SUFC: The Future SUFC up for sale

[londonblue]

I'm just not convinced he wants to personally, not because of his 'love' for the club but because he doesn't want to give up a big chunk of the pie. I think he's put it up for sale but making deliberately ridiculous demands knowing full well no one would ever agree to them.

He's not giving up a big chunk of the pie, he's getting rid of the bit that is costing him money.

 

[Danshrimper]

I'm just not convinced he wants to personally, not because of his 'love' for the club but because he doesn't want to give up a big chunk of the pie. I think he's put it up for sale but making deliberately ridiculous demands knowing full well no one would ever agree to them.

But he wouldn’t be giving up a big chunk of the pie would he? Selling the football club and potentially the stadium is nothing compared to the money he’ll make from the housing.

 

[Medway Blue]

But he wouldn’t be giving up a big chunk of the pie would he? Selling the football club and potentially the stadium is nothing compared to the money he’ll make from the housing.

How much money is he going to make from the housing? He and his company aren't developing it and building it. He only owns the land. Nobody really knows for sure but it seems to me like he'll make money from selling the land with planning permission to the property developers just before a particular phase starts. He may well have a clause in a contract with the developers that he gets a cut of future profits though I guess.

Either way, I don't think any deal can be ruled out. Club only is by far the least likely, I would think. But I understand Ron's in a bit of a hole and needs money quickly, so I wouldn't rule out part of the wider development being included in a deal.

 

[GBJ]

Do we actually think Ron actually wants to accept investment / sell the club?

No, I don’t think he wants to, but I think he’s either realised he’s got to, or he’s been gently encouraged into that realisation.

Or is just another one of his ploys to get a very small amount of fans who actually complain about him off his back for a little while?

If that were the case (and for the record I’d put nothing past him) then meetings with prospective buyers wouldn’t have taken place.

But I can categorically confirm they have.

Obviously this is Ron and Southend, so who knows what will happen. I’ve learned to expect the unexpected, as I’m sure most of us have

 

[Strykr]

I'm just not convinced he wants to personally, not because of his 'love' for the club but because he doesn't want to give up a big chunk of the pie. I think he's put it up for sale but making deliberately ridiculous demands knowing full well no one would ever agree to them.

Sounds ron esque, but i think hes genuinely run out of credit this time.

 

[mattytheshrimper]

A few of you replied to my comments and rather than reply to each of them I'll just make the one post with a genuine question that I've asked a few times but never really got a reply too.

What is Ron actually selling? As far as I can see or as far as I know we're only selling the club name, a few players contracts and the staff who haven't left already. Other than that I don't know what a potential buyer would actually be buying.

 

[Medway Blue]

A few of you replied to my comments and rather than reply to each of them I'll just make the one post with a genuine question that I've asked a few times but never really got a reply too.

What is Ron actually selling? As far as I can see or as far as I know we're only selling the club name, a few players contracts and the staff who haven't left already. Other than that I don't know what a potential buyer would actually be buying.

I've said it before but I think he's in a hole and I believe him to be open to almost anything in terms of what he's actually selling. He said in the press conference that he ideally wants to sell the new stadium or that part of the future development too.

I get the "glass half empty" comments after all we've been throigh, but I think he has no choice but to sell club and parts of the pie.

To his credit, he has said nothing to suggest that he is only selling his shares in the club.

Nobody but those in the meeting room will be able to give you a definitive answer, but it would just defy all financial and business logic to me for anybody to buy his shares in the club only. I can't imagine that any of the 3 or 4 serious bidders are bidding for the club only, either.

 

[shrimpled]

A few of you replied to my comments and rather than reply to each of them I'll just make the one post with a genuine question that I've asked a few times but never really got a reply too.

What is Ron actually selling? As far as I can see or as far as I know we're only selling the club name, a few players contracts and the staff who haven't left already. Other than that I don't know what a potential buyer would actually be buying.

Ron is selling his shares in South Eastern Leisure, which owns ~70% of Southend United Football Club.

Also available, should a buyer be interested (and they should and will be), are his shares in Roots Hall Limited (the Owner of Roots Hall) and his shares in companies associated with the developments at Fossetts Farm, including the proposed new stadium.

 

[tia]

I think Martin is open to selling but more than likely wants a unrealistic amount and we are stuck in limbo

 

[Medway Blue]

Ron is selling his shares in South Eastern Leisure, which owns ~70% of Southend United Football Club.

Also available, should a buyer be interested (and they should and will be), are his shares in Roots Hall Limited (the Owner of Roots Hall) and his shares in companies associated with the developments at Fossetts Farm, including the proposed new stadium.

