SUFC: The Future SUFC up for sale

[Yorkshire Blue]

100% this.
I would say that only the below players are good enough to start in a promotion pushing 11.

Either of the keepers.
GSM
Hobbo
Kensdale
Miley
Bridge

That’s it.

The rest are way, way too inconsistent, and some aren’t even good enough to be a squad member in my eyes.

The existing players were 2 points (or a competent referee) away from making the play-offs.

 

[Tommy2holes]

Indeed. How many times in our history have we actually outright won the league? You have to be exceptional. Ive seen a couple of southend squads in my lifetime that were, but more often not.


Its a tall order.

True but at this level we are a big fish. We won league 1 so anything is possible.

 

[Ricey]

The existing players were 2 points (or a competent referee) away from making the play-offs.

Yep, I feel that is very harsh on the current squad. Had we had some reinforcement, we would easily have made the play offs. Had Murphy and Hyde been fit all season things may have been different too.

 

[JD]

The existing players were 2 points (or a competent referee) away from making the play-offs.

Yep, I feel that is very harsh on the current squad. Had we had some reinforcement, we would easily have made the play offs. Had Murphy and Hyde been fit all season things may have been different too.

So ultimately not good enough then.

To be clear, I am talking about a team able to push for promotion (auto) - generally 90 points is needed to have a strong shout.

We are miles off that due to our lack of attacking potency.

Hence my “harsh” comment.

 

[Ricey]

So ultimately not good enough then.

To be clear, I am talking about a team able to push for promotion (auto) - generally 90 points is needed to have a strong shout.

We are miles off that due to our lack of attacking potency.

Hence my “harsh” comment.

'Promotion pushing 11'

Promotion is promotion whether that's through the play offs or automatically.

 

[superblue24]

The existing players were 2 points (or a competent referee) away from making the play-offs.

It’s the hope that kills you. Making the play offs would have ended in disappointment.

 

[JD]

'Promotion pushing 11'

Promotion is promotion whether that's through the play offs or automatically.

Obviously.

Again, I am talking autos.

 

[Benfleet A1]

It’s the hope that kills you. Making the play offs would have ended in disappointment.

I tend to agree with that.

 

[Tmeister]

If Notts County win the final then Chesterfield will be the team to beat. We can compete with them if we get new owners and Maher is given the tools required.

It helps having money but there's more than one way to skin a cat. A good scouting department, recruiting the gems from the lower leagues as we have been trying to do would make us ultra Competitive.

Freddie Eastwood mk 2 please

 

[superblue24]

We need SERIOUS money to get out of the NL. Prestige and fans alone are becoming irrelevant in the modern day club. We need a very rich owner next up. If, and that’s a very big “if”, it does turn out to be Steve Nash, it won’t be enough. With a net worth of 96 million, the proportion of his worth that will be allocated as budget for us wont be anywhere near enough. It needs to be someone in the same financial league as Mr Reynolds to even think about challenging.

 

[JD]

We need SERIOUS money to get out of the NL. Prestige and fans alone are becoming irrelevant in the modern day club. We need a very rich owner next up. If, and that’s a very big “if”, it does turn out to be Steve Nash, it won’t be enough. With a net worth of 96 million, the proportion of his worth that will be allocated as budget for us wont be anywhere near enough. It needs to be someone in the same financial league as Mr Reynolds to even think about challenging.

Others have pointed out that Nash is the tip of the iceberg.
He has very, very, VERY rich acquaintances.

 

[Thundersley Blue]

I disagree with the thought we need a rich owner. We have been in trouble for many years because we have been chasing the dream. The football department have a model they want to work with, but thanks to the current situation, they have had no chance. I would much prefer to see them work in a debt free environment and see what can be achieved. Don't like the money is no object approach and there is no quick fix. It isn't how much money you have, it is spending what you have wisely.

Plans need to be made for the future and we need to restore the Academy, which we seem set to lose. I don't know, whether the new Stadium can have the capacity increased, but from the latest release of information, the Stadium seems tucked away in a corner, with very little room for expansion.

Take Wrexham and Notts County out of the equation, with no embargo we would have gone close. Wrexham are an exception, but Notts County have rebuilt the Club over the last 4 years and will probably make it to the EFL.

 

[superblue24]

I disagree with the thought we need a rich owner. We have been in trouble for many years because we have been chasing the dream. The football department have a model they want to work with, but thanks to the current situation, they have had no chance. I would much prefer to see them work in a debt free environment and see what can be achieved. Don't like the money is no object approach and there is no quick fix. It isn't how much money you have, it is spending what you have wisely.

Plans need to be made for the future and we need to restore the Academy, which we seem set to lose. I don't know, whether the new Stadium can have the capacity increased, but from the latest release of information, the Stadium seems tucked away in a corner, with very little room for expansion.

