Some of my thoughts

[Maldon Blues]

Thread title says it all. Please feel free to disagree.

Ron Martin
As disappointed and annoyed as everyone else at the plight the club finds itself in, I do genuinally feel that Martin has never deliberatly done anything to the detriment of the club.

I think he has at times been naive and over-ambitious and tried to move the club forward too quickly when we suddenly found ourselves in the Championship. The stadium plans should have been put on hold until we had financially-stabilised ourselves at a higher level.

We shouldn't have gambled so much on spending big-money on wages in a bid to stay in the Championship. We also spent some hefty transfer fees on player who were not worth what we paid, and for this Steve Tilson must also take responsibility.

Whether he has what it takes to actually fulfil his ambitions we don't know. He has too much to lose to not have his heart in it.

Unfortunately some people now dislike him so much that whatever he does will be met with disgust.

Steve Tilson
No one can take Tilly's success away and he played a pivotol role in the clubs best era. However, football changes very quickly and I've thought for some time that he isn't really the man to take us forward any more, regardless of other issues off the pitch.

He has signed players for big fees who have failed and has clearly not got the best out of players who have shown their worth at other clubs, Billy Paynter and Gary Hooper being the obvious examples.

To be honest, I admire Martin's eagerness to stick by Tilson when we were relegated from the Championship at the first time of asking and then continuing to do so for a further 3 seasons. Almost certainly he would have been relieved of his duties at other clubs. Football-wise we haven't moved on, so time for a change. Why not?

Paul Sturrock
A terrific appointment to get a man with his pedigree given the clubs current situation. Given the opportunity to bring in players I'm confident he'll assemble a competent squad.

However, as Sturrock is not Steve Tilson, I fear he'll be given very little opportunity by the supporters. Hopefully he'll make a quick impact.

 

[Andy_S]

A very good post. One of which I agree with pretty much entirely.

 

[BoyWonder2]

Sums up most of my thoughts to be honest.

Under different circumstances, I'd be delighted with the appointment of Sturrock. Much better manager than I thought we'd end up with, so was happy with that. Was expecting Ricky Duncan to be promoted to manager ala Tilson.

Obviously the way RM went about getting Sturrock in is horrible, and Tilson is a Southend legend. I'd love for him to still be in charge, but perhaps a break is what was needed. There has been so much negativity around Southend, and perhaps a change of direction will help to address that. I think 95% of us would rather RM went, but there wasn't much chance of that happening.

Sturrock wouldn't have come here in the situation we are in without some promises, which I just hope and pray RM delivers on. Who in their right mind would come and manage us when we have two winding up petitions, continued late payment of wages, a transfer embargo etc etc. Sturrock isn't stupid, and althought he hasn't actually signed the contract as yet, and has been in the game long enough to not be sold a line and come here by RM.

I hope Sturrock is given a chance, and who knows, this time next week we may have made 5/6 signings, sorted out the wages and tax bill, and be in a much healthier position and things will begin to look brighter for SUFC which is what we all want.

 

[Medway Blue]

Thread title says it all. Please feel free to disagree.

Ron Martin
As disappointed and annoyed as everyone else at the plight the club finds itself in, I do genuinally feel that Martin has never deliberatly done anything to the detriment of the club.

I think he has at times been naive and over-ambitious and tried to move the club forward too quickly when we suddenly found ourselves in the Championship. The stadium plans should have been put on hold until we had financially-stabilised ourselves at a higher level.

We shouldn't have gambled so much on spending big-money on wages in a bid to stay in the Championship. We also spent some hefty transfer fees on player who were not worth what we paid, and for this Steve Tilson must also take responsibility.

Whether he has what it takes to actually fulfil his ambitions we don't know. He has too much to lose to not have his heart in it.

Unfortunately some people now dislike him so much that whatever he does will be met with disgust.

Steve Tilson
No one can take Tilly's success away and he played a pivotol role in the clubs best era. However, football changes very quickly and I've thought for some time that he isn't really the man to take us forward any more, regardless of other issues off the pitch.

