Save our Southend SOS Statement

[rigsby]

But the covenant on Roots Hall implies SUFC have to have a stadium first, before RH can be built on ? I'm sure if that wasn't there, somebody would have bought SUFC and knocked that down years ago

Just to let people know covenants can be bought sold and cancelled. I paid £1500 to by out most of the restrictions on the Southend property I live in.

By all means protest but don't think a covenant is for ever . It will last until the council need housing or Ron decides to charge the club interest on the £20m debt.

Ron can no more grant planning for a stadium than any of us. Its the council that will decide so if you want Ron gone you would be better of pressuring them with elections just round the corner

For those of you who want Ron to fail or force him to stay at RH...He wont he will still have the land we just wont have a club.

Stop kidding yourselves that this is the same as Blackpool or Orient. Its completely different as they were not moving stadiums and there were not 1300 houses in the deal.....Brentford fans didn't force their chairman out because the council got their finger out, same with Wimbledon....Where as Southend blocked FF by creating the Seaway.

By the way Ron owes me more money than any of you so I have plenty to be angry about but you should also see the bigger picture. The council are pulling everyones pants down, not just us Shrimpers.

 

[Brett Angle]

I agree. Yes, in an ideal situation that would be great. But he has had plenty of opportunity to liaise with the supporters groups over many years, and he has come out with some ridiculous explanations and statements that totally disrespect the fanbase. How do we know there is nobody in the wings ? We'll only know if he agrees to sell the club !

I go back to my earlier point around fresh faces representing the fans groups. In terms of potential suitors it doesn't require Ron to announce he is selling for someone credible to come forward. Everything has a price and at the right price I'm sure Ron would be asking where he signs!

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

@rigsby , true imo, SBC are more to blame for the delays and non start of FF than anything else.
With a supportive, motivated, transparent council we might have been in FF before the financial crash and Sainsbury would be at RH.
Ron would be wealthy, we (SUFC) might be solvent and likely, not non league bound.
Ron has made, and will continue to make mistakes that are costly to our club, but also hit him in his wallet.

 

[ItsMichaelBlack]

Rigsby is going in!!!!

 

[Strykr]

Would "we want answers" be a better chant and approach

In relation to the list of qs drawn up and sent to him recently? Regarding finances, sustainability, ceo, a cohesive plan for non league,
A 1 page summary of those questions to be circulated to the press etc?

Thats what we really want isnt it?

 

[Medway Blue]

Time is not on our side. History tells you getting promotion out of the NL can be ridiculously difficult. A hat trick of relegations is a a much likelier outcome if all stakeholders from fans through to the Chairman don't pull together.

But Ron Martin doesn't want to 'pull together'. Not in the way that most of us understand it anyway. By 'pull together' he means that he wants us toeing the line and doesn't want us to question or criticise his negligence. He continues to show that he has no interest in suggestions of doing things differently, or of taking advice from the fanbase. In fact, he treats us with contempt....like we're idiots. But we're not. There are a great deal of articulate, intelligent Southend United fans with excellent suggestions and connections, but he just won't listen to anybody. He marginalises his own colleagues on the board for Christ's sake.

Working together has been tried. He was offered the chance to respond to Kerry's excellent letter in the form of a Copa90 video. He didn't. He has been sent some brilliant questions by SOS and asked to respond in writing. He hasn't. And Zoom calls are useless because all he does is deflect and go off on tangents.

That being said, this isn't all about "Martin Out" anyway. It's just as much about applying pressure to ensure that he admits his mistakes and commits to not making them again. About imploring him to get some structure and organisation back into the club's operation. From that angle, you're right, we don't have a lot of time. All the more reason to demonstrate and to urge him ensure that he gets everything in place now to halt the slide and ensure, at the very least, stabilisation next season.

There is nobody waiting in the wings, with the desire and means to buy the club.

Where is the proof of this? Or is it just that some people are believing everything that Ron Martin says? Because I have heard that there has been plenty of interest in the background over the years, but he won't even engage. Just because he won't engage, doesn't mean there's nobody with the desire or means.

