Question The Acceptance of Mediocrity

[Leigh_Seasider]

I would accept a slow methodical build up if it was one guy who own us, and we were struggling to get 1500 fans to watch. We have 7000+ fans, highest in this and nearly the league above, we have 10+ successful owners so I just thought we would have a more go get them approach.
JR told us in the spread that the reason for the multiple owners was to spread the risk, if one month one was having a difficult time the others would step up.
I'm really pleased we have been saved, but we are a great club, huge potential, we must have more of a belief!

I'm seeing it, I'm seeing more done to address things than I have in a long long time. Personally I'm sick of a ground more suited to the 1980's. We need a decent training ground. We need to keep local suppliers happy and rebuild relationships. We need to improve communication. I'm personally not about to lose my patience because we're not top of the NL after what, 6 months of new ownership? I've said this to others, even if we went out and spent fortunes on so called 'better' players that's NO guarantee of promotion. Likewise sacking Maher and getting someone else in. Let's at least give them more than 6 months? Even Guardiola is showing at the moment he's only human and there's no guarantees in football even if you have billionaires running the club and a goalscoring machine up top.

 

[Supershrimper]

It sounds like you're grappling with the balance between realistic expectations and the passion we all have for the sport. Being a fan can be challenging, especially when financial constraints dictate the club's strategy and approach. COSU's pragmatic decisions might make sense from a financial perspective, but as fans, our hearts yearn for more thrilling and competitive performances on the pitch.

For some context the below are the number of seasons we have spent within each league and it shows that we are seem to yoyo between what is League 1 and League 2

League	Number of Seasons
Southern League Second Division	1
Southern League First Division	4
Football League Third Division (South)	38
Football League Fourth Division	17
Football League Third Division	7
Football League Second Division	15
Football League First Division (Championship)	1
Football League One	14
Football League Two	22
National League	3 (ongoing)

 

[bluethroughandthrough]

It's an interesting question because a lot depends on what you think is mediocrity.

Id be ok if we are playing great attacking football, entertaining and learning from our mistakes and perhaps still miss out on success.

What I'm not ok with is boring dull football and repeating the same mistakes and then hoping more players will improve the situation.

 

[Kris]

I wouldn't say I am accepting mediocrity as such but I'm very much in reboot mode as a fan. Like some others, I'm still delighted we actually have a club. I can log in here without seeing endless threads about court appearances, tax, water supplies cut off and effing umbongos.

The reboot should have been completed before this season but it was a non-mover at 95% for months not weeks. It's all about next season now. KM will FINALLY be on level terms with every other club in pre-season. He's not beyond criticism but I will wait until next season to judge him more authentically. Then we can hopefully return to the so-called paradise known as League 2.

 

[GNH]

I liken it to the 'chicken & egg' syndrome, what comes first, success on the pitch or a financially stable business?. There needs to be a delicate balance between the two, & good luck to the consortium on achieving that!.
Without doubt imo, neither option is going to be a quick fix?.

I think this is an easy one to answer, success on the pitch has to come first. Without that financial stability is not possible , you need to be in the EFL for that.

 

[Fairport]

Being in this league really is mediocrity for a club of our size.
I have a feeling that this could continue for a number of seasons unless COSU decide to loosen the purse strings.
The self sustainable policy means that the club survives which is great but success will be hard to achieve.
Wolves have a policy of self sustainability with incoming transfer fees being larger than expenditure on signing of new players. They have sold star players and signed younger players who they hope will come good and sell on. The reality is found in their current league position.
To get on the field success in this modern era it looks pretty obvious that you have to spend. COSU may well have to be prepared to change their current policy otherwise mediocrity will be the order of the day.

 

[Holy Joe]

I think this is an easy one to answer, success on the pitch has to come first. Without that financial stability is not possible , you need to be in the EFL for that.

We need to remove the myth of EFL being the route to financial stability - unless anyone can provide any evidence.

I suspect theres just as many teams running at a loss in the EFL as the NL. And there are some financially stable teams in the NL - even some with less attendances.

