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

[Justleavingwork]

Really?? That's totally outrageous, we should be balloted across all the supporters groups, with the exception of the Trust, (bunch of fanboys) so we can have the final say.

Surely between the fan group they could buy Ron out and invest in Southend that as they expect an owner to do

On a serious note, do the fan groups combined have the collateral to buy the club and run fan own? Where we pay £1 ground rent per year while at Roots Hall and say 25% of the upkeep of the ground and the £1 ground rent per year for 100 years at the new ground while Ron owns the land and on the hock for the development with financial penalties for not delivery every x months?

 

[Whispering Bob]

Though this summary from BBC this morning may prove of interest;

Although the club's accounts are long overdue, the most recent set give some insight into where the club's cash comes from.
The figures show in 2019 it made:

• £2.65m in advertising
• £1m from operations
• £584,000 from trading players
• £728,000 in season ticket sales
• £413,000 in bar and catering income
• £90,000 in television rights
• £1.47m in league income

Overall, the accounts show a £7.4m turnover and an operating loss of £2.36m in 2019, down from almost £3m in 2018.
About £6.2m was spent on staff costs in 2019.

Mr Lawrence says returning to the English Football League was the goal for the second half of the season.
"Promotion to League Two alone would swing the turnover in our favour by at least £1.4m, reducing the current loss to a manageable number," he continued.

 

[londonblue]

Absolutely no idea. The point I was (obviously unsuccessfully) trying to make is that there comes a time when people need to speak out and publicly disassociate themselves from an intolerable situation otherwise by their silence they are tacitly accepting their role in enabling this person to drag the club down to ever worsening levels of disrepute and ignominy.

I don't. I think they have made that pretty clear by keeping silent.

 

[fbm]

I think he can take some credit for some parts up to 2019, but even then we were blemished by administration which likely sunk some of our previous creditors, not to mention the repeated winding up orders starting in Oct/Nov 2019.

We haven't been in administration... unless I'm misunderstanding your point?

 

[blues exile]

I don't. I think they have made that pretty clear by keeping silent.

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.“ — Edmund Burke

 

[Jai]

Though this summary from BBC this morning may prove of interest;

Although the club's accounts are long overdue, the most recent set give some insight into where the club's cash comes from.
The figures show in 2019 it made:

• £2.65m in advertising
• £1m from operations
• £584,000 from trading players
• £728,000 in season ticket sales
• £413,000 in bar and catering income
• £90,000 in television rights
• £1.47m in league income

Overall, the accounts show a £7.4m turnover and an operating loss of £2.36m in 2019, down from almost £3m in 2018.
About £6.2m was spent on staff costs in 2019.

Mr Lawrence says returning to the English Football League was the goal for the second half of the season.
"Promotion to League Two alone would swing the turnover in our favour by at least £1.4m, reducing the current loss to a manageable number," he continued.

Those figures will mostly now have been absolutely slashed.

 

[Carl]

Those figures will mostly now have been absolutely slashed.

This.

The most worrying part is that Tom’s £1.4m that’ll help turnover appears to be included in the 2019 turnover - which still resulted in a whopping loss. So, can I assume that getting back to League 2 merely gets us back to the position we were in at 2019, which was already horrific?

 

[hlane17]

We haven't been in administration... unless I'm misunderstanding your point?

My bad. We came very very close to it, back in 2009 I think?

I was only 7-8 years old at the time so I was going by a vague and clearly incorrect memory.

 

[Dubai]

This.

The most worrying part is that Tom’s £1.4m that’ll help turnover appears to be included in the 2019 turnover - which still resulted in a whopping loss. So, can I assume that getting back to League 2 merely gets us back to the position we were in at 2019, which was already horrific?

Surely you know the expense of running a club in all leagues and average turnover/cost without poking the bear on this forum?

Surely having spent over a year planning to purchase the club, then you’ll know what remaining at roots hall and being in L2/NL costs us/makes us.

Why don’t you share some info on how we’d make a profit in the last 5/10 years whilst being at Roots Hall?

 

[fbm]

My bad. We came very very close to it, back in 2009 I think?

I was only 7-8 years old at the time so I was going by a vague and clearly incorrect memory.

To be fair, keeping us out of administration is one of the things that I have actually given RM credit for in the past (rightly or wrongly).

 

[SeldomSeenShrimper]

Can someone please summarise the latest with this?

I'm away, and keep seeing mixed messages on what's going on.

We still ****ed? Or has Ron paid it?

