Southend United

[Branton Rover]

On the brink of being wound up by HMRC.  The chairman Ron Martin sold the Roots Hall ground to himself for less than market value. For those with long memories will recall how Ron Martin was the money behind Anton Johnson’s failed takeover attempt of DRFC (so bullet well dodged there).

Martin is a property developer & has plans to relocate Southend elsewhere in the city whilst developing housing on the current Roots Hall site.

I had no idea they were in so much trouble as I’ve seen nothing online or in the press about their current plight - a young Southend YouTuber’s feed came up on my feed and I watched it, they are in serious bother, I wish them well.

[glosterred]

A bit on the Southend debt problem on the BBC Sports website, but not a lot.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64613471

Trouble with finding information on lower league club is just that they are lower league clubs and the major sports website ain’t that interested in those clubs down below the premiership


COYR

[normal rules]

I hope they pull through.
Rovers have been here before.
It’s not nice.

memories of that day Heffs head butted that lad in the last minute to get sent off. Play off semi.

[ForsolongaRover]

Locally the club’s troubles off the pitch have been news for some years now. Some would suggest that Southend’s chairman has used the club to further his business interests with the centrepiece being his grandiose scheme for developing a new stadium on the outskirts of the town. The present ground is situated in what was seen by one of the big supermarkets as a prime location for retail development. My understanding is that they are in some sort of agreement to acquire the land in question. It might be assumed that this would finance, or for the time being secure, the funds for the new ground development. Without full knowledge of the facts it is obviously not possible to know what the overall state of the balance sheet (as it were) is, but it seems very worrying for the fans. In fact, I cannot recall a time when the chairman was not unpopular with them.

It always seemed dubious that there was potential for a large stadium as the home of a football team which was struggling in the lower leagues. Non payment of wages of all club staff as well as players has been has been local news for some time seemingly prompting regular Winding Up Orders initiated by HMRC for non-payment of PAYE. It was not a surprise when performances were affected with consequential relegation. I think it serves as a reminder to those who seek new owners of our club that it is not they who get to choose or approve of any purchaser.

The local community are probably more tolerant than their South Yorkshire counterparts and one might speculate that the club might find itself wound-up unless something quite unexpected happens to save it. The town - sorry City, is home to a lot of regular West Ham fans and a fair number of Spurs and Arsenal fans too, so it isn’t as though there is no alternative.

And despite everything, they are having a tolerably good season on the NL, yet run on a shoestring with players and staff frequently not getting paid on time.

[Colemans Left Hook]

Bl00dy Coppinger is to blame for all their problems

We took our hat off to him that Tuesday ? Evening as he pulled a few tricks out of his  hat

It's been downhill for them ever since , this story as you say has been around for a good few years now.

The owner wants to take a long walk on a short pier. Trouble is their pier is "Toulon" 

[redwine]

If you are talking about the play off semi, I'm sure it was a Friday not Tuesday.

[Branton Rover]

I went there in 1989 with a lad called Daz Needham from Balby we were stood on the terracing & the ball was thumped into the crowd & it hit Daz square in the face knocking him out & broke his specs. He was taken to the St John Ambulance rest room to recuperate, anyway at halftime Steve Gaughan put his head round the door and told us he would do his best to win the game for us. It had no effect we lost 2-0.

[Tiddysdad]

They played Notts County last Tuesday (21st) and approximately 600 supporters turned up and out sang the Notts fans even though they were easily being out played.

[Campsall rover]

If you are talking about the play off semi, I'm sure it was a Friday not Tuesday.

Think the away leg was a Friday and home leg following Tues.
Heffernan didn’t get sent off in the last minute. Sure there was at around 15/20 left.
We were hanging on for that 0-0 draw.
Little did we know we would score 5 in the home leg and Copps would score one of the best hat tricks you are ever likely to see.

Hope Southend get through their current financial troubles.

Just checked and I am wrong. Both games were Friday nights.
Heffs got sent off with 3 mins of normal time left.
It must have seemed like at least 15 mins.

[ForsolongaRover]

…even the Southend fans remember that hat trick!

[silent majority]

On the brink of being wound up by HMRC.  The chairman Ron Martin sold the Roots Hall ground to himself for less than market value. For those with long memories will recall how Ron Martin was the money behind Anton Johnson’s failed takeover attempt of DRFC (so bullet well dodged there).

Martin is a property developer & has plans to relocate Southend elsewhere in the city whilst developing housing on the current Roots Hall site.

I had no idea they were in so much trouble as I’ve seen nothing online or in the press about their current plight - a young Southend YouTuber’s feed came up on my feed and I watched it, they are in serious bother, I wish them well.

I'm sure I've mentioned them on here a few times. It's been an ongoing saga for some while and the sooner the FLR becomes legislation the better.

The White Paper is being released today.

[wilts rover]

Piece on Channel 4 News just now. Part of their story on the proposed changes to football governance.