Time for RM to show he means it - actions speak louder than words !

[EastStandBlue]

Not sure that's true either. Think we were closer when approval was finally granted. Things seem to be getting further away, not closer.

That just doesn't make any sense. Did you honestly think that final approval was the last piece in the jigsaw? That just meant that we could press on with the plans and, however slowly it seems to be occuring, we're only making forward steps.

The fact that a deal has been struck for Prospects is a huge step forward. The Pizza place on the corner won't prove too much of an obstacle and then we'll be on site.

 

[EastStandBlue]

It depends on the individual in question and the environment they're thrown into; it didn't do Rooney much harm ... or Alick Jeffrey!

As for Duncan, it seems to me there has been a year on year decrease in the calibre of the youth team since they did so well in the FA Youth Cup a couple of years back.

So winning the Puma Youth Alliance last season and topping it at the moment is a decrease?

 

[Mick]

Yeah a player can't be contracted until he is 16 so its rare for clubs to play younger players as they can sign for anyone on their 16th birthday, best to keep any talent under wraps. I know these days in this situation clubs get a fee decided by tribunal but its rarely anywhere near the players value

I don't think they can sign a preofessional contract until they are 17.

 

[Mick]

That just doesn't make any sense. Did you honestly think that final approval was the last piece in the jigsaw? That just meant that we could press on with the plans and, however slowly it seems to be occuring, we're only making forward steps.

The fact that a deal has been struck for Prospects is a huge step forward. The Pizza place on the corner won't prove too much of an obstacle and then we'll be on site.

Of course not. Do you think I'm stupid? Don't answer that.

It just that circumstances that have arisen of late have made the utiopia of someone else's new ground, which we will be able to hire to play in , seem that little bit further away or, if you like, just a little less likely to come to fruition. I was more optimistic the day permission was granted than I am at the moment. Perhaps it's just me?

 

[Mick]

So winning the Puma Youth Alliance last season and topping it at the moment is a decrease?

To be fair I'm basing my opinions on the national tournament and players coming through into reserve or even first team football. It is also fair to say I don't get to many Puma Youth Alliance matches.

 

[EastStandBlue]

Of course not. Do you think I'm stupid? Don't answer that.

It just that circumstances that have arisen of late have made the utiopia of someone else's new ground, which we will be able to hire to play in , seem that little bit further away or, if you like, just a little less likely to come to fruition. I was more optimistic the day permission was granted than I am at the moment. Perhaps it's just me?

Depends what you mean by final approval. If you mean the day that both Southend and Rochford council gave the go ahead, then of course people were more optimistic. Planning permission, at the time, was all that was needed.

When the government called in the plans, it caused the delay which allowed the plans to be subsequent to the recession, funding to be removed and leading RM into other avenues, causing the delay we're still experiencing. At the moment, however, we're closer to a new stadium than we ever have been.

 

[GBJ]

Back to the RM debate...

As i said a little while ago, RM is gambling with our club, and it's a gamble which could see us get ****ed over big style.

It's clear we have no money to invest in the club, as all funds are going towards the stadium being built. Therefore, the only new players we will get are going to be loan players. Last season this was evident, this season it is evident. Of course last season (second half anyway) we did very well in the loan market and it worked well. This season so far, we've not done so well, and the threat of relegation is the closest it has been for a while. The point is, if we continue to rely on loan players, it is a massive gamble, one, as i said, could see us return to the dregs of league 2. And as i said before, how **** will a 22000 seater stadium look with a crowd of 3-4000?

 

[grassroots]

Is it just me , or everytime you pick up a paper it seems that another club has been threatened with a winding up order, due to monies owed to the tax man - is Ron to blame for all these clubs as well.

Is it just me, or everytime you pick up a paper it seems established high street stores and banks are going belly up or laying off staff due to high debts - is Ron to blame for this as well.

Is it just me, or everytime yopu pick up a paper it explains that the Bank of England are looking to implement a further easing process - is ron to blame for this as well.

