• Welcome to the ShrimperZone forums.
    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which only gives you limited access.

    Existing Users:.
    Please log-in using your existing username and password. If you have any problems, please see below.

    New Users:
    Join our free community now and gain access to post topics, communicate privately with other members, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and free. Click here to join.

    Fans from other clubs
    We welcome and appreciate supporters from other clubs who wish to engage in sensible discussion. Please feel free to join as above but understand that this is a moderated site and those who cannot play nicely will be quickly removed.

    Assistance Required
    For help with the registration process or accessing your account, please send a note using the Contact us link in the footer, please include your account name. We can then provide you with a new password and verification to get you on the site.

To be fair, the football is pretty decent at the moment. Yeah, Sturrock was grinding out results, but with the long ball being played up to Dickinson etc, it was painful to watch. This side tries to play on the floor and it's great seeing youngsters like Bentley, Payne etc getting a chance in the first team.

The club drives me crazy. Saying that, i've never known it without it's problems and dramas. I'll always go and support the blue boys and the kids do too, now. They particularly like the away games, where we have a day out visiting new grounds and new towns. It frustrates the hell out of us, but that's Southend United !!! UTB
 
Certainly not enjoying it very much anymore and am choosing to work a lot of Saturdays. 8 wins in the last 28 home games probably isn't helping but the general feeling that we're dying a slow death under Ron means there is literally no way to be optimistic about the future. About 50 per cent of my mates who were regulars a few seasons ago have stopped going for one reason or another.

How unfortunate for you that the Club have decided for themselves to move most of our Saturday games to a Friday night then!

On a general note, I agree with Tommy - I love the Club dearly, but hate everything about the way we are run, not just from a boardroom perspective, but the shambles that is the ticketing, catering and many other aspects.
£21 represents awful value for money to be sent home miserable for the rest of my weekend, and I, like many others of a certain age simply have better things to do with my time and cash.
 
I don't go to football to watch Ron Martin be Chairman

I don't stay away because Ron Martin is Chairman

I don't sit in the stand thinking about the clubs finances

I don't begrudge the players a mistake as they are playing in league two for a reason

I love it when we win

It gives me the hump when we lose

I don't care whether we won or lost the last game, the next one starts at 0-0

I don't care whether we are championship, league one or league two - we can still just as easily beat Man Utd or lose to Accrington Stanley

I don't care whether we are playing at Roots Hall or Fossetts Farm

Football is my release from the daily grind of work. There are good days, there are bad ones. Always have been, always will be. There have been ups & downs from when I first went back in 1978 (in a dreadful home game against Grimsby of all teams)

If I can afford it then I go, If i can't then I don't.

To me, football really is a simple as that. Its only a game. Players, Chairmen, heroes and villians will come and go but I've made friends for life watching Southend.

My son started going just as we got bogged down for a long spell in division 4 around the end of the nineties. We've had some great times travelling all over the country meeting fantastic people following Southend.

Sometimes you just need to step back and enjoy it (or not) for what it is (or isn't).
 
How unfortunate for you that the Club have decided for themselves to move most of our Saturday games to a Friday night then!

Who would you have expected to make this decision, then ?

Anyway most of the games are still Saturdays, we're just in the middle of a clutch of Friday games.
 
Who would you have expected to make this decision, then ?

Anyway most of the games are still Saturdays, we're just in the middle of a clutch of Friday games.

I'm all for having a mix of Fridays and Saturdays, (Fridays don't really work for me any more but they used to be great; things change and that's fine) but having four successive league fixtures played on Friday nights seems a bit much.

On the more general point, I do find absence makes the heart grown fonder. I really look forward to games now that I am unable to go to much more than ten a season.
 
On the rare occasion that I am in the area, I still do not attend. Mainly for the rip-off price of watching (usually dire) league 2 football.
 
I don't go to football to watch Ron Martin be Chairman

I don't stay away because Ron Martin is Chairman

I don't sit in the stand thinking about the clubs finances

I don't begrudge the players a mistake as they are playing in league two for a reason

I love it when we win

It gives me the hump when we lose

I don't care whether we won or lost the last game, the next one starts at 0-0

I don't care whether we are championship, league one or league two - we can still just as easily beat Man Utd or lose to Accrington Stanley

I don't care whether we are playing at Roots Hall or Fossetts Farm

Football is my release from the daily grind of work. There are good days, there are bad ones. Always have been, always will be. There have been ups & downs from when I first went back in 1978 (in a dreadful home game against Grimsby of all teams)

If I can afford it then I go, If i can't then I don't.