 

[Rob1920]

I think we're on a well trodden path. We won't be the first 'big' team from the EFL to drop in the NL and end up spending far more seasons here than we ever expected. Wrexham, Notts County, Oxford, Cambridge, Chesterfield and plenty more. The last 15 or so years of this league tell us unless you either A) throw money at it, or B) get lucky with a bunch of players who just click, you're likely to be down here for a good 5 to 10 seasons, or more in Wrexham's case. I'm as impatient as anyone but lets face it this time last year we'd have been more than happy to be where we are now as a club; safe, stable, mid-table with no major dramas. We've now gone through the painful reset, but as fans we won't stay happy for long with being mid-table. I can't see us making the play-offs this season, but I think if we're not at least in the play-off places by this time next season the natives are going to start getting very restless. The goodwill will only last so long..

 

[Napster]

I wouldn't say I am accepting mediocrity as such but I'm very much in reboot mode as a fan. Like some others, I'm still delighted we actually have a club. I can log in here without seeing endless threads about court appearances, tax, water supplies cut off and effing umbongos.

The reboot should have been completed before this season but it was a non-mover at 95% for months not weeks. It's all about next season now. KM will FINALLY be on level terms with every other club in pre-season. He's not beyond criticism but I will wait until next season to judge him more authentically. Then we can hopefully return to the so-called paradise known as League 2.

Is it a reboot, or a requel?

 

[GNH]

We need to remove the myth of EFL being the route to financial stability - unless anyone can provide any evidence.

I suspect theres just as many teams running at a loss in the EFL as the NL. And there are some financially stable teams in the NL - even some with less attendances.

Apart from the documented additional revenue that being in the EFL brings you mean? Stand to be corrected but I think it was circa £1m per year.

Of course there are teams running at a loss in the EFL, we were one of the worst culprits, but that's because of the way we were run by the . With COSU now in place you can reliably infer, that with that additional income stream, combined with the other in development revenue streams, and the apparent financial prowess of the new board, that will translate into sustainability.

I also think you'll find that any team that is stable in the NL is down to the obvious shortfalls in revenue being funded by the owner. We are in that phase now

 

[Barry.C]

Interesting that despite early moves by COSU, Jason more or less confirmed we are still running at an annual loss of £2m ! Thats a lot to get to grips with. A few better beers and onions wont do the trick too quickly. Still probably paying off the larger debtors monthly as well,. ? to keep the wolf from the door

 

[Liam AAS]

We need to remove the myth of EFL being the route to financial stability - unless anyone can provide any evidence.

I suspect theres just as many teams running at a loss in the EFL as the NL. And there are some financially stable teams in the NL - even some with less attendances.

EFL provides bigger revenues. They recently signed a TV deal with sky and bigger away attendances mean more cash through. There's also more trickle down £ from the prem and academy support.

There is no one silver bullet but it would really help.

 

[Firestorm]

Happy to accept Mediocrity ? - Not happy but just about accepting it

Understanding why we will be mediocre , fully

Until the debt is clear and the running costs are reduced / income increased so that we are in a position to actually have some actual profit to use to improve they playing side of things mediocrity / scrapping along but existing is all we are going to get .
As time passes the attendances will reduce , the income will reduce and the target of full sustainably will drag on like Rons new stadium did .

 

[Southend Elvis]

I'm seeing it, I'm seeing more done to address things than I have in a long long time. Personally I'm sick of a ground more suited to the 1980's. We need a decent training ground. We need to keep local suppliers happy and rebuild relationships. We need to improve communication. I'm personally not about to lose my patience because we're not top of the NL after what, 6 months of new ownership? I've said this to others, even if we went out and spent fortunes on so called 'better' players that's NO guarantee of promotion. Likewise sacking Maher and getting someone else in. Let's at least give them more than 6 months? Even Guardiola is showing at the moment he's only human and there's no guarantees in football even if you have billionaires running the club and a goalscoring machine up top.

