A Missed Opportunity

[Chairman and agent hater]

Although I couldn't make it today as I live some distance from Roots Hall now, as a past active participant in protests against previous owners, I congratulate you for making the effort, particularly as your task was severely hampered by the current circumstances.

Had we had been allowed at games this season, I believe the turnout would have been substantially larger and, indeed, our feelings towards our owner would have been made far earlier and in much stronger terms at matches.

I rarely post as many seem too politically correct for me and often more interested in attempting to score points off each other.

I'm sure you will not be put off by some of these negative posts and will keep up the good fight.

For what it is worth, I consider Stan has been a great ray of hope in these desperate times. He has not only brought a positive way forward but, in the absence of us fans meeting/discussing/arguing etc at matches and in the pubs before and after, he has helped stir us into some much needed action.

Again, thanks for your efforts today.

 

[TrueBlue]

Although I couldn't make it today as I live some distance from Roots Hall now, as a past active participant in protests against previous owners, I congratulate you for making the effort, particularly as your task was severely hampered by the current circumstances.

Had we had been allowed at games this season, I believe the turnout would have been substantially larger and, indeed, our feelings towards our owner would have been made far earlier and in much stronger terms at matches.

I rarely post as many seem too politically correct for me and often more interested in attempting to score points off each other.

I'm sure you will not be put off by some of these negative posts and will keep up the good fight.

For what it is worth, I consider Stan has been a great ray of hope in these desperate times. He has not only brought a positive way forward but, in the absence of us fans meeting/discussing/arguing etc at matches and in the pubs before and after, he has helped stir us into some much needed action.

Again, thanks for your efforts today.

Some posts will always be negative, but they are also constructive and you have to take that on board and learn from it. It was my name above the door today and it did not meet the grade for some or me for that matter, all I can do is apologise for that and we march on.
As for Stan yes we can only hope.

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

I'm not quite sure what you wanted.....name badges?

I had one on my 2005 play off final t-shirt, which True Blue spotted!.

 

[Dave Smiths Love Child]

I had one on my 2005 play off final t-shirt, which True Blue spotted!.

Wish my still fitted , well done BBBL

 

[TrueBlue]

I had one on my 2005 play off final t-shirt, which True Blue spotted!.

Was a pleasure to meet you today mate

 

[Shrimperjohn]

Some posts will always be negative, but they are also constructive and you have to take that on board and learn from it. It was my name above the door today and it did not meet the grade for some or me for that matter, all I can do is apologise for that and we march on.
As for Stan yes we can only hope.

True blue seriously all credit to you for organising the protest . It’s the start of a process after all. Now I have heard that before somewhere ! Keep going you have the wheels in motion now.

 

[Smudger]

I had one on my 2005 play off final t-shirt, which True Blue spotted!.

My favourite shirt - still worn to this day!

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

Was a pleasure to meet you today mate

You to, keep up the great work.

 

[BARNETBLUE]

Well I went to the protest . First time I’ve ever done anything like that. I have to say I was hugely disappointed in the turn out. This is not the organisers fault .. we can get 33,000 to watch Crewe at Wembley but we can’t even get 500 out to protest for much needed change... The apathy is simply amazing ..... well done to those who did turn up.
The missed opportunity bit surrounds the organisers themselves .. like many I stood around, I chatted to a few loyal shrimpers chewing the cud so to speak but representatives of the Supporters Trust / Save Our Southend / Shrimperzone/ Custard Splat and the other organisers why couldn’t you just make yourselves known to the wider group of people that attended . The whole event seemed very disjointed . There were the obvious Martin Out chants that I was expecting but why no speeches? Where was the dialogue ? I have to say I was not alone in saying this ..... Something to consider for the next protest I guess .....









.

Well said..I was thinking about making a similar post but couldn't be bothered with all the flack I might get.
I "Echo" everything you say.(Not sure Chris Echo Phillips does, but that's for another time)

Very dissapointing; TBFnot the organisers fault that the weather let us all down. Being from an alleged satanic background, Ron seems to have a hotline to someone or something divine!

I tried to make contact with the folks you mention and got nowhere having made a difficult journey to get to R.H today.
No organisation that I could see. It did make me chuckle to see a white sheet on the new car park fencing that Ronnie 'Nero' Martin has put up; It read SOME CHAIRMAN BUILD BRIDGES; Martin puts up fences"..Very apt.

To close, your title post sums up SUFC as a club pretty much throughout its existence.

UTB!

 

[Shrimp and two veg]

My favourite shirt - still worn to this day!

What a day that was, getting out of the god-awful League Two... oh.?

 

[BARNETBLUE]

Thanks for the feedback. It’s not easy and took quite a bit of organising. Numbers could have been better but 350 considering the last one was about 150. I could have done a speech maybe but let’s be honest it ain’t about me and did not want it to seem like that. Then again at least we tried. Now it’s back to trying to work with the club on the way forward.

Well done Scott on ur feedback.

In response to the original post, if WE are serious here we must step up our game.

