Wembley loss will fuel Southend for FA Trophy - Ralph

Southend United captain Nathan Ralph believes last season's play-off disappointment at Wembley will provide extra inspiration when they return to the stadium for Sunday's FA Trophy final. The Shrimpers will be seeking the first major cup success in their history against Wealdstone on Sunday, having lost three times in the final of the EFL Trophy - although only the last of those, in 2013, was played at the national stadium. They were also beaten 3-2 by Oldham Athletic after extra-time in the 2025 National League final and this season only got as far as the semi-finals.

"A lot of us have experienced it [Wembley] now - we've also experienced the way you don't want it to happen - and I think that will be fuel going into it, knowing we don't want to feel that feeling again," Ralph told BBC Essex. "That will hopefully help us get the result we want. " Southend fans 'delighted' to secure trip to Wembley Southend and Wealdstone tee up Wembley date in FA Trophy Beating Wealdstone would provide the first tangible achievement since the once financially-stricken club was taken over by COSU (Custodians of Southend United) in the summer of 2024.

Changes continue at Roots Hall with chief executive Tom Lawrence and first-team coach Jason Demetriou set to leave the club following the game as part of a summer restructure, which will also see the departure of some of head coach Kevin Maher's squad. "We've had an unbelievable group for the last three or four years, players, staff, people who you really care about, great friends, so the fact that it might be the last time (for some of us), we want to go out on a high and make sure it's a special day," said Ralph, who has been with the club for seven years. The 33-year-old has only played once - as a 78th-minute substitute in a 2-1 win against Wealdstone on 25 April - since knee surgery in February.

"There was a lot of motivation because at the time I got injured there were loads of games towards the end of the season, it was just a relentless schedule," he said. "I thought the boys did unbelievably to get the points they got at that stage but that made it more frustrating, knowing I'm sat there watching and can't really help the team. "But when you've got a cup final on the end of it, you of course want to be a part of that and get some silverware for the club moving forward.