Shrimpers Trust News Shrimpers Trust statement 08/03/2023

[brigadista]

Some things have changed for the better: we have a CEO, we have a long overdue professional set up with our football department, coaching staff etc.

Now that’s not a new owner but let’s wind back to October 2019, Ron was actively courting the Dutch investment. That suggests he was already open to selling. We’re not going to get clarity on what the issue was that stopped that proceeding but we can push for an exit timeline.

We knew it was going to be rocky until March but now there’s no end in sight. I think everyone would be happier knowing when we can move onto the next chapter.

Sorry, but the pitch invasion versus Chesterfield achieved those things you mentioned. All change stemmed from that event.

 

[nevereatwhitesnow]

As an outsider I think many are missing the opportunity this presents. Your trust are doing the sensible thing of trying to continue to push for discussions with the owner and work from the inside to try and force positive change within the current framework whilst the other groups can push potentially more militant or headline grabbing action to keep the spotlight on Ron. Neither may work in isolation or even collectively but at least people are doing “something” unity is great if there is a clear pathway to achieve an objective. Currently there is no obvious pathway so the pincer movement of both approaches enables lots of you to do “somethjng” don’t give up now, better to do something you regret than to regret not doing something when it’s too late.

Be bold now, you are behind a club you love against a man who wants to make a personal financial fortune. If you are lucky his success “may” mean the club survives, your club deserves more than survival, it deserves the thrive

 

[danbowen]

That is **** poor by them if true. As mentioned numerous times and been shot down numerous times if the fans arent together then it is no wonder we are in such a **** position. Too many supporters groups now all trying to stick their sixpence in but the in fighting of the fans is helping no one. I suggest the trust take the reins and take control of this situation. You cant have one bloke from a protest group, two from custard splat, one from AAS all trying to take control when they have literally no mandate to do so.

Apologies if the term ‘nobodies’ upset anyone. It’s so frustrating that we get nothing from the club, little from the supporters groups and constant rumours. It’s tough for us all at the moment and the lack of information is starting to become more difficult every passing day with new negative situations coming out.

 

[nick12]

I think we were all - Tom included? - under the impression that the loan would comfortably see us through until the release of stadium funds, around June time.

It doesn’t look like it’s anywhere near enough though, and if not, why not?

Where has that money gone? Propping up Martin’s other companies? Obviously we’ve discharged some debt, but clearly not all of our immediate ‘club-ending’ debt.

Season ticket renewal money might make a small dent in a few of the outstanding debts, (although as I understand it, those debts seem to grow on a daily basis) but we can’t carry on dodging bullets. Law of averages says we’ll get clipped eventually.

I genuinely thought the stadium was on its way this time. Genuinely. Maybe that’s more fool me, as the tinker man has once again had to adapt and change plans. Unless the building work begins on B&L this summer, I wonder if we’ll even start next season.

Strange how some are coming round to Fantasy Farm being exactly that.... Fantasy.

I have posted so many times on here that I don't believe I will live long enough to see the Blues play in a new stadium and as I am in fast approaching my 60th birthday I can see no reason to change my fears but I soooooo want to be proved wrong & I hope I am

 

[Holy Joe]

I don't see that. The protest group has a place, they appear to be younger, (rightly) angry, possibly with less to lose, possibly in more of a position to take direct, more militant action. They appear to be deliberately anonymous which is a double-edged sword. On one hand they are less accountable and can get away with more. On the other hand, other supporters don't know who they are.

The Trust members and other supporters groups are generally older. They have contacts, experience, nous (most of the national media comments in recent weeks have come from them). They also have careers, families, commitments. They are accountable, not anonymous and may not be as willing to risk arrest if action turns extreme. These are broad generalisations of course.

Both of these factions want the same thing - Martin out.

Now if the protest group go arm in arm with the Trust, they risk their anarchistic reputation and they will arguably lose credibility among their direct peers, who may then be less likely to join them in more extreme action.

The Trust similarly may feel their more diplomatic aims will fall if they are linked too closely with a militant fan group. This is not just dialogue with Ron we're talking about here. It's dialogue with Tom Lawrence, Kevin Maher, MPs, sponsors, suppliers, other supporters groups, the FA. This stuff is all going on.

Even if they don't work directly together, there is room for them to work in tandem as a pincer movement IMO, as long as one group appreciates the place of the other.

And that doesn't mean to say Trust members and supporters groups won't join protests. They have and will.

Sounds like sein fein and the ira!

 

[Leeboy]

Strange how some are coming round to Fantasy Farm being exactly that.... Fantasy.

