Sale of Southend United to Justin Rees and his consortium

[RHB]

I'm practicing, you never know when it might be needed.

 

[basilrobbie]

Not to mention the other side of things - the political lobbying from the Trust and others has been a massive part of unblocking this sale, if it happens.

The protests guys have been fantastic too. The two-pronged attack has worked briliantly, especially when the two factions have been working together over the past couple of months.

I think there are a lot of people deserve a massive amount of credit, and I include Chris in that cos his bosses have been clueless about our plight for years.

You need a combination of both approaches. Miltancy on its own gets you nowhere.

 

[old leigh shrimper]

Didn't Jobson actually ban the Echo Reporters from Roots Hall at one point?

 

[EastStandBlue]

He's not the type of character to go against the grain, unlike Howard southwood and Bernie Friend who both did a proper job of REPORTING on the likes of jobson and the .

To be fair, Phillips is the Echo’s sports reporter. The kind of reporting that would be required to get to the bottom of the club’s affairs and the dubious nature of Martin’s control of it would be the responsibility of an investigations unit - if Phillips was spending hours a week (and it would require that) chasing a story that may eventually go nowhere, Newsquest would probably have something to say about it.

That the Echo haven’t felt the need to conduct a proper investigation into the woeful mismanagement of a community asset - and let’s face it, this story has everything you’d want from a lengthy investigative piece - tells you far more about the current malaise facing local journalism than it does anyone at the paper’s journalistic credentials.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Didn't Jobson actually ban the Echo Reporters from Roots Hall at one point?

Yes.

 

[TJC]

Didn't Jobson actually ban the Echo Reporters from Roots Hall at one point?

Sure did. That all seems a storm in a teapot in comparison to now

 

[TJC]

To be fair, Phillips is the Echo’s sports reporter. The kind of reporting that would be required to get to the bottom of the club’s affairs and the dubious nature of Martin’s control of it would be the responsibility of an investigations unit - if Phillips was spending hours a week (and it would require that) chasing a story that may eventually go nowhere, Newsquest would probably have something to say about it.

That the Echo haven’t felt the need to conduct a proper investigation into the woeful mismanagement of a community asset - and let’s face it, this story has everything you’d want from a lengthy investigative piece - tells you far more about the current malaise facing local journalism than it does anyone at the paper’s journalistic credentials.

By the sounds of previous posts, I think Chris's hands were tied given the relationship between Martin and upper management at the echo.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Didn't Jobson actually ban the Echo Reporters from Roots Hall at one point?

The story here, by Howard Southwood.

“I was having talks with Colin Murphy who was manager at the time.''

“Murphy was very keen on getting Steve Jones from Billericay and he had a big discussion with Jobson who said he didn’t think Jones would be up to stepping up from non league to fill the hole Southend needed at that stage.

“He told him he had seen Crystal Palace reserves and had seen a bloke called Collymore who could be just the answer and it was him who he wanted to sign.”

But Murphy was initially not too pleased with the decision.

“At the time Murphy phoned me up and he was moaning about Jobson interfering and how he wanted to get Jones who in fairness went on to do well for West Ham,” said Southwood.

“But I tended to agree with Murphy at the time and I wrote a comment piece in the Echo criticising Jobson for forcing the Collymore decision on Murphy.”

And that led to Jobson deciding to ban Southwood from covering Blues.

“It got Vic’s back up and I was subsequently banned from the ground,” said Southwood.

“The paper backed me and I managed to still get smuggled in to cover Blues.

“Jobson tried to sue me and the paper as well for libel which he was never going to win but he stepped down on that in the end and I got invited back.”

Collymore scored 18 goals in 32 games while with Blues during the 1992/93 season.

And the striker played a huge part in keeping the Shrimpers in the second tier of English football.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

By the sounds of previous posts, I think Chris's hands were tied given the relationship between Martin and upper management at the echo.

Correct. Well and truly tied, with doubled up rope. A shame, as in the 70s and 80s the Echo would delve very deep and print everything, no matter who they upset. Now they seem to pick and choose. But we've now reached the stage where they have to untie Chris Phillips, and let him report it like it is.