Excellent. A much more succinctly-written response than mine!

 

[Holy Joe]

Ron is selling his shares in South Eastern Leisure, which owns ~70% of Southend United Football Club.

Also available, should a buyer be interested (and they should and will be), are his shares in Roots Hall Limited (the Owner of Roots Hall) and his shares in companies associated with the developments at Fossetts Farm, including the proposed new stadium.

Are you sure? He's said nothing about selling roots hall nor the FF development apart from the stadium

 

[danbowen]

What will you find is no one knows the correct answer to this however everything has its price and I don’t see anything to suggest Ron will price people out this time as he is clearly desperate for funds and has already basically given up on the club now and can’t/won’t put anymore funds in now. It will either be:

1 - club only
2 - club, training ground and/or stadium
3 - club, training ground and/or stadium and a slice of/all of the wider projects.

Think 2 is the most likely option personally.

 

[shrimpled]

Are you sure? He's said nothing about selling roots hall nor the FF development apart from the stadium

RM: "If the new Owners wanted to buy the new stadium, then we are happy to negotiate with them. In fact, in many respects, I do feel that taking the club and the stadium as one, is a very sensible solution, but of course for that degree of wealth, erm may not be available to everyone who is interested in buying the football club. But we're not interested, per se in being landlords."

Yes, it's for sale.

 

[mattytheshrimper]

RM: "If the new Owners wanted to buy the new stadium, then we are happy to negotiate with them. In fact, in many respects, I do feel that taking the club and the stadium as one, is a very sensible solution, but of course for that degree of wealth, erm may not be available to everyone who is interested in buying the football club. But we're not interested, per se in being landlords."

Yes, it's for sale.

But I'm sure he said somewhere that even if he sells today he'll still be in charge of the stadium build. Why would a buyer want him anywhere near the build?

 

[Blue43]

RM: "If the new Owners wanted to buy the new stadium, then we are happy to negotiate with them. In fact, in many respects, I do feel that taking the club and the stadium as one, is a very sensible solution, but of course for that degree of wealth, erm may not be available to everyone who is interested in buying the football club. But we're not interested, per se in being landlords."

Yes, it's for sale.

The stadium yes, the development or housing etc no.

 

[Smiffy]

What will you find is no one knows the correct answer to this however everything has its price and I don’t see anything to suggest Ron will price people out this time as he is clearly desperate for funds and has already basically given up on the club now and can’t/won’t put anymore funds in now. It will either be:

1 - club only
2 - club, training ground and/or stadium
3 - club, training ground and/or stadium and a slice of/all of the wider projects.

Think 2 is the most likely option personally.

Option 1 is a non-starter as quite frankly you would be mad to take on just the club and little to no assets. It would also suggest the person/persons don't have the required capital to sustain us for very long. That would be like a supporter and a few mates with a reasonable local business taking the club on. Cute and all that, but we need bigger fish to get us out of the hole we are in unfortunately.

We need a person/persons with deep enough pockets to enable option 2 or 3.

 

[Holy Joe]

RM: "If the new Owners wanted to buy the new stadium, then we are happy to negotiate with them. In fact, in many respects, I do feel that taking the club and the stadium as one, is a very sensible solution, but of course for that degree of wealth, erm may not be available to everyone who is interested in buying the football club. But we're not interested, per se in being landlords."

Yes, it's for sale.

Im pretty certain he was talking about the new stadium at FF - not Roots Hall and not the wider housing development at FF. If correct he's selling the football club and the (currently) unbuilt stadium

 

[Smiffy]

Im pretty certain he was talking about the new stadium at FF - not Roots Hall and not the wider housing development at FF. If correct he's selling the football club and the (currently) unbuilt stadium

That is also my understanding. He also mentioned he would be happy to have a discussion regards partnering in the development of the Main (North) Stand at FF. But as it's all unbuilt, it all seems a bit wishy washy to me.

I cannot see Ron giving up a slice of the RH land, which was once touted as one of the most valuable pieces of land in the SE.

 

[Smiffy]

Sounds familiar, not just a similar sounding nickname it seems...

Club update from the Board

Following the conclusion of the 2022/23 season, we can provide the below update from the Board:

www.morecambefc.com

 

[shrimpled]

Im pretty certain he was talking about the new stadium at FF - not Roots Hall and not the wider housing development at FF. If correct he's selling the football club and the (currently) unbuilt stadium

Yep, he refers to the new stadium in that comment.

But I do understand RH is available, at the right price obviously. Whether someone takes that on I suspect not at the price he would want, but it is on the table.