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

[gpd]

A plea to all of us. Whilst not wanting to step on free speech and the freedom of expression toes etc etc ..... all this entertaining of rumours, and rumours of rumours, and counter rumours etc adds absolutely zilch the the facts.

The primary fact is ...we don't know! We think we know. We think someone we know, knows etc etc. The undisputable fact (and the only one that really matters at this moment of our history) is that we will find out on 1st March and not before.

Why do we continue to depress one another in the meantime? Are we not supposed be supporters? Can we put all the guesswork (as informed as would like to think it is) down....and concentrate on lifting the spirits of the players and coaching staff. That's what supporters do...rather than plan the funeral before a death (IF that ever even happens...because we don't really know, do we? - if we're being honest.)

COYB's!

 

[Blue43]

Both council work together especially the plan is on both of their land. Just need the players (if we still have them on 2nd of march) and our management teams to move to new training ground, then the work will start.

Work can’t start on the stadium until we have planning permission, which we don’t currently have, much to everyone’s surprise following Ron’s statement to BBC Essex last weekend

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I would expect that would definitely be the case. This last happened to the extent it is now I think, at the end of the 2009/10 season, when we were relegated to Div 2. I believe the players could have walked any time towards the end of the season as they'd not been paid on time over a number of months as that effectively terminated their contracts.

Officially it was all covered as "mutual agreement" & "balanced against the wage constraints" but the PFA had paid their January wages & there were certainly further delayed payments as the season went on.

At the time the club statement was: "Southend United also confirmed that it will not stand in the way of any of its senior players, several of whom are still on Championship level salaries, who may also want to transfer to an alternative club if appropriate transfer fees can be agreed with any interested parties." As far as I remember we didn't get any transfer fees because the players could walk for nothing.

A worrying parallel for us.

FWIW whilst most walked I believe we received a transfer fee for Simon Francis (it was at least reported that way).

Francis joins Charlton

Charlton have signed defender Simon Francis from Southend for an initial £35,000. The right-back has become Charlton's fifth signing of the summer and has put pen to paper on a two-year contract. Francis will replace Frazer Richardson who joined Southampton earlier this summer in a move which...

www.football.co.uk

I got the impression that some players’ pay packets were prioritised ahead of others and as our player of the season that year had actual transfer value he may have been paid when others weren’t.

The other one who seemed to be protected was Anthony Grant. Grant of course was the only one of any note who stayed but IIRC he signed an extension whilst we were under embargo due to late wages which is unusual.

Of course that was under FL rules rather than NL rules. Players may have decided to stay until the end of the season because they couldn’t register with clubs outside the transfer window (IIRC back then loans were allowed but not permanent transfers). In the NL players can still register up until I think the final Thursday in March….

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

A plea to all of us. Whilst not wanting to step on free speech and the freedom of expression toes etc etc ..... all this entertaining of rumours, and rumours of rumours, and counter rumours etc adds absolutely zilch the the facts.

The primary fact is ...we don't know! We think we know. We think someone we know, knows etc etc. The undisputable fact (and the only one that really matters at this moment of our history) is that we will find out on 1st March and not before.

Why do we continue to depress one another in the meantime? Are we not supposed be supporters? Can we put all the guesswork (as informed as would like to think it is) down....and concentrate on lifting the spirits of the players and coaching staff. That's what supporters do...rather than plan the funeral before a death (IF that ever even happens...because we don't really know, do we? - if we're being honest.)

COYB's!

Chris Phillips sounds like he's had enough as well over these rumours.
Replying to
@sidr1971
I had 70 people message me about the rumours so followed them up, asked the question and published the response. Your abuse of me is becoming tiresome now.
To be fair to both sides. Here's the response.
Replying to
@CJPhillips1982
It's not abuse, Chris. I'm surprised sad and sorry that you have interpreted it that way. It's making a point that if you added a bit more context and balance, it would elevate the debate beyond just emotion and rumours that we get on SZ. I'll say no more. Best of regards. UTB

 

[kentblues]

Ron seems to be on good terms with Anna Firth (or at least, she's willing to do what she can to help/be seen to help). I am sure if SBC were to blame for the delays, and he thought Anna could help cajole them, he'll have asked her to. There's no reason why that would have been done in public.

That said there's no harm in Southend residents writing to SBC Planning/their councillors to ask what's holding it up. Planning departments (and councils generally) are invariably understaffed and overworked at the moment and from experience a gentle poke can help.

Actually I enjoyed listening to her whole piece (and she's not a political hue to my taste- but less of that here). In particular, it seemed to be a very balanced view of someone from the outside who has then been closely involved/has access to clearly stuff we don't. In short a source of information largely untarnished by pre-conceived agendas. I encourage all to listen to it in full from 13.00 min in.

 

[kentblues]

Chris Phillips sounds like he's had enough as well over these rumours.
Replying to

I had 70 people message me about the rumours so followed them up, asked the question and published the response. Your abuse of me is becoming tiresome now.
To be fair to both sides. Here's the response.

Shocking. Truly shocking. If people don't get the answer that suits what they want to hear it seems they feel entitled to cause CP grief now? Frankly no-one is outside the crosshairs it seems..

 

[Richard Hearn]

What a load of rubbish!! The pfa have a bottomless pit of cash.

Yes of course they have but it was buried at the same time and alongside Ron's war chest and everyone has forgotten where that is.

 

[kentblues]

Work can’t start on the stadium until we have planning permission, which we don’t currently have, much to everyone’s surprise following Ron’s statement to BBC Essex last weekend

Correct Blue43. Although as you know with have the original full planning just not the Delegated Decision on the amendments e.g. hotel to extra flats to be made by 13/12/22 by the case officer that has slipped (with apparently both Council & club disappointed with progress- for whatever reason.