 

[blueblueblue]

I like others were sceptical about the whole thing, however, you can't knock the passion from the organisers and those who turned up. It went well with no trouble so well done all.

 

[blueblueblue]

Ouch

Is that really your contribution? You are seriously a wind up.

 

[BARNETBLUE]

So did the protest put the fear of God into Ron and make him put the club up for sale? I suspect it served as a reminder to RM that the opposition, loosely termed, that he faces is lacking unity and organisation.

I am all for fan representation and a mouthpiece that can liaise with the board and RM. That needs to be a duly elected person that can unite all the fan groups. In actual fact unity is not seeing all the group's agree. It is being one group.

The fans, us fans, have no legal right to demand anything. Ron bought the right to do as he sees fit. What sanctions can you impose? No fans attending games? Too late. Embargo on club merchandise? In the scheme of his project it would be little more than an annoyance.

We are absolutely powerless to force him to do anything, so it is better to find ways to work with and support him. Hopefully his aspirations will bring about our dreams too. There is a lot of energy going into picking a fight and the same energy would be better used positively supporting a cause. UTB

I support your views 100%

Your points are well observed and made, particularly so when you mention "Football club politics"

I am available and, I believe, capable of establishing a more effective, cohesive fans group.This infers no crtiticism whatsover of anyone else in the Southend United community.

I propose this entity be called "The Football First Group" and one day if and when we get to the utopia of Fossets Farm (what sort of a name is that anyway?), we call the new ground
"The Football First Arena"

A mini manifesto, written off the cuff and in no parrticular order:

Football First-Business Second
No "B.MW Club here! (Blamers, moaners & Whiners
A 51% Ownership structure
S.U.F.C- Of the fans and by the fans. Always.
Increase funds to youth and academy teams and get more locals into the first team
Dont spend what you dont have
Dont misslead the fans, They ARE the Club!
Players,Managers,owners and even Stadiums come and go after all.... Fans do not.
Re visit and review all of the clubs so called "Customer facing" roles and processes.
Treat the supporters as a critical and valued resource and with respect
New and more inventive ticket prices to get more bums on seats
Mr Martin wants his money back- We would like our club back!

Oh, and Onions in the Burgers.

UTB!

BarnetBlue....United for Unity.

The Football First Group

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

I truly believe that with Stan getting involved and making progress, with the now likely appointment of a CEO, and Ron Martin admitting he needs help and will be taking a step back a bit to leave more things to football people, I think it took the wind out of the sails of the protest. Without those things happening, I would have gone to the protest today, and I suspect many others thought the same. I suspect there would have been over a Thousand more at least without those recent events. So well done Scott and organisers for all your effort. Now we do the waiting game. Where will Ron find the money for a CEO and the expected investment for improvement of quality of players to mount a promotion bid? The average first finishing position of a team dropping down into that League is Ninth. He struggles to pay the tax bills and staff wages during certain months. He now has even less income to work with. I'm not convinced about future finances at all. It looks like a Fossetts Delelopment for a Ron cash injection, or bust. So hold onto those banners guys. I really hope not, but there could be a real storm heading this way. And if another protest happens, it will be much bigger, much louder, speeches galore, and even I will be there.

 

[kentblues]

Well it made him come out and speak to the fans, he also asked me to come down and speak to him personally, which I did, and he told me that things will change.

I am hearing from a few that he was on the megaphone telling some to **** off, I did not hear it but some maybe able to back that up

I guess you would also have heard that he was subject to chants of “w****r” etc as he tried to speak. Of course it was the small minority and an overall excellent event should not be judged by that- something you can’t manage. By the same token don’t critique Ron if he gives some back. If indeed he did. And at least he tried to come out and communicate again- and at one point that was one of the criticisms.

 

[kentblues]

Some posts will always be negative, but they are also constructive and you have to take that on board and learn from it. It was my name above the door today and it did not meet the grade for some or me for that matter, all I can do is apologise for that and we march on.
As for Stan yes we can only hope.

Absolutely you cannot please everyone. I might not agree with all you say but you have tried to listen, find consensus and today should be seen an important part of the process in getting the club moving in the right direction. You have a passion for the club and it’s never a bad thing to seek to put that to work.

 

[rigsby]

Well it made him come out and speak to the fans, he also asked me to come down and speak to him personally, which I did, and he told me that things will change.

I am hearing from a few that he was on the megaphone telling some to **** off, I did not hear it but some maybe able to back that up

I was talking to person X in the Railway who said Ron had banned him after he interrupted.

 

[TrueBlue]

I was talking to person X in the Railway who said Ron had banned him after he interrupted.

I know who person X is, said person got banned by Vic Jobson in the past but jobbo forgot ?

 

[JB Shrimper]

I support the protest, and well done for arranging however if this was to happen again you need to make sure everyone is on the same page. Many were saying this is not a Martin out rally whilst large groups were chanting the opposit. Ron is not going so we need to construct the protests around change. Also Chris Phillips needs to pick who he talks to live a lot more carefully as a couple of comments were not acceptable in my opinion from those that just wanted show off with very little thought. Most that were interviewed however gave a good account of themselves.