From todays Echo

[number11]

There must be an underlying factor about Southend United that we don't know about which is putting off potential signings? Perhaps the FF saga is more serious than we first thought? But then why would SUFC tell a potential player that? It's all about spin, telling them how good it is at the club, wheeling out a few current players like Maher or Gower to continue the image, etc. Maybe the problem is that, Eastwood aside, very few non-league players have been given a real chance at Southend?

I dont think we have done badly at giving non league players a chance at the Hall lately...trouble is a lot of them have turned out to be slightly rubbish, but Bentley Gower Wilson Eastwood Flahavan achieved back to back promotions with us.....

I did though always get the impression that Fry (I know he is not manager, but still is an employee) was a superb salesman and perhaps just did a better job then Tilly or whoever negotiated on behalf of the blues. If I wanted someone to sell my car for me I would definately take it to Fat Baz rather then Tilly.....

 

[Prodigal Son]

There must be an underlying factor about Southend United that we don't know about which is putting off potential signings? Perhaps the FF saga is more serious than we first thought? But then why would SUFC tell a potential player that? It's all about spin, telling them how good it is at the club, wheeling out a few current players like Maher or Gower to continue the image, etc. Maybe the problem is that, Eastwood aside, very few non-league players have been given a real chance at Southend?

Very true, I think Freddy's first game was on the bench against Boston (when Tes went in goal) and he did not get on, and Tilson started him against Swansea because he had to and said you've got 10 seconds to score or else you're off!

However, you could argue that Bentley and Cole were given a chance.

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

Maybe we should get Wignall back as chief negotiator, the players he signed always said how well he sold the club.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

I think Freddy's first game was on the bench against Boston (when Tes went in goal) and he did not get on, and Tilson started him against Swansea because he had to and said you've got 10 seconds to score or else you're off!

Sorry mate, no it wasn't, he might have been in the crowd but he wasn't there as part of the squad.

Fred was signed initially on loan after the debacle up at Darlo (a 0-4 the weekend after we beat Col Ewe up at Layer Rd on penalties!). I remember getting a text from the club on the Saturday night saying that the management team and Ron had made an offer to an un-named striker to put our season back on track, that man was Fred!

 

[choggy]

The idea that Posh are a more attractive propostition than us is quite frankly laughable. We have better players than them, more supporters than them and play in a higher league than them. So their kiddie chairman has pipe dreams about premier league football in 10 years time, big deal. They're a league 2 team ffs!

The only thing that they can offer him that we couldn't (apart from an extra year on his contract) are more first team games this season. He's a bright prospect, but Billiericay are still several divisions below us in the pyramid and the gulf in class is massive. Maybe he felt that lge 1 was a step too far?

Anyway, plenty more fish in the non-league sea...

 

[SUFC_Al]

I feel Whelpdale has taken the 'safe' option, with the players Peterboro are buying they should annihilate L2 where as we have to stablise after a bad season and coming in to the league for the first time you have to make the right choice and seeing Makail-Smith, Maclean et all doing well there, I'm not too surprised by his decision at all, a tad disappointed but not surprised.

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

So their kiddie chairman has pipe dreams about premier league football in 10 years time, big deal. They're a league 2 team ffs!

But that didn't seem to bother Wigan Athletic.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Obviously joking on Lloyd and Che, my concern is around not being able to attract any sort of player. It's early days but something does not feel right.I like financial prudence, but don't understand why the increase in attendances,cup runs,TV money,all those Nike shirt sales does not translate into a bit more cash being spent without going bankrupt.

If the lad has any sense (and the fact that he is looking to continue his degree suggests that he has some), he'd have done his research before signing the first contract put in front of him.

Being locally based with ambitions of breaking into the professional game, he may well therefore have taken the opportunity to attend a game at Roots Hall. Had he witnessed first hand the abuse that players like Billy Paynter, Matt Harrold and Lee Bradbury receive, it would hardly be surprising that he opted to go to Peterborough instead.

 

[Cricko2]

If the lad has any sense (and the fact that he is looking to continue his degree suggests that he has some), he'd have done his research before signing the first contract put in front of him.

Being locally based with ambitions of breaking into the professional game, he may well therefore have taken the opportunity to attend a game at Roots Hall. Had he witnessed first hand the abuse that players like Billy Paynter, Matt Harrold and Lee Bradbury receive, it would hardly be surprising that he opted to go to Peterborough instead.

While I take your point Yb ...I doubt that is a valid reason .most players that place cack at clubs get abuse.

 

[Southend_Lady]

Being locally based with ambitions of breaking into the professional game, he may well therefore have taken the opportunity to attend a game at Roots Hall. Had he witnessed first hand the abuse that players like Billy Paynter, Matt Harrold and Lee Bradbury receive, it would hardly be surprising that he opted to go to Peterborough instead.

I doubt that is true at all. I am sure Roots Hall isnt the only club in the country with supporters that get pi55ed off when the club pays good money for players that underperform. At the end of the day if the players were good enough they would not suffer such abuse from supporters would they? Plus I wouldnt say a bit of abuse from fans is so bad that it would put someone off of joining our club.

I think he has looked at the players being bought into POSH, guarantee of first team football and their clear ambitions to move upwards, and thought it a better prospect.

 

[choggy]

But that didn't seem to bother Wigan Athletic.