To me, football really is a simple as that. Its only a game. Players, Chairmen, heroes and villians will come and go but I've made friends for life watching Southend.

My son started going just as we got bogged down for a long spell in division 4 around the end of the nineties. We've had some great times travelling all over the country meeting fantastic people following Southend.

Sometimes you just need to step back and enjoy it (or not) for what it is (or isn't).

This is a fantastic post! Well said
 
I don't go to football to watch Ron Martin be Chairman

I don't stay away because Ron Martin is Chairman

I don't sit in the stand thinking about the clubs finances

I don't begrudge the players a mistake as they are playing in league two for a reason

I love it when we win

It gives me the hump when we lose

I don't care whether we won or lost the last game, the next one starts at 0-0

I don't care whether we are championship, league one or league two - we can still just as easily beat Man Utd or lose to Accrington Stanley

I don't care whether we are playing at Roots Hall or Fossetts Farm

Football is my release from the daily grind of work. There are good days, there are bad ones. Always have been, always will be. There have been ups & downs from when I first went back in 1978 (in a dreadful home game against Grimsby of all teams)

If I can afford it then I go, If i can't then I don't.

To me, football really is a simple as that. Its only a game. Players, Chairmen, heroes and villians will come and go but I've made friends for life watching Southend.

My son started going just as we got bogged down for a long spell in division 4 around the end of the nineties. We've had some great times travelling all over the country meeting fantastic people following Southend.

Sometimes you just need to step back and enjoy it (or not) for what it is (or isn't).

Best post I have read on here in a very long time.
 
I don't go to football to watch Ron Martin be Chairman

I don't stay away because Ron Martin is Chairman

I don't sit in the stand thinking about the clubs finances

I don't begrudge the players a mistake as they are playing in league two for a reason

I love it when we win

It gives me the hump when we lose

I don't care whether we won or lost the last game, the next one starts at 0-0

I don't care whether we are championship, league one or league two - we can still just as easily beat Man Utd or lose to Accrington Stanley

I don't care whether we are playing at Roots Hall or Fossetts Farm

Football is my release from the daily grind of work. There are good days, there are bad ones. Always have been, always will be. There have been ups & downs from when I first went back in 1978 (in a dreadful home game against Grimsby of all teams)

If I can afford it then I go, If i can't then I don't.

To me, football really is a simple as that. Its only a game. Players, Chairmen, heroes and villians will come and go but I've made friends for life watching Southend.

My son started going just as we got bogged down for a long spell in division 4 around the end of the nineties. We've had some great times travelling all over the country meeting fantastic people following Southend.

Sometimes you just need to step back and enjoy it (or not) for what it is (or isn't).

Fantastic post.

Says it how it is without dressing anything up in excuses and reasons.

The club is in a mess we all know that, and I will criticise the manager and owner for numerous reasons, but 'when Saturday comes' the finances and the rest of it just don't matter when I'm at the ground.
 
I find it sad that people choose not to go because of Martin.

Sad because it is cutting your nose off to spite your face. It's been a tough few years but those Orient games last season were up there with my favourite memories of SUFC.

Sad because it's another Southend fan drifting away. Another £300 a season the club has to find elsewhere. We need every supporter we can get.

Incidentally, I live abroad and have only been to the Plymouth game. My next is Mansfield at home. I know they're a dull hoofball team, and we seem to have played the same home game every time for the past 3 seasons (fail to score, go 1-0 down, huff and puff, draw the game at best), but I'm still really looking forward to it.
 
Who would you have expected to make this decision, then ?

Anyway most of the games are still Saturdays, we're just in the middle of a clutch of Friday games.

It would have been nice for the Club to have properly consulted the fans - you know, the mugs that shell out hard-earned money week in, week out, to fruitlessly keep the Club alive. Far be it for me to expect such benefits as a long time supporter.
 
Last edited:
I find it sad that people choose not to go because of Martin.