I have posted so many times on here that I don't believe I will live long enough to see the Blues play in a new stadium and as I am in fast approaching my 60th birthday I can see no reason to change my fears but I soooooo want to be proved wrong & I hope I am

mate I wrote an article about SUFCs new stadium being built for my school newspaper- in 1985!! It’s never going to happen

 

[Exiled Shrimper]

Should the Trust try and represent all supporters - or should they be representing their paying members?

There aren’t two homogenous groups, one consisting of Shrimpers Trust members and the other of Southend United supporters. There are roughly 850 adult members of the Trust and 500 junior members, so 1350 in total. That’s about a quarter of our average home attendance. Amongst Trust members there will be a range of views, just as there is amongst the fanbase in general, but it’s likely to be fairly representative.

Of course, there are many supporters that are not Trust members (and there may be many reasons why that’s the case), and that’s why, in a time of crisis at our club, the Trust has been keen to work closely with other supporters’ groups to be as representative as possible, to ensure all views are considered and to make informed decisions.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Sorry, but the pitch invasion versus Chesterfield achieved those things you mentioned. All change stemmed from that event.

The pitch invasion would have needed time travel to have assisted in appointing a CEO to run the club.

With a CEO (and with Stan’s assistance) the club then ran a professional recruitment process for the first time in years which resulted in not just a manager but a quality team supporting him. So whilst the pitch invasion can claim credit for getting rid of Brown (something I’ll forever be grateful for), it was having a professional set-up that was responsible for the appointment of Maher and his staff.

 

[Jai]

Sounds like sein fein and the ira!

To be sure.

 

[Shrimper]

The big concern for next season is whether Roots Hall will pass the safety certificate required

 

[Chrisb]

The big concern for next season is whether Roots Hall will pass the safety certificate required

Anyone know if a recent safety certificate would need to be in place before season ticket renewals could be sent out ?

 

[dusterman]

I don't see that. The protest group has a place, they appear to be younger, (rightly) angry, possibly with less to lose, possibly in more of a position to take direct, more militant action. They appear to be deliberately anonymous which is a double-edged sword. On one hand they are less accountable and can get away with more. On the other hand, other supporters don't know who they are.

The Trust members and other supporters groups are generally older. They have contacts, experience, nous (most of the national media comments in recent weeks have come from them). They also have careers, families, commitments. They are accountable, not anonymous and may not be as willing to risk arrest if action turns extreme. These are broad generalisations of course.

Both of these factions want the same thing - Martin out.

Now if the protest group go arm in arm with the Trust, they risk their anarchistic reputation and they will arguably lose credibility among their direct peers, who may then be less likely to join them in more extreme action.

The Trust similarly may feel their more diplomatic aims will fall if they are linked too closely with a militant fan group. This is not just dialogue with Ron we're talking about here. It's dialogue with Tom Lawrence, Kevin Maher, MPs, sponsors, suppliers, other supporters groups, the FA. This stuff is all going on.

Even if they don't work directly together, there is room for them to work in tandem as a pincer movement IMO, as long as one group appreciates the place of the other.

And that doesn't mean to say Trust members and supporters groups won't join protests. They have and will.

This far more eloquently put than my good cop, bad cop idea.

 

[brigadista]

The pitch invasion would have needed time travel to have assisted in appointing a CEO to run the club.

With a CEO (and with Stan’s assistance) the club then ran a professional recruitment process for the first time in years which resulted in not just a manager but a quality team supporting him. So whilst the pitch invasion can claim credit for getting rid of Brown (something I’ll forever be grateful for), it was having a professional set-up that was responsible for the appointment of Maher and his staff.

No, granted. The CEO was in place prior to that. But some batteries in your Tardis and some minor calibration repairs will show you that appointment was a result of the SOS protests which yielded the infamous Zoom meetings where the CEO demands were made. There was literally no leverage before that.
A cursory glance at the history books also shows that Mr Collymore was not involved in the machinations of the club until he picked up the phone to BBC Essex after that pitch invasion and stated he was now prepared to enter the club to do whatever was asked. John Still and Collymore were then not appointed until late November.

The original poster made the point that “working with” the chairman and making appeals in statements has not yielded anything. Protests have.

And take your Time Machine back further and the only other concession we got from the owner was when he was too arrogant and stubborn to appoint care taker unknown manager Tilson full time, until yep, another fan protest in the East in which we encroached on the directors box and the Echo ran a front page of the protest: GIVE IT TO TILLY, and the chairman relented.

People like to give him credit for that appointment and those years too .

 

[Southminster Shrimper]

Anyone know if a recent safety certificate would need to be in place before season ticket renewals could be sent out ?

With a severe lack of Bovril and onions, I highly doubt it would pass its safety certificate.