It's all propaganda from a tinpot dictator. He has controlled the narrative and kept things private. If he wants you to believe that the Club is reliant on him, and that there is nobody out there with the means or desire to do a better job than him, then he will find a way to make you believe it.....and too many people are falling for it. Scott has it spot on. It's like an abusive relationship. The fans are the abused party and have been emotionally and psychologically exploited. Made to believe that we can't do better. Stockholm Syndrome abounds.

 

[Hegman]

Boycotting matches is something of course fans can do, perhaps should do as a last resort. It's like the nuclear option. Buy what we need to do now, and it's the hardest thing to do at this moment in time, is to take the emotion out of this, engage heads not hearts, and search for the quickest way possible to extract ourselves out of the mire we find ourselves in. Thrashing around, shouting and screaming accusations and ultimatums is going to make the situation significantly worse. Ron is too far vested in this to simply walk away. There is nobody waiting in the wings, with the desire and means to buy the club. Not a great negotiating position for either side. But I'm convinced we can find a way forward that could benefit both parties and most importantly the future of the Club.

a) You've ignored the fact various fans groups have attempted to work with Ron and that failed to get any positive action. (Not words)

b) Half the things you've stated as facts youd have no way of knowing. Just your guesses/opinions.

c) who is shouting and screaming? I seem to see various articles and interviews in a calm educated structured manner. The protest adds numbers to the shared opinion.

 

[TrueBlue]

Just to let people know covenants can be bought sold and cancelled. I paid £1500 to by out most of the restrictions on the Southend property I live in.

By all means protest but don't think a covenant is for ever . It will last until the council need housing or Ron decides to charge the club interest on the £20m debt.

Ron can no more grant planning for a stadium than any of us. Its the council that will decide so if you want Ron gone you would be better of pressuring them with elections just round the corner

For those of you who want Ron to fail or force him to stay at RH...He wont he will still have the land we just wont have a club.

Stop kidding yourselves that this is the same as Blackpool or Orient. Its completely different as they were not moving stadiums and there were not 1300 houses in the deal.....Brentford fans didn't force their chairman out because the council got their finger out, same with Wimbledon....Where as Southend blocked FF by creating the Seaway.

By the way Ron owes me more money than any of you so I have plenty to be angry about but you should also see the bigger picture. The council are pulling everyones pants down, not just us Shrimpers.

What does he owe you then??

 

[Angell Delight]

At least we will do better next season. We'll hopefully

Dangerous comment that. A lot of people on here said the same before a ball was kicked this season, completely ignoring the fact we boasted probably the worst playing squad in the division and a manager completely inexperienced in league football. Unlike this season I don’t expect us to go down again next year but I certainly wouldn’t rule it out. Ask any Orient fan, they struggled badly near the foot of the National League during that first season after dropping out of the EFL before turning their fortunes around. If we can stabilise and consolidate next year it will be an acceptable campaign.

 

[harveyoe]

All the different parties got together and had a long video chat with him, and he didn't give us any indication of the clubs finances or how the new stadium would make SUFC a sustainable football club.

Didn't Albert Einstein say..."insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results" ?

He did indeed say this, or something very close to it.

However, had Einstein been a Southend fan, the experience would have given him a different perspective on the whole question of insanity. He may even have felt the need to revise that quote.

My favourite Einstein quote is "Common sense is set of prejudices acquired by the age of 18".

 

[getintoem]

I don’t think Ron has any room to manoeuvre at present. It appears to me he has borrowed and mortgaged about as far as he possibly can. Take a look at the outstanding charges against Martin Dawn plc and Thames Plaza plc and you will see what I mean. That situation will only be resolved when planning permission for both Roots Hall and Fossetts has been granted. At that point he will have options and a change may ensue. It may be a change with him still in place, but with the current vacant posts on the football side filled, or he might decide to sell on everything and leave us at the mercy of a new owner. Those are the extreme ends of his options and there are obviously others in between whereby he still has some involvement but perhaps in a different capacity.