Take Wrexham and Notts County out of the equation, with no embargo we would have gone close. Wrexham are an exception, but Notts County have rebuilt the Club over the last 4 years and will probably make it to the EFL.

This model won’t get us out of the NL. It may have done 10-15 years ago, but the playing field is no longer a level one and if you can’t beat em, join em…. Otherwise we’ll be watching clubs with rich owners go up year after year while we congratulate ourselves on another successful season finishing in the play offs, but “only just” missing out on promotion and telling ourselves that “next year will be our year”.

Unless the National League wants to do something about means testing for clubs of course… In which case, your idea is more likely to succeed.

 

[Tmeister]

Is their actually any reason as to why when we get a new owner he can't build a new stadium on the new traning ground and keep b&l and mugs rm off completely.

 

[JAL]

Is their actually any reason as to why when we get a new owner he can't build a new stadium on the new traning ground and keep b&l and mugs rm off completely.

What even is this suggestion? Destroy brand new training pitches? What?

 

[C'mon you Shrimpers]

It's in Rochford, green belt and I doubt Rochford council would allow it. FF was green belt and it took years to get it agreed by Southend council and the government.

 

[Tmeister]

What even is this suggestion? Destroy brand new training pitches? What?

Steady on mate, it was just a question, got my answer though

 

[Tmeister]

It's in Rochford, green belt and I doubt Rochford council would allow it. FF was green belt and it took years to get it agreed by Southend council and the government.

Thanks mate, just thought I'd ask.

 

[overseas shrimper]

This model won’t get us out of the NL. It may have done 10-15 years ago, but the playing field is no longer a level one and if you can’t beat em, join em…. Otherwise we’ll be watching clubs with rich owners go up year after year while we congratulate ourselves on another successful season finishing in the play offs, but “only just” missing out on promotion and telling ourselves that “next year will be our year”.

Unless the National League wants to do something about means testing for clubs of course… In which case, your idea is more likely to succeed.

The NL only changed over the last couple of seasons. It's only a couple of seasons ago that part time Sutton won the league.

Next season will be more competitive. There will be clubs willing to spend but, if Notts County win the play-off final, it won't be anything like it has been this and last season.

 

[fbm]

I disagree with the thought we need a rich owner. We have been in trouble for many years because we have been chasing the dream. The football department have a model they want to work with, but thanks to the current situation, they have had no chance. I would much prefer to see them work in a debt free environment and see what can be achieved. Don't like the money is no object approach and there is no quick fix. It isn't how much money you have, it is spending what you have wisely.

Plans need to be made for the future and we need to restore the Academy, which we seem set to lose. I don't know, whether the new Stadium can have the capacity increased, but from the latest release of information, the Stadium seems tucked away in a corner, with very little room for expansion.

Take Wrexham and Notts County out of the equation, with no embargo we would have gone close. Wrexham are an exception, but Notts County have rebuilt the Club over the last 4 years and will probably make it to the EFL.

If I could double like this, I would.

Here is the thing I don't get; a few years ago RM "splashed the cash" when backing his managers, who, alongside their philosophy and approach, had identified certain players they wanted, perhaps people they knew, who they thought could do a job. In they came, out went the wages. It is this that has primarily led to the historic debt issues we have and he has been castigated for it.

Little old Southend is not exactly a big draw when it comes to players looking down the leagues; there are countless teams with bigger and better facilities, stadiums and crowds. As was shown in the 1980's when, as a Division 4 side we signed players with much higher profiles that we couldn't afford, it nearly killed the club. Ronnie Whelan did the same with the players he signed, who only came here for the money, not because they wanted to play for Southend. That is a dangerous and unsustainable model, yet here we are with people saying we need rich owners so we can attract the big players on big money (a la Wrexham and Notts County) and get out of the NL.

Well, as has been stated, Sutton won the league a couple of years ago and before that it was Barrow, neither of which were funded by multi millionaires and we now have a team of players that WANT to play for this club, pretty much all assembled from lower leagues and on a fraction of the wages paid to Mullin, Langstaff & Co.

Now, it's not even arguable that they are better strikers at this level; it's an absolute given. But with them out of the league (assuming County beat Chesterfield next week), the competition is a little more normalised and level. Even this season, with all the injuries and troubles we have had, we have competed with the best teams (we even drew with Wrexham and Notts County at the Hall and probably should and could have won both) and although we haven't beaten many of the top sides, we are not far adrift.

I want a long term and sustainable model for our club so that my children and grandchildren can follow their hometown club well past my eventual demise, whenever that is. As fun as a Hollywood style intervention would be for a while, what happens when the money stops? Because one day, it will.