Pre-Match Thread HMRC v SUFC - FINAL hearing on 1st March. DISMISSED

[LeedsSUFC]

So since this saga started in 2008 ,Brighton , Bournemouth and Brentford 3 of our regular oppositions are now enjoying Premiership football whilst RM has virtually destroyed the club and taken us out the football league.

If only we were owned by a gambler who wanted to own a club and build a stadium on the outskirt of the city... (Brighton)

And if only that gambler guy who now owns Brighton hired a guy who was really good at statistics, and that guy he hired went on to be successful in the gambling field and also wanted to own a club and build a stadium... (Brentford)

Damn, it's almost as if we need an owner who gambles a **** ton and wants to build a stadium on the outskirts of the city!

 

[Colblue]

It’s not ominous at all. It’s always been the plan. Nothing has changed….where the players will change etc has been covered numerous times. Combination of temporary facilities and RH.

I’m not trying to scare monger, nobody needs that right now.
It’s just a really flawed plan and doesn’t make much logical sense. Financial aspect of it obviously withstanding

 

[Kat_r]

The players without doubt will be very unhappy but the team have fought together to get where they are in the league and they are unlikely to jeopardise that by thinking of striking at this point. We can set running speculation that they will but that does make it any more likely it will happen. Like everyone else they will be waiting a couple more weeks to see what happens March 1st- hopefully they will get paid before then…

They’ll get paid if they threaten to strike. Either way it’s up to them. I don’t blame them whatever they do. It’s about their livelihoods not pleasing fans when it comes to situations like this.
Will things get magically better in March? Hope so

 

[bazzashrimper]

Perhaps being an optimist, but only 15 days til we know the outcome here. Unless they really can’t afford it, I would think that it’s worth the players sticking for now, rather than uprooting. See what happens and if the problems do indeed start to clear up as promised. Will they? I don’t know any more. God - Ron why did you let it get to this (again) you imbecile?!?

 

[Evening Echo]

FORMER Southend United hero Stephen Humphrys has hit out at Ron Martin’s running of the club.

Read more on this story


Help with Echo links

 

[KiwiRob]

From what I've been told, one of Ron's biggest issues is that nothing is ever his fault

Perhaps being an optimist, but only 15 days til we know the outcome here. Unless they really can’t afford it, I would think that it’s worth the players sticking for now, rather than uprooting. See what happens and if the problems do indeed start to clear up as promised. Will they? I don’t know any more. God - Ron why did you let it get to this (again) you imbecile?!?

The current financial crisis - in which the whole Board of Directors have absolutely nothing to say or contribute and everything depends on an Chairman whose credibility is severely strained - must be particularly soul-destroying for the talented management team at Southend United.

It has taken a huge amount of effort to assemble and nurture this group of players, and now all this work is being put at risk because some Directors at the club with deep pockets seem unwilling to acknowledge they have some responsibility to save this club. It is high time journalists started asking the Directors why they are maintaining a deafening silence. At the very least, there should be an emergency Board meeting to deal with the financial crisis.

 

[Crowstone Crevette]

Does anyone remember a time when supporting sufc was just about football?;

Well yes during the Rubin's time or even Vic Jobson (I'm not saying they were Saints)

However perhaps that was because it was all pre mobile phones, interweb , and we didnt have the mentality or the need and "right" to know everything.

Our "right" to be in on the decision making of a business?

I'm not sure if we have a "right"...

We dont have a Chairman and a Board of Directors as we did during the Arthur Rowley, Dave Smith, etal years.

We have an owner, a dictatorship and hopefully we will come out the other side with a club and a new Hall, not just to watch, to support, but to be PROUD OF!!!

 

[Kat_r]

Perhaps being an optimist, but only 15 days til we know the outcome here. Unless they really can’t afford it, I would think that it’s worth the players sticking for now, rather than uprooting. See what happens and if the problems do indeed start to clear up as promised. Will they? I don’t know any more. God - Ron why did you let it get to this (again) you imbecile?!?

Because the fans let him

 

[cerbera45]

wow, 65% is a surprisingly high percentage

 

[RHB]

Because the fans let him

Because he owns the Club. No amount of not letting him has any impact unless it comes with monied backing, enough to persuade him to sell.

 

[overseas shrimper]

Hey - just answering some questions, don't know what any of the above has got to do with the questions I was answering

Oh good, thought I was the only one wondering what he was going on about in relation to what you had previously posted. Ironic that he mentioned 'blathering on'.

