BBC Essex Ron interview here

[NZamba Legend]

No optimism after listening to that. Three relegations under his tenure solely down to finance issues, nothing from Ron on how this won't happen again. I also worry what will happen if Stan is offered a role in the club, what will Phils reaction be to that?

Very true that. The three relegations are all down Ron's financial troubles, his lack of liquidity.

Tell you what, I fancy some liquidity myself but these days I save it for weekends.

 

[Ricey]

The most positive thing from this was Ron admitting he needs help! Admitting he needs a CEO now! Something we have all be chirping at him for years.

 

[Smiffy]

CEO appointment perhaps next week. A positive.

Everything else. Same old waffle. Transfer embargo didn’t really contribute to the problems, I’m hurting more than you, new stadium will be leased - May pay rent etc.

The whole threat of legal action regarding our relegation due to the issues in the pyramid lower down was a treat though.

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

Laughable. Pathetic man

Absolute worm

 

[sufc4life21]

The most positive thing from this was Ron admitting he needs help! Admitting he needs a CEO now! Something we have all be chirping at him for years.

Thats the main bit I took out of his interview, which gives me bit of confidence this club can move forward...... just a shame its 2 years to late!

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

Don't all line up to kick me in the bollox when I say this, Ron sounded pretty hurt and broken.

Good. It’s his fault

 

[Wingnut]

That’s a big risk attempting to challenge the football league and the non league,hopefully retracts that option but he has a point especially regarding the super league It’s a case of one rule for them

 

[FarmdogSUFC]

"It's all good news off the pitch"

I look forward to this quote being brought up again in a few weeks time

 

[rayleighblue22]

Same old Same old, apart from the CEO part, cant believe Ron dosent think that the embargos didnt hurt us this season (no its all simeon akinolas fault that he came in unfit!!).
The bit that makes me worry is the last part , when questioned about tonights supporters club meeting first thing out of his mouth is "lucky me"
This just proves to me he dosent care less about the supporters. No apologys at all!!
Be interesting to me to see the replay of tonights Zoom meeting. Because there dosent seem to be much of a plan at the moment apart from lobbying the football league!!
In case you've forgotten Ron we have been relegated if you genually care about the club the time to plan for the national league is NOW

 

[Phippsy]

That bloke will never ever admit when he's wrong will he?. He's on our side don't forget, and is not our enemy ?, without him we are liquidated etc etc etc.

The only crumb of comfort was him admitting he needs help. Which will probably mean promoting his son into a more prominent role.

That guy sickens me more and more everytime he opens that gob, you also realise how hard he is prepared to dig his feet in for the obvious end game.

It's ok though because he feels the pain far more than any of us do and wants us to succeed .


I need a beer

 

[ColinMorrisWalksOnWater]

Just finished listening to it.

I still consider Ron to be a liar and am allowed to call him out as such after the much quoted statement he made at an SUFC AGM, when discussing the original Stadium at FF and the 35 retail units, saying that the then chairman of JJB sports and Wigan Athletic at the time, Dave Whelan, had signed up for one, therefore JJB sports would be there and if we didn't play Wigan Athletic in a pre season friendly prior to the next season, all present could call him a liar, so I take him at his word.

However on the interview, he couldn't bring himself to apologise, which I thought was poor at best and awful PR for him on an ongoing basis. However to counter that he said he was human and had made mistakes. - better.

On the embargo he said it didn't effect us, my initial reaction was unprintable, but listening more closely, I think his basis for that was on the position we were in with the players at the squad at the time and not being able to play Sim and Sam, rather than the bigger picture of would being in an embargo itself have not handicapped us as much, which I believe is obvious and we would have been able to act in the transfer market in a more effective way. I also think it was poor of the the interviewer not to have pressed that point more forcefully.

On the embargo itself he said it was due to outstanding payments not being met and needed £170,000 to be paid, which he could not get together in a quick enough time, bear that figure in mind for later....

On his care for the club, he seemed very genuine, although please correct me if I am wrong regarding being home and away for 23 years, for at least the first season he WAS a distant chairman/owner, putting John Main in the role as Chairman to run the club as he didn't want any involvement, he never attended matches in that period. It wasn't until, once again finances were spiralling, (Peter Storrie on a reported £120,000 p.a. player wagers such as Scott Houghton), that he got involved and started to attend matches and took a hands on role on the football side.

On dropping out of the league, he said we get a payment from the EFL for 18 months, but lose the £500,000 Premier League solidarity payment. Remember that £170k that he could not raise to prevent the embargo, I would like to know how he is going to make up a £500k shortfall for next season then, because that's an extra £330k he has to find now!

