COSU Statement - Friday 7th June

[Barling Magna]

We are staring down the barrel of a gun with the safety catch now off. COSU have made public their demands and want to see them implemented by Friday 14th, or else they put down the gun and walk away into the sunset.

SCC may well find their departure regrettable but they will get over it - the next election isn't for four years by which time the phoenix club will have started to rise up the tiers of the football pyramid.

The Martins on the other hand will likely be very happy to see COSU walk away. They think they can then collect additional money from the homes to be built at Roots Hall. That is probably a mistake, I suspect the council would insist that the Hall remains as a stadium for the phoenix club, but then the Martins have made many mistakes before.

So our future is very much in the hands of the council and the Martins and they have a week to meet COSU's three points. Not impossible, but a real stretch for both of them.

It ain't over until it's over, but the fat lady has just bought some raspberry juice at Waitrose and is going through her vocal scales. So guys - it's now time to search for that lucky rabbit's foot at the back of the drawer, the four leaf clover in the lawn and the lucky horseshoe in the shed somewhere.

 

[onceknownasrab]

Back in the late eighties, when I was an exec VP at the club, we had a meeting in the shrimpers bar with VJ and some council bods. I am sure a number of you on this site were in attendance. Vic was trying to find a new site for the stadium and repeatedly thwarted by council rejections. At the meeting I asked the question,' why can't the council work with us and help to locate a suitable site for the project?' The answer was that Vic would have to identify a site, submit planning permission and wait for the council decision. They would not so much as give a nod or a wink.
The council has always stymied the progress and future of the club and I believe will continue to do so.
Firstly, I believe the council would prefer more houses to a stadium.
Secondly, if they have to have a club I do not believe they want it at RH and on that I would agree with them.

I hope I am wrong but I do believe we are approaching oblivion and all the protests in the world are not going to stop it from happening.

 

[Streaky]

Good update although not good news.

This point jumped out as the one that might be the final straw


3. An agreement with the Martins to provide security for the further funds COSU will need to inject prior to the takeover.


Does Ron Martin have any security left that isn’t mortgage to the limit?

Maybe the keys to the Bentley or the treasure map to find the war chest.


I don’t blame COSU for walking away (if they do). We have all been ****ed

 

[kentblues]

We are staring down the barrel of a gun with the safety catch now off. COSU have made public their demands and want to see them implemented by Friday 14th, or else they put down the gun and walk away into the sunset.

SCC may well find their departure regrettable but they will get over it - the next election isn't for four years by which time the phoenix club will have started to rise up the tiers of the football pyramid.

The Martins on the other hand will likely be very happy to see COSU walk away. They think they can then collect additional money from the homes to be built at Roots Hall. That is probably a mistake, I suspect the council would insist that the Hall remains as a stadium for the phoenix club, but then the Martins have made many mistakes before.

So our future is very much in the hands of the council and the Martins and they have a week to meet COSU's three points. Not impossible, but a real stretch for both of them.

It ain't over until it's over, but the fat lady has just bought some raspberry juice at Waitrose and is going through her vocal scales. So guys - it's now time to search for that lucky rabbit's foot at the back of the drawer, the four leaf clover in the lawn and the lucky horseshoe in the shed somewhere.

Is there not some other election taking place with the club in a very marginal seat?? I wonder if

@anna_firth
@davidbsampson

might rise to the occasion decisively?

 

[Napster]

Is there not some other election taking place with the club in a very marginal seat?? I wonder if

@anna_firth
@davidbsampson

might rise to the occasion decisively?

I've emailed the Labour candidate, and answer came there none.

 

[wiggy]

Finally a clear & concise update with some real information. Thank you COSU. It sounds like next week will be make or break…

It won't happen as Southend Council [THE PIER, THE KURSAL ETC.} AND rat Martins are the most unreliable, feet dragging people ever known to man....goodbye another season, won't ever find backers like the Aussie and friends again.

 

[TJC]

It seems to me the COSU demands are completely reasonable. This should be taken as 100% the start point.
SCC want to change the deal they took months to negotiate with the Martins. One Cllr Cox said was a great deal and there should be no issues and would be no issues if he was in charge.
We must NOT let a blame game cause us to lose focus- SCC and the Martins are equally responsible, and own this and must fix it. If we make the mistake of concentrating on one party or the other then the pressure on one side will reduce.
BTW SCC may be in purdah but that does not stop protests..