PEOPLE WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF ONE OF THE HARDEST RECESSIONS OF MANY YEARS. WE DO NOT HAVE THE ATTENDENCES TO SURVIVE TO THE EXPECTATIONS PEOPLE EXPECT.

This Barny thing is a joke, if he wants to leave he will , or should Ron/Tilly offer him 10k a week to stay ?? Wow, that would be great for the club wouldnt it !!

Why do people think we should be rolling in money and before any one mentions Freddy, Man Utd game, Chelsea blah blah, for every Freddy, there is a Peter Clarke (this is not a dig at Clarrke, but with signing fee, wages etc, Clarke cost us around £750,000 and we got NOTHING for him), for every Man Utd game, there is an MK Dons game, where the attendence prob does not raise enough for the wage bill that week (notwithstanding the wage bill is per week, whereas Clubs do not play EVERY week to generate these multi millions that people speak of!).

Yes I am frustated as the next fan, but also, lets be realistic. Lets also let Ron know if we ;
a/ do want to hear from the chairman of the Club, ie his blogs.
b/ do not want to hear from the chairman of the club !!

if a/ stop moaning about the contents of the blog, if b/ stop moaning that we are hearing nothing from the Club, cant have it both way people !!

Do people thing we have a god given right to stay go up this season, or to survive - mine is the latter and I do believe we shall do this.

Do I think we have a rosey future , yes I do - granted if the ground goes forward yes, but that does not mean that you gamble the present on the future 'hope' of a rosey future !! I hope to do well in my working life, but that does not mean that I buy a house and a car I cant afford now does it !!

No I am not ron, no I am not ron's love child, and yes I worry for the future of Southend, but I worry about the future of football in general. The sport that being funded by either billionaires or proceeds from Sky, not from every day Club generated revenue - this is a sad time for all clubs, we are no different !!

You could say that about anyone who works for a company - we paid him for 20 years and we got nothing back. With one last gasp header at Chelsea, Clarke recouped his £300K fee alone!

 

[fbm]

Back to the RM debate...

As i said a little while ago, RM is gambling with our club, and it's a gamble which could see us get ****ed over big style.

It's clear we have no money to invest in the club, as all funds are going towards the stadium being built. Therefore, the only new players we will get are going to be loan players. Last season this was evident, this season it is evident. Of course last season (second half anyway) we did very well in the loan market and it worked well. This season so far, we've not done so well, and the threat of relegation is the closest it has been for a while. The point is, if we continue to rely on loan players, it is a massive gamble, one, as i said, could see us return to the dregs of league 2. And as i said before, how **** will a 22000 seater stadium look with a crowd of 3-4000?

It'll look like Roots Hall looked like when it was 35,000 all terrace stadium with 6-7000 people in it as it did for large parts of our history and it'll look nowhere near as bad as when it had 1-2000 in the same arena during the mid 1980's.

Look, we aren't going to fill any new stadium we get unless it's really small (like Orient or Col U with a 10,000 capacity) and in that instance we would be saying "We will never compete at CCC level" because you need crowds of 18-20,000 to stand a chance of getting established in that league now.

I'd rather have the facility to at least try and compete than forever give up that possibility.

 

[TTS]

You could say that about anyone who works for a company - we paid him for 20 years and we got nothing back. With one last gasp header at Chelsea, Clarke recouped his £300K fee alone!

Thats not what I am saying and you know that. We recieved NOTHING in the transfer market for Peter Clarke. The way you say it, players could then start asking for a cut in the gate receipts for the replay they 'earned' the club !!

 

[fbm]

No.




