SUFC: The Future SUFC up for sale

[sufc4life21]

I have to admit the Wrexham story is pretty cool..... Hollywood film stars buying a non league club, signing the best talent in league 1/2 with the aim of getting to the Premier league. The Wrexham fans are on incredible journey. It wouldn't surprise me in the next 5 years Wrexham are up in the top half of the championship or in the Premier league.

 

[BriggBlue]

To get out of this division you have to be a cut above. Wrexham proved that, although Notts County are also a different level.

That is the level you need to be at in order to gain automatic promotion.

We are a million miles away.

Any new owner would need to look at league players who would drop down for a better wage.

Not an easy proposition. Mullin doubled his wages joining Wrexham who were two divisions below cambridge.

££ talks

This season was very much an anomaly, two teams scoring over 100 goals and getting over 100 points is simply not normal.

Next season should see things return to normal

 

[LCBB72]

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.

Always think back to the play offs in 1986 when Wolves were way above Aldershot with more points , but at the end of the day it was Aldershot that were promoted though the play offs .

 

[Texas Eslan]

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.

I agree with a lot of this.

An owner with serious money should be seen as a comfort blanket rather than someone buying up all the best players. We have to have a period of self sustainable growth but maybe that would be best suited to when we are back in the league given the financial benefits of just being in league two.

Unfortunately I think any club at this level will have to make losses to get out of this division given the lack of funding clubs receive.

 

[superblue24]

Even if we forget about the luxury side of having a rich owner (buying League one players etc) for just a moment.

My understanding is that we are 16 million in debt and have no assets. This alone is going to take the next owner a significant amount of money just to get us operating like a normal football club.

 

[bazzashrimper]

Football clubs can be a toy to the rich. Not sure what the concern is if a rich owner can cover the investment.

Our problem is that Ron has put money in, but put it down as debt and claims to be owed it back. He’s rented for 25 years and want all his rent back.

In particular where rich owners improve the infrastructure, league position and therefore fan base - clubs can become more self sufficient at a higher league.

 

[Paulie Walnuts]

All this rubbish about needing serious money to het out of the league needs to stop.

Did Sutton have serious money, or Grimsby or what about Hartlepool before that?.

It's only really worked with Wrexham who got every decision going for them and to be quite honest I thought over 2 games we were the better team.

Notts county are by far a better side in every sense and for our sake I do hope they go up because if chesterfield are the bar then it's not going to be as tough as it was last season I'm sure of that.

The ONLY reason we didn't cement a play off place, is because we were and still are under an embargo, due to the ****house custodian of ours just look at chesterfield who like us had a proper wobble, but unlike us they added to their squad with strikers like Dallas and other decent players and that's the long and short of it.

Thank god we've got Maher and co because otherwise we would have been another Scunthorpe and people should remember that before spouting ridiculous comments about his tactics etc.

Don't get my started on all you generalists who haven't been involved in selling sweets in the school play ground let alone a football club with a lying slippery toad like Ron Martin.

With a fit and proper owner and Maher and co i'm sure within 2 years we'll be out of this dire league, silly money won't guarantee that unless the fundamentals are behind it, just look at Everton!.

 

[sufc4life21]

Is their actually any real interest from Nash to buy Southend or is it just some random rumour from twitter ? Takeover talk just seem non existence regarding Southend apart from couple of fans who posted on here.

 

[Shrimper]

Is their actually any real interest from Nash to buy Southend or is it just some random rumour from twitter ? Takeover talk just seem non existence regarding Southend apart from couple of fans who posted on here.

No-one has said anything concrete and they won't due to NDA

But reading between the lines there are interested parties

 

[Strykr]

All this rubbish about needing serious money to het out of the league needs to stop.

Did Sutton have serious money, or Grimsby or what about Hartlepool before that?.

It's only really worked with Wrexham who got every decision going for them and to be quite honest I thought over 2 games we were the better team.

Notts county are by far a better side in every sense and for our sake I do hope they go up because if chesterfield are the bar then it's not going to be as tough as it was last season I'm sure of that.

The ONLY reason we didn't cement a play off place, is because we were and still are under an embargo, due to the ****house custodian of ours just look at chesterfield who like us had a proper wobble, but unlike us they added to their squad with strikers like Dallas and other decent players and that's the long and short of it.

Thank god we've got Maher and co because otherwise we would have been another Scunthorpe and people should remember that before spouting ridiculous comments about his tactics etc.

Don't get my started on all you generalists who haven't been involved in selling sweets in the school play ground let alone a football club with a lying slippery toad like Ron Martin.

With a fit and proper owner and Maher and co i'm sure within 2 years we'll be out of this dire league, silly money won't guarantee that unless the fundamentals are behind it, just look at Everton!.

Some nice points. But your tone is antagonistic and condescending its hard to take them seriously.

This whole "i disagree with your opinion therefore your a complete idiot" stuff has to stop on here.

 

[shrimperjon]

No-one has said anything concrete and they won't due to NDA

But reading between the lines there are interested parties

There is genuine interest from the Nash camp, if you look back over the posts Lincoln Shrimper has given info regarding this. I was also told this week by someone in the Southend camp that there are three genuine parties interested in buying the club. That’s all I know at this stage

 

[superblue24]

All this rubbish about needing serious money to het out of the league needs to stop.

Did Sutton have serious money, or Grimsby or what about Hartlepool before that?.

It's only really worked with Wrexham who got every decision going for them and to be quite honest I thought over 2 games we were the better team.

Notts county are by far a better side in every sense and for our sake I do hope they go up because if chesterfield are the bar then it's not going to be as tough as it was last season I'm sure of that.