The council are clearly a bunch of clowns, but 95% of this is down to one family

 

[Ricky Otto]

We must have all Anna Firth contact details

The other likely winner in her seat is

david@davidburtonsampson.co.uk

I assume the ST and supporters groups are all over both to enlist there support- indeed vocal support from both with perhaps even the Echo running with the story will help.

Make it an election issue.

This is going to be the problem I think. Nothing will be able to be done until after the election, at least that is what they will say. By then it could be too late

 

[JB Shrimper]

In all honesty even if they do meet the demands it doesn't mean they will stick to them, it could be another way to get more money out of the consortium which buys the council and the Martin's more time to work a deal that fits THEM. The club is not on either of their minds and I don't see how we, as fans, can win.

 

[Holy Joe]

We are staring down the barrel of a gun with the safety catch now off. COSU have made public their demands and want to see them implemented by Friday 14th, or else they put down the gun and walk away into the sunset.

Do they walk? Not totally clear - pretty clear they won't put more cash in - but not sure they walk?

 

[Napster]

The council are clearly a bunch of clowns, but 95% of this is down to one family

99.9% surely

 

[TJC]

Back in the late eighties, when I was an exec VP at the club, we had a meeting in the shrimpers bar with VJ and some council bods. I am sure a number of you on this site were in attendance. Vic was trying to find a new site for the stadium and repeatedly thwarted by council rejections. At the meeting I asked the question,' why can't the council work with us and help to locate a suitable site for the project?' The answer was that Vic would have to identify a site, submit planning permission and wait for the council decision. They would not so much as give a nod or a wink.
The council has always stymied the progress and future of the club and I believe will continue to do so.
Firstly, I believe the council would prefer more houses to a stadium.
Secondly, if they have to have a club I do not believe they want it at RH and on that I would agree with them.

I hope I am wrong but I do believe we are approaching oblivion and all the protests in the world are not going to stop it from happening.

Vic was not a people person, but I think he was somewhat misunderstood. I do believe he had the clubs interest at heart, but played hardball with the council and fans.
The basildon move threat that sparked protests, I believe was to try and spark a fire under the council to help. It certainly didn't work, and suspect sadly, that setting them deadlines now will also fall on deaf ears

 

[TJC]

99.9% surely

Getting hung up on 95% (wallop)

 

[summercamp]

On the BBC now https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cz5510lj88jo

 

[kentblues]

This is going to be the problem I think. Nothing will be able to be done until after the election, at least that is what they will say. By then it could be too late

As much as the intelligence of politicians can be questioned their self interest at this particular time can't- given the COSU statement I would suggest if either came out with that it would not help there chances of getting elected. We need to apply pressure. I have reached out- other need to do the same- we need action

 

[kentblues]

The council are clearly a bunch of clowns, but 95% of this is down to one family

Unfortunately for the nest week the blame game needs to be parked and we need to be all over SCC and the Martins like an old suit..

 

[bazzashrimper]

Good statement. I’ll be the optimist here and the 3 asks are all seemingly possible.

It also puts the blame with the council more so than the rats.

The fly in the ointment is of course that the two groups in question are not great at agreeing. But it gives them a clear timeline when if it isn’t agreed the outcome for them both is probably far worse. They need a push

 

[Leeboy]

On the BBC now https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cz5510lj88jo

hopefully the Council and the Rats see this - we know Ron loves bad publicity!

 

[kentblues]

On the BBC now https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cz5510lj88jo

I have tweeted a copy to both Firth and Burton-Sampson pointing out it needs resolving by end of next week and thousands of fans/voters are watching

Unfortunately I am now on grandad duties...

Forget who is to blame get after all and sundry

Assume ST statement soon re actions also

 

[Avl1983]

The part which is most interesting to me is the security provided by the Martins to COSU.

For the Martins to agree to this they must be confident the deal will actually go through.

The longer the negotiations take the more money they're risking, if secured against themselves. This would obviously affect their behaviours during the DD process you would have thought. They may be less inclined to play hard ball if the risk is the deal collapses and they personally become liable for the costs of running the club.