SUFC: The Future SUFC up for sale

[Boreham Blue]

The resilience of the pitch is an interesting question. There are obviously ground shares and some football clubs host rugby too. Awooga suggested American Football. I'm not sure if he meant a Southend based team and what following that might have or trying to host visiting teams from overseas.

 

[JAL]

Why cant we have Southend United Ladies playing at Roots Hall? this would alleviate the need for music events. This would mean Roots Hall is used for football every weekend instead of once a fortnight.

Ladies football is becoming more watched and has more interest. We could tap into this as extra revenue stream

I’m confused how you’ve managed to link ladies football with more music events being held? There is no correlation.

 

[rigsby]

That's great if you live near a train station, if you wanted to drive there is next to no free parking available and any games when the weather is nice you would be struck in all the seafront traffic.

If we move and it's not ff people will have to get used to the idea of a ground being outside of Southend. If it's near a trainline then a purpose built stop could be added otherwise park and ride need's to looked at.

If we ever want crowds of 15000+ then you had better get used to the train. Even amongst the current and regular 6000, more of then would travel by train or even walk if the ground was in the City centre. As other have pointed out you could park at Pitsea or Wickford if you live further out. Even the likes of Billericay is only just over 20mins by train.

Then there is the bus option as more routes go to the centre, cab or get your hand in your pocket and pay for parking. Its about the future of our club and our town not individuals.

 

[rigsby]

Would be blocked by people living near by you would imagine. I would have suggested the site of the Range

Seeing as they are going to knock down all those dreadful crime-ridden tower blocks I'm sure most people would prefer football fans once every two weeks......The local businesses certainly would

 

[Crawliano]

The Queensway site would be the best option for the town and the long term future of the club if anyone is aiming for the Championship.

Two major railway lines and the possibility of a badly needed 4* hotel with conference sand functions facilities. Any bars could be in use all week and plenty of other options all within a 5 minute walk. That is not going to happen at RH and the train would be much better than queuing for 30mins to get out of an 800 space carpark at FF.

100% shame the council don't share the same view... so for the time being it's almost a case of doing what Leicester did at Filbert Street or City at Maine Road, get a new stand in and then jump ship shortly after. At least if there's a modular design, it's a bit more eco-friendly and not a total folly

 

[Blues4LifeDan]

I’ve been told staff have been told they ‘should’ be paid by the end of the week.

There's us hoping it would be resolved for those poor folk today. Why it has to take so long, I don't know.

 

[NG_Shrimp]

100% shame the council don't share the same view... so for the time being it's almost a case of doing what Leicester did at Filbert Street or City at Maine Road, get a new stand in and then jump ship shortly after. At least if there's a modular design, it's a bit more eco-friendly and not a total folly

there is nowhere near the required space there. Unless you take out most of the houses on Guildford road and Coleman street as well as the tower blocks. Its really not an appropriate site at all

 

[Silver]

There's us hoping it would be resolved for those poor folk today. Why it has to take so long, I don't know.

Hope it so the July wages can be included though I do understand that the weather forcaste for the end of this week is for Pink Pigs to be seen flying over Southend.

 

[Jai]

There's us hoping it would be resolved for those poor folk today. Why it has to take so long, I don't know.

The obvious one is Ron trying to string it out as long as possible in the hope someone else pays it.

But if I was feeling charitable to Ron, hypothetically if someone was transferring money from say, an account based in an offshore tax haven, could there be a delay in the money reaching a UK account?

 

[Beefy]

The resilience of the pitch is an interesting question. There are obviously ground shares and some football clubs host rugby too. Awooga suggested American Football. I'm not sure if he meant a Southend based team and what following that might have or trying to host visiting teams from overseas.

Roots Hall's pitch isn't long enough to play American Football. Needs to be at least 115 yards. We're about 110 yards. Changing rooms are way too small too even for an amateur team.

 

[The Original Tribal Chief]

Roots Hall's pitch isn't long enough to play American Football. Needs to be at least 115ft. We're about 110ft. Changing rooms are way too small too even for an amateur team.

I played for the Sabres against Chelmsford at Roots Hall. Seemed fine to me.

