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Firstly, please appreciate I expect a barrage coming my way. However, I have to ask.

As I have been mostly living abroad in the recent past (am back home in Southend wheeheeyy) I have followed The Shrimpers from afar. I see results, read match reports and new items and keep up with the gossip on sites like this and through friends.

Southend United have been in the promotion places for the majority of the season. The manager wanted to strengthen the squad in the January window..and indeed did. The new stadium has been rubber-stamped by all the required bodies and will presumably go ahead. The club was under threat from The VAT man ..but to date no judgement has been proved - I think I am correct in stating.
The Chairman, allegedly (I have no idea where this rumour/information came from), was upset with a shocking performance by the team - and told them. Allegedly.
The team has been to Cardiff three times, two promotions, knocked Man Utd out of the League Cup, drew at Chelsea, got to the play-offs against Donny Rovers (FANTASTIC support people)..whilst also suffering two relegations under Tilly. Our support base is larger than when I went home and away.

So..a summary.

We have (to date) been where we need to be in the league this season.

The coffers were opened (to the suprise of almost everyone) to strengthen the squad for the promotion run-in.

The VAT matter has (so far) been, at least for now, sorted.

The Chairman (wrongly perhaps) shows the passion of a supporter at Aldershot set amidst a woeful performance.

The supporters have had the most exciting (err exciting not the word for this seasons tactics perhaps) time in the clubs' history under RM.

The current board have achieved what previous boards could not achieve and get a shiny new stadium agreed under the most difficult of circumstances invoving two district councils and one county council. The fact that work has been delayed is pretty much a mirror of every business, everywhere in the world in these difficult times..projects on hold.

So...PLEASE..why on earth does Ron Martin get so vilified by virtually every "loud" supporter?? Why?

Because he may come across as arrogant??? So what?? Who cares? If we lifted the League 1 title and RM smirked in a "told you so" way..who cares???????????????????????????????

Because a Chairman has an argument with the VAT man? What business is that of yours? Mine? Or anybody? The media excepted! Unless of course the money is proved to be owed. What major business does100% agree figures with the tax man?

Because Southend United continually make PR gaffs? Well, club representatives have made the most incredible public relations howlers for many years. Remember "If you don't like it - go and watch West Ham"???, "The new stadium will pay for itself so it will not matter if any supporters turn up"??? "I think Southend United should build a stadium in Basildon"?? "I don't like the Shrimp..but I like a lion"?????

Because the football club has been caught up in a world-wide economic meltdown? Errr to date, no points deducted here, no receiver, no administration. Unlike, sadly, other clubs!

Or?? The current style of play? Which, as people have criticised RM saying anything to the dressing room, is not the work of Mr Martin.

Please, please, please, explain why Mr Martin has upset so many???

I am not taking sides...I just cannot see what the incredible anti-RM voice is actually moaning about. So please tell me!

As always, C'MON YOU SHRIMPERS!!! x

Ron has sold the home of Southend United to Sainsburys and we was promised a new stadium in 2008 and that has been quoted, a brick yet to be laid.

He gambled with the entire existance of the club by playing hard-ball with the tax man. I have my own registered company and the figures are always 100% correct. I can only imagine a v small minority of companies get this wrong.

He promised players would be paid during our relegation season, this did not happen.

......I think gambling with the clubs existance outwieghs anything good he has done by a country mile.
 
Ron has sold the home of Southend United to Sainsburys and we was promised a new stadium in 2008 and that has been quoted, a brick yet to be laid.

He gambled with the entire existance of the club by playing hard-ball with the tax man. I have my own registered company and the figures are always 100% correct. I can only imagine a v small minority of companies get this wrong.

He promised players would be paid during our relegation season, this did not happen.

......I think gambling with the clubs existance outwieghs anything good he has done by a country mile.

I love the simple way you make hugely important comments.

I hope your fears are wrong, though see exactly why you have them. Again, without being on the inside, I cannot know how much basis your fears have.

On this one, all we can do is wait and see. I hope I can buy you a pint in the brand new stadium and the fears are proven to be just that..understandable fears.
I hope you are wrong! I would imagine you hope you are wrong too. We shall see!

Thanks, good points.
 
One further point. It seems I am defending RM..which I am not..I am just trying to have a reasonable, accurate view.

The fact that the stadium was promised for 2008 cannot outweigh the fact that an unforseable global economic catastrophe has put many a plan on hold.
I would rather have the project "on hold" until the money is available..than to see a deserted, unfinished building site at FF as testament to the folly of proceeding at the wrong time..while shoppers crowd Victoria Avenue with bags full of grocery's.

Imagine that!!!!

I have lived on Tenerife and Malta..two islands with thousands of unfinished building projects, piles of bricks the legacy of unfulfilled dreams!
 
Ron has sold the home of Southend United to Sainsburys and we was promised a new stadium in 2008 and that has been quoted, a brick yet to be laid.

He gambled with the entire existance of the club by playing hard-ball with the tax man. I have my own registered company and the figures are always 100% correct. I can only imagine a v small minority of companies get this wrong.

He promised players would be paid during our relegation season, this did not happen.

......I think gambling with the clubs existance outwieghs anything good he has done by a country mile.

Unfortunately the global monetary system collapsing put paid to that at the time. Probably created by Ron to wind you lot up.

We are a single football club struggling to make ends meet. Look at Greece for example. ...on the verge of collapse.

You can't blame Ron for everything, but I know you will have a damn good try.
 
Thank you Wise Head, a little more meat on the bone for me to chew on.

I can see your logic and do not know the facts or figures to argue or agree with you.

I would however say, that the £4m the club was worth with the stadium and training ground could only really be realised by selling both and have nowhere to play and prepare - or sell both and build a new stadium. The other option would be a receiver selling the £4m worth of assets to pay creditors - a thought too awful to contemplate.

I hear your view and wish I could have a clearewr opinion. Maybe I will go to "the horses mouth" and ask myself.

Cheers for your concise input oh Wise Head!

Kevin,

Firstly, have you considered puting your job application directly to Ron rather than via this forum?

Secondly, if a company has liabilities of £4m and assets of £8m it should be able to restructure its debt and continue to trade happily.

Back in 1997/98 when Ron took over there were no points deducted for going into Administration because of the lack of working capital, therefore SUFC should have gone into administration, rescheduled their debts, refinanced and kept their assets.

Try a bit harder to listen to Wise Head.
 
He has in recent seasons put the future and well being of our club in jepardy on several fronts eg. non/late payment of wages and taxes etc. whilst generally going about things in a distasteful and arrogant manner. This has all been to further his own aims and thus creates a him and us (the real die hard fans) mentality. I do accept that as owner it's his shout ,but there are ways of going about things, just not his . IMHO all this vastly outweighs any good he has ever done thus far. He is extremely lucky most football fans don't just walk away forever when the going is tough, but he knows this already.
 
Kevin,

Firstly, have you considered puting your job application directly to Ron rather than via this forum?
Secondly, if a company has liabilities of £4m and assets of £8m it should be able to restructure its debt and continue to trade happily.

Back in 1997/98 when Ron took over there were no points deducted for going into Administration because of the lack of working capital, therefore SUFC should have gone into administration, rescheduled their debts, refinanced and kept their assets.

Try a bit harder to listen to Wise Head.

Kevin had a good go at running the club in the mid 80's. Would be funny if he ended back there again 30 years later!
 
Kevin,

Firstly, have you considered puting your job application directly to Ron rather than via this forum?

Secondly, if a company has liabilities of £4m and assets of £8m it should be able to restructure its debt and continue to trade happily.

Back in 1997/98 when Ron took over there were no points deducted for going into Administration because of the lack of working capital, therefore SUFC should have gone into administration, rescheduled their debts, refinanced and kept their assets.

Try a bit harder to listen to Wise Head.

Hi Catshrimp,

If Ron or anybody at Southend United wants help or advice from anyone - I am sure they will ask and probably not me. Though I do appreciate your suggestion.

You, could consider reading my comments about not having enough knowledge to form an opinion on facts and figures from the 1990's.
Though, your suggestion that Southend United should have gone into Administation on a voluntarily basis in 1997/98 seems (without the required knowledge, facts or figures) to me to be the most ridiculous suggestion that anybody has ever made to me regarding Southend United! If you believe that the only ramification of a company going into Administration is a points deduction for a football club..long may Ron Martin, Jimmy Cranky, or almost anyone you care to name be in front of you for the running of Southend United.

Nonsense, nonsense, NONSENCE!!
 
Ron Martin never seems to do things right on this board for its members and supporters of SUFC we can belive what he tells us, or its just another complete and utter load of bollocks and his answers are verbal diarohea.

Since he brought the shares and came into this club to many ****ing years ago love him or loathe him he is still here,there has been no serious challenge to buy him out and the ways things are presently going i dont think there will anybody on the horizon with bulging pockets on money to lossen his grip on the club we all adore
 
Kevin had a good go at running the club in the mid 80's. Would be funny if he ended back there again 30 years later!

In those days I could not run a bath..let alone a football club. Not that I was in a position to actually run much at all.
Oh how I cringe!
Having said that...OMG what a buzz going on the team coach, in my Burtons suit with the manager..Bobby Moore! You couldn't make that up..but it happened!
I still have a prized programme with my name on the masthead!!

On the down side..I owe one Steven Oliver a huge apology. He never did play league football and I have to shoulder a fair bit of the blame! Oh dear!
 
Can I just say. I do not want this to become an argument.

The views on the current chairman and the running of the club are all valid because everyone writes with passion.
As I said at the start, I have no idea about RM and you guys will certainly be more aware than me.

We all want the best for Southend United, whatever the chairman, CEO, player and manager do.

They will almost certainly move on but the support will remain.

I really appreciate all the info..but am still no clearer in my view.

I will watch, listen and see. However, whatever I think, will make little difference to those in charge and so I will do what I can..support Southend United!!

C'MON YOU SHRIMPERS!!!
 
