Your guide to Southend United
The Yorkshire Evening Post's chief football writer, Phil Hay, gives you the low down on tonight's opponents at Elland Road.
The Gaffer
Steve Tilson has impressive longevity – only six managers in the country have been in their positions longer than the Shrimpers' boss. His permanent appointment at Roots Hall came in 2004 and in the time since, Southend have experienced two promotions, one relegation and a journey into the League One play-offs. The club have regressed this term but Tilson still looks fairly secure, and his hands have been tied by the investment Southend plan to make in a proposed new stadium. Their continuing faith in the club's former centre of excellence boss is justified on the basis of a record which registers 96 defeats from his 288 games in charge.
The Danger
Veteran striker Dougie Freedman is injured, just as he was when the teams met at Roots Hall earlier this season, and is not expected to face Leeds at Elland Road tonight. His is just one name on a lengthy list of absentees. No player in Southend's squad has scored 10 goals this term – Lee Barnard is their leading striker with five efforts to his name. The 24-year-old has suffered from injury problems but is still averaging close to one strike from every two outings. His performances last season were crucial in helping Southend reach the play-offs.
The Form
Southend were beaten play-off semi-finalists last season but lost several key players during the summer and are already out of the running for a top-six finish this term. An away record showing two victories and seven defeats has been a fundamental issue, and no club has conceded more goals on the road this term. Tilson's players have also lacked potency up front, and they last scored twice in the same league fixture 11 games ago. The Shrimpers are trapped in a sequence of six matches without a victory and have dropped into the bottom half of League One.
The Odds
With Leeds returning to form, William Hill go 4-9 about a home win this evening. Southend are clear outsiders at 5-1 with the draw 11-4.
The Whistler
Newcastle-based David Foster took charge of his first League One match seven years ago, but he did not become a fully-fledged Football League referee until 2006. Tonight's match will be the second he has officiated at Elland Road – Foster handled the goalless draw between Leeds and Brighton towards the end of last season – and is only his 13th outing of the campaign. So far he has issued 20 cautions and four red cards.
YEP