I am certain he already knows he is not popular with a large percentage of the fanbase and whilst a demonstration will underline that message, I do not think it will change his modus operandi any time soon because I suspect he is temporarily financially crippled.

I think Ron is a poor communicator, I have said this before, and he has always been vague and noncommittal about what is held in store for the football club once his development master plan has been implemented. Understandably, this makes many amongst us nervous and suspicious of his plans, but I honestly wonder whether he has given much thought to planning the future for SUFC, I somehow doubt it. He has paid lip service to possible revenue streams, designed into various incarnations of Fossetts over the years, but from what we know of the latest scheme proposed they have been severely diluted to a point where they do not sound sufficient to financially sustain the club. From the outside looking in it appears that SBC have forced him into a position that is advantageous for them at the expense of the lifelines that would secure the future of SUFC. In Ron’s position any approval is better than no approval so he would naturally go along with it, perhaps thinking he will find other ways to obtain revenue for the club once the dust has settled, who knows?

Whist I hope Stan makes some progress tomorrow, Ron’s guarded nature will be difficult to break down and I will not be surprised if Stan ends up being no wiser about what Ron wants. Stan will have a better chance than any of us at getting some answers though so I would say that if he draws a blank nobody will be able to break Ron’s barriers until he is ready to lower them.

To all of us the football and having our club to support, preferably in the EFL, is paramount but I think the football is just a piece of baggage to Ron, something with which he has to contend as part of the development plans. Over the past few years the football seems to have taken a back seat in Ron’s world, evidenced by procrastination and last minute action which has definitely damaged the club’s reputation as well as performances on the pitch. From things Kerry and Scott have posted on here I understand the planned demonstration is to remind Ron that he has ignored the football for too long and I hope it has the desired effect. One would think that losing our EFL status would be enough to make him realise he has not acted in the best interests of the club but we all know that Ron regards himself blameless in all matters.

Although I am old and may not be around for too many more years, it would be a crumb of comfort for me if Ron would clearly explain exactly what he has in mind for the future of SUFC. Not just words but perhaps a published business plan with realistic tangible figures to show how he plans to ensure a stable, sustainable future. I don’t think that is asking too much and may just settle the nerves and calm the emotions of at least some of us.

 

[TrueBlue]

I don’t think Ron has any room to manoeuvre at present. It appears to me he has borrowed and mortgaged about as far as he possibly can. Take a look at the outstanding charges against Martin Dawn plc and Thames Plaza plc and you will see what I mean. That situation will only be resolved when planning permission for both Roots Hall and Fossetts has been granted. At that point he will have options and a change may ensue. It may be a change with him still in place, but with the current vacant posts on the football side filled, or he might decide to sell on everything and leave us at the mercy of a new owner. Those are the extreme ends of his options and there are obviously others in between whereby he still has some involvement but perhaps in a different capacity.

I am certain he already knows he is not popular with a large percentage of the fanbase and whilst a demonstration will underline that message, I do not think it will change his modus operandi any time soon because I suspect he is temporarily financially crippled.

I think Ron is a poor communicator, I have said this before, and he has always been vague and noncommittal about what is held in store for the football club once his development master plan has been implemented. Understandably, this makes many amongst us nervous and suspicious of his plans, but I honestly wonder whether he has given much thought to planning the future for SUFC, I somehow doubt it. He has paid lip service to possible revenue streams, designed into various incarnations of Fossetts over the years, but from what we know of the latest scheme proposed they have been severely diluted to a point where they do not sound sufficient to financially sustain the club. From the outside looking in it appears that SBC have forced him into a position that is advantageous for them at the expense of the lifelines that would secure the future of SUFC. In Ron’s position any approval is better than no approval so he would naturally go along with it, perhaps thinking he will find other ways to obtain revenue for the club once the dust has settled, who knows?

