COSU Statement - Friday 7th June

[Holy Joe]

Martin is the current custodian of the club and as such it his responsibility to pay the bills until such point it is sold. The fact is he can’t afford too which is why COSU are picking up the tab even though they don’t yet own the club.
Any agreement to get the Martins to underwrite this current in limbo expenditure wouldn’t be worth the paper it was written on, COSU will just end up joining the long list of creditors so surely they will want more than just a written agreement he will pay up!
If Ron could afford the agreement he could afford to pay the bills now as is his rightful duty to do so as current owner.

Yes they want more than a written agreement that they'll pay up - they want security - e.g., Martin's fail to pay on time, in full, and they can seize the asset that has been put up as security. Essentially they become a secured creditor rather than an unsecured.

 

[Target man]

one of the (many) things I find annoying about all this is they - Martins - now finally have an opportunity to walk away from it all and yet are STILL being arrogant egotistical *** holes

Just give up man - you're 70 (71?)- do you still need this sh-it?

I can think of 6000 others that don't need it!

 

[GBJ]

I can see the Martins offering security.

Of course they will. They might not have any intention of paying it should the club fail to sell. They always leverage debt and never pay them. Why should this be any different.

Playing devils avocado, If it were that simple, why haven’t they (The Martins) done it already?

 

[Cricko]

Playing devils avocado, If it were that simple, why haven’t they (The Martins) done it already?

Because they never do anything until their backs are up against the wall?

 

[North Banker]

I'm starting to tire of complaints about "blame games" and "playing politics" when it comes to the council. I certainly sympathise with anyone who is tired of politics at the moment - we're now having to put up with a general election where the choice is which flavour of misery you would like - but these are real issues that matter, and indeed what this statement confirms is that the political discourse about this has not all just been about personalities, there are genuine differences in approach and these have had consequences.

It seems like the previous administration were bending over backwards for Ron in a way that, while helpful for us in the short term, would have hurt the council and the club in the long run (pretty majorly if planning permission ended up being unviable). Whether the Tories were rushing through a bad deal because they were desperate to save the club (or be seen to save the club, in the run up to local elections no less) or because they are naturally friendlier to private developers is anyone's guess, but clearly it wasn't a healthy approach. Labour's approach may be healthier but the question now, of course, is whether there is time for it...

 

[Leeboy]

Playing devils avocado, If it were that simple, why haven’t they (The Martins) done it already?

probably because in their arrogance they didn't think it would come to this?

 

[North Banker]

The deal agreed in 2020 that included a new stadium was already on the brink of viability and the specifications revised by the last administration made this a non-starter, as DD has shown and it was unlikely to achieve planning permission owing to the green belt element of the site.

The planning permission thing intrigues me. Does anyone with more knowledge of planning know what would tip this into being unviable from a green belt perspective? Surely we're only in this situation at all because all parties believe permission can be achieved for some form of housing-only development on the site, so where has this come from? Where is the line being drawn here?

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

Because they never do anything until their backs are up against the wall?

This.

And to me at least the statements today from COSU, Cllr Cowan and the Trust firmly put the pressure and scrutiny on the Martins (where it belongs). Everyone else seems to be working hard to find a way to make it work.

 

[meerkat54]

one of the (many) things I find annoying about all this is they - Martins - now finally have an opportunity to walk away from it all and yet are STILL being arrogant egotistical *** holes

Just give up man - you're 70 (71?)- do you still need this sh-it?

The way the is carrying on along with SCC . Mr Ronald Martin will be deceased before he can get any payday from this FF deal.

 

[tommy tucker]

ITS his fault Its there fault Its uncle tom cobbley and all fault And so the blaim game goes on and on It like a like a cracked record with the needle stuck in the grove playing over and over again .

 

[GBJ]

This may be very simplistic and not feasible, verging on a stupid suggestion but here goes, would it be possible for the consortium to fund the phoenix club, if the council makes sure that roots hall stays for the future of a Southend club. I know we then start at the bottom, but I find this an exciting prospect.

They’ve already stated that they wouldn’t be interested in a Phoenix club.

Because they never do anything until their backs are up against the wall?

probably because in their arrogance they didn't think it would come to this?

Both of you on the money.

 

[onceknownasrab]

The planning permission thing intrigues me. Does anyone with more knowledge of planning know what would tip this into being unviable from a green belt perspective? Surely we're only in this situation at all because all parties believe permission can be achieved for some form of housing-only development on the site, so where has this come from? Where is the line being drawn here?

Special circumstances for building on greenbelt land includes the provision of affordable housing. I guess that's what they want on the bit of the site designated greenbelt.

 

[Holy Joe]

The planning permission thing intrigues me. Does anyone with more knowledge of planning know what would tip this into being unviable from a green belt perspective? Surely we're only in this situation at all because all parties believe permission can be achieved for some form of housing-only development on the site, so where has this come from? Where is the line being drawn here?

Agree - it seems surprising that it needed DD to highlight that this was a red flag. The money towards RH could've mitigated the green belt 'issue', similar to how the new stadium mitigated it originally

 

[Flinty]

Special circumstances for building on greenbelt land includes the provision of affordable housing. I guess that's what they want on the bit of the site designated greenbelt.

This makes full sense in relation to the 13% comment and not obtaining planning later down the line. Which massively helps us if it’s Legislation and not an opinion / desire of SCC

 

[* ORM *]

She wants to get re-elected and and it can be a campaign issue- letting prospective MPs, SSC off lightly is a complete non starter.

They along with the Martins are in the chair and no-one gets to hide. No-one

Newsflash, the vast majority of the population of Southend couldn’t give two ****s whether the club survives or not.

 

[wiggy]

This is all so unreal and sad....a bloke that f...ing loves this club and a Council that should want a flagship pro club rather than an non league also ran...and do you think they will help.
Neither want to, especially the little rat, and the more we protest the more the little psycho thinks/knows his ambition to sink the club before he pegs it has been all worthwhile!!!

 

[Avl1983]

I very much think this is the council making the deal work for themselves and the people of Southend rather just bending over backwards for the Martins and as much as I love Southend it's likely the right thing to do.

They definitely should not be allowed to make demands of anyone and should be made to follow the correct processes in place like anyone else would.

I just hope we don't fold in the process.

 

[rshepp]

I very much think this is the council making the deal work for themselves and the people of Southend rather just bending over backwards for the Martins and as much as I love Southend it's likely the right thing to do.

They definitely should not be allowed to make demands of anyone and should be made to follow the correct processes in place like anyone else would.

I just hope we don't fold in the process.

 

[cerbera45]

I have very little faith in the Council honouring the "covenant" that preserves the use of the Roots Hall site purely for leisure and/or recreation.

 

[rshepp]

The population for Southend is around 300,000.
Population of area covering a possible supporter involvement is around 1 million.
On average: every other Saturday during the football season only around 7,000 people are interested in attending.
Our chances of convincing the SCC to risk bankruptcy is somewhere between zero and nil.