Before, during & after Southend
Alfred 'Dickie' Donoven arrived from Mansfield in 1925 and became one of Southend's great early stalwarts: 332 appearances, 58 goals and spells as club captain. He began as an inside-forward, later played deeper and was part of the side that travelled to Wembley for a league game against Clapton Orient in December 1930. He finished his playing days in local football with Gaslight of Rayleigh.

