SOUTHEND United start the new year still looking to escape from League Two.

But, 23 years ago, the Shrimpers’ sights were set far higher.

David Webb’s side memorably thrashed Newcastle United 4-0 at Roots Hall on the first day of 1992 to surge to the top of what is now the Championship.

That remains Blues’ highest ever league position.

And it is a match Andy Ansah, one of Southend’s goalscorers that day, still remembers with great fondness.

“It was a fantastic game but, around that time, we were just always so confident we were going to win against pretty much whoever we were going to play against,” said the former winger, who was joined on the score-sheet by two goal Brett Angell and Keith Jones.

“There was just no way we weren’t going to beat Newcastle that day and the league table didn’t lie, we were the best team in the league at that time.

“Not only did we have the players but we had camaraderie like I never experienced at any other club.

“The first team, the reserves and the youth team were all as one and it was a brilliant time.

“We also had so much confidence that at the start of the month we used to sit down and work out how much of a win bonus we were going to get.

“It was brilliant and that Newcastle game is one I’m sure everyone who was there with Southend still talks about to this day.

“It was just a shame what happened afterwards because that team could and probably should have been part of the first ever Premier League the following season.”

Blues topped the table for just a few hours but it was not long before they started to slip away from the promotion race.

They eventually finished 12th in the standings.

But Ansah remains convinced the squad were unsettled by the uncertainty surrounding their futures.

“There were 15 of us out of contract at the end of that season and nobody knew what was going on,” recalled Ansah.

“The manager went it to see the chairman about it, quite soon after that Newcastle game if I remember correctly, but nothing was sorted out.

“David Webb then announced he would be leaving at the end of the season and it all pretty much fell apart.

“We all had clubs and agents ringing us up asking us if we would like to join this or that team and of course it affected us.

“We ended up winning something like one game in nine and that was just crazy with the team we had.

“It should just never have happened.”

Webb was later replaced by Colin Murphy at the end of the season but he struggled in the Shrimpers hot-seat and only the arrival of Barry Fry and a certain Stan Collymore stopped Southend suffering relegation.

The following season, Fry’s new look side were again challenging towards the top of the table.

And they signalled an early warning for the season ahead by winning 4-1 at Millwall in a game Ansah puts on par with winning against Newcastle.

“Obviously the promotion games stand out but other than that it was Newcastle and Millwall for me,” said Ansah.

“The year before we had gone to Millwall and our black players had been racially abused. People had been spat on and the whole team was just getting so much stick.

“After that, to beat them 4-1 in their first game at their new ground live on ITV was a fantastic feeling and the best way to get them back for abuse we achieved.”

Fry’s side worked their way up to third in the table before he opted to join Birmingham City.

Blues again fell down the standings after his departure, meaning Ansah was denied the chance to play at the very top level.

But since hanging up his boots, Ansah – who made 181 appearances for Blues - has been involved with the game’s top stars as a football choreographer.

Ansah has worked with the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Wayne Rooney and now has offices in Barcelona and Madrid, as well as London.

He still keeps a close eye on Southend’s results, especially due to his close friendship with Myles Weston’s dad.

However, Ansah’s own focus will be in France as he kicks off the new year working with Paris Saint Germain’s first team for an advertising campaign.

“It’s still going really well and I absolutely love what I do,” said Ansah.

“I’ll be starting the new year in France working with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, David Luiz and Thiago Silva and I can’t wait.”