When will the takeover go through? The Waiting Game...

[TheSouthendUnitedRunner]

There is absolutely no denying that we are at a disadvantage compared to every other side in this league. Obviously I don’t know the full ins and outs at other clubs, so I’m happy to be corrected if that’s not the case.

We started the summer under a transfer embargo, and as a result, lost out on numerous targets. I can give you a list of some of them, but most have been mentioned.

Our training ground really isn’t fit for purpose. We have got the right infrastructure at the training ground to make full use of it. The gym is hand me down bits and bobs, the pitches are a disgrace, they aren’t properly maintained and so on.

We’ve lost a key member of the coaching team in David Martin, who we want to replace, but so far we haven’t. Whether that’s a case of not finding the right person, budgetary constraints, or a combination of the two, I’m not sure.

Our physio department, and this isn’t me just slagging off JG again, isn’t fit for purpose. Forgetting JG, we don’t have the back up to him, the right people in the right places. I believe Stef Russo is still S&C, and he is excellent by the way, but we don’t have a proper department there.

Kev is frustrated, frustrated at this takeover and the length of time it’s taking, frustrated about not being able to get in the players he wants at the moment, frustrated about the training ground, just generally frustrated at the moment, like we all are.

The deal is progressing, but obviously hasn’t been signed, sealed and delivered. That’s frustrating people both in and out of the club.

Once it’s official, I imagine there will be a whole wrath of changes, money being spent to improve areas and so forth.

We are in a much better position than last summer, however we aren’t sipping on champagne. It will come, and the sooner it comes the better.

 

[Maidstone Shrimper]

KM says they are three or four players light and behind the scenes they are light as well. Despite having signed two players he implies that the deal needs to be done for him to be able to progress further. That is clearly putting us at a disadvantage.

 

[Cricko]

There is absolutely no denying that we are at a disadvantage compared to every other side in this league. Obviously I don’t know the full ins and outs at other clubs, so I’m happy to be corrected if that’s not the case.

We started the summer under a transfer embargo, and as a result, lost out on numerous targets. I can give you a list of some of them, but most have been mentioned.

Our training ground really isn’t fit for purpose. We have got the right infrastructure at the training ground to make full use of it. The gym is hand me down bits and bobs, the pitches are a disgrace, they aren’t properly maintained and so on.

We’ve lost a key member of the coaching team in David Martin, who we want to replace, but so far we haven’t. Whether that’s a case of not finding the right person, budgetary constraints, or a combination of the two, I’m not sure.

Our physio department, and this isn’t me just slagging off JG again, isn’t fit for purpose. Forgetting JG, we don’t have the back up to him, the right people in the right places. I believe Stef Russo is still S&C, and he is excellent by the way, but we don’t have a proper department there.

Kev is frustrated, frustrated at this takeover and the length of time it’s taking, frustrated about not being able to get in the players he wants at the moment, frustrated about the training ground, just generally frustrated at the moment, like we all are.

The deal is progressing, but obviously hasn’t been signed, sealed and delivered. That’s frustrating people both in and out of the club.

Once it’s official, I imagine there will be a whole wrath of changes, money being spent to improve areas and so forth.

We are in a much better position than last summer, however we aren’t sipping on champagne. It will come, and the sooner it comes the better.

This and COSU (From the Horses/Kangaroo's mouth) i am told will not be making a statement until everything is signed sealed and delivered as there have been to many false dawns before.

 

[Jai]

This and COSU (From the Horses/Kangaroo's mouth) i am told will not be making a statement until everything is signed sealed and delivered as there have been to many false dawns before.

As frustrating as it is, this is completely the correct approach.

 

[Blue Yonder]

As frustrating as it is, this is completely the correct approach.

Why ? You don’t have to commit to a date but a ‘things are on track and we remain confident of getting this over the line’ from an involved party wouldn’t go amiss.

 

[danbowen]

Dan, COSU have been paying the bills for over a year month in month out, they have paid fines, paid out monies owed and wages to staff (not their staff) signing a player/players is just a transition in football, your answer pretty much sums up my whole post.. so thank you.. Nothing is as clear as the muddy water we are looking through right now Dan, I am sure an official statement or two would help to pacify you/us wouldn't you think? I know its a different scenario, but who remembers when we signed to players before under Sol Campbell, do you remember the outcome of that Dan?

Signing a player wasn’t a possibility only two weeks ago for 2 reasons. 1 the court WUP and 2 because we needed to post a bond. It’s been confirmed we haven’t paid a bond and it has been confirmed that our takeover was with the lawyers being finalised hence the NL dropping this requirement. What is an official statement going to do? The same as every other one saying we are working towards the finalisation of the deal which has been the same for months. What does that change for you? We know the deal is going through the very final stages now so everyone just needs to chill a bit and get ready to enjoy the season. Your example re Campbell is entirely different as the reason we couldn’t register them is because we was under an embargo which we no longer are now.

 

[Uncle_Rons_Teapot]

Rate this is going I can see no season tickets, match day tickets, kit launch etc before August 10th which really is pathetic for a club in desperate need of every penny.

 

[Jai]

Why ? You don’t have to commit to a date but a ‘things are on track and we remain confident of getting this over the line’ from an involved party wouldn’t go amiss.

Partly because the football side of things is now operating as close to normal as Southend United gets, but mainly because COSU don't own the club yet, and one of the parties involved in a complex deal coming out and speaking out of turn may complicate things in a worst case scenario.

I'm as desperate for an update as anyone else but I'd rather everyone just stayed quiet and focused on working to get it done rather than waste time on comms at this stage.

 

[danbowen]

The fact is we are in a better position than this time last season. To name a few things:

We have a bigger squad.
We can add to the squad.
We aren’t at risk of getting a point deduction.
The take over is being finalised.

Are there things that can be improved? Of course there are and no one disputes that. I am sure they will be improved as quickly as they can when COSU come in. However they have already plunged shed loads of money in to something they don’t even own so we can’t moan about them taking time to get the right deal completed when they have got us through everything they have. If the deal takes another 2 weeks to go through who cares. We have a club to support, we don’t have a transfer window we will miss out on and we already have a great playing and management team. Sure we have missed out on targets but we are alive and we should all be over the moon at that and what we have to look forward to. If COSU have done all of this for us when they don’t own us they are gonna be the best owners we could ever wish for.

My point is we need to stop moaning that it isn’t done and there isn’t a statement and people need to look at the positive signs instead which are clear to see and there is bright light at the end of the tunnel now

 

[E for B and Billy Best]

Sorry Dan, I think this there lies the problem, there hasn't been any reliable information at all as far as I can see? groups of passionate and partisan fans have made comments pointing us all in the right direction, family and friends of some of the consortium have dropped hints on the this board, and several members of the trust have dropped some very grey cryptic messages of time frames on here. However they are NOT credible and official information. they are just fans like us, who I assume pick up 'odds and sods' of info and with the best of intention try to appease others by trying to post moral boosting unratified bits of information. As appreciated as it is, its certainly not official slightly reliable (however that's questionable) and sometimes off the mark! I revert back to my previous message in and around how I believe an honest summary and update from one of the few Official parties or groups should be the least that can be achieved. We are less than one month away from another Martin wrecked season of football, and still we know very little of even the very basics. I can help with an agenda if you would like? No Kit No Season Tickets No idea of what's been agreed (if decoupling from RH, when do we own RH, as it the ownership would all be built around the FF development, how many years of the current (if at all) strategy will be in place, (hiring RH from King RAT) What about all the other creditors, Will Roots Hall be fit and ready for our first game in 25 days time, will the training ground be ready this season when will water and other services be installed at the new training facility, when and how will we sign 4 players (or so as kev suggested) intime to have a full and good Pre Season with us, as to hit the ground running come the 10th etc etc etc... scratch the surface chaps and we are sailing blind folded into an Iceberg as we speak, of course if that isn't the case, how hard would it be to pen a few official words to convince us otherwise ! I apologies if I have offended by not following the narrative of the masses, i'm just slightly confused by the ongoing silence, without any official word or comment from any of the main parties involved. RFN Ian

Spot on.

 

[Hawkwell Blue]

Rate this is going I can see no season tickets, match day tickets, kit launch etc before August 10th which really is pathetic for a club in desperate need of every penny.

I agree it would be “pathetic” if none of that happened before August 10th.

It’s July 15th today.