10 YOUNGEST FOOTBALL LEAGUE PLAYERS

1 Reuben Noble-Lazarus (Barnsley) 15 years 45 days
2 Ken Roberts (Wrexham) 15 years 158 days
3 Albert Geldard (Bradford PA) 15 years 158 days
4 Ronnie Dix (Bristol R) 15 years173 days
5 Derek Forster (Sunderland) 15 years 185 days
6 Alick Jeffrey (Doncaster R) 15 years 229 days
7 Moses Ashikodi (Millwall) 15 years 240 days
8 Tony Geidmintis (Workington) 15 years 247 days
9 Danis Salman (Brentford) 15 years 248 days
10 Paul Walker (Brentford) 15 years 248 days

And of all those talented youngsters, who obviously developed at an early age and were probably thought of as wonder kids at whatever time they made their debuts, I have only ever heard of one of them - Danis Salman, who was a decent-ish journeyman full back who played against us for Brentford in the 1970's and 80's and then did naff all. Here is what a Brentford site (Beesotted) says about him.

Danis was at one point, one of the greatest prospects in league football - capped at U17 level - and a really classy pacy fullback for Brentford.

Few Bees fans in the 70s will forget the Salman "frustration runs" which, if he thought we weren't pushing forward, meant that he would personally try to take on the entire opposition team on his own with a blistering run straight up the middle of the field. These normally came to absolutely nothing but were very entertaining to watch.


Salman hit the headlines for the wrong reasons when he headbutted a TV reporter after an FA Cup tie in 2001 and was given a 9 month suspended jail sentence

So none of them ever really turned into top players - which makes me think maybe being pushed through too early did more harm than good.

 

[grassroots]

Thats not what I am saying and you know that. We recieved NOTHING in the transfer market for Peter Clarke. The way you say it, players could then start asking for a cut in the gate receipts for the replay they 'earned' the club !!

Yes, but the point is that you cant just lump together signing on, wages, bonuses etc and say 'that is what he has cost the club' - he has EARNED the club money in the meantime, so his net cost to the club would be far less - he may have even made us money!

 

[canveyshrimper]

Yes, but the point is that you cant just lump together signing on, wages, bonuses etc and say 'that is what he has cost the club' - he has EARNED the club money in the meantime, so his net cost to the club would be far less - he may have even made us money!

Surely it's a team game? Clarke wouldn't have scored without the throw from Johnny Herd, and if Mildenhall hadn't made the save at the death there wouldn't have been a replay.

 

[BoyWonder2]

Back to the RM debate...

As i said a little while ago, RM is gambling with our club, and it's a gamble which could see us get ****ed over big style.

It's clear we have no money to invest in the club, as all funds are going towards the stadium being built. Therefore, the only new players we will get are going to be loan players. Last season this was evident, this season it is evident. Of course last season (second half anyway) we did very well in the loan market and it worked well. This season so far, we've not done so well, and the threat of relegation is the closest it has been for a while. The point is, if we continue to rely on loan players, it is a massive gamble, one, as i said, could see us return to the dregs of league 2. And as i said before, how **** will a 22000 seater stadium look with a crowd of 3-4000?

You say we have no money to invest in the Club, but last January we bid for Mike Williamson, Bradley Johnson, Chris Dickson and Liam Dickinson. We brought in the likes of Harding, Feds', Dervite, Sawyer, Robinson etc in on loan. We very nearly signed Ireikpen and Ben Chorley during the summer that we know about. We also tabled a bid for Theo Robinson.

I reckon there is a bit of money, not an awful lot mind, but I think there is some for Tilson to play around with. Whether he can find anyone that will fit in our budget, that is another question.

 

[GBJ]

It'll look like Roots Hall looked like when it was 35,000 all terrace stadium with 6-7000 people in it as it did for large parts of our history and it'll look nowhere near as bad as when it had 1-2000 in the same arena during the mid 1980's.

Look, we aren't going to fill any new stadium we get unless it's really small (like Orient or Col U with a 10,000 capacity) and in that instance we would be saying "We will never compete at CCC level" because you need crowds of 18-20,000 to stand a chance of getting established in that league now.

I'd rather have the facility to at least try and compete than forever give up that possibility.

But at this point in time, we don't have a fanbase of 18-20,000. we have a fanbase of about 10-13,000 tops.

