Kevin Maher Sacked Two Days After Wembley FA Trophy Triumph

Southend United have parted company with kevin maher two days after he led them to Isuzu FA Trophy glory at Wembley. The move comes after a week that ended with the club lifting its first domestic cup triumph and then cutting ties with the manager who delivered it.

Wembley And The Sudden Exit

Southend beat Wealdstone 4-2 on penalties on Sunday to win the trophy, but Maher was out of the job soon after. He had been in charge since 2021 and still had a year left on his contract when the club moved on from him.

The decision also takes Darren Currie and Mark Bentley away from Roots Hall. Southend said a comprehensive search for a new head coach is underway as it starts what it called the next chapter in the club’s journey.

Southend's Recent Run

Maher leaves after a spell that included back-to-back top seven finishes since the COSU takeover and two Wembley appearances. Southend finished sixth in the National League before losing to Scunthorpe United in the play-off eliminator, leaving the season with both a cup final win and a league campaign that fell short of promotion.

His record across the club was deep. Maher was involved in more games as both a player and head coach than anyone else in Southend United’s 120-year history, a mark the club used to frame his departure with praise rather than criticism.

Roots Hall Moves On

The club appointed Oliver Gage as director of football in April, adding another recent change to the structure around the first team. For Southend, the immediate task is replacing a manager who helped steady the club after the COSU takeover and then delivered the Wembley win that should have secured a different kind of momentum.

Southend thanked Maher, Currie and Bentley for their commitment to the club and the wider community and wished them success in the future. The next phase now belongs to the board, with the search for a new head coach already under way.