SOUTHEND United and Yeovil Town have shared similar highs and lows in recent seasons.

From the highs of the Championship to the lows of non-league the two teams have experienced an incredibly wide range of emotions.

But for Jake Hyde the similarities seem to stop there.

The 34-year-old spent a season with both sides prior to teaming up with Chelmsford City at the start of the current campaign.

However, Hyde has far fonder memories from his time at Roots Hall.

“Southend I loved and I mean absolutely loved,” said Hyde.

“I had a conversation with my old man not so long ago and he asked where I enjoyed playing the most in my professional career and I honestly just loved playing at Roots Hall.

“I don’t know what it is about the feel of the place but I loved playing there against Southend and loved it even more playing for Southend.”

Hyde scored five goals in 21 games for the Shrimpers during the 2022/23 season.

But it was the closeness of the squad which made the forward enjoy playing for Kevin Maher’s side .

“The reason I loved it so much was the lads and it’s a real special group down there,” said Hyde.

“Everyone was in it together, socially off the pitch and training every day was brilliant too.

“The staff were good and we were always working.

“Sometimes at a football club you can be doing something and you’ll be thinking why on earth are we doing this?

“But that was never ever the case at Southend.

“There was always a purpose and a plan to everything.

“Kev got his points across brilliantly, Daz (Currie) was very, very good at what he did and Benno (Mark Bentley)was a brilliant character too.

“Stef (Russo) I’m still in contact with and I learnt loads from him.

“I learnt loads there and if I had been in a different time in my career I could’ve seen myself staying there a long time.”

As it was, Hyde spent just the one season with the Shrimpers.

But he memorably scored in both games against Yeovil, who Blues host at Roots Hall again this weekend.

“I got one at home and one away,” recalled Hyde.

“I remember the second one I had been injured, which was unfortunately the story of my time at Southend.

“The team, which was very unlike them, had been on a bad run and I remember we had a reserve game at Leyton Orient on the Tuesday.

“I was very aware that it was a chance for me to go straight back in again.

“I felt at the time sometimes you need older heads and people who have been through those bad periods to help in those situations.

“I felt a responsibility going into it.

“We hadn’t won and I was back fit.

“I wanted to make an impact and low and behold I scored to put us ahead.

“We were a fantastic team and we knew how to play but it was just about getting that first goal.

“It was an important moment and I was happy to have it.”

The well-taken shot proved to be Hyde’s last goal for the Shrimpers.

But he remains fully up to speed with what is happening at Roots Hall .

“I’ve been back to watch them, I still have really good mates there and I always look out for their scores,” said Hyde.

“When I was there it was very much, everything else is against us lads so it’s all about us in here but it was really good.

“I lived with Gus Scott-Morriss whose a character and we had Cards, Ralphy and Cav as well.

“We had coffee clubs every day and it was brilliant.”

But Hyde does have some frustrations from his season with the Shrimpers.

“My biggest regret is that I was going through something personally when I was at Southend and I didn’t enjoy being there enough,” said Hyde.

“I wish I didn’t have the injuries I had or that I had joined earlier because I’d loved to have been there a few years and really shown the best version of me.”

After leaving Blues, Hyde opted to join Yeovil.

But his time at Huish Park was far less enjoyable – despite the Glovers winning National League South.

“It was nowhere near as good there,” said.

“It’s a fantastic club with great fans and some of the boys there are great but the environment there wasn’t for me.

“It was very, very different to Southend.

“It wasn’t the positive, upbeat place like you walk into at Southend.

“It didn’t feel like a long-term thing for me.

“I didn’t feel as welcome or as at home there.

“It was go in to the building, get your work done and go home which is wasn’t like at Southend.

“We had multiple social events at Southend but at Yeovil even the Christmas party was cancelled.

“Kev was very on team bonding and a social event every month.

“ Things like that make a massive difference too, especially when you’re all having to dig in together.”

As a result, it comes as no surprise Hyde would prefer Blues to win this weekend.

But he knows Yeovil will makes themselves difficult to beat.

“I’d like to see Southend win but Yeovil are organised,” said Hyde.

“They have some good players and they have leaders in the changing room.

“That’s a big plus for them and they’ve started really well but if you made choose who I wanted to win I’d say Southend.”

But while his two former teams will be doing battle at Roots Hall, Hyde will be lining up elsewhere in Essex.

The forward will be part of the Chelmsford City squad taking on Dorking Wanderers in National League South.

And Hyde is learning to enjoy playing part-time football.

“It’s lovely,” said the striker.

“I’d been full-time for 18 years in my career and it’s the first time I’ve really stepped away so it’s a nice change for me.

“When you’re at clubs like Southend who are pushing and striving for things you have to be on it every single day.

“You can’t turn up one day and be tired or off it because it can’t that way when you want success.

“But when you’re older it’s nice to have a slower Monday now.

“I loved playing pro and wouldn’t change it for the world but I’m trying to enjoy the other side of it now.

“ It was hard to start with and for the first three of four months I really struggled but I’m enjoying it now and enjoying the games.”

Hyde turned down offers, including one from ex Shrimpers boss Phil Brown, to remain in full-time football.

And playing for Chelmsford also enables him to put more time into his own business.

“My big thing is that I’ve opened my own performance centre in Windsor,” said Hyde.

“I’ve got five personal trainers and a couple of gym instructors.

“That was the main reason to go part-time so I could build what’s next for me.

“I’m 34 now and it’s very unlikely I’m going to get into League One or League Two.

“I’m looking at the next thing and the part-time allows me to be on the gym floor growing the business every day which is great.”