To your "surprise" point. We spend so much time on rumours and counter rumour important staff just passes us by..often the way..

 

[Mark Corrigan]

Chris Phillips sounds like he's had enough as well over these rumours.
Replying to
@sidr1971
I had 70 people message me about the rumours so followed them up, asked the question and published the response. Your abuse of me is becoming tiresome now.
To be fair to both sides. Here's the response.
Replying to
@CJPhillips1982
It's not abuse, Chris. I'm surprised sad and sorry that you have interpreted it that way. It's making a point that if you added a bit more context and balance, it would elevate the debate beyond just emotion and rumours that we get on SZ. I'll say no more. Best of regards. UTB

He's just had one troll chipping away at him for the last couple of days, not sure it's even a real account.

 

[meerkat54]

Full planning permission is unfortunately not granted at FF, not that will allow work to begin anyway. There's a few more hoops to jump through yet. It may even be a contributing factor in the hold up of bridging finance.

Unfortunately like a lot of things at the club, we aren't fed enough accurate and detailed information regularly to alleviate rumours/false info from being spread.

Transparency is one of the biggest things lacking at the club and has to change, fast.

Transparency is what we should get, but Ron gives us a blackout curtain over every issue that affects us.

 

[C'mon you Shrimpers]

T

Ron seems to be on good terms with Anna Firth (or at least, she's willing to do what she can to help/be seen to help). I am sure if SBC were to blame for the delays, and he thought Anna could help cajole them, he'll have asked her to. There's no reason why that would have been done in public.

That said there's no harm in Southend residents writing to SBC Planning/their councillors to ask what's holding it up. Planning departments (and councils generally) are invariably understaffed and overworked at the moment and from experience a gentle poke can help.

I just have.

 

[C'mon you Shrimpers]

Chris Phillips sounds like he's had enough as well over these rumours.
Replying to
@sidr1971
I had 70 people message me about the rumours so followed them up, asked the question and published the response. Your abuse of me is becoming tiresome now.
To be fair to both sides. Here's the response.
Replying to
@CJPhillips1982
It's not abuse, Chris. I'm surprised sad and sorry that you have interpreted it that way. It's making a point that if you added a bit more context and balance, it would elevate the debate beyond just emotion and rumours that we get on SZ. I'll say no more. Best of regards. UTB

Classic abuser retort. I'm 100% with Chris on this.

 

[Murkey_Mouse]

Classic abuser retort. I'm 100% with Chris on this.

Wouldn’t surprise if that guy who abused Chris is a Col Ewes fan, looking to boot us while we are down.

 

[Cricko]

Wouldn’t surprise if that guy who abused Chris is a Col Ewes fan, looking to boot us while we are down.

You really are obsessed with Col U.

 

[Colchester and proud!]

Wouldn’t surprise if that guy who abused Chris is a Col Ewes fan, looking to boot us while we are down.

I doubt that very much, most Col U fans have every sympathy with your current plight, I know lots of Col U fans not one wants to see your club go under, we need you back in the EFL where you belong.

 

[nevereatwhitesnow]

Wouldn’t surprise if that guy who abused Chris is a Col Ewes fan, looking to boot us while we are down.

Jesus, everyone time you do this line, it’s dull, but marginally better than suggesting people will go after Ron’s family!

 

[nevereatwhitesnow]

I doubt that very much, most Col U fans have every sympathy with your current plight, I know lots of Col U fans not one wants to see your club go under, we need you back in the EFL where you belong.

Steady!
Seriously I don’t know of a single Us fan that wants to see SUFC go bust.
A fair few might not object to spending an extra season in the NL though (just to give you the the record of spending longer in non-league that we did)
I just hope you get rid of the cancer at the top of your club so you guys can recover and ultimately thrive.

 

[Chrisb]

Actually I enjoyed listening to her whole piece (and she's not a political hue to my taste- but less of that here). In particular, it seemed to be a very balanced view of someone from the outside who has then been closely involved/has access to clearly stuff we don't. In short a source of information largely untarnished by pre-conceived agendas. I encourage all to listen to it in full from 13.00 min in.

Anna mentioned administration as a possibility - does anyone know how far in advance of the hearing that would have to be ?

 

[Medway Blue]

Anna mentioned administration as a possibility - does anyone know how far in advance of the hearing that would have to be ?

Far enough in advance for the papers to be submitted to the court for perusal before. I believe he can request to be put in administration, rather than unilaterally do it, due to the existence of the WUP.

 

[kentblues]

Far enough in advance for the papers to be submitted to the court for perusal before. I believe he can request to be put in administration, rather than unilaterally do it, due to the existence of the WUP.

Once the winding up petition has been served, it is no longer simply the case of organising a pre-pack sale or placing the company into administration yourself. To use either of these options, you must apply to the court for the winding up petition to be adjourned before it can consider whether an administration order would be in the best interests of the creditors and the petitioner.

It’s important to note that the court will not agree to adjourn a winding up petition without good reason. As such, the assistance of a legal professional, backed up with documentary evidence, will help you argue your case. If agreed, the adjournment will give an insolvency practitioner the opportunity to determine whether the company is suitable for administration.

If an insolvency practitioner believes an administration is appropriate in your particular case, they will apply to the court for an administration order to be made. The court will then consider the needs of all creditors and the petitioner before making the order. If the court grants the administration order, a ‘moratorium’ is created which will ‘stay’ or stop any legal action being taken against your business, including the winding up petition, and prevent a winding up order being made. It will also prevent further interest and charges being added to the original debt.