CEO Forum Thursday March 13th.

[Goodwin]

Season Tickets on sale June ish. I'm shocked. Ron would have sent the begging bowl out by now and would be looking to end the clearly bird period by now.

Good that the club aren't reliant on the season ticket sales for next season to fund the summer period for this season

will there be an early bird discount?

 

[Napster]

Glad the club are looking at a Youth Board as this was one of my main priorities at my interview.

 

[Smiffy]

Blimey, that’s a bit of a stretch isn’t it?

8:27pm
Asked about promotion, Tom says the current side would be very competitive in League Two and would be in the top half if playing at that level.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

By Chris Phillips.

8:51pm
The meeting has now concluded

8:50pm
Tom confirms Meet the Blues Day will happen again this summer

8:44pm
I have made notes alongside this blog and will be adding a bit more meat to the bones when the meeting ends.

8:44pm
Safe standing is also being explored

8:40pm
The attendance should be around 9,500 while the East Stand is out of business

8:39pm
We're now onto the freehold of Roots Hall

8:38pm
Tom meets with Kevin Maher and John Still every Monday

8:37pm
Tom is now asked about strategies around signing loan players

8:33pm
Tom is now thanked for his good work and gets a round of applause!

8:31pm
Tom has now been asked about his stress levels!

8:30pm
Tom said he would staggered if the club were to spend £250,000 on a player but never say never!

8:29pm
On recruitment, Tom says the club will look to identify talent from the lower leagues

8:27pm
Asked about promotion, Tom says the current side would be very competitive in League Two and would be in the top half if playing at that level.

8:26pm
Back onto the youth team, Tom explains the situation and how decisions are made on the futures of young players

8:23pm
We're now onto plans for the new training ground.

8:23pm
A question about the dome is greeted which laughter.

Most of this is now off the Boots & Laces site.

8:21pm
The club are also looking to improve the PA system.

8:21pm
On the floodlights, the club have made an application to go from gas to LED which was approved.

A grant application is in for funding which would cover 70 per cent of the spending.

8:19pm
We're now talking about pigeons!

8:14pm
Asked about concerns on the pitch, an expert's report has been undertaken and has suggested a plan of action.

Work will start in May and it's expected this season's problems will not be repeated next season.

8:11pm
The vast majority of questions are now about the East Stand!

8:11pm
Twelve to 16 boxes are planned for the new East Stand plus other bars and executive options.

8:10pm
Asked about the finances for the East Stand, it is a situation Justin Rees is heading up

8:07pm
The next question centres around the ticketing situation for the Sittingbourne game

8:06pm
The club are exploring options as to what will happen to fans who currently sit in the East Stand during the building works.

8:03pm
The league seems likely to move to a similar line of financial obligations as the EFL whereby you can only spend a certain amount of your income

8:01pm
The current East Stand will be completely demolished

8:00pm
May 2027 to May 2028 could be the timeline for the new East Stand

7:59pm
The East Stand project could cost £20 million

7:58pm
Prices likely to be very similar to what they are now

7:58pm
On season cards, Tom expects them to go on sale in June

7:57pm

(Image: CHRIS PHILLIPS)

7:56pm
£250,000 to £325,000 a year is spent on repairs to Roots Hall every year

7:56pm

(Image: CHRIS PHILLIPS)

7:53pm
The big one. Tom says someone asked if Elvis J Eel will be coming back! He explains that might be one for the fans advisory board.

7:53pm
More than 6,000 shirts have been sold

7:52pm
Additional lines will be added to the club shop for next year. Tom says Macron have been a good partner for the club and still have a year left on their current deal.

7:52pm
What next?

>To support Kevin Maher in the off-season to tweak the squad and secure targets.

>Continue the trend of incremental improvements across all profit centres.

>Work up a master plan for a new East Stand and associated works.

>Continue to make targeted capital investments in our infrastructure

7:49pm
Plans are in place for a pre-season trip!

7:49pm
Does not expect to add to the squad before the window closes later this month but hopes to make signings early in the summer.

7:48pm
Tom shows plans for a new gym at the training ground.

7:46pm
Tom explains the recruitment process and how data has been added but stressed nothing has been changed.

I will add to this shortly.
7:44pm

(Image: CHRIS PHILLIPS)

7:43pm
Tom says the club aim to have a semi pro women's team within the next five years. He also expresses how the club are determined to bring back an elite academy as soon as possible.

7:42pm
Tom explains the club will continue to lose £2million a year until either Blues win promotion or the club build a new East Stand.

7:41pm

Key pillars for Southend United (Image: CHRIS PHILLIPS)

7:38pm

7:38pm
Hello and welcome to the Civic Centre for tonight's fan forum with Southend United's chief executive Tom Lawrence

 

[shrimperjon]

For the North?

Yes, it was me that asked the question

 

[Uncle_Rons_Teapot]

Surprised he was given such a light treatment with regards to the ****show that is the club shop

And I'm sorry but an 8k east stand!? No way we will ever get near to a quarter filling that

 

[shrimperjon]

Blimey, that’s a bit of a stretch isn’t it?

8:27pm
Asked about promotion, Tom says the current side would be very competitive in League Two and would be in the top half if playing at that level.

Yes I admit to smirking a bit when he said that

 

[Smiffy]

Yes, it was me that asked the question

Would be superb to see the North spruced up with safe standing. That will certainly get the atmosphere going again!

 

[Holy Joe]

Season Tickets on sale June ish. I'm shocked. Ron would have sent the begging bowl out by now and would be looking to end the clearly bird period by now.

Good that the club aren't reliant on the season ticket sales for next season to fund the summer period for this season

If they want blue voice to move then they probs need to let the experiment of having NB open for last 4 games to run it's course before putting season tickets on sale. Otherwise they run the risk of people renewing current seats and not being bothered to move them to North Bank - or if the experiment isn't a success they won't sell season tickets in NB.

 

[Liam AAS]

Blimey, that’s a bit of a stretch isn’t it?

8:27pm
Asked about promotion, Tom says the current side would be very competitive in League Two and would be in the top half if playing at that level.

League two is crap

 

[Thundersley Blue]

League two is crap

Don't quite agree with that. Chesterfield have struggled to make an impact, Notts County haven't found it easy. Seems competitive enough to me.

 

[shrimperjon]

League two is crap

We lost home and away to Maidenhead …. Just saying

 

[united we stand]

Surprised he was given such a light treatment with regards to the ****show that is the club shop

And I'm sorry but an 8k east stand!? No way we will ever get near to a quarter filling that

might want to check your maths.
you are basically saying the current east stand has never been near 80% full

 

[stewart]

Tom said they will look at lower leagues for talent , will they also look at young players with potential released from Premiership and Championship clubs ,seems nothing was said concerning this , also will they like most clubs in the NL look at loanees more extensively .

 

[TUMBO]

I really don't understand the obsession with reopening the North stand. They've opened it several times due to demand and as fans I've never seen us fill it by even half.

Not sure why it's such a high flying agenda

 

[rigsby]

I really don't understand the obsession with reopening the North stand. They've opened it several times due to demand and as fans I've never seen us fill it by even half.

Not sure why it's such a high flying agenda

They want the TBV in the North before they rebuild the East. From W block round to the NW corner you could fit most of the East in......The rest will head for the North bank

 

[ForeverBlue]

Tom said they will look at lower leagues for talent , will they also look at young players with potential released from Premiership and Championship clubs ,seems nothing was said concerning this , also will they like most clubs in the NL look at loanees more extensively .

That’s where I think we’re going to miss Stan and his contacts higher up the football pyramid

 

[* ORM *]

That’s where I think we’re going to miss Stan and his contacts higher up the football pyramid

Yes, we attracted a whole host of players under this arrangement…….. NOT!

 

[ForeverBlue]

Yes, we attracted a whole host of players under this arrangement…….. NOT!

You mean the 90% of time we was under a transfer embargo whilst Stan was here? A bit harsh judging him when both hands were pretty much tied behind his back, don’t you think

 

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

Was a timeline given for the upgrade / redevelopment of the West and North stands?