"Look at Mr Collymore, very quiet over summer then rocks up like nothing going on yesterday ".
Really not sure what that's supposed to mean? Do you want me to take the mic and sing? Chat to all 5600 supporters individually and tell them everything that I know about the club's business?
Or like every other game I attend, should I chat to opposition guests, sponsors, Kev and the staff, groundsman to see if there's anything i can help with, likewise catering, media and other staff? In other words bring people together as I promised to do?
My remit is not HR, or people leaving the club. That's the CEO and owner who employ them. I have zero remit or power to make one decision at the club. I advise, create a strategy and try to persuade others that things I advise on, work.
I come up with and try to get through good ideas across media, commercial, recruitment and supporters meetings once a month. The latter I have made myself available every month since last November but only one happened. You'll have to ask senior admin why others haven't happened as they sign off on then, but I'm available every month.
Look how many new sponsors are on board with several more to follow. Do you know what I spent several days a week every week through summer doing? Emailing and calling businesses and posting on networking sites to see if they'll join us, then passing details on to commercial to get deals done. One guy was ready to chuck his 30 year season ticket in the bin, but instead sponsored us. Ask him why. I believe he's a SZ regular.
Recruitment? A steady stream of QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE names to constantly update the target list to take the place of those we couldn't get across the line. Read my earlier post about how many clubs, and which clubs I've been in direct contact with across the summer. Along with John Still ( taking a holiday at the moment, are you going to dig him out for not being at Roots Hall on Saturday? ) and the coaches, and scouts the names we put to the CEO and chairman have been FIRST CLASS in this division, but they sign off and Kev decides ultimately who he wants, so i won't be criticised for frankly helping administer a recruitment department that's more professional than this club arguably have ever had and will pay dividends if people are patient rather than throwing toys out of the prams after one match.
Let's turn to media. Ive got one of the country's best cameramen/directors to make a nice club video to sell to sponsors and for Supporters to be get behind. Cost normally? 25-30k. Cost to us ? Zero, he's offering to do it as a favour. You may have also noticed media output is sharper, more regular, more insightful. Who do you think advises and offers ideas for that?
I met the owner last week in London to give him my candid ( as candid as I am to you ) opinion on a number of things across media, recruitment, commercial and supporters, and he and Tom both received a full match précis by 8pm on Saturday night along with a list for Tom of things I'd like to push forward with, as my job is STRATEGY, not signing off on commercial deals, not hiring anyone, not deciding which players come in or leave, not deciding what the media department do and not forcing supporters to meet every month, all of those things I advise on but ultimately others decide to do them or not.
I keep hearing snipes about my contacts book. That contacts book is tangibly bringing in sponsors, players, publicity ( 2 page spread on Southend in the Daily Mail in the hope that the club's good work gets noticed ) , engages with sponsors home and away, and most importantly tries get us anything and everything for free or at little cost. That may be asking a club to waive a potential loan fee or as above getting a media pro to give us free content, saving previous resources to be able to target elsewhere. Every part of my remit is working well bar monthly supporters meetings, and one last time I'll say, I'm available every single month to fill everyone in person who turns up as to what we are trying to do.
But you should all know me we enough by now, in this post and over the last 20 odd years, I won't be mocked for working hard through the summer but be mocked for daring to turn up we Roots Hall against Borehamwood and watch the game from the Directors box as i always do. Next time i'll bring a tray, some popcorn and coke just so one or two can see I'm working.
I get the frustration, people don't like losing matches and especially on matchday one where enthusiasm is at its highest. But to start complaining about someone who's role at the club has helped and is helping bring in some common sense, accountability, professionalism, passion and pride for the club is mean spirited and uncalled for.
The supporters meetings will be where I talk directly to you all, with occasional posts like this when one or two go beyond legitimate questions and in my opinion add unnecessary toxicity to the best Football forum anywhere. Many of you said you don't want a running commentary so running commentary is off the menu. But don't think for a minute that I won't respond to anything that goes over the line because as I say to every single person at the club, I'm here because i want to help a club that means a lot to me not because I need to be.
I've worked hard through the summer for Southend United, please respect that.
Stan
Football is all about opinions, from who should be playing, what tactics, liking the new kit to what we would like to do to the ownership 
. Long may that wonderful part of being a supporter continue, Up the Blues 
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