He has signed players for big fees who have failed and has clearly not got the best out of players who have shown their worth at other clubs, Billy Paynter and Gary Hooper being the obvious examples.

To be honest, I admire Martin's eagerness to stick by Tilson when we were relegated from the Championship at the first time of asking and then continuing to do so for a further 3 seasons. Almost certainly he would have been relieved of his duties at other clubs. Football-wise we haven't moved on, so time for a change. Why not?

Paul Sturrock
A terrific appointment to get a man with his pedigree given the clubs current situation. Given the opportunity to bring in players I'm confident he'll assemble a competent squad.

However, as Sturrock is not Steve Tilson, I fear he'll be given very little opportunity by the supporters. Hopefully he'll make a quick impact.

This is the only part that I can really disagree with. I know for a fact that all Tilson did was identify players that he felt would be good additions. RM is the one who made the enquiries to clubs, RM is the one who offered the transfer fees, RM is the one who conducted contract negotiations and wage packets. If RM wanted to be financially prudent, it was up to him as owner, Chairman and the person who was paying, to turn around and say 'nope, too expensive, not following it up'.

 

[Maldon Blues]

This is the only part that I can really disagree with. I know for a fact that all Tilson did was identify players that he felt would be good additions. RM is the one who made the enquiries to clubs, RM is the one who offered the transfer fees, RM is the one who conducted contract negotiations and wage packets. If RM wanted to be financially prudent, it was up to him as owner, Chairman and the person who was paying, to turn around and say 'nope, too expensive, not following it up'.

Pretty much the jist of what I was getting at, but Tilson would have had the say in exactly which players were being brought in.

 

[lee_sufc]

I haven't post here in a long while but this sums up everything I believe. I don't like RM as much as the next person but I do feel a lot of people on this site have got overboard with the insults to him!

 

[Medway Blue]

Pretty much the jist of what I was getting at, but Tilson would have had the say in exactly which players were being brought in.

Oh yeah, he would have done. But Ron was well within his rights, after making an enquiry for one of Tilson's first choices, to turn around and say he's too expensive, how about somebody else? If RM proceeded with signing players after being quoted high transfer fees and wage demands, then that's more fool him. T and B played absolutely no role in enquiries or contract negotiations, so they can't really be blamed for high transfer outlays or wages.

 

[Tampa Blue]

This is the only part that I can really disagree with. I know for a fact that all Tilson did was identify players that he felt would be good additions. RM is the one who made the enquiries to clubs, RM is the one who offered the transfer fees, RM is the one who conducted contract negotiations and wage packets. If RM wanted to be financially prudent, it was up to him as owner, Chairman and the person who was paying, to turn around and say 'nope, too expensive, not following it up'.

I am no Ron Martin fan, but by doing this then surely he was supporting his Manager's faith in identifying players and paying what was need to get them - if he hadn't backed Tilly then we would be up in arms about that as well.

I also know for a fact that Tilly rated Harrold over and above Agogo and that the only reason that we were 'linked' with Agogo was to force Yeovil to reduce what they were asking for Harrold - now who would you prefer of these two!!

RM may be many things and has certainly lost the trust and goodwill of the vast majority of supporters (inc me) but the fact that Tilly was 5th longest serving manager in the League shows that RM is (was) loyal and is not a hire 'em fire 'em Chairman.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Pretty much a spot on post MB

 

[David Essex]

I agree entirely although i dont know Ron to comment whether i like him or not...for sure without him thered be no southend (possibly/maybe!).... its defo time for the phoenix to rise from the ashes....hopefully Paul will morph like the latest Dr Who...I for one will be happy to get behind the new look Southend Bring it on.....

 

[bdm161]

I agree with these comments 100% ..... 18months from now we should have a New club.

 

[Beefy]

I agree with a lot of the sentiments in this thread. Where I'd disagree would be the idea that Tilson wasn't the man to take us forward. I don't see how he could be judged on last season, and the two seasons before that he'd achieved very respectable 8th and 6th place finishes.

Let's see any manager in any league cope with having a tiny squad not being paid and having to last an entire season with one centre-half on the books.

Tilson leaving is the worst thing that has happened to this Club in my lifetime. Now we're back on the Managerial merry-go-round. Sturrock is a good manager but if he does well then his track-record suggests that he'll jump ship the second a better offer comes along and if he doesn't do well then we all suffer. We went through a dozen managers in the dozen years before Tilly took over and I'm gutted that we're back on that road.

 

[fbm]

Oh yeah, he would have done. But Ron was well within his rights, after making an enquiry for one of Tilson's first choices, to turn around and say he's too expensive, how about somebody else? If RM proceeded with signing players after being quoted high transfer fees and wage demands, then that's more fool him. T and B played absolutely no role in enquiries or contract negotiations, so they can't really be blamed for high transfer outlays or wages.

A bit harsh as Ron is not a football man. He would I am sure been given an idea of what Tilly thought any player was worth and backed his manager with the money.

If Ron had done as you said then he would have been shot down by everyone as he would have been seen to interfere in footballing affairs which he clearly has no background in.

It doesn't matter what Ron does or did, or should have done really. Whatever it was would be wrong.

 

[Medway Blue]

A bit harsh as Ron is not a football man. He would I am sure been given an idea of what Tilly thought any player was worth and backed his manager with the money.

If Ron had done as you said then he would have been shot down by everyone as he would have been seen to interfere in footballing affairs which he clearly has no background in.

It doesn't matter what Ron does or did, or should have done really. Whatever it was would be wrong.

Fair points. I can see both sides of the argument here really.

I agree with a lot of the sentiments in this thread. Where I'd disagree would be the idea that Tilson wasn't the man to take us forward. I don't see how he could be judged on last season, and the two seasons before that he'd achieved very respectable 8th and 6th place finishes.

Let's see any manager in any league cope with having a tiny squad not being paid and having to last an entire season with one centre-half on the books.

Tilson leaving is the worst thing that has happened to this Club in my lifetime. Now we're back on the Managerial merry-go-round. Sturrock is a good manager but if he does well then his track-record suggests that he'll jump ship the second a better offer comes along and if he doesn't do well then we all suffer. We went through a dozen managers in the dozen years before Tilly took over and I'm gutted that we're back on that road.

Amen to that.

 

[EastStandBlue]

Agree whole heartedly with the general sentiment of this thread...

It's amazing what a difference 24 hours can make. Yesterday evening, this board was in meltdown. People were shouting at Ron's wife on their garden and people generally felt that this was the end. A reasonable managerial appointment, and people put things into perspective.

It's a shocking way to treat a club legend and unforgiveable considering what Tilson has achieved; he deserved better. He may have still been the man to move us forward, he might not. It's done now, we can't change the situation and we'll never know what kind of squad Tilson would've clamoured together in 5 weeks. What was pretty evident, IMO, was that we need a fresh breath of momentum and Paul Sturrock has, seemingly, given us that.

For what it's worth, Tilson won't have any trouble finding himself another position. Opinion of him never fell in footballing circles and I know for a fact that, if Gary Johnson were not available, Peterborough would've been knocking our door down to talk to him.

 

[Silencer]

Great post, just posted something similar on another thread before I read this!!

Give Sturrock a chance

 

[bazzashrimper]

Pretty much agree with all of this myself. The treatment of Tilson, Brush, Barrett + all staff who were paid late is totally unacceptable. In his personal times of trouble Ron has shown himself to have a tough and unsavory character - but he has done what he felt needed to happen which is a characteristic of a strong (not always good!!) businessman.

From now on I can't imagine anyone trusting Ron, but we have arrived at a new dawn and Sturrock / Widds is about as good as we could hope for in our current state to replace two legends (incl. Brush). Lets hope Ron's found some cash, can pay the staff, get in some players, get the new stadium built, ensure we get some profit from the surrounding businesses and then he can sell up making a tidy profit for himself.

For Tilly a change may be for the best - he will hopefully get a grand job somewhere else and be a big success there too.

But for us Southend fans, after the miserable last 12 months, lets take this chance to see a bit of optimism even if it's only for a day - we may sign some players this week!