LOUIS van Gaal is often creditted for being the first manager to swap goalkeepers for a penalty shoot-out - but Southend United supporters will always know otherwise.

Van Gaal's high profile change came when he was in charge of Holland at the 2014 World Cup.

But, the year before, Paul Sturrock had done likewise when he opted to bring on Daniel Bentley in place of Paul Smith for a Johnstone's Paint Trophy clash at Oxford United.

And Sturrock is still adamant it was the correct decision.

“It was a strange scenario when I changed the goalkeepers for the penalty shoot out at Oxford,” said Sturrock.

“The boy who was playing regularly (Paul Smith) hadn’t come close to saving a penalty that season and I had seen Bentley play a few times.

“One of them was a reserve or youth team cup competition and he saved something like four of the penalties so I decided to make the change.

“I took the boy Smith off and I probably lost him after that if I’m being honest.

“But Bentley did well and we won the game so it was the right decision.”

Sturrock also came close to making the same switch later that season when Blues faced Leyton Orient in the southern area final of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.

But Ben Reeves scored deep into stoppage time to stop the tie going to penalties.