On relegation he is not certain we will be in the NL, but won't say why. I can understand if he has found a legal loophole, but really? Oh and how much more money is that little courtroom adventure possibly going to cost?

On the squad, he obviously didn't rate Sim, as a main striker, not as a footballer, can't say I differ too much there, but again said we couldn't get John Akinde, but why just let a manager go for one target, no mention of other alternatives, because this squad need two or three strikers, not just one! Then onto squad size, with 47 being mentioned, making the lack of strikers even more ludicrous imo. On a positive he did have a squad number made up from retentions and signings. Better, but don't forget the strikers again!

Lastly on Stan and CEO, he said the conversations and interviews had gone well. I thought it was positive that he sees a role from Stan, but said he didn't know what Mark Bright did in his role at Palace. Someone tell him for God sake, but there did seem room for Stan to make a role for himself. CEO interview went well and another person to be interviewed hopefully with an appointment at the end of next week. Keep an eye on that then!

PB to remain would be his wish. No doubting the amount of funding he has put in, that does need acknowledgement, but then too would the financial mismanagement in that case to have us in court facing winding up orders every few months. He says the investment will be there to make a go of bouncing back first time, especially if we have the current management team on board. That sounds encouraging.

But he is going nowhere, that is plain and he did say beware for what you wish for, and we have been there before with Anton Johnson, so I am not against him staying and take on board what he said. BUT, he needs to get the help in sooner. He needs help on the football side. He needs to get the right funding in place at the right time.

Like Tilly in the zoom meeting, I think he has the funding, it's the management of it that has caused us the problems. If he sorts that side out, he will continue to back the manager and has done in the past and I believe him 100% on that and we have the football side managed by football people I believe there is a better place for us. But he will definitely be around, so we had better get used to that, just keep a tight monitor on what he says and when things should happen.

I am leaving any verdict open at the moment as there is a lot going on at this time obviously and I think it is better to break the whole down and deal with smaller components at this moment in time.

 

[Hegman]

Ron's words are worthless. I am astonished if there is anyone who genuinely believes what he says.

He has thrown away our football league status. No words can make up for that!

 

[Welly7]

The lack of contrition in his voice. The lack of accountability in his words. The arrogance to belittle the National League as a competition.
Such a sad, sorry state of affairs that surround our club. I'm more upset than angry.
Breaks my heart.

 

[Boreham Shrimper]

Still listening to it on the train back from London after a mere 4 pints. He’s down-played the impact of the embargo, claimed he doesn’t want to throw Akinola under a bus, then done so and already been blasé around us throwing away our league status as if it were nothing. I just instructed the wife to put the wine in the fridge, not sure if it will be cold before I get home and I don’t care. It’s getting opened ?

 

[northlincsshrimper1]

Having listened in full to the BBC Essex interview and taking into account the views of many posters, I am of the opinion that the majority of the conversation was fair. Ron Martin did not say sorry to any of the supporters, which was poor PR, he has made many mistakes, to which admitted. With hindsight some, but not all may have been avoided. There was reassurance about a new CEO, the fact that he will support the club financially and will not walk away. Yes the conversations with supporters could and should have been better, not just the past few weeks but over the last three years. I get the impression that Ron Martin knows what is going on but for reasons unknown does not keep us in the picture about issues concerning the fans. Any confidential issues, which abound in any small to medium size companies of which Southend is one should be kept within the business and not directly affecting us. Whilst I do not know Ron Martin on a personal level, at the same time, any person in his position should not be hung drawn and quarter for making mistakes. I do agree that pressure should be applied in order to improve the overall standing and stability of the Club within and outside of the football world.

 

[Westcliff DGS]

CEO appointment perhaps next week. A positive.

Everything else. Same old waffle. Transfer embargo didn’t really contribute to the problems, I’m hurting more than you, new stadium will be leased - May pay rent etc.

The whole threat of legal action regarding our relegation due to the issues in the pyramid lower down was a treat though.

To be fair that was a point the NL bought up last season I believe when it was mooted teams may not be promoted or relegated at one stage and threatened action. So it does seem to be a little rich to assume that the other way, don’t get me wrong I am not saying we should go that route or backing RM on this but it was an argument raised last season.