 

[southendkid]

But from small acorns...

If you want the ladies team to start drawing crowds then we'd need them to get promoted to at least the second tier and doing that won't be cheap. Southend Ladies are an amateur side as far as I know, to get them up the leagues you'd need to turn them professional.

 

[Colchester and proud!]

I would hope that our prospective new owners are already sounding out the council about them building a community stadium with us as tenants as part of a deal that enables Roots Hall to be redeveloped for housing. I think there are plenty of examples of this sort of arrangement; aren't Col U's and Barnet's stadiums owned by local councils?

Yes our stadium was mostly funded by the council, they also owned the land it is built on, I think the club paid to fit out some of the inside areas but it is owned by Colchester City Council and the club pay rent. Robbie Cowling has offered to purchase it outright but so far these bids have been turned down. https://www.colchester.gov.uk/info/cbc-article/?catid=partners&id=KA-02076

 

[Pak Power]

I’m confused how you’ve managed to link ladies football with more music events being held? There is no correlation.

It was more of avoiding people objecting to the noise etc of music events, whereas you could have little objections from people if you were holding more football events.

I was thinking maybe selling season tickets say with a subsidy for watching the ladies.
it is after all the biggest attendance growth in sport in this country at the moment.

See last paragraph

Surge in WSL match attendances demonstrates growing interest in women’s game

The WSL has revealed that attendances for this season have increased 200% year-over-year.

www.sportcal.com

 

[Rob1920]

Can't comment on the financial feasabilities of it as I wouldn't have a clue, but it seems to me there's plenty of scope for a new 2-tiered east stand to hold around 8000 with a lot of scope for expanded hospitality areas including hosting weddings & whatnot. with another 8000 spread around the other 3 sides, thats 16000 capacity. Much as I hated Ron's scaled down FF plan with that capacity, I'd be completely in favour of it if it could happen at a redeveloped / refurbed Roots Hall.

 

[rigsby]

there is nowhere near the required space there. Unless you take out most of the houses on Guildford road and Coleman street as well as the tower blocks. Its really not an appropriate site at all

The site goes either side of the main road so an extension of the underpass up towards Southend Vic would solve the space problem. All those grotty businesses on the north side of Southchurch including the Cow and Telescope could be replaced by much better and stadium link commercial outlets

A hotel/conference centre could be linked directly to Victoria shopping centre and the station. Would be massive boost for that section of town.

I do see the odd band at the Cow and telescope but I would certainly use the 'City' centre more if you could drink in your own supporters bar and see local bands. Many of those living in places like Rayleigh, Benfleet or Hockey would jump on the train for a Friday night out if it was SUFC related......Far less would do that at the current Shrimpers bar even if it was revamped......As for Benfleet to FF.....NO chance.

 

[CanveyCastle]

Roots Hall's pitch isn't long enough to play American Football. Needs to be at least 115ft. We're about 110ft. Changing rooms are way too small too even for an amateur team.

Shouldn't that be yards not feet ? #martinout

 

[Westcliff DGS]

I’ve been told staff have been told they ‘should’ be paid by the end of the week.

Fingers crossed, i say that as I believe they hve been told they were being paid before

 

[henry18]

Fingers crossed, i say that as I believe they hve been told they were being paid before

I’m not denying that at all, I’m just telling what I’ve been told … do I think it will happen ? Probably not

 

[flangejackrabbit]

The site goes either side of the main road so an extension of the underpass up towards Southend Vic would solve the space problem. All those grotty businesses on the north side of Southchurch including the Cow and Telescope could be replaced by much better and stadium link commercial outlets

A hotel/conference centre could be linked directly to Victoria shopping centre and the station. Would be massive boost for that section of town.

I do see the odd band at the Cow and telescope but I would certainly use the 'City' centre more if you could drink in your own supporters bar and see local bands. Many of those living in places like Rayleigh, Benfleet or Hockey would jump on the train for a Friday night out if it was SUFC related......Far less would do that at the current Shrimpers bar even if it was revamped......As for Benfleet to FF.....NO chance.

Still only about 150m wide across the site from road border to road border even doing those things, very very tight