Breaking News SZ & Trust meeting with RM Tuesday.

[Beverly Hills Cop Blue]

My implication that it was dissapointing Ron didn't reveal the "exciting news" in terms of really going forward came as he implied himself that there was "exciting mews" and that the "ine of sight" and "this was becoming clearer" was clearly seen in what he said last week. Dissapointment again Ron, eh.

 

[blue scorpion]

Come on Kenneth.
You surely believe it is entirely coincidental that these figures are the same otherwise it would appear that you are doubting our intrepid chairmans integrity and I am certain that was not your intention.

 

[Jam_Man]

Thanks to McNasty and Paul for going along. The answers given will not appease everyone, or probably anyone, but at least we have raised questions and got some answers.

The embargo answer just makes no sense whatsoever, if we can pay it off anytime we want then just pay it. Regarding loans to Christmas I believe anyone signed now will last until January so thats not the reason.

Regarding the finances, 75k is around where we thought, its hard to see how losses will be reduced when our attendances are so far below break even, but we will see. I would have liked to know whether the parent company are able to continue to cover these losses, but doubt we would have got much of an answer there.

Disappointing he doesnt sound confident of any imminent stadium progress though.

As for putting in 200k recently I hear that Sainsbury gave us some more money recently for a part of the land at Roots Hall, I wonder if that is where the 200k came from.

It's funny how Ron uses other clubs as a benchmark for our failings in cashflow, (everyone does it) but in building the new stadium, he doesn't mention the numerous clubs that have started and completed their own new stadium projects, since our new stadium project has been in production. We seem to be the only club to have encountered difficulties and suffered from the economy, whilst we conveniently ignore the fact that multiple new stadiums seem to be popping up, up and down the country, many to clubs with smaller income than our own, quite bizarre that so many clubs achieve this considering we all suffer the same cash flow problems. #Ronspin.

When accusing Ron of spin try not to spin your own post :smile:. There have been stadiums created but hardly sprouting like Daffodils and the clubs that have built them, eg Brighton arent the clubs struggling and have wealthier owners, which is the reason why we have faltered.

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

Edited for accuracy.

I think that's pretty accurate!

 

[Jam_Man]

I wonder if the £200,000 was anything to do with Kane's transfer to P'boro. I am sure RM said that he had put the money in.

Well if it was then he may have borrowed 200k on the basis we are owed 200k.

Him putting the money in doesnt mean he took it out from his own mattress :smile:

 

[Cricko]

"I asked about a break-even crowd figure but RM said that he didn't have a figure but it would significantly higher than the 6500 figure from a few years ago".

So apart from about 10 teams from League 1 and 2, how do the other 30 odd teams manage to survive with lesser gates than us?

Well done Ken and Paul for taking your time to meet up with RM but TBH I don't see anything new in his replies at all.

 

[TrueBlue]

Paul Fitzgerald (Chairman of the Shrimpers Trust) and I met with Ron Martin and Steve Kavanagh tonight and had an interesting chat with introductions out of the way it was down to business.

The club want to engage with fans to obviously encourage higher attendances to increase income and to provide information to the supporters. I explained that many fans felt frustrated with delays, talk of embargoes and the general ignoring of fans with total lack of information.

I explained to RM and SK that the Zone is a platform for fans' opinions, good and bad and we try to use censorship as little as possible hence some threads may not be to the club's liking but as we receive very limited official information our members post their feelings sometimes in a way that would be better if the club had better communication streams.

Paul Fitz outlined the Trust's help regarding the Youth set-up to SK who has only been in his job for 5 days but wishes to liaise with both the Zone and the Trust on a very regular basis starting with further meetings as soon as possible ---- starting a Fan's Forum initially with us and possible expanding with other fans as time goes on.

I asked about an embargo and RM stated that PS had yet to identify and players to bring in on loan and as soon as he does the payments will be made so we can sign players. It seems to me that the Chairman is using the old businessman's theory of getting monies in as soon as possible and paying out when absolutely necessary ---- a necessary action when the cashflow problems are quite serious.