 

[estherpark]

Ok let’s say Ron pays it’s all off , gets the ground sorted and the club is all square and even and we get promoted this season. Is Ron then forgiven ?

No

 

[Kat_r]

Because he owns the Club. No amount of not letting him has any impact unless it comes with monied backing, enough to persuade him to sell.

Point still stands. If enough fans were disgusted and boycotted completely there wouldn’t be a club for him to ‘run’ or maybe he’ll be forced to sell. We enable him in the hope it will all eventually be ok as losing the club is too much to think of.
No judgement.
Tennis and figure skating are as shady as f but I still watch! Shouldn’t. But I do. Sports are addictive I suppose

 

[londonblue]

The current financial crisis - in which the whole Board of Directors have absolutely nothing to say or contribute and everything depends on an Chairman whose credibility is severely strained - must be particularly soul-destroying for the talented management team at Southend United.

It has taken a huge amount of effort to assemble and nurture this group of players, and now all this work is being put at risk because some Directors at the club with deep pockets seem unwilling to acknowledge they have some responsibility to save this club. It is high time journalists started asking the Directors why they are maintaining a deafening silence. At the very least, there should be an emergency Board meeting to deal with the financial crisis.

It's nothing to do with the directors. This is all down to Ron. Deflecting blame is pointless and achieves nothing.

 

[Streaky]

Any news on our shirt sponsor, they have been both very supportive and very vocal against the position we are in.

 

[Farmer Fossett]

Players, management and staff have again been let down by RM's appalling mismanagement of the club. Not knowing when or if they will be paid especially in the current climate should simply not happen.
I know this was briefly discussed in the recent supporter group zoom call but could us fans try to again help out? For example setting up a go fund me page and making direct payments to staff (not through the club).
I believe a concern was that if payments were made via the club and the club went into administration the money could simply be used to pay creditors.

 

[RHB]

Point still stands. If enough fans were disgusted and boycotted completely there wouldn’t be a club for him to ‘run’ or maybe he’ll be forced to sell. We enable him in the hope it will all eventually be ok as losing the club is too much to think of.
No judgement.
Tennis and figure skating are as shady as f but I still watch! Shouldn’t. But I do. Sports are addictive I suppose

I've been watching Southend since the Sixties, and I've encountered a ragbag collection of Chairmen that didn't/don't warrant the title. But still I go and watch the team because that's what I do, follow my team. I don't own the bricks, mortar, wood, plastic and asbestos that make up Roots Hall, the Chairman, as owner, does, and from that aspect I don't have the ability to make him do stuff he doesn't want to. What I can say is that all the bad boy chairmen I have seen have long gone now with the exception of Ronny and the Club still exists and I still go and watch. So boycotts for me? no thanks.

You can boycott if you want, that's your prerogative, but I want a team tomorrow and next year, and I can do that by being patient and seeing him off when he goes, and he will.

Will you renew your season ticket next season if the club is still there?

 

[Stuart W]

The current financial crisis - in which the whole Board of Directors have absolutely nothing to say or contribute and everything depends on an Chairman whose credibility is severely strained - must be particularly soul-destroying for the talented management team at Southend United.

It has taken a huge amount of effort to assemble and nurture this group of players, and now all this work is being put at risk because some Directors at the club with deep pockets seem unwilling to acknowledge they have some responsibility to save this club. It is high time journalists started asking the Directors why they are maintaining a deafening silence. At the very least, there should be an emergency Board meeting to deal with the financial crisis.

Been saying this all along. In 2019 (doubt it has changed much) a certain Frank Van Wezel was the 45th richest person in Essex, as shown in the Essex Life Rich List. Something here doesn’t make sense

 

[fbm]

Been saying this all along. In 2019 (doubt it has changed much) a certain Frank Van Wezel was the 45th richest person in Essex, as shown in the Essex Life Rich List. Something here doesn’t make sense

Probably because he wants to stay the 45th richest person in Essex

 

[Stuart W]

Probably because he wants to stay the 45th richest person in Essex

But I would wager it was his financial credentials that got him his place on the board of directors in the first place.
Besides, I don’t know if KiwiRob would concur, but I am not talking here about the HMRC debt and other external companies who we owe money too, but the day to day wages of players and staff which should surely (or ought to) be within the remit of the directors.
As a board they have a responsibility to the club and any petty unresolved issues with the chairman need to be temporarily cast aside as their priority is to keep SUFC UNITED. It is bad enough having external battles to resolve, without having a mutiny within the club.