Whist I hope Stan makes some progress tomorrow, Ron’s guarded nature will be difficult to break down and I will not be surprised if Stan ends up being no wiser about what Ron wants. Stan will have a better chance than any of us at getting some answers though so I would say that if he draws a blank nobody will be able to break Ron’s barriers until he is ready to lower them.

To all of us the football and having our club to support, preferably in the EFL, is paramount but I think the football is just a piece of baggage to Ron, something with which he has to contend as part of the development plans. Over the past few years the football seems to have taken a back seat in Ron’s world, evidenced by procrastination and last minute action which has definitely damaged the club’s reputation as well as performances on the pitch. From things Kerry and Scott have posted on here I understand the planned demonstration is to remind Ron that he has ignored the football for too long and I hope it has the desired effect. One would think that losing our EFL status would be enough to make him realise he has not acted in the best interests of the club but we all know that Ron regards himself blameless in all matters.

Although I am old and may not be around for too many more years, it would be a crumb of comfort for me if Ron would clearly explain exactly what he has in mind for the future of SUFC. Not just words but perhaps a published business plan with realistic tangible figures to show how he plans to ensure a stable, sustainable future. I don’t think that is asking too much and may just settle the nerves and calm the emotions of at least some of us.

Great post

 

[overseas shrimper]

This protest is there to voice supporter frustrations and anger at how our club is being run and to apply pressure for radical change. This change will not come if we, as a group, remain passive.

It's a nonsense for 'supporters' to want change but say they are not interested in this movement. Do they want a better future for the club or not?

This could mean more transparency, better financing, restructuring so the football side of things are put in the hands of a competent individual (allowing Ron to focus on achieving his development dream). It doesn't just mean 'Ron Out' (unrealistic).

For people to say they don't know what SOS is trying to achieve is unfathomable.

 

[Brett Angle]

a) You've ignored the fact various fans groups have attempted to work with Ron and that failed to get any positive action. (Not words)

b) Half the things you've stated as facts youd have no way of knowing. Just your guesses/opinions.

c) who is shouting and screaming? I seem to see various articles and interviews in a calm educated structured manner. The protest adds numbers to the shared opinion.

(a) I have not. I acknowledged that but suggested that fresh faces might change the dynamic.

(b) I have read the minutes such as they were of some of the meetings. My general view/interpretation is that groups went in with a wide number of areas to cover and through valiantly trying to represent everyone ended up failing to hone in on a small number of critical, actionable paths. The first of these being proper governance around such meeting and a simple RAG system or suchlike to set milestones and track progress of issues raised. Transparency and accountability (for both sides) is vital if these are to be nothing more than talk shops.

(c) There are I believe some people allowing the disappointment we are all feeling to cloud their judgement. I include Ron himself with that poorly worded, clumsy statement he released last week and Stan and the rollercoaster he put everyone through last week. As for shouting and screaming we had it before the last home game and correct me if I'm wrong there is similar planned Saturday week. Thought this was what the thread was originally about. Nothing to be gained here - ask Newcastle fans.

 

[Brett Angle]

For people to say they don't know what SOS is trying to achieve is unfathomable.

I'm sorry that is something SOS needs to reflect on if, as it seems, that is the case.

I'm not sure how they expect a demonstration to lead quickly to the things you suggest. It is a complete leap of faith, no evidence whatsoever in the last 20 years to suggest that Ron will respond favourably to that kind of approach. Quite the reverse.

 

[Brett Angle]

I don’t think Ron has any room to manoeuvre at present. It appears to me he has borrowed and mortgaged about as far as he possibly can. Take a look at the outstanding charges against Martin Dawn plc and Thames Plaza plc and you will see what I mean. That situation will only be resolved when planning permission for both Roots Hall and Fossetts has been granted. At that point he will have options and a change may ensue. It may be a change with him still in place, but with the current vacant posts on the football side filled, or he might decide to sell on everything and leave us at the mercy of a new owner. Those are the extreme ends of his options and there are obviously others in between whereby he still has some involvement but perhaps in a different capacity.

I am certain he already knows he is not popular with a large percentage of the fanbase and whilst a demonstration will underline that message, I do not think it will change his modus operandi any time soon because I suspect he is temporarily financially crippled.

I think Ron is a poor communicator, I have said this before, and he has always been vague and noncommittal about what is held in store for the football club once his development master plan has been implemented. Understandably, this makes many amongst us nervous and suspicious of his plans, but I honestly wonder whether he has given much thought to planning the future for SUFC, I somehow doubt it. He has paid lip service to possible revenue streams, designed into various incarnations of Fossetts over the years, but from what we know of the latest scheme proposed they have been severely diluted to a point where they do not sound sufficient to financially sustain the club. From the outside looking in it appears that SBC have forced him into a position that is advantageous for them at the expense of the lifelines that would secure the future of SUFC. In Ron’s position any approval is better than no approval so he would naturally go along with it, perhaps thinking he will find other ways to obtain revenue for the club once the dust has settled, who knows?

Whist I hope Stan makes some progress tomorrow, Ron’s guarded nature will be difficult to break down and I will not be surprised if Stan ends up being no wiser about what Ron wants. Stan will have a better chance than any of us at getting some answers though so I would say that if he draws a blank nobody will be able to break Ron’s barriers until he is ready to lower them.

To all of us the football and having our club to support, preferably in the EFL, is paramount but I think the football is just a piece of baggage to Ron, something with which he has to contend as part of the development plans. Over the past few years the football seems to have taken a back seat in Ron’s world, evidenced by procrastination and last minute action which has definitely damaged the club’s reputation as well as performances on the pitch. From things Kerry and Scott have posted on here I understand the planned demonstration is to remind Ron that he has ignored the football for too long and I hope it has the desired effect. One would think that losing our EFL status would be enough to make him realise he has not acted in the best interests of the club but we all know that Ron regards himself blameless in all matters.

Although I am old and may not be around for too many more years, it would be a crumb of comfort for me if Ron would clearly explain exactly what he has in mind for the future of SUFC. Not just words but perhaps a published business plan with realistic tangible figures to show how he plans to ensure a stable, sustainable future. I don’t think that is asking too much and may just settle the nerves and calm the emotions of at least some of us.

Good post although tbf he HAS publically accepted responsibility for the plight of the club and it would be wrong for us not to recognise that. It is that kind of misreporting that I'm sure does nothing to improve relations.

We are where we are and we HAVE to focus on what comes next - not recriminations. That goes for everybody including Ron - and that needs to be the starting point.

 

[Wise Head]

I'm sorry that is something SOS needs to reflect on if, as it seems, that is the case.

I'm not sure how they expect a demonstration to lead quickly to the things you suggest. It is a complete leap of faith, no evidence whatsoever in the last 20 years to suggest that Ron will respond favourably to that kind of approach. Quite the reverse.

You have posted 12 times on this thread. It is quite clear that you don’t support a protest and I presume you won’t be attending. Message received.
As for me, I will be attending as the club is in a desperate state as the owner is primarily interested in making huge amounts of money for himself rather than put the club first. It is as simple as that.

 

[Wingnut]

Trouble is now its the last home game of the season whats the plan for the close season

 

[londonblue]

All the different parties got together and had a long video chat with him, and he didn't give us any indication of the clubs finances or how the new stadium would make SUFC a sustainable football club.

Didn't Albert Einstein say..."insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results" ?

No. He never said that.

 

[Brett Angle]

You have posted 12 times on this thread. It is quite clear that you don’t support a protest and I presume you won’t be attending. Message received.
As for me, I will be attending as the club is in a desperate state as the owner is primarily interested in making huge amounts of money for himself rather than put the club first. It is as simple as that.

Fair enough, I didn't know there was a upper limit set for members posts but I get the message too.

I hope that post demonstration you feel better and it leads to a constructive, meaningful progressive relationship with the heirachy of the club that in turn guarantees a return to the EFL in 2022/23. Well done you ?