Hi Catshrimp,

If Ron or anybody at Southend United wants help or advice from anyone - I am sure they will ask and probably not me. Though I do appreciate your suggestion.

You, could consider reading my comments about not having enough knowledge to form an opinion on facts and figures from the 1990's.
Though, your suggestion that Southend United should have gone into Administation on a voluntarily basis in 1997/98 seems (without the required knowledge, facts or figures) to me to be the most ridiculous suggestion that anybody has ever made to me regarding Southend United! If you believe that the only ramification of a company going into Administration is a points deduction for a football club..long may Ron Martin, Jimmy Cranky, or almost anyone you care to name be in front of you for the running of Southend United.

Nonsense, nonsense, NONSENCE!!

An incredibly well thought respoonse (sic). I will crunch all the facts you note and re-think!!!
 
You appear to be...errr I dunno. Just up to criticise and argue..oh and wished the club into Administration.

Good for you. Keep it up.

Just not my way!
 
Unfortunately the global monetary system collapsing put paid to that at the time. Probably created by Ron to wind you lot up.

We are a single football club struggling to make ends meet. Look at Greece for example. ...on the verge of collapse.

You can't blame Ron for everything, but I know you will have a damn good try.

When do we claim our €1.3bn bailout payment?
 
Hi Catshrimp,

If Ron or anybody at Southend United wants help or advice from anyone - I am sure they will ask and probably not me. Though I do appreciate your suggestion.

You, could consider reading my comments about not having enough knowledge to form an opinion on facts and figures from the 1990's.
Though, your suggestion that Southend United should have gone into Administation on a voluntarily basis in 1997/98 seems (without the required knowledge, facts or figures) to me to be the most ridiculous suggestion that anybody has ever made to me regarding Southend United! If you believe that the only ramification of a company going into Administration is a points deduction for a football club..long may Ron Martin, Jimmy Cranky, or almost anyone you care to name be in front of you for the running of Southend United.

Nonsense, nonsense, NONSENCE!!

You spelt nonsense wrong the 3rd time....see what happens when you get angry and shout.
 
You appear to be...errr I dunno. Just up to criticise and argue..oh and wished the club into Administration.

Good for you. Keep it up.

Just not my way!

It takes two to have an arguement and you're playing your part to the full.

To say thrice that it is nonsense to have wished us in Administration is argumentative. Would we have been better off. No-one knows; the clock can't be turned back.

Would Crystal Palace, Southampton, Bournemouth, Leeds, Ipswich, Derby, Leicester, Hull, QPR, Middlesbrough and Charlton all be better off now if, instead of going into administration, they'd been taken over and asset-stripped by an under-performing property developer ?

I am aware that there are as many again who've been into administration and not looking as comfortable as the above clubs. Hence the uncertainty.
 
I suspect that we'd have been a lot better off going into Administration. But we can't say for sure because the danger would have been that the Administrator decided that the best way out of our financial problems would have been to sell the Club's only asset. And if that had happened would whoever have bought it have been happy to go 12(?) years without claiming any rent?

As Mick said, no one knows.
 
It takes two to have an arguement and you're playing your part to the full.

To say thrice that it is nonsense to have wished us in Administration is argumentative. Would we have been better off. No-one knows; the clock can't be turned back.

Would Crystal Palace, Southampton, Bournemouth, Leeds, Ipswich, Derby, Leicester, Hull, QPR, Middlesbrough and Charlton all be better off now if, instead of going into administration, they'd been taken over and asset-stripped by an under-performing property developer ?

I am aware that there are as many again who've been into administration and not looking as comfortable as the above clubs. Hence the uncertainty.

I totally agree with you Mick.
I am as guilty as anyone in the escalation of argument. Fair point.

I guess that people passionate about an opinion will naturally get a tad agitated in this kind of debate.

As NorwichShrimper so kindly pointed out..it efextz speling to!
 
I suspect that we'd have been a lot better off going into Administration. But we can't say for sure because the danger would have been that the Administrator decided that the best way out of our financial problems would have been to sell the Club's only asset. And if that had happened would whoever have bought it have been happy to go 12(?) years without claiming any rent?

As Mick said, no one knows.

Whilst I apologise if I escalated the argument via shouting and mistyping..haha. A valid point rather than conjecture:

Two Football League clubs had gone into Administration prior to the 1997/98 season stated. Namely Charlton Athletic in 1984 and Middlesbrough in 1996.

Both suffered the same fate. Administration swiftly evolved into liquidation ( In law, liquidation is the process by which a company (or part of a company) is brought to an end, and the assets and property of the company redistributed.).
Both clubs were dissolved.

Now, fortunately both Charlton Athletic and Middlesbrough were able enough to re-surface virtually immediately and trading as a new company. This was by no means a certainty and there was an definate possibility that once liquidated there would be no Addicks or 'Boro.
In 1998 a third club, Chester City went into Administration. The club never recovered and can now be found playing minor football in the north west.

I do not think that in 1997/98 Administration, unless a final act of desperation, was the answer.
 
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