If you’ve spent any time at Roots Hall lately, you know the vibe is... different. There is a sense of cautious optimism that feels almost alien after the years of boardroom drama and existential dread. But if you glance at the southend united fc standings right now, you might just see a team sitting in 7th place and think, "Okay, decent, but are they actually going up?"
Honestly? The table is a bit of a liar.
As of mid-January 2026, Kevin Maher has his squad in the final playoff spot with 41 points from 23 games. That sounds fine. But look closer. They have played significantly fewer games than almost everyone around them. While teams like Forest Green Rovers and Carlisle United have slogged through 27 fixtures, Southend have four games in hand on some of their rivals.
Basically, the Blues are the National League's "dark horse" hiding in plain sight.
The Reality of the Southend United FC Standings
Numbers don't always tell the story, but the goal difference does. A +17 rating is the kind of stat that usually belongs to a top-three side. The reason Southend isn't sitting higher is purely down to the schedule. Weather-related postponements, like the Truro City and Bath City shuffles, have left the Shrimpers playing catch-up.
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Winning those games in hand isn't guaranteed. We know how the National League works; it's a meat grinder. But 1.78 points per game is a promotion-chasing rhythm. If Maher’s men win even half of those extra games, they aren't just in the playoffs—they are breathing down the necks of York City and Boreham Wood at the very top.
- Played: 23
- Won: 12
- Drawn: 5
- Lost: 6
- Points: 41
It’s tight at the top. York City and Carlisle are currently setting the pace with 55 or 56 points, but they’ve played 25 to 27 matches. The math is simple, even if the execution on a cold Tuesday night in February isn't. Southend are fundamentally a top-four team masquerading as a 7th-place one.
Defensive Steel and Gus Scott-Morriss
You can't talk about the current southend united fc standings without mentioning the defense. They’ve conceded only 18 goals. That is absurdly good. For context, the league leaders have often conceded ten more than that. Collin Andeng-Ndi has been a wall, but the real story is Gus Scott-Morriss.
Is he a defender? A winger? A striker in disguise? He’s topped the charts for goal involvements from right-back, which shouldn't happen, but here we are. He’s already bagged 5 goals this campaign. When your full-back is your secondary scoring threat, it takes a massive amount of pressure off the likes of Andrew Dallas.
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Why the "Games in Hand" Narrative is Dangerous
Fans love games in hand. Managers hate them. Kevin Maher has been vocal about the "points on the board" philosophy. It’s easy to look at the table and add 12 points to the total in your head. Football isn't played on a calculator.
The upcoming schedule is brutal. Because of the January backlog, Southend are looking at a "Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday" cycle that lasts nearly six weeks. That tests squad depth. It tests hamstrings.
Wait. Let's look at the actual fixtures. They’ve got York City away today—a massive six-pointer against the league leaders. Then it's Eastleigh, then Boston. If they come out of this stretch with nine points, the southend united fc standings will finally reflect their actual quality.
The Maher Factor and the New Era
The stability under the COSU (Consortium Southend United) ownership has finally allowed the football to be the main event. Remember when we were counting down the minutes until a winding-up order? Those days feel like a decade ago.
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Kevin Maher has built a side that is hard to beat. They don't panic. Even in the 1-0 win against Sutton United over the festive period, they looked in control. They aren't always "flashy," but they are professional. That is what wins promotion from this league.
Impact Players to Watch
- Andrew Dallas: The Scotsman has 7 goals and is the focal point. He’s the guy who turns those 0-0 draws into 1-0 wins.
- Harry Boyes: His delivery from out wide is arguably the best in the National League right now.
- Sam Austin: Two goals in the recent FA Trophy win over Bath City shows he’s finding form at exactly the right time.
Can They Actually Catch the Leaders?
Catching York City might be a tall order given the Minstermen's current 14-game unbeaten streak. But the gap isn't insurmountable. If you look at the southend united fc standings and adjust for points-per-game, Southend is essentially 4th.
The goal for the next month is simple: stay healthy. The loss of key players to fatigue is the only thing that can derail this train. With Harry Taylor and Ben Goodliffe anchoring the backline, they have the foundation.
Honestly, the biggest threat isn't the opposition; it’s the fixture congestion. If the Shrimpers can navigate the "Tuesday night in the rain" matches without dropping silly points, they are a lock for the playoffs. And in a one-off game at Wembley? I wouldn't bet against them.
Keep a close eye on the results over the next 14 days. By the time February hits, the table will have "leveled out" as teams finish their games in hand. That is when we will see if Southend United is a playoff contender or a title challenger.
Check the live table after the York City match to see if the gap has closed. Monitor the fitness of Gus Scott-Morriss, as his output from the wing is vital for breaking down low-block defenses. If the club manages to bring in one more attacking option before the window shuts, they'll be the team nobody wants to face in May.