Roots Hall

Roots Hall stands in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, on the site where Southend United first played in 1906. After wartime use and years as a rubbish tip, the club bought the land in 1952 and built the stadium themselves. Sid Broomfield led a small team to clear the dumped waste and erect the ground for £73,997. The first match in August 1955 drew Norwich City and was opened by Football Association secretary Sir Stanley Rous. Early problems included an unfinished roof, poor drainage and a pitch that had to be relaid after one season. The ground grew through the 1960s, with the south bank’s 72 concrete steps finished in 1964 and the east stand extended in 1966. Floodlights were added and in 1979 a record 31,033 watched Liverpool in the FA Cup. By the late 1980s financial strain forced the sale of most of the south bank, replaced by a small seated stand in 1994. The west and east stands gained seats in 1992, and the north-west corner received seating in 1995. Later upgrades under Ron Martin included a new ticket office, electronic turnstiles and a digital scoreboard in 2012. Visitors now find a compact stadium with four main stands around the pitch. The east stand runs the full touchline, while the west bank’s roof once set back now reaches the line. The south bank’s steep terracing remains the tallest part, though much was sold off in the 1980s. The north stand roof carries the modern scoreboard, and the club shop and turnstiles sit near the main entrance. Despite years of deferred maintenance, the ground retains its character and hosts Southend United’s matches in the National League.