Southend United v Stoke City
The Coca Cola Championship
Saturday 5th August
Roots Hall Stadium
Kick off: 3pm
Referee: Mick Russell (Hertfordshire)

After 9 years away, Southend United are finally back where they belong and open up the new Championship season against Stoke City at Roots Hall.
It's been an eventful close season. The shrimpers-online have had a major face lift, Southend's first eleven went unbeaten in their pre-season matches which included a 2-1 victory over Premiership Portsmouth. Bart Griemink, Duncan Jupp, Mark Bentley and Wayne Gray have departed, but in come Steve Collis, Peter Clarke, Simon Francis, Michael Ricketts and Steven Hammell.

We could see a completely different back line to what we had last season, as three of the five new players are defenders, and very experienced one's to.
Peter Clarke who's just signed from Blackpool is very highly rated in the centre of defence. The former Blackpool captain could go straight into the starting line-up replacing the un-fit Efe Sodje.
Steven Hammell the new signing from Motherwell could replace Che Wilson on the right. The Scottish International was chased by a few teams before opting to travel all the way down to Southend. No disrespect to Che, who's had a good couple of seasons, but Hammell's experience could be required in The Championship.
Simon Francis was another highly rated player when he was at Sheffield United, but injury hampered his return to league action and was then snapped up by Southend. This tricky player can play in defence or midfield and likes to burst forward, so look out for the overlaps with Jamal Campbell-Ryce.
With Adam Barrett filling the remaining Centre defence spot, this could be the back line against Stoke, and looks like a pretty good brick wall.

Michael Ricketts is currently injured, so Lee Bradbury looks likely to partner Freddy Eastwood up front. Although it won't be no surprise to see James Lawson start as he was on fine form during the pre-season matches.
 

Here the members of The Shrimpers-online forum act as pundits and give their views of the coming match:

Alfie Moon

The waiting is over and Championship football begins.
Southend will have one thing to their advantage. Stoke not knowing what they are like, is the reason I think Southend will come out of this one victorious.

Southend 2-1 Stoke City
Eastwood
Lawson

Technician

There has been a lot of talk among us about how we are likely to do in the up coming season and most of us are confident of survival. In our double promotion winning seasons, we had a poor start in both of our opening games though, losing 0-2 on both occasions at home.

Stoke have had us watched and will undoubtedly be concerned about the depth of quality in our squad. It is a given, that they will mark Eastwood heavily and it all depends on how we adapt to that. If we use that marking system to our advantage and bring other players into play, we should win this one, because I don't rate Stoke City too highly. They were poor last season and one of the teams who struggled.

From our viewpoint, I suspect there will be some nervous players out there on Saturday and we really need to adapt quickly to this new level of football. Do that and it should be a very good game... especially if we draw upon our performance against Portsmouth.

A narrow victory for us, with Eastwood getting off the mark.

Kim Mitten

Not going to make a prediction of the score but this is the kind of game we need to pick up points in if we are going to survive.
Stoke are likely to be a mid-table team, I don't seem them being in the relegation mix up, so it might be a good indication if we can beat them that we'll be able to do ok.

The Next Freddy Eastwood

This will be a good game for the neutral. I feel that it has been Southend's first game of 2nd tier for a while and the way we played against Portsmouth for the majority of the game all point to positive results, but we do have a record of losing the opening games of the season. Having said that it can't be a bad thing if we lose can it?  What am I saying, of course it does to change the way we start our season. I think after a crappy 1st half it will brighten up and the final score will be 2-1.
Southend but not without a fair amount of chances from Stoke. I believe we will almost certainly score despite probably being heavily marked Eastwood will wriggle free and I feel the other goal will come from a set piece.

ShrimperDan

And so Southend embark on another historic season for the club and their first test of this season is a solid Stoke City.

I have to agree with my fellow pundits that I can see this being a positive result. I also feel that it needs to be as well as the rest of the month could be quite tricky especially Palace and Sunderland so a good start is imperative! (how's that for a pundits word!)

Southend will struggle early on but turn it round to win 2-0 in the second half and as Eastwood will undoubtedly be marked out of the game Lawson and Gutts will get the goals.

Hopefully with a clean sheet and other results going our way Southend can finish the day well in the play-off places and push on from there!

Here is to a good day and a great result and much drinking in the Trust Bar.

Southender

Looking forward to Saturday and the start of another season.

I'm hoping we don't make the same mistake as last season and show the opposition too much respect as we have stepped up another league. Last year we sat back against port vale and were 2 down before we knew what was happening. If we play to our strengths we can pick up the 3 points but to be honest i will be happy with a point.

2-1 Eastwood & JCR

Groyne Strain

A rude awakening to the Championship.

Southend 0-2 Stoke

2 goals in the first quarter of an hour, Stoke coast through the rest of the game.

The game will serve its' purpose, though, just like the past 2 years, as it will give a measure of what the team has to do to compete and hold their at this level. Which they will then do.

Bluesox

Well, I've been highly impressed with the signings Tilly has made and I'm sure they'll pay off, but I'm hoping we'll get off to a great start as I do believe we're in for a sell out crowd. So if we can play to our best I'm pretty sure we'll have 3 points come 5pm on Saturday providing we don't lose any players through injury, as I still think we're 2 or 3 players short, but anyway I'm going for .........

Southend 2-0

And goals by Freddy & Gower.