 

[Liam AAS]

He's not the type of character to go against the grain, unlike Howard southwood and Bernie Friend who both did a proper job of REPORTING on the likes of jobson and the .

He's a bit busy, how many sports reporters worked for the Echo when those guys were there? I bet it was more than 1.

 

[Mr Browns Ghost]

Who else is part of this consortium then?

Rod Stewart Nigel Mansel the actor that plays Fred Elliott , Neville roache funnily enough and Jason read

 

[bazzashrimper]

The show has moved to the next one on the live player now. If anyone still wants to listen, click this link and slide the player to the right, along to 1:41:30

5 Live Sport - The Monday Night Club - 02/10/2023 - BBC Sounds

Mark Chapman and guests debate the weekend's football. Plus updates of Fulham v Chelsea.

www.bbc.co.uk

Chris spoke brilliantly on this. Well done him!

 

[Mr Browns Ghost]

Rod Stewart Nigel Mansel the actor that plays Fred Elliott , Neville roache funnily enough and Jason read

It’s an odd bunch not sure it’s common knowledge ? It might steal the thunder if they come out on here might be worth awaiting a day or so ( but only names I’ve been told might be bull****)

 

[bazzashrimper]

He's not the type of character to go against the grain, unlike Howard southwood and Bernie Friend who both did a proper job of REPORTING on the likes of jobson and the .

Not sure so much about Ron. Chris has been at the echo around about the same time as rat. He did have a go around about 2008, and if I remember was banned by Rat. Not going to be a great newspaper if he wrote the report based on listening to everything on the radio. Rat basically threatened him to silence.

 

[Paulie Walnuts]

Not sure so much about Ron. Chris has been at the echo around about the same time as rat. He did have a go around about 2008, and if I remember was banned by Rat. Not going to be a great newspaper if he wrote the report based on listening to everything on the radio. Rat basically threatened him to silence.

As I said, he's not the same as Bernie and or HS who wouldn't have let the get in the way of reporting his skullduggery ( he tried the same with Bernie and failed).

I've got nothing against CP, he comes across as a good guy who's hearts clearly in the right place but let's all agree this can NEVER happen again at our club and if it does we need to echo and the like to be all over it.

 

[Hadleigh-shrimper]

mods think this has gone bit off topic turned into a cp bashing unfair. Rather than on rees

 

[choggy]

Didn't Jobson actually ban the Echo Reporters from Roots Hall at one point?

Yes. He banned Howard Southwood, who iirc ran an Echo story of a group of middle-aged Blues fans who wrote a fanzine critical of Jobson who he banned from RH under rules introduced by the govt to tackle hooliganism.

 

[Strike Force]

Feels like we should crowdfund a SZ gift for CP if this all gets over the line. We’ve all had it bad but having to report on this ****show for years, travelling up and down the country, must have been exhausting to say the least.

 

[Mr Browns Ghost]

mods think this has gone bit off topic turned into a cp bashing unfair. Rather than on rees

It hasn’t at all, someone suggested a fund should be given to Chris and another suggested there are others more deserving … or is that not what a forum is for different opinions ? No Chris bashing at all just some rational

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

As I said, he's not the same as Bernie and or HS who wouldn't have let the get in the way of reporting his skullduggery ( he tried the same with Bernie and failed).

I've got nothing against CP, he comes across as a good guy who's hearts clearly in the right place but let's all agree this can NEVER happen again at our club and if it does we need to echo and the like to be all over it.

You are right, but just like CP, we have no power in that newspaper. It seems like there's something going on there. Like a Mason thing or a get out of jail free card for donating to a certain cause they strongly support. In my own opinion. CP and other Echo reporters can only put a story out if the Editor or/and bosses give the go ahead. I bet if this were in another city, the local rag would be all over it, slamming the chairman, and doing a deep forensic investigation into his interwoven companies relating to SUFC, what club assets have been swallowed up, and try and work out what his end goal is. They would be the ones outside his house, but asking for a comment on this dodgy thing, or that. Instead they print his carefully worded statements. There are signs that the newspaper is finally pulling away from Martin. They must realise he's sunk too deep.