Southend United – 2025/26 Season Preview: Back for More
After the heartbreak of a play-off final defeat last season, Southend United enter 2025/26 with unfinished business and quiet confidence. Kevin Maher’s side proved they belong at the sharp end of the division, finishing 7th while boasting the second-highest average attendance in the league (7,339) and taking 28,852 supporters to Wembley. The message from Roots Hall is clear: they’re ready to go again.
2024/25 Season in Review
- Final Position: 7th (lost in play-off final)
- Average Attendance: 7,339 (2nd in league)
- FA Cup: 1st Round – lost 3–4 vs Charlton (H)
- FA Trophy: 5th Round – lost 0–1 vs Sittingbourne (H)
- Top Scorer: Gus Scott‑Morriss – 17 goals
A thrilling, if inconsistent, campaign saw Southend’s attacking intent rewarded with 67 goals (including play-offs), Gus Scott-Morriss netting 17 times, and a remarkable unbeaten nine-game run across February and March to secure their play-off place. There were bruises along the way—exits in the FA Cup and FA Trophy on home soil, 12 league losses, and an agonising defeat in the play-off final —but this was a season where the club re-established itself as a National League force with genuine ambitions.
Summer business
Maher has chosen evolution over revolution, retaining the bulk of last season’s side including creative lynchpins Jack Bridge and Noor Husin, defensive leader Nathan Ralph and stopper Nick Hayes, and the reliable finishing of Scott-Morriss and Charley Kendall. Into this settled group come Slavi Spasov, a bullish forward from Slough Town with an eye for goal, and Sam Austin, an industrious, technically gifted midfielder who arrives with a National League title on his CV. The recent addition of Harry Boyes, a left wing-back with EFL pedigree, is a statement of intent—adding pace, quality delivery, and positional intelligence to strengthen an already well-balanced back line.
Maher’s comments speak to the deliberate nature of these signings: they are players who fit the club’s culture, add a different dimension, and carry the right attitude for a squad that will again be expected to challenge. There is talk of “a couple more” still to arrive before the window closes, with Maher prioritising quality over quantity as the Blues look to refine rather than rebuild.
Squad
Signings and retained list
- New Signings: Slavi Spasov (Slough Town), Sam Austin (Notts County), Harry Boyes (Sheffield United), Ben Goodliffe (Colchester Utd), Andrew Dallas (Barnsley, season loan)
- Retained: Nick Hayes, Collin Andeng‑Ndi, Gus Scott‑Morriss, Nathan Ralph, George Wind, Adam Crowther, Joe Gubbins, Harry Taylor, Jack Bridge, Noor Husin, Cavaghn Miley, Leon Parillon, Keenan Appiah‑Forson, James Morton, Oli Coker, Josh Walker, Tom Hopper, Charley Kendall
Departures
- Released / Left: Danny Waldron (Brackley Town), Jack Wood
- Loans Returned: James Golding (Oxford Utd)
Unfinished business
- Discussions ongoing: Macauley Bonne
Off the Pitch: Roots Hall Renaissance
Amid the on-field focus, Southend have made significant moves off it, with the appointment of AFL Architects, Stadimax, Savills, Stace, and Wrenbridge Sport to oversee the Roots Hall redevelopment plan. The ambition is to deliver a modern, community-focused, financially sustainable stadium that secures the club’s long-term future while enhancing matchday experience. Early feasibility studies are underway, with fans invited to shape the future of the ground that has been home for nearly 75 years. It’s a clear sign of a club looking forward, not just to promotion, but to building a solid foundation for the generations to come.
Can Southend go one better?
The Blues’ stability is both a strength and a potential weakness. They boast one of the most settled squads in the league, know how to navigate the rigours of a long season, and have retained a manager who has shown he can deliver consistent, attacking football while maintaining defensive discipline (17 clean sheets last term). However, the National League is unforgiving, and the club will need Scott-Morriss and Kendall firing again, while Spasov and Austin must quickly contribute to convert last year’s draws (17 of them) into wins.
The packed terraces at Roots Hall will demand progress, and there’s a sense of expectancy rather than blind hope. Fans have noted Maher’s calm, measured approach but will want to see that turned into a fast start to avoid another stressful late push. The squad’s depth will be tested, but the collective belief is that with the momentum of last season, the Blues should be targeting not just another play-off berth but a top-five finish and a genuine tilt at promotion.
Prediction
This is a dark horse for a title tilt. Carlisle and York City feel stronger but Southend may feel they can spoil the party. 3rd.
Bookies’ odds
12/1—inside that playoff frame, but still outsiders for title.