Personally, I don't care about the stadium or the onions, I care about our team. The fact that 7000 + turn up every other week must mean that they don't much care about where they sit, they want to see the blues.
I have faith in COSU getting it right, but I would like to see a bit more on the pitch now, or at least to see them try a bit more, change their priorities.
We are a great club, with very loyal supporters, it should be a privilege to own Southend United. Everything is in place to move forward, I would love to start the push now, not react to dwindling crowds by making signings.

 

[sufc4life21]

We need to remove the myth of EFL being the route to financial stability - unless anyone can provide any evidence.

I suspect theres just as many teams running at a loss in the EFL as the NL. And there are some financially stable teams in the NL - even some with less attendances.

How do you reduce 2 million loss a year being in a league which generates practically nothing? The only way we keep a float in this league is the owners keep putting money in. EFL provides way more revenue streams to clubs, not just the tv deal but also funds for youth academy's which enables clubs to produce future stars to sell on for decent profit and potential sell on clauses further down the line. COSU sustainability plan won't work in this league in the medium to long term.

 

[blues exile]

What is needed is to put all this meaningless business jargon about sustainability, increased revenue streams and the like aside and prioritise getting out of the NL. If that means a new management team, a different recruitment model or increasing the debt, then whatever it takes. The EFL is no promised land, we all know that, biut it would be a huge step up in our fortunes. To linger for years in the NL just means a slow, painful but inevitable death eventually.. A glorified park team is 'sustainable' in this league with their low overheads and not a mountain of debt but not for us. The example of Southport, once of the EFL and after years out of it still struggling in the lower reaches, should be a salutary reminder how easy it was to slip out of the old Div 4 but how hard to get back in.

 

[BoyWonder2]

What is needed is to put all this meaningless business jargon about sustainability, increased revenue streams and the like aside and prioritise getting out of the NL. If that means a new management team, a different recruitment model or increasing the debt, then whatever it takes. The EFL is no promised land, we all know that, biut it would be a huge step up in our fortunes. To linger for years in the NL just means a slow, painful but inevitable death eventually.. A glorified park team is 'sustainable' in this league with their low overheads and not a mountain of debt but not for us. The example of Southport, once of the EFL and after years out of it still struggling in the lower reaches, should be a salutary reminder how easy it was to slip out of the old Div 4 but how hard to get back in.

Why would you run the risk of putting us out of business when you aren’t even chasing the “promised land”? Are you actually RM?

 

[Southend Elvis]

Why would you run the risk of putting us out of business when you aren’t even chasing the “promised land”? Are you actually RM?

Staying in this league runs the risk of us going bust. A business with a bad product is a bad business.

 

[Thundersley Blue]

Interesting that despite early moves by COSU, Jason more or less confirmed we are still running at an annual loss of £2m ! Thats a lot to get to grips with. A few better beers and onions wont do the trick too quickly. Still probably paying off the larger debtors monthly as well,. ? to keep the wolf from the door

Plus the considerable of work they have already done. We nearly have a proper Training Ground complete with facilities, that after fitting out will not have come cheaply. The facility will help in attracting the right players and also deliver better conditions for our current squad.The floodlights are going to be changed . That will not come cheap initially, but in the longer term will cut our energy bill.

The loss so far is substantial, but at least the Club have something to show for the money spent. Justin in a recent interview said quite clearly the Club has to have EFL facilities and structure and not just a few players capable of playing at a higher level.

I still really can't understand why this thread was started in the first place.

 

[Holy Joe]

EFL provides bigger revenues. They recently signed a TV deal with sky and bigger away attendances mean more cash through. There's also more trickle down £ from the prem and academy support.

There is no one silver bullet but it would really help.

100% agree revenues increase - but that's not financial stability - we've been there it wasn't stable! Most of the clubs in the EFL aren't financially stable.

The best route is what Ron identified - increasing non football (first team) revenue/profits. That's how clubs in the NL that are financially stable do it. That takes time.