 

[rigsby]

Why ? You don’t have to commit to a date but a ‘things are on track and we remain confident of getting this over the line’ from an involved party wouldn’t go amiss.

Thats been their stance since day one. They have backed that up with millions in funding and new players arriving. If anyone can't see that's fair dinkum then there a drongo

 

[Shrimper]

I agree it would be “pathetic” if none of that happened before August 10th.

It’s July 15th today.

Given in the past we seemed to have trouble with ST despite them being sold much earlier I suspect we'll see the same again

 

[GNH]

King Kev is, quite rightly, concerned by the lack of progress in getting the takeover complete. That should be a worry for us all.

We had the season from hell last season, and during that time he just batted away any suggestion that he was fed up and didn't moan about it once, he jut got on with it and put on a brave face.

This is the first time, IIRC, that he has made some sort of public reference to our current situation holding him and the team back. Yes it was just the internal interview after a win over a pub team, but it's still a shift in strategy from him.

Perhaps it's just a little reminder to all involved to hurry up, perhaps it's more than that.

I just hope it is finalised in the next day or two before it really starts to impact things as we approach the start of the new season.

 

[Cricko]

King Kev is, quite rightly, concerned by the lack of progress in getting the takeover complete. That should be a worry for us all.

We had the season from hell last season, and during that time he just batted away any suggestion that he was fed up and didn't moan about it once, he jut got on with it and put on a brave face.

This is the first time, IIRC, that he has made some sort of public reference to our current situation holding him and the team back. Yes it was just the internal interview after a win over a pub team, but it's still a shift in strategy from him.

Perhaps it's just a little reminder to all involved to hurry up, perhaps it's more than that.

I just hope it is finalised in the next day or two before it really starts to impact things as we approach the start of the new season.

Kev can moan all he likes, i doubt for 1 second COSU are happy with the progress when they have already chipped in with 3 mill whilst owning nothing, but have already let him sign two players. We did not end up with a bad season last year after all the fiasco's. For sure we went through some troubled times but we did finish just outside the play-offs, which is remarkable considering and we have Kev, his staff, the clubs staff and the team to thank for that

There is near on a Million waiting to come into the club on season tickets alone and COSU are itching to get control, but things need to be water tight legally, especially when dealing with the rat family.

With all due respect to Kev is it not his money on the line , like the rest of us patience is what is needed and i think he just vented the same frustration we all feel.

There is only 1 family that have delayed this whole procedure purely for greed.

 

[Mbof]

Dejavu

Is that another new signing?

 

[Jmayhew32]

Is that another new signing?

I swear I've seen him play before?

 

[euroshrimper]

I’m as frustrated as anyone about the delay but none of us are on the hook for millions based on a deal with the Martins and so maybe we have to wait until they get the details right to protect their personal wealth.

I think you are spot on with your assessment, they will have one opportunity from a legal point of view to cover every eventuality to protect themselves and us fans so we never have to go through this ever again so in my view although frustrating I think it will be worth the wait........

 

[Shrimper]

Kev can moan all he likes, i doubt for 1 second COSU are happy with the progress when they have already chipped in with 3 mill whilst owning nothing, but have already let him sign two players. We did not end up with a bad season last year after all the fiasco's. For sure we went through some troubled times but we did finish just outside the play-offs, which is remarkable considering and we have Kev, his staff, the clubs staff and the team to thank for that

There is near on a Million waiting to come into the club on season tickets alone and COSU are itching to get control, but things need to be water tight legally, especially when dealing with the rat family.

With all due respect to Kev is it not his money on the line , like the rest of us patience is what is needed and i think he just vented the same frustration we all feel.

Will be looking at £1.5m alone on season tickets I reckon

 

[Holy Joe]

With all due respect to Kev is it not his money on the line , like the rest of us patience is what is needed and i think he just vented the same frustration we all feel.

Kev might have more on the line than all of the consortium members. I'd hope none of the consortium members are risking their financial security on the takeover, only investing an amount they can afford to lose.

In contrast this is Kev's livelihood, his whole future earnings potential could rest on his teams performance over the next 12 to 24 months - success and he may get a chance to manage higher up in the leagues with a greater financial reward - failure and a life of coaching reserves/kids beckons. So I reckon Kev has got far more at stake on the successful outcome of the takeover.