There's no point going over the size of the stadium again, whether it's a good idea or a bad idea. The be-all-and-end-all is a 22,000 seater stadium that is 1/5th full looks ridiculous, many areas of the ground will be closed off, and the predicted revenue will be a lot less. How many times have you seen Darlo on tv and thought "unlucky".

 

[SUFCFANS]

RM's bending over backwards to build us a fantastic new stadium! Give the guy a break :)

 

[weststander]

But at this point in time, we don't have a fanbase of 18-20,000. we have a fanbase of about 10-13,000 tops.

There's no point going over the size of the stadium again, whether it's a good idea or a bad idea. The be-all-and-end-all is a 22,000 seater stadium that is 1/5th full looks ridiculous, many areas of the ground will be closed off, and the predicted revenue will be a lot less. How many times have you seen Darlo on tv and thought "unlucky".

Very important point !!!

but 10 years ago that fan base was 3/4000 and RM and the Club have done wonders to get it up to the 9/10000 mark, but where do we go now ? We can fit many more into the Hall so therefore need a bigger one and as RM has said its not that more expensive to build 22k than 15k ! It gives us something to aim at.
As for poor Darlington, i remember seeing 1005 other people crammed into 35,000 Roots Hall not that long ago, IT HAPPENS ! Look at Wigan for example, theyre in the Premiership and yet they play to half full stadia as do Blackburn and Bolton, are you going to suggest to them that they make their grounds smaller ??

 

[leeblue]

Back to the RM debate...

As i said a little while ago, RM is gambling with our club, and it's a gamble which could see us get ****ed over big style.

It's clear we have no money to invest in the club, as all funds are going towards the stadium being built. Therefore, the only new players we will get are going to be loan players. Last season this was evident, this season it is evident. Of course last season (second half anyway) we did very well in the loan market and it worked well. This season so far, we've not done so well, and the threat of relegation is the closest it has been for a while. The point is, if we continue to rely on loan players, it is a massive gamble, one, as i said, could see us return to the dregs of league 2. And as i said before, how **** will a 22000 seater stadium look with a crowd of 3-4000?

or we could get a couple of gems in again and have a good finish to the season, the stadium actually gets started and things could really start to look up, half full, half empty who knows, im a half full kind of guy, we are skint but so are many many clubs out there, only time will tell on the gamble I suppose, I do actually agree with you on the gambling point...in my 25 years of following the blues I can honestly say its not always good at the hall but its certainly never boring

 

[GBJ]

You say we have no money to invest in the Club, but last January we bid for Mike Williamson, Bradley Johnson, Chris Dickson and Liam Dickinson. We brought in the likes of Harding, Feds', Dervite, Sawyer, Robinson etc in on loan. We very nearly signed Ireikpen and Ben Chorley during the summer that we know about. We also tabled a bid for Theo Robinson.

I reckon there is a bit of money, not an awful lot mind, but I think there is some for Tilson to play around with. Whether he can find anyone that will fit in our budget, that is another question.

How much of that is true though? We will never really know. I also find it very convienient that 2 players were on the verge of signing, only to duck out at the last minute due to their agents finding "better deals". It's all well and good being "linked" with these players, and "bidding" on them, but how do we know what kind of bids (if any) these were. Take Theo Robinson for a prime example. Hudderfield and Swindon were ready to shell out £200k+, so we offer £100k??? It's just so the club can turn around and say, "well we tried, and we'll keep on trying".

As i said, last season's loanees were top draw, but this season's hasn't been, which has seen us chop and change the (already decreased) team about and let's have it right, if not for Barnard, we'd almost certainly be in the thick of the relegation zone.

My point is, last season the loan ,market worked. This season so far it hasn't. If it takes us 3/4/5+ years to get into the new ground, how can we afford to put our L1 status on the line by gambling in the loan market every year? One year we won't be so successfull, and won't have a Lee Barnard to rely on and L2 will be our destination

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

We could "bid" for anyone, doesnt mean they are going to sign. Truth is we have signed one defender in the last 3 years. that is simply unacceptable when we have signed striker after striker, most of whom have been gash.