We can today unveil former Shrimpers midfielder Steve Tilson as Blues' Player of the Millennium.

The 33-year-old, who splits his time between captaining Ryman Premier Division promotion chasers Canvey and looking after the Seasiders' centre of excellence nowadays, was the overwhelming choice of Southend fans everywhere in a poll run by This Is Essex partner the Evening Echo.

Tilson admitted he was gobsmacked at topping our final round of phone polls and beating fellow ex-Southend heroes goalkeeper Mervyn Cawston, defender Paul Clark and striker Billy Best to the finishing line.

"This is a big surprise and I would like to thank the fans for voting me their best player which is a great honour," said the left-footer, who made 268 appearances for Blues, scoring 31 goals, during a nine-year spell at Roots Hall.

Tilson achieved every football supporters fantasy by making the transition from terrace to First team, after former Blues manager David Webb plucked him out of non-league obscurity with Witham Town in 1989.

"I've always lived in Wickford and would watch Southend home and away so it was a dream come true to play for Blues," he added.

"I've always loved the club and have some great memories of my time at Roots Hall, which I'll never forget."

Tilson's fondest recollections are winning successive promotions from the old Fourth to Second Divisions and beating Newcastle United 4-0 on New Year's Day 1992 to top what would become the First Division.

He also enjoyed hitting two televised First Division goals against Millwall and a long-range screamer against Grimsby Town at Roots Hall during Blues' Third Division promotion season of 1990/91.

Tilson also has his own personal list of Southend players, who he rates as his all-time greats.

"I played with so many fantastic players at Southend and it is hard to choose a favourite," he said.

"But Stan Collymore and Chris Powell were the most outstanding players I've ever lined-up with. Chris was an immensely popular left-back who hardly ever got beaten and to this day he has never been replaced at Roots Hall.

"Whereas, Stan was just a different class all together, he scored amazing goals and had so much skill and power at his disposal."

Tilson revealed that former Southend striker Richard Cadette was the player he enjoyed watching most from the stands, before he spoke of the disappointment of being shown the door by Blues.

"To this day I still can't understand why they let me go," said Tilson, who nearly made top-flight moves to Coventry City and Spurs during his long Shrimpers' career.

"I was officially handed a free transfer as part of the club's wage-cutting exercise, which was a joke as I was one of the lowest paid players at Southend.

"I never wanted to leave and I think the powers that be at the time just wanted to get rid of me."

However, Tilson, who is set to be awarded a long-overdue testimonial, is happy to be back at Roots Hall working within the club's youth set-up.

"It's great to be back and I enjoy coaching the kids at our centre of excellence," he said.

"But what would please me more is to see Southend getting it together on the pitch and climbing back up the league table.

"Southend is a great club with huge potential and all I want is to see the club regain the First Division status that I helped Blues achieve for the first time ever."

Blues chairman John Main praised Southend's fans for naming Tilson as their chosen star of all time.

"Steve is a worthy winner of this award," he said. "He's also a great guy who was a fabulous footballer for this club and is still an excellent ambassador for Southend United.

"I was delighted when he came back to Roots Hall in a coaching capacity and I hope he will remain with us for many more years to come."

Southend United's reserve team make the short trip to Brisbane Road tomorrow to tackle Leyton Orient in the Avon Insurance Combination League, kick-off 2pm.

Shake on it - Southend United chairman John Main (left) presents Steve Tilson with a certificate and bottle of bubbly after Blues fans picked him as the club's top player

(Left) Champ - Tilly celebrates winning a match with the Shrimpers during the 1995/96 season

Picture: STEPHEN LLOYD

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.