Transfer News and Gossip Transfer Rumours Thread 2024/25 - Time to Cook 👨‍🍳

[annie1954]

Discussing the clear need for new signings on a thread about transfers or making positive suggestions about communication isn’t finding fault.

Everyone is grateful for what COSU have done and are doing. But that doesn’t mean we need to fill every thread with ‘who cares we’re lucky to have a club’ style comments every time a comment is made that isn’t 100% positive.

Sorry to say I care and we are Very! Very ! Very ! Lucky to have a club. Our Club Southend United

 

[RHB]

Seems to me that on a fans football board all opinions and arguments are valid as long as they stay within SZ rules and stay on topic. Some will be leaning one way and some the other.

 

[damien]

COSU just want the land to build property that’s why we have no budget.

Rees out, there must be a willing buyer out there somewhere

 

[Exiled Shrimper]

It’s pretty clear they don’t have a proper communications strategy in place.

I think it’s commendable that they’re not doing this for their egos and it was perhaps telling that they would only appear on stage en masse but this is something they can improve fairly easily.

I think there would be several ways of improving communications. Here’s my manifesto of 11 ways to improve communication:

1. Interview with Justin on the club socials on the clubs future. These could be split into clips and staggered over the next month or one long interview (this could be used to boost sign up to the App/Blues Player or NLTV whatever that is called)
2. More on the website/social media about individual projects. Treat things like the new scoreboard how you would a new signing - have little teaser clips, show progress etc (even under Ron we’d get clips about how the new pitch was going, tour of the new training ground). Do behind the scenes videos of the training ground work or the scoreboard operating room. Your audience is craving content. Every project you embark on to improve things think how you can make content out of it
3. Interviews with national media. The fanbase always gets fired up to see us reported nationally. It makes us feel relevant to see it reported in a national newspaper. Make sure you do it once in a while.
4. consortium members sitting individually for in-depth interviews with Chris Phillips. The way the Echo operates now these will be split into two hundred stories anyway but they will help build a narrative of how things are changing/will change for the better. With 10 members you could interview one member each month and make it last nearly a year
5. The Cliffs Part 2. Don’t rely on just this but maybe announce it for several months’ time to let people arrange to attend and so that they know communication will be coming.
6. Email to season card holders. A thank you for your support and this is what we’re working to do for you would go down really well.
7. Put someone forward for a Q&A with the Trust. Show you value the supporter’s group.
8. Hold a press conference - I still don’t understand why there wasn’t one when the deal completed. Get the BBC and ITV local news along. There’s a portion of the fanbase (and potential fanbase) who don’t read the Echo and aren’t online but who watch the local news. The takeover announcement should have been Justin at the end of the pier with a scarf on eating a Rossi’s ice cream.
9. The women’s team. What’s the plan with them? Can we include them on the website at least?
10. The youths - Aidan Shehu moved to Hull. Massive move for him. Let’s celebrate that and show how Southend is a stepping stone to the Championship, how we improve young players. There was something on the Academy twitter page but that was about it.
11. Have someone appear once a month on BBC Essex. Make it a regular thing.

Other than the Cliffs one these seem relatively easy fixes to me?

Aidon Shehu's move to Hull City will be featured in the Daggers matchday programme.

 

[Thundersley Blue]

I know some people dont like the limelight etc, but I'm also AMAZED Justin wasnt introduced pre-match vs York. Imagine the reception he would have got - just to lift everyone and say thanks etc, not for his ego.

All we got was one of the COSU members reluctantly having a mic thrust at him unprepared.

Its definitely all felt a bit odd, when we were promised a bit of a wind of change.

I can understand those thoughts, but I would imagine they didn't want to interfere with pre match preparations. No right answer on this one.

 

[Jay_SUFC]

Sorry to say I care and we are Very! Very ! Very ! Lucky to have a club. Our Club Southend United

but not everyone is going to see it like this - we need to attract and keep new fans. If we are playing poorly and struggling in this league, it will not achieve that.

So, yes it's great we still have a club, but to be sustainable, we also need people through the door - not an easy balancing act :) However we shouldn't be moaning at those that are concerned by the lack of signings.

 

[Danshrimper]

Sorry to say I care and we are Very! Very ! Very ! Lucky to have a club. Our Club Southend United

Yes we are, but that doesn’t mean all other discussion must be stopped indefinitely.

COSU are doing a great job so far. But there is still a lot of work to be done off the pitch. And a little bit still to be done on the pitch in terms of transfers. There is nothing wrong with talking about that.