RM said cashflow is a problem for most clubs -- something that can't really be argued with and to that end our monthly losses are currently at £75,000 a month and RM injected £200,000 recently to pay wages and the absolutely important bills and he said the money would be available to pay the Inland Revenue when due. I asked about the High Court Judge stating the club would be wound up if we appeared there again to which RM stated that he felt that that action wouldn't happen. He has more faith in the judicial system than I have.

RM said that the annual losses , he hoped, would be nearer £500,000 this time next year compared to the £900.000 currently.

I asked about a break-even crowd figure but RM said that he didn't have a figure but it would significantly higher than the 6500 figure from a few years ago.

With regard to FF he said he had a hotel chain interested in occupying the premises but felt a casino would not provide a large enough rental income. He did say that things were progressing with regard to FF but such a large development tying in the proposals for RH are hopefully heading to nearer contractual completion and when the revised plans are passed by the Council it shouldn't be too long after all the necessary legal parts are completed work will begin but , he couldn't give a date as quite a lot of things need to fall in place. I asked if Sainsburys had given him a time limit and he said that they were fully on-board for the developments and the purchase of some of the remaining properties in Vic Ave was nearing completion.

I brought up the Mohsni bid from Wet Sham and RM said the initial bid was very low but with add-ons for extras like Prem appearances boosted it up and he felt their bid did not match our valuation so he asked for a higher price but WH obviously didn't want to increase their bid so never came back. RM did say with hindsight it may have been better to have accepted their initial offer. Good old hindsight.

Paul Fitz asked other questions which I am sure he will cover in his report to the Trust.

I will be e-mailing other questions from this thread to SK so he can give us RM's answers at our next meeting which SK wanted for next week but Paul Fitz cannot make it that soon so a meeting will be booked as soon as convenient for all parties.

I felt the meeting was quite productive and a first for the Zone to work in conjunction with the Trust and the club in an ongoing basis.

The meeting ended just as the match was kicking off and we won 2-0. Hoorah !

By the sounds of it a very defensive Ron Martin but we knew that - however its nice to see the Trust and SZ working together here on a united front and if thats the only thing that really comes out of it then thats worth it!

Well done lads

 

[davewebbsbrain]

I am just posting what I was told --- members can make up their own minds, as I am sure they will.

I don't think it matters what you post Ken, people won't give RM the time of day. They have tunnel vision and cannot see the full picture

 

[Firestorm]

Has anyone thought that Sturrock decided he didn't fancy Mcallister at the momemt and used the embargo as an excuse just to keep the door open a bit.
He didn't tell Belford that he didn't want him and it allowed him to come back on loan

 

[Cricko]

I don't think it matters what you post Ken, people won't give RM the time of day. They have tunnel vision and cannot see the full picture

The same can be said about those that choose to believe what Rm says..as Ken pointed out, he is just reporting what he was told, it is up the the individual to decide whether it is true or not.

 

[onceknownasrab]

I was less than warm to the prospect of the meeting last night and doubted it would be of any benefit. It would appear that we are none the wiser now than we were this time yesterday. The meeting has encouraged the RM knockers to knock harder but I would like to put a positive twist on the proceedings.

1) It was a good step forward seeing the zone and the trust working together and jointly representing a large section of the core fans. Well done chaps for that.

2) There is now the possibility/prospect of further meetings which with time may engender a good fan/RM/SK relationship in terms of communication.

3) More and more meetings give the opportunity for the fans to convey directly to RM et al their true feelings about numerous concerns.

4) If we all do our part to get behind those from the zone and trust that represent us they can project our unity and strength and show RM we are a valuable group/asset that can be very assisting. Equally we can be an unwanted adversary.

 

[Smiffy]

His words were "It's not really an embargo we need to settle some bills for a few thousand to other clubs for away ticket sales and as soon as PS identifies players the bills will be paid and we can sign them. Up until last Friday PS hadn't identified anyone". So we are under a not really embargo.