The ONLY reason we didn't cement a play off place, is because we were and still are under an embargo, due to the ****house custodian of ours just look at chesterfield who like us had a proper wobble, but unlike us they added to their squad with strikers like Dallas and other decent players and that's the long and short of it.

Thank god we've got Maher and co because otherwise we would have been another Scunthorpe and people should remember that before spouting ridiculous comments about his tactics etc.

Don't get my started on all you generalists who haven't been involved in selling sweets in the school play ground let alone a football club with a lying slippery toad like Ron Martin.

With a fit and proper owner and Maher and co i'm sure within 2 years we'll be out of this dire league, silly money won't guarantee that unless the fundamentals are behind it, just look at Everton!.

That’s all very nice, but how much does it need to pay off the debt, reclaim our assets and start getting somewhere near breaking even?

 

[basilrobbie]

I'm in the school that says "it isn't how much you spend, it's how you spend it". You can spend a fortune on players, but if your recruitment is flawed the spending power counts for very little. You could ague that a lot of your current problems stem from the disastrous recruitment under Phil Brown, could you not?

In a sense this debate feels a bit moot, given that you are under an existential threat. If you make it through to August in one piece and with a squad that can at least compete I think you will have done quite well, as things stand.

I think this season has been anomalous because of the highly paid excellence of the top two. but Oldham have a big war chest and big plans for next season, so it isn't necessarily going to be all that much easier, specially with Chesterfield or Notts also in the fray. I'd say Solihull and Halifax under-performed, and there will be several more who came close this time who will think they can go one better. It's still going to be hard.

Without being unduly pessimistic ** (see below), the one big thing that has consistently held you back is this hand to mouth existence you lead, and (seemingly) the complete absence of a strategic plan or thought through business model. Clubs like Bromley, Dorking, Eastleigh and Wealdstone flourish despite their size because they align all their resources and point them in one direction.

You're not the only ones, by any means (I'd like my club to improve in all these areas). But it seems an especially acute problem for you because the club seems to be an afterthought in the owner's mind, or at best a means to an end.

** you got a passing mention on "The Price of Football" again today (about 18/19 minutes in). Kieran Maguire was talking about Morecambe being on his Amber List ; and said that Southed United IS his Red List.

 

[stewart]

"IF " we survive to fight another day and get new owners even if they have plenty of cash , i would still rather see Southend United with a proper model to work by not a splash the cash and hope we get it right model. ,I dont care if it takes a couple of seasons to get out of this league or to mount a really serious challenge, .If we are to get a new stadium its going to take another 3 years for that to eventuate so in the meantime i hope the owners allow Kev and co and SVC and JS and TL to put SUFC in a solid working order. I want new owners that genuinely love the club and allow the staff to do there job .

 

[superblue24]

To be clear, I’m not necessarily saying we need a moneybags owner to bankroll a spending spree. We need one to bring all that structure together and clear the debt. We are so far down the tubes, it is my view that only someone with substantial money can save us

 

[Tommy2holes]

All this rubbish about needing serious money to het out of the league needs to stop.

Did Sutton have serious money, or Grimsby or what about Hartlepool before that?.

It's only really worked with Wrexham who got every decision going for them and to be quite honest I thought over 2 games we were the better team.

Notts county are by far a better side in every sense and for our sake I do hope they go up because if chesterfield are the bar then it's not going to be as tough as it was last season I'm sure of that.

The ONLY reason we didn't cement a play off place, is because we were and still are under an embargo, due to the ****house custodian of ours just look at chesterfield who like us had a proper wobble, but unlike us they added to their squad with strikers like Dallas and other decent players and that's the long and short of it.

Thank god we've got Maher and co because otherwise we would have been another Scunthorpe and people should remember that before spouting ridiculous comments about his tactics etc.

Don't get my started on all you generalists who haven't been involved in selling sweets in the school play ground let alone a football club with a lying slippery toad like Ron Martin.

With a fit and proper owner and Maher and co i'm sure within 2 years we'll be out of this dire league, silly money won't guarantee that unless the fundamentals are behind it, just look at Everton!.

The league is getting stronger all of the time.

Go back to previous seasons and clubs would not have to do an awful lot to achieve promotion other than be hard to beat and have a very handy striker.

I think you probably need a team that would be capable of promotion challenge in league 2 to win this league.

With this in mind you have to find players of that quality.

Apart from a few very lucky gems ie Langstaff at Notts County etc then you need to sign players of quality from league 2 or the best of best in this division to achieve top spot.

That doesn't come cheap. So yes. You will have to spend more than most (all) to get top spot.

 

[fbm]

That’s all very nice, but how much does it need to pay off the debt, reclaim our assets and start getting somewhere near breaking even?

What's that got to do with us? It's not our debt. Whoever buys it is unlikely to overpay and the debt is Ron's concern. It's none of our business.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

What's that got to do with us? It's not our debt. Whoever buys it is unlikely to overpay and the debt is Ron's concern. It's none of our business.

You’re right but in fairness, it’s just a question from superblue24 and not an unreasonable one.

 

[Pak Power]

I have to admit the Wrexham story is pretty cool..... Hollywood film stars buying a non league club, signing the best talent in league 1/2 with the aim of getting to the Premier league. The Wrexham fans are on incredible journey. It wouldn't surprise me in the next 5 years Wrexham are up in the top half of the championship or in the Premier league.

I agree with all of your statement, but it's been done now, I can't see anyone going down the same route with a football club would have the same appeal.

Now, if you were to have a tv soap opera called the only way is Southend United it would be better than East Enders or Coronation Street with more (un) believable storylines

 

[Petejames]

Is their actually any real interest from Nash to buy Southend or is it just some random rumour from twitter ? Takeover talk just seem non existence regarding Southend apart from couple of fans who posted on here.

100% interested