shrimpers-online was my site, my baby. I never quite let the idea go.”

A website that became part of my life.

The Shrimpers-online first appeared on the internet in 2004. It was my site, built around the club I loved, and it became part of my life for more than ten years.

It also became a meeting place for supporters from elsewhere. I particularly remember Yeovil fans arriving around the big match towards the end of the 2004/05 season. They won the league; we finished fourth and went up through the play-offs. But once the match was over, some of those Yeovil supporters stayed. Fans of other clubs did too.

That meant something to me. We supported different teams, but there was always football to talk about.

The site also provided a launching pad for a Southend supporter’s idea for a new away coach service. It was rewarding to see something discussed on the site develop beyond the screen.

Closing the site wasn’t the end of the story.

Eventually, work and family needed more of my time. The Shrimpers-online was my baby, and I couldn’t give it the attention it deserved. Rather than hand over the reins, I made the difficult decision to close it.

But I never quite let the idea go.

A few years ago, I began preparing to bring it back. After three years of planning and building, The Shrimpers-online relaunched in March 2026.

This time, I wanted to create a bigger space for Southend United: independent reporting, football statistics, club history, old footage and proper supporter conversation. Somewhere to remember the matches that shaped us, follow the team today and try a few new ideas along the way.

Giving the next chapter everything I can.

TSO TV is planned to launch in November 2026, adding original video content to the site. Alongside the football coverage, I’m also developing Southend Live to serve the wider Southend community with useful local travel and transport information.

I write as a supporter. I’ll celebrate, get frustrated, have an opinion and sometimes change my mind. What matters to me is putting care into the work and making something people want to return to.

The Shrimpers-online has already been one important chapter of my life. Now I’m giving the next one everything I can.