Beggars belief. It really does. It's more than a few thousand as well, isn't it Ron?!...

Why are we sitting on away ticket money? That really is terrible behaviour.

And Ron you know as well as I do, things like that lead to Embargo. So whatever way you want to spin it. We are under Embargo for various non-payment of football debts. Why not just admit it? It just makes it all worse when you continue to treat fans like idiots.

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

Has anyone thought that Sturrock decided he didn't fancy Mcallister at the momemt and used the embargo as an excuse just to keep the door open a bit.
He didn't tell Belford that he didn't want him and it allowed him to come back on loan

Problem with Mcallister is he has not played any games, would be a risk throwing him in. We need someone with some kind of match sharpness.

 

[palexander]

Has anyone thought that Sturrock decided he didn't fancy Mcallister at the momemt and used the embargo as an excuse just to keep the door open a bit.
He didn't tell Belford that he didn't want him and it allowed him to come back on loan

Oh please... McAllister is hardly got clubs swarming around him at the moment from the look of it. If PS didnt fancy him, I'm sure he would tell him straight. I very much doubt we'd come up with a weak excuse to pass on a player like that.

:nope:

 

[Beverly Hills Cop Blue]

Does the £200 000 Sainsbury's paid for a piece of the land a sign they may well end up owning it all in time?

 

[Beverly Hills Cop Blue]

Problem with Mcallister is he has not played any games, would be a risk throwing him in. We need someone with some kind of match sharpness.

Eastwood hadn't played for a first team for around two years. Hasn't done that bad.

 

[Beverly Hills Cop Blue]

I was less than warm to the prospect of the meeting last night and doubted it would be of any benefit. It would appear that we are none the wiser now than we were this time yesterday. The meeting has encouraged the RM knockers to knock harder but I would like to put a positive twist on the proceedings.

1) It was a good step forward seeing the zone and the trust working together and jointly representing a large section of the core fans. Well done chaps for that.

2) There is now the possibility/prospect of further meetings which with time may engender a good fan/RM/SK relationship in terms of communication.

3) More and more meetings give the opportunity for the fans to convey directly to RM et al their true feelings about numerous concerns.

4) If we all do our part to get behind those from the zone and trust that represent us they can project our unity and strength and show RM we are a valuable group/asset that can be very assisting. Equally we can be an unwanted adversary.

The reasons you list all come under 1. 1 full reason. Nothing said about the line of sight becoming ever clearer which was stated last week. Nothing to back it up. I see you haven't listed positives to do with stadium, cash flow, embargoes etc. Just to say Liaisons can be better between Ron and Fans which you spread over into 4 seperate reasons when it all comes under the same thing.

 

[Cricko]

Beggars belief. It really does. It's more than a few thousand as well, isn't it Ron...

Why are we sitting on away ticket money? That really is terrible behaviour.

And Ron you know as well as I do, things like that lead to Embargo. So whatever way you want to spin it. We are under Embargo for various non-payment of football debts. Why not just admit it? It just makes it all worse when you continue to treat fans like idiots.

How on earth is he allowed to treat other clubs this way...I am sure he would not like it if it were the other way around and also if we are after a loan player from one of these clubs that PS has "identified" you can imagine that clubs reaction to us.

People wonder why the clubs name gets drags through the dirt, well here is a classic example as to why.

 

[Westcliff Shrimper]

I happen to know both Ken and Paul who spoke with Ron Martin, and can safely say, that their integrity is undoubted and any report made would be as what was said.

It's good that different parts of the Southend United Fans family were represented. Such a shame we still seem to be so splintered and not speaking with one voice (no pun intended).

Ho hum...

 

[Beverly Hills Cop Blue]

And rab you were saying beforehand we will be feeling renewed positivity pretty soon. Are you as sure? You seemed to sidestep this among your list of reasons. A liitle self-spin to deflect away your positive opinions thoughts in the last week perhaps?:winking: