Shrimpers fans look into chartering plane for huge game at Gateshead

The Shrimpers will secure a place in the National League play-offs if they avoid defeat at Gateshead. But travel problems on a Bank Holiday Monday have led to lifelong Blues fan Perry Rourke looking into chartering a plane for the club's supporters. "The options available are quite limited and pretty expensive for what is a long journey," explained Perry, 28.

"The only flights on offer are from Heathrow and pretty pricey as well so I made an enquiry via the LunaGroup this morning. "Now I'm just waiting to see what the uptake is before deciding to take it any further or not." The flight being mooted would leave Southend at 10am on Monday and head direct to Newcastle Airport before heading home at 8pm.



And Perry was pleasantly surprised by the price. "A Boeing 737 which has the capacity for just under 200 seats would to £20,000 to £25,000 which works out to be between £111 to £138 a head for a return flight which I didn't think was too bad," said Perry. "If you go by car it would be more than £80 in petrol, the flight from Heathrow is £140 and a train out of Kings Cross is £140 plus so I think it works out OK if we can get enough people interested.

" The seventh placed Shrimpers go into the game a point clear of eighth placed Gateshead and will again be roared on by another huge away following. Coach travel to the game is currently sold out , with fans quickly snapping up every seat on an additional coach sourced by the Shrimpers Trust yesterday morning. It is believed the Trust are still working on trying to get more coaches but the match being played on a bank holiday has added to their difficulties.

The club are also looking into travel plans for the crunch clash which takes place on the final day of the regulation season. Seventh placed Blues go into the game a point clear of eighth placed Gateshead after Saturday's 3-0 win against Wealdstone at a packed Roots Hall. But Perry is already worried about the game.

"I'm nervous to be honest," said the Stanford le Hope based supporter. "I'm always worried where Southend and big attendances are concerned. "I also think we'll try and play for the draw personally but it's obviously a big game so it would be good to get as many fans there as possible.

"The support has been brilliant all season and it's definitely made a difference in the last few games so hopefully we can do the same on Monday now." Any Blues supporters interested in flying to the game should contact Perry via by Thursday morning at the latest..