More chance of Sunny or Mansfield going into admin than legal actions on that i reckon

 

[Boreham Shrimper]

“We are a big club”. The man is deluded. We’re a non league club playing King’s Lynn. He refers to income streams without elaborating and then claims “it’s just irrelevant”. Please forgive us, dear Ronald for disagreeing but given you’ve just thrown away over 100 years of football league history, I’m not sure if tens of thousands of fans agree with you.

 

[blueblueblue]

I would say more frustration than anything

I don't know ron like you guys do, you could well be right, he did sound a bit broken though.

 

[kentblues]

Just finished listening to it.

I still consider Ron to be a liar and am allowed to call him out as such after the much quoted statement he made at an SUFC AGM, when discussing the original Stadium at FF and the 35 retail units, saying that the then chairman of JJB sports and Wigan Athletic at the time, Dave Whelan, had signed up for one, therefore JJB sports would be there and if we didn't play Wigan Athletic in a pre season friendly prior to the next season, all present could call him a liar, so I take him at his word.

However on the interview, he couldn't bring himself to apologise, which I thought was poor at best and awful PR for him on an ongoing basis. However to counter that he said he was human and had made mistakes. - better.

On the embargo he said it didn't effect us, my initial reaction was unprintable, but listening more closely, I think his basis for that was on the position we were in with the players at the squad at the time and not being able to play Sim and Sam, rather than the bigger picture of would being in an embargo itself have not handicapped us as much, which I believe is obvious and we would have been able to act in the transfer market in a more effective way. I also think it was poor of the the interviewer not to have pressed that point more forcefully.

On the embargo itself he said it was due to outstanding payments not being met and needed £170,000 to be paid, which he could not get together in a quick enough time, bear that figure in mind for later....

On his care for the club, he seemed very genuine, although please correct me if I am wrong regarding being home and away for 23 years, for at least the first season he WAS a distant chairman/owner, putting John Main in the role as Chairman to run the club as he didn't want any involvement, he never attended matches in that period. It wasn't until, once again finances were spiralling, (Peter Storrie on a reported £120,000 p.a. player wagers such as Scott Houghton), that he got involved and started to attend matches and took a hands on role on the football side.

On dropping out of the league, he said we get a payment from the EFL for 18 months, but lose the £500,000 Premier League solidarity payment. Remember that £170k that he could not raise to prevent the embargo, I would like to know how he is going to make up a £500k shortfall for next season then, because that's an extra £330k he has to find now!

On relegation he is not certain we will be in the NL, but won't say why. I can understand if he has found a legal loophole, but really? Oh and how much more money is that little courtroom adventure possible going to cost?

On the squad, he obviously didn't rate Sim, as a main striker, not as a footballer, can't say I differ too much there, but again said we couldn't get John Akinde, but why just let a manager go for one target, no mention of other alternatives, because this squad need two or three strikers, not just one! Then onto squad size, with 47 being mentioned, making the lack of strikers even more ludicrous imo. On a positive he did have a squad number made up from retentions and signings. Better, but don't forget the strikers again!

Lastly on Stan and CEO, he said the conversations and interviews had gone well. I thought it was positive that he sees a role from Stan, but said he didn't know what Mark Bright did in his role at Palace. Someone tell him for God sake, but there did seem room for Stan to make a role for himself. CEO interview went well and another person to be interviewed hopefully with an appointment at the end of next week. Keep an eye on that then!

PB to remain would be his wish. No doubting the amount of funding he has put in, that does need acknowledgement, but then too would the financial mismanagement in that case to have us in court facing winding up orders every few months. He says the investment will be there to make a go of bouncing back first time, especially if we have the current management team on board. That sounds encouraging.

But he is going nowhere, that is plain and he did say beware for what you wish for, and we have been there before with Anton Johnson, so I am not against him staying and take on board what he said. BUT, he needs to get the help in sooner. He needs help on the football side. He needs to get the right funding in place at the right time.

Like Tilly in the zoom meeting, I think he has the funding, it's the management of it that has caused us the problems. If he sorts that side out, he will continue to back the manager and has done in the past and I believe him 100% on that and we have the football side managed by football people I believe there is a better place for us. But he will definitely be around, so we had better get used to that, just keep a tight monitor on what he says and when things should happen.

I am leaving any verdict open at the moment as there is a lot going on at this time obviously and I think it is better to break the whole down and deal with smaller components at this moment in time.

Don’t agree with everything you say but you have sought, I think, a very reasoned and fair analysis.

 

[Snowy]

Not listened to interview as I could not be bothered it would not change my mind or feelings.

One question though, without Stan's intervention would Ron have even thought about appointing a CEO now?