 

[tommy tucker]

What is wrong with some They want things to change like tomorrow. If you think that's going to happen your supporting the wrong club.We put up with years of problems on and off the field The new owners will get things right They may get a few things wrong But given time they will turn our club around

 

[JD]

The club are very aware, as Rhys E stated in a recent interview, that match day experience is key to success.

Match day experience =

1) Stadium facilities - they have to be safe of course BUT good enough for people to be comfortable (clean, decent food and beverages) and want to return

+ more importantly…

2) On the pitch performance. This has to come first because without performances on the pitch it doesn’t matter how good your facilities are the big attendances that we all want to see just won’t happen…

 

[Mr Browns Ghost]

Totally agree. If anything, I’m actually enjoying being able to discuss needing new signings, suggesting names and discussing the types of players we need after being under an embargo for so bloody long!

The best thing for me is , use this board to let off your steam and concerns keep the stands for 100% positivity .. you only need to look at kiddie of flyde away last year Hartlepool last week … everyone I spoke to their for instance is slightly baffled as to why we are struggling to make the signings we need but the support from start to finish was incredible ..

 

[Mr Browns Ghost]

What is wrong with some They want things to change like tomorrow. If you think that's going to happen your supporting the wrong club.We put up with years of problems on and off the field The new owners will get things right They may get a few things wrong But given time they will turn our club around

Bloody hell you’ve changed since 10 weeks ago … you were posting like a schizophrenic now you claim to be the voice of reason !!

 

[Gridelet's contact lens]

The club are very aware, as Rhys E stated in a recent interview, that match day experience is key to success.

Match day experience =

1) Stadium facilities - they have to be safe of course BUT good enough for people to be comfortable (clean, decent food and beverages) and want to return

+ more importantly…

2) On the pitch performance. This has to come first because without performances on the pitch it doesn’t matter how good your facilities are the big attendances that we all want to see just won’t happen…

I would say they are equally important. Old friends of mine, live in Sussex, rubgy and cricket mad fans and when Brighton moved to the Amex, they were attracted by the match day and stadium experience, and they were really not that interested in the Albion. They are now.

 

[SouthendSpence]

What is wrong with some They want things to change like tomorrow. If you think that's going to happen your supporting the wrong club.We put up with years of problems on and off the field The new owners will get things right They may get a few things wrong But given time they will turn our club around

Top post

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

COSU just want the land to build property that’s why we have no budget.

Rees out, there must be a willing buyer out there somewhere

Too soon

 

[bluesfansince1952]

They can communicate all they like but it still won’t stop some of the utter garbage on here. Instant success costs money and is not guaranteed. We don’t have much money. Enough to stabilise matters, perform essential repairs and look at developing revenue streams. Some great work already being done in respect of the latter. Soon there’ll be sponsorship for Kev’s jockstrap.

Does it really have to be communicated that the removal of Ron from the club did not mean the introduction of what might be called the 'Wrexham Strategy'?

Two draws and a semi meltdown on SZ. We might have easily won both games against two solid opponents both of whom, like us, remain unbeaten. Weird? Maybe I am too much of an optimist.

There are not too many easy games in the NL and away to Hartlepool and home to York hardly fit that label.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Does it really have to be communicated that the removal of Ron from the club did not mean the introduction of what might be called the 'Wrexham Strategy'?

Two draws and a semi meltdown on SZ. We might have easily won both games against two solid opponents both of whom, like us, remain unbeaten. Weird? Maybe I am too much of an optimist.

There are not too many easy games in the NL and away to Hartlepool and home to York hardly fit that label.

I must be going mad, because I'm sure I read this post hours ago?

 

[Blue Yonder]

We have a competitive squad and I have some patience but.... when you go to a game with 8,000 fans, half of who are wearing the new shirt and you can't move at HT for people queuing at a catering outlet and you think of the three seasons spent going to places like Dorking, Oxford, Maidenhead and this season Braintree, when away support consistently outnumbers home, the idea of another season after this at this level grates a bit.

 

[RHB]

Can we stick to transfer talk on this thread pretty please. Want to talk about other stuff? start a new thread.

 

[Voice of Reason]

Bloody hell you’ve changed since 10 weeks ago … you were posting like a schizophrenic now you claim to be the voice of reason !!

There is only one voice of Reason

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

I must be going mad, because I'm sure I read this post hours ago?

Me too! Although I know I am mad, as apparently wanting to operate on a squad of more than 18 players with a couple of more attack minded midfielders, and being slightly concerned at the lack of activity , and not actually just being grateful for having a club to support makes me bonkers.