OPINION: Southend defeat sums up a season to forget

Once Stuckmann had needlessly fouled their striker, who was never going to score, to give away an obvious penalty, we were down.

The ref started to lose the plot, Chesterfield lost their heads and Dion Donohue decided to try some martial arts on Southend’s Demetriou, who went down like he’d been assaulted by Chuck Norris; only to calmly get up without requiring attention, after the red card had been shown.

Web boards are currently in meltdown as it’s very difficult to take any positives either on or off the field after that display.

Although any communication from the leadership of the club seems to be in short supply, hopefully they will be opening the post to see if any more CCJs have landed on the doormat of 1866 Sheffield Road.

On fan commented on the facebook page that he had spoken to a member of the Southend coaching staff on the phone and the fact is that on the pitch we have not changed tactics from Plan A since Gary Caldwell arrived.

We try to pass it across the back but if other teams press up then we can’t do that, the ball goes back to the keeper who has to lump it long and then we lose the ball as we don’t have the physical striker to control it.

All the teams in this division know this making Chesterfield easy to beat. Us humble fans can see this, so can opposition scouts, but the management continue to try to play this way.

Being fair to Gary Caldwell, we did go on a record equalling two match unbeaten “run” recently, but the players aren’t good enough and whichever formation he tries, the team is too weak.

On that note, all of the January loan signings seem to have flopped or gone back to parent clubs apart from Liam Grimshaw who got a run out as a sub.

Sadiq El Fitouri, our Libyan international was reported as having “lost contact” with the club, whether that means he’s gone home in a sulk or switched his mobile phone off on Friday is anyone’s guess.

I thought El Fitouri was the best of the January signings although he’s been given little chance on the field.

Well done, however, to Jay O’Shea who has won a champions medal and scoring goals with Sheffield United, but loaning your best player to your nearest rivals as a cost cutting measure tells you all you need to know about which way the club is heading.