For every Wigan there's a Carlisle (Michael Knighton said the same thing, they promptly got relegated to the Conference), a Darlington (almost went bust, nice stadium though), a Rushden & Diamonds (where are they now?), a Northampton (going nowhere fast)...the list goes on. A rich chairman doesn't guarantee success on the pitch.

Wigan worked because they got a new stadium, a large catchment area and had some real momentum behind them. Posh finished mid-table in league 2 and if they ever get into the premier league I'll run down southend pier in january naked.

 

[TMWLT]

for those that dont know, I was involved in the sale of peterborough utd to the new chairman, but I am under a confidentiality clause, which doesnt allow me to reveal the details, but what I can say, is that Peterborough are potentially a much bigger club than we are, with the investment, and the size of the stadium, I guess he saw a better option, but we need to get use to this type of thing, our squad next year is possibly going to be even smaller
than this season

 

[Cricko2]

For every Wigan there's a Carlisle (Michael Knighton said the same thing, they promptly got relegated to the Conference), a Darlington (almost went bust, nice stadium though), a Rushden & Diamonds (where are they now?), a Northampton (going nowhere fast)...the list goes on. A rich chairman doesn't guarantee success on the pitch.

Wigan worked because they got a new stadium, a large catchment area and had some real momentum behind them. Posh finished mid-table in league 2 and if they ever get into the premier league I'll run down southend pier in january naked.

Actually Wigan do not have a large catchment area they are surrounded by bigger clubs ...In this case I think Mr JJB sports Dave Whelam has plowed huge amounts into his team and that is the result of there current place in the league.

 

[Mad Cyril]

If this lad was more interested in his degree than joining the blues then he sounds like a bit of a ponce to me.

I want proper footballers at Roots Hall who are interested in nightclubs, mock tudor houses and fast cars.

 

[South Bank Hank]

I’m glad people aren’t going over the top with this, as some are wont to do when things don’t go our way. My position, as always, is that while we don’t possess all of the facts, it is difficult to criticize the club.

The only facts we have are the following:

• We’ve missed out on a player (again) who we were interested in
• The wages were the same but Posh’s contract was longer
• We play in League 1 while Posh play in League 2
• The fee was £10,000 (and thus largely immaterial?)
• Southend were in the driving seat but postponed making a decision on the player

The conjecture:

• Exactly WHY the player chose Posh rather than SUFC
• Whether or not the player is actually capable of stepping up from the Ryman to League 1 or even League 2
• That there may be underlying reasons that put off new signings
• Tilly’s ability to sell the club to players

What disappoints me is that Tilly WANTED this player but we didn’t get him. That makes it a shame. I shall watch with interest how he performs this season, but no one can predict what will happen. Who would have predicted Cureton would have done so well this season?

As for why he chose Posh, my guess (and that’s all it can be given the only facts) is that the player has simply chosen the longer term contract in a side where he is most likely to shine as they progress this season. As others have said above, I think he has chosen the safer option.

As for our management team’s ability to sell the club to players, you would have to accept that there could be a question mark. On the flip side, the lengths they went to to bring Sodje to the club put this in doubt.

And as for postponing the decision, it seems obvious to me at least that we did the only thing we could have which was wait until we found out what division we would be playing in.

 

[fbm]

Sorry mate, no it wasn't, he might have been in the crowd but he wasn't there as part of the squad.

Fred was signed initially on loan after the debacle up at Darlo (a 0-4 the weekend after we beat Col Ewe up at Layer Rd on penalties!). I remember getting a text from the club on the Saturday night saying that the management team and Ron had made an offer to an un-named striker to put our season back on track, that man was Fred!

I think you're wrong glasgow...

He was on the bench v Boston (which was the game after Darlo) and would have come on had we not gone down to 10 men.

Check out the text in this report

http://www.southendunited-mad.co.uk/news/loadrprt.asp?cid=MTCH&id=181815

 

[choggy]

Actually Wigan do not have a large catchment area they are surrounded by bigger clubs ...In this case I think Mr JJB sports Dave Whelam has plowed huge amounts into his home town team and that is the result of there current place in the league.

Wigan. population over 300,000 and between manchester and liverpool, which have a combined population of a couple of million people.

Peterborough, population of 150,000 surrounded by english country side with a population of a couple of farmers and their dogs.

Dave Whelan did plough a lot of money into the team but also marketed it as as a family-orientated club and has picked up a lot of floating fans for it.

 

[Cricko2]

Fbm 1 Richard 0;)

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

for those that dont know, I was involved in the sale of peterborough utd to the new chairman, but I am under a confidentiality clause, which doesnt allow me to reveal the details, but what I can say, is that Peterborough are potentially a much bigger club than we are, with the investment, and the size of the stadium, I guess he saw a better option

Yep, from the basic details I know about PUFC and Peterborough it's easy to see they do have potential. I remember them coming to Roots Hall the year they got to Div2 to play us (92/93) and they came very well supported and they truly mobbed the South Bank (well what was left of it!).

Maybe Southend & Peterborough will be the Readings & Wigans of the next decade?

 

[Blueeyedboy]

Lets not lose perspective here ffs. The guys an intried non league player playing in the Ryman Premier league. So he chose to play for a club in the league below us offering a longer contract where he is likely to get in the first team straight away. I'd be more concerned if he had league experience and a track record.
Can't believe we have just finished the old season and people are already moanning that we are missing out on potential signinings.

Get a grip people.:thump: