Southend Phoenix

[CanveyCastle]

Just name it "Ron Martin is Dead F. C."

The F and the C could stand for any offensive words you like.

 

[SeaSideDoughnut]

If it did happen, I don't see the issue ground sharing with Southend Manor. Given they not everyone will support a phoenix as has been covered, some may not watch to watch football at the level we would be playing. But it's in Southend, and people can still walk to the ground.

As Darlington was talked about earlier in the thread. I looked up where they play now, and looking at their south stand I think it way. It's just a simple tin roof with bleacher style seating but it looks like they've doubled it over time.

Increase seating, add extra toilets and a few more food vendors... This is where I could see it being part 'fan owned' essentially to crowdfund investment for improvements to Southchurch Park. Etch the names of backers on to bricks (borrowed from the memorial wall idea)

 

[rigsby]

What would do it (or not do it) for me is playing somewhere else or groundsharing. Yes the fans would be the same, club colours etc but not going to the Hall, which granted has seen much better days - but is home - it would not feel the same, not at all. However .... the idea of starting afresh away from Ron's clutches does appeal in many ways. Let's hope it never comes to this.

The idea of doing that with COSU in charge appeals even more. Everyone should focus their efforts into saving Southend United.

Forget places like Southchurch park. The council wont let Southend Manor have a bar there. That's why they struggle financially at the level they play.

 

[CanveyCastle]

The idea of doing that with COSU in charge appeals even more. Everyone should focus their efforts into saving Southend United.

Forget places like Southchurch park. The council wont let Southend Manor have a bar there. That's why they struggle financially at the level they play.

I have been in the bar there ---- their problem is very few fans.

 

[rigsby]

I have been in the bar there ---- their problem is very few fans.

Only cans on the day don't do it for me. £6,000 fees for the pitch and £4,000 for the changing rooms don't exactly 'encourage sport for all'

 

[CC51DAS]

Only cans on the day don't do it for me. £6,000 fees for the pitch and £4,000 for the changing rooms don't exactly 'encourage sport for all'

Riggers - a change of discussion topic but still related to the thread title- I think you identified some land near Victoria station as a possible site for a new, maybe smaller, stadium?

Now I'm not saying I want to see this happen but if everything went tits up, do you think that this is land that the Council own and could designate as a different stadium site and hand this over to whoever backs the phoenix club ?

Appreciate this couldn't happen in the necessary time scales and the dreaded ground share with canvey / great wakering / billericay might raise its ugly head but might be an alternative solution?

 

[SeldomSeenShrimper]

Aslong as it's not Southend City FC

If we go bust, a football team is the last thing the city deserves

 

[Boreham Blue]

I’d struggle to get behind a phoenix club, unless its existence meant the covenant was still in force at Roots Hall and Ron had to build a new stadium.

 

[Barling Magna]

It looks like the need for a phoenix club is now closer than ever. The council and the Martins have one week to meet COSU's demands. I'm not holding my breath - I suspect the council are incapable of moving so fast and that the Martins are unwilling to and can now blame the council for the demise of the club (COSU have said that the council have moved the goalposts).

Southend United FC (2025) Ltd. is surely waiting in the wings??

 

[SeldomSeenShrimper]

Those of you involved with the Phoenix Club formation

Me and my design studio are here, completely free of charge to help with the design and visual marketing side of things.

Drop me a DM

Nothing drastic needs to change visually IMO (See my previous posts on this thread)

But it needs to be done right and professionally from the offset.

 

[SeaSideDoughnut]

It looks like the need for a phoenix club is now closer than ever. The council and the Martins have one week to meet COSU's demands. I'm not holding my breath - I suspect the council are incapable of moving so fast and that the Martins are unwilling to and can now blame the council for the demise of the club (COSU have said that the council have moved the goalposts).

Southend United FC (2025) Ltd. is surely waiting in the wings??

I wonder if any of the consortium would be interested in the formation or whether they've had enough of the idea of football club ownership...

 

[Target man]

I wonder if any of the consortium would be interested in the formation or whether they've had enough of the idea of football club ownership...

I would say that's a resounding No.

 

[Yer Blues]

But it needs to be done right and professionally from the offset.

Does it?

 

[SeaSideDoughnut]

I would say that's a resounding No.

Its been said a lot recently, but who can blame them...

 

[Yer Blues]

I wonder if any of the consortium would be interested in the formation or whether they've had enough of the idea of football club ownership...

They are business people. I don't imagine they have plans to write off millions of quids to then invest in a sunday league team.

 

[Rob1920]

There's no guarantee a Pheonix club will get back to the 'glory' days of the original club they replaced, but that doesn't mean a club can't be started on a small budget and see if it gains traction & grows organically. Yes there probably is a glass ceiling where without outside investment it will get tough to keep progressing, say around Isthmian Premier level (i.e. Billericay Town level), but I bet fans of clubs like Darlington, Hereford, Scarborough etc. are just happy to have a club to support. The thing is to get something off the ground and established, and see where it goes.

And of course we all hope this never happens.

 

[Liam AAS]

There's no guarantee a Pheonix club will get back to the 'glory' days of the original club they replaced, but that doesn't mean a club can't be started on a small budget and see if it gains traction & grows organically. Yes there probably is a glass ceiling where without outside investment it will get tough to keep progressing, say around Isthmian Premier level (i.e. Billericay Town level), but I bet fans of clubs like Darlington, Hereford, Scarborough etc. are just happy to have a club to support. The thing is to get something off the ground and established, and see where it goes.

And of course we all hope this never happens.

I spoke to their chairman this week. Says it has been the best 17 years of his life.

 

[Barling Magna]

Well, a crucial week (yet another one...?) lies ahead. Fingers and toes crossed that we still have a club this time next week.

I hope that the Shrimpers Trust has its options sorted. A phoenix club may not be Plan B but I hope it is Plan C or D and not just an abstract idea. There are plenty of examples to follow and surely their fans and management would provide advice.

Hopefully this won't be necessary. Good luck this week to COSU, SCC and, yes, in this instance, to the Martins (not easy to say). Between the three of you...... sort it.....please.

 

[jphfitz]

Well, a crucial week (yet another one...?) lies ahead. Fingers and toes crossed that we still have a club this time next week.

I hope that the Shrimpers Trust has its options sorted. A phoenix club may not be Plan B but I hope it is Plan C or D and not just an abstract idea. There are plenty of examples to follow and surely their fans and management would provide advice.

Hopefully this won't be necessary. Good luck this week to COSU, SCC and, yes, in this instance, to the Martins (not easy to say). Between the three of you...... sort it.....please.

It’s certainly more than an abstract idea but hope it never comes to it. As a Trust we have spent time learning from others and their experiences such as Scarborough/Wimbledon including many meetings. The application would depend on when and how so would be a flexible implementation. If it happened now there would not be a season this year for instance and would be a year preparation due to league application rules.

It is indeed a big week but I wish only luck to Martins in finding their senses and realising they have no leverage.

 

[BALDY]

I can’t get my head around how a Phoenix club can retain the heritage of the former club. It wasn’t AFC Wimbledon that won the FA cup in the late 80’s. In the same way I can’t see how an AFC Southend or similar would retain our history, past success and many memories. A Phoenix club is surely a completely different entity?
I am happy to be educated on this but it’s something I am struggling with. Right now I am very much in the no Southend Utd then no football for me.
I don’t want this to be the case but a 3 hour round trip to every home game would mean I would need to be emotionally invested right from the off in a Phoenix club. I guess this is where complete fan engagement and involvement right from the off needs to be a non negotiable.

Don't say that to the AFC fans!!--They even have a museum---It beggers belief!