Southend United – 1924–25 Season
Southend United 1924–25
A top-half finish and real signs of progress
The season Southend pushed into the top half
After a few years of finding our feet in the Football League, 1924–25 finally brought a proper step forward. Southend United finished 10th in the Third Division South — the club’s best League finish since joining the Football League.
It was still far from perfect. There were heavy defeats, strange runs of form and another early FA Cup exit after qualifying rounds. But this season felt different. Nineteen wins, a top-half finish and Jimmy McClelland banging in the goals gave supporters at The Kursaal something to believe in.
This was the first real sign that Southend were not just surviving in League football any more. Under Ted Birnie, the Shrimpers were starting to look like a club settling into the division.
League Record
| Competition | Football League Third Division South |
|---|---|
| Final Position | 10th of 22 |
| Played | 42 |
| Won | 19 |
| Drawn | 5 |
| Lost | 18 |
| Goals For | 51 |
| Goals Against | 61 |
| Points | 43 |
Top Scorer
goals
McClelland was the headline attacking figure of the season, finishing as Southend’s top scorer as the Blues climbed into the top half of the Third Division South.
Season At A Glance
Why This Season Matters
For the first time since entering the Football League, Southend United produced a genuinely encouraging league finish. Tenth place might not look spectacular from the outside, but in the context of the early 1920s it was a big marker of progress.
Only three seasons earlier the club had finished bottom and needed re-election. By 1924–25, Southend were winning regularly enough to land in the top half. That shift matters. It shows the club was beginning to build a proper Football League footing.
Home & Away League Record
Home Record
| Played | 20 |
|---|---|
| Won | 8 |
| Drawn | 4 |
| Lost | 8 |
| Goals For | 27 |
| Goals Against | 31 |
| Points | 20 |
Away Record
| Played | 22 |
|---|---|
| Won | 11 |
| Drawn | 1 |
| Lost | 10 |
| Goals For | 24 |
| Goals Against | 30 |
| Points | 23 |
League Runs & Season Records
FA Cup
The cup run ended before the First Round Proper, but there was still drama along the way. Southend drew 3–3 with London Caledonians at The Kursaal before winning the replay 4–1 away from home. Reading then knocked the Blues out with a 2–1 win in the Fifth Qualifying Round.
The Kursaal
The Kursaal remained home, and this campaign gave supporters a few proper afternoons to enjoy. The biggest home league crowd listed was 15,000 against Millwall Athletic, while the 6–1 win over Brentford was the standout home performance.
Match Results
| Date | Competition | Match | Att. | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30/08/1924 | Football League Third Division South | Southend United 0–3 Charlton Athletic | 10000 | L |
| 01/09/1924 | Football League Third Division South | Merthyr Town 1–0 Southend United | — | L |
| 06/09/1924 | Football League Third Division South | Northampton Town 0–1 Southend United | 7000 | W |
| 10/09/1924 | Football League Third Division South | Southend United 2–1 Merthyr Town | — | W |
| 13/09/1924 | Football League Third Division South | Watford 4–0 Southend United | 8000 | L |
| 17/09/1924 | Football League Third Division South | Queens Park Rangers 0–1 Southend United | — | W |
| 20/09/1924 | Football League Third Division South | Southend United 0–1 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | — | L |
| 24/09/1924 | Football League Third Division South | Southend United 0–3 Swindon Town | 3000 | L |
| 27/09/1924 | Football League Third Division South | Southend United 1–1 Newport County | 9000 | D |
| 04/10/1924 | Football League Third Division South | Bristol Rovers 1–2 Southend United | 8000 | W |
| 11/10/1924 | Football League Third Division South | Exeter City 0–1 Southend United | 6000 | W |
| 18/10/1924 | Football League Third Division South | Swansea Town 0–1 Southend United | 10000 | W |
| 25/10/1924 | Football League Third Division South | Southend United 2–0 Brighton & Hove Albion | — | W |
| 08/11/1924 | Football League Third Division South | Bristol City 0–2 Southend United | 8000 | W |
| 15/11/1924 | FA Cup | Southend United 3–3 London Caledonians | 8097 | D |
| 20/11/1924 | FA Cup | London Caledonians 1–4 Southend United | — | W |
| 22/11/1924 | Football League Third Division South | Southend United 2–1 Aberdare Athletic | — | W |
| 06/12/1924 | Football League Third Division South | Southend United 6–1 Brentford | 4000 | W |
| 13/12/1924 | Football League Third Division South | Southend United 0–2 Millwall Athletic | 15000 | L |
| 19/12/1924 | FA Cup | Reading 2–1 Southend United | 10457 | L |
| 20/12/1924 | Football League Third Division South | Southend United 2–1 Luton Town | — | W |
| 25/12/1924 | Football League Third Division South | Southend United 1–3 Gillingham | 8000 | L |
| 26/12/1924 | Football League Third Division South | Gillingham 0–4 Southend United | 9000 | W |
| 27/12/1924 | Football League Third Division South | Southend United 0–0 Charlton Athletic | — | D |
| 03/01/1925 | Football League Third Division South | Northampton Town 1–0 Southend United | — | L |
| 10/01/1925 | Football League Third Division South | Southend United 2–2 Brentford | 7000 | D |
| 17/01/1925 | Football League Third Division South | Watford 0–3 Southend United | 5000 | W |
| 24/01/1925 | Football League Third Division South | Southend United 3–0 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | — | W |
| 31/01/1925 | Football League Third Division South | Newport County 1–0 Southend United | 9000 | L |
| 07/02/1925 | Football League Third Division South | Bristol Rovers 1–3 Southend United | 7000 | W |
| 14/02/1925 | Football League Third Division South | Southend United 3–0 Exeter City | 3000 | W |
| 21/02/1925 | Football League Third Division South | Southend United 0–4 Swansea Town | — | L |
| 28/02/1925 | Football League Third Division South | Brighton & Hove Albion 2–1 Southend United | 10000 | L |
| 07/03/1925 | Football League Third Division South | Southend United 0–3 Plymouth Argyle | 9000 | L |
| 14/03/1925 | Football League Third Division South | Bristol City 5–0 Southend United | 8000 | L |
| 21/03/1925 | Football League Third Division South | Swindon Town 0–0 Southend United | — | D |
| 28/03/1925 | Football League Third Division South | Southend United 0–3 Aberdare Athletic | — | L |
| 04/04/1925 | Football League Third Division South | Norwich City 1–0 Southend United | 7000 | L |
| 10/04/1925 | Football League Third Division South | Southend United 2–2 Reading | 10000 | D |
| 13/04/1925 | Football League Third Division South | Reading 0–3 Southend United | — | W |
| 14/04/1925 | Football League Third Division South | Southend United 1–0 Norwich City | 6000 | W |
| 18/04/1925 | Football League Third Division South | Millwall Athletic 0–1 Southend United | 7000 | W |
| 25/04/1925 | Football League Third Division South | Luton Town 4–0 Southend United | — | L |
| 29/04/1925 | Football League Third Division South | Plymouth Argyle 6–0 Southend United | 7000 | L |
| 02/05/1925 | Football League Third Division South | Queens Park Rangers 3–1 Southend United | — | L |