Sad because it is cutting your nose off to spite your face. It's been a tough few years but those Orient games last season were up there with my favourite memories of SUFC.

Sad because it's another Southend fan drifting away. Another £300 a season the club has to find elsewhere. We need every supporter we can get.

Incidentally, I live abroad and have only been to the Plymouth game. My next is Mansfield at home. I know they're a dull hoofball team, and we seem to have played the same home game every time for the past 3 seasons (fail to score, go 1-0 down, huff and puff, draw the game at best), but I'm still really looking forward to it.

For me, and I'm sure many others, it's not just down to Ron Martin. More a combination of different factors.
Personally, i've decided that giving myself a mini-coronary every Saturday afternoon (or indeed Friday night) through sheer frustration just isn't a good way to spend my time. I've watched Southend home and away, religiously, for many years, and we have been desperately awful for most of that time, interspersed with periods of unexpected success.
However, the current downward spiral of hopelessness, in-fighting amongst fans, damp squib of an atmosphere, crap in-match product and consistently poor service from every arm of the Club, coupled with the fact that the general public only ever seem to hear anything about us when we have failed, predictably, to pay the taxman yet again, all serve to make an afternoon or evening at RH pretty miserable these days - there's more to life.
 
This is a fantastic post! Well said

Second that. A great post by It's Only a Game.

Living in the Midlands now, I don't go to every game, and Friday home games are a bit of a pain (even though I prefer the atmosphere at evening games).

Watching largely sh*t football over the last 45 years hasn't stopped me going in the past, and won't stop me going in the future. You are kept going by the occasional highs every few years.

I have really enjoyed the 3 games I have seen this season (Plymouth, Wycombe, Bristol Rov). Despite some moaning, there was still an overwhelmingly positive and passionate atmosphere around me, and I would'nt want to give that up.

I still pay for Sky Sports, but I wonder why as I hardly ever watch live Prem games any more - bored sh*tless by the sight of a bunch of multi-millionaires rolling over a team of mere millionaires. I'd far rather be at the Hall along with the other 4500, and a dodgy burger. And where else could you listen to the ramblings of a Dagenham Kev? Even when you are winning??

Roll on Saturday - 40 miles for me!
 
Like others - I got totally ****ed off after Wembley (and during Wembley for that matter) - used to base my visits to my Mum (and Sister) around Blues home games - can`t be arsed now - just visit when convenient.

However will be going to my nearest (!) away games - Newport, Exeter, Torquay, Plymouth, Bristol Rovers, and Cheltenham - dates already booked - atmosphere seems to be much better - less moaning etc etc
 
At the end of the day we have been largely **** for years so its no wonder people feel this way. Personally I think that until Ron goes or the new stadium materialises the gates will ways be 5000 tops unless its a decent game. Still a decent crowd given the level we are at.

A few wins and exciting players and the bulk of people will be back. I must confess I struggle to motivate myself for the away games like I used too. Spending £100-£150 to watch a poor performance does not really do it for me.
 
Its in the blood. Ive been going for 62 years and would still go if we were in the piggin Rymans league. My 4 children are fans too, they will be going long after Ron Martin is no longer with us and no doubt my grandchildren. I used to travel on my own aged eleven, walk from Home a mile or so to Chatham station, get the train to Gravesend, get the ferry across to Tilbury, train down to ground, walk to match, get pushed down the front by dads. Repeat journey Home, stagger in about 11.30pm! Keep going people, Cmon you Shrimpers!
 
As much as they annoy me at times, I go to support the players with the Blue shirt on. Roots Hall is my church and I have to attend. It's time me and my son can spend together. We both have season tickets and I love the whole thing.
 
Its in the blood. Ive been going for 62 years and would still go if we were in the piggin Rymans league. My 4 children are fans too, they will be going long after Ron Martin is no longer with us and no doubt my grandchildren. I used to travel on my own aged eleven, walk from Home a mile or so to Chatham station, get the train to Gravesend, get the ferry across to Tilbury, train down to ground, walk to match, get pushed down the front by dads. Repeat journey Home, stagger in about 11.30pm! Keep going people, Cmon you Shrimpers!

Blimey. And there I was grumbling about walking home half a mile last week :smile:
 
Back
Top