 

[shrimperjon]

Can someone please summarise the latest with this?

I'm away, and keep seeing mixed messages on what's going on.

We still ****ed? Or has Ron paid it?

We ARE still ****ed

 

[sufc4life21]

To be fair, keeping us out of administration is one of the things that I have actually given RM credit for in the past (rightly or wrongly).

Bare minimum job of an owner is to keep the club a float. Here a question, how would you feel if Ron put sufc to sleep? I doubt you would be giving him any credit then.

 

[Smiffy]

Can someone please summarise the latest with this?

I'm away, and keep seeing mixed messages on what's going on.

We still ****ed? Or has Ron paid it?

Tax bill unpaid

Players & Office staff unpaid

Nothing has changed.

Come back in a couple of weeks.

 

[sufcfed]

Agree with what I saw someone post earlier, at what point do the players down tools and not put themselves at risk.

If your not being paid, and don't know when you are going to be paid, at wha point do you refuse to play incase you pick up a bad injury and potentially ruin your career and any possible move?

Unless some deal has been struck regarding paying everyone Jan & Febs wages on the 1st march with a nice bonus rather than the bridging loan interest.

But then would you trust the person who would offer that deal knowing the past.

 

[Supa Shrimpa]

Though this summary from BBC this morning may prove of interest;

Although the club's accounts are long overdue, the most recent set give some insight into where the club's cash comes from.
The figures show in 2019 it made:

• £2.65m in advertising
• £1m from operations
• £584,000 from trading players
• £728,000 in season ticket sales
• £413,000 in bar and catering income
• £90,000 in television rights
• £1.47m in league income

Overall, the accounts show a £7.4m turnover and an operating loss of £2.36m in 2019, down from almost £3m in 2018.
About £6.2m was spent on staff costs in 2019.

Mr Lawrence says returning to the English Football League was the goal for the second half of the season.
"Promotion to League Two alone would swing the turnover in our favour by at least £1.4m, reducing the current loss to a manageable number," he continued.

Is it worth even looking at figures that are 3.5 years old ? The accounts should be up to date so that all and sundry can see the most recent financial position of the company.

 

[kentblues]

This.

The most worrying part is that Tom’s £1.4m that’ll help turnover appears to be included in the 2019 turnover - which still resulted in a whopping loss. So, can I assume that getting back to League 2 merely gets us back to the position we were in at 2019, which was already horrific?

Oh be sure the club is unsustainable in any division whilst at RH however great the fantasy otherwise. Irrespective of owner the new stadium is the only route to viability.

 

[Sammy Shrimper]

Yes some pending consideration including this one (that seems to be without hotel element and more residential? Validated Sept 22 still not approved (is this the reference to progress being slower than club and SBC would like? Is this what is stopping drawdown of the bridging loan? If so can consideration be made before March 1st (or is SBC wed to the agenda/meeting timings come what may?

22/01528/FULM | Phased erection of football stadium replacing Phases 1A and 2A of the phased Fossetts Farm planning permission 17/00733/FULM: Phase 1A comprises east, west, south stands, changing rooms; ticket office; club shop; food

publicaccess.southend.gov.uk

Correct. This is varying the consented scheme by reducing the capacity of the stadium down to approximately16,000, and replacing the hotel with 40 residential units.
There are also seven validated pre-commencement condition applications with SBC awaiting approval, as well the major variation above.
Most have been with SBC since September 2022, and they should decide within 12 weeks but of course have not to date.

Perhaps time for SBC to act.......

PS this is not a post in favour of RM in any way fellow Shrimpers!

 

[Holy Joe]

Correct. This is varying the consented scheme by reducing the capacity of the stadium down to approximately16,000, and replacing the hotel with 40 residential units.
There are also seven validated pre-commencement condition applications with SBC awaiting approval, as well the major variation above.
Most have been with SBC since September 2022, and they should decide within 12 weeks but of course have not to date.

Perhaps time for SBC to act.......

PS this is not a post in favour of RM in any way fellow Shrimpers!

Maybe folks living in Southend could email their local councillors to see what the hold up is.

 

[Smiffy]

Maybe folks living in Southend could email their local councillors to see what the hold up is.

I very much doubt SBC are sat there twiddling their thumbs.

If there is a hold-up on anything to do with SUFC, it is usually paperwork related. Currency or otherwise...

But yes it would be nice to know where we are with SBC, as it all seemed to be going ok. Well, in relative terms to the 20 years it's taken already.