Echo News Jason Brown on his role in Southend United consortium

[Evening Echo]

JASON Brown insists the opportunity to help build a future for Southend United was too good to turn down.

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[Shrimpergonzo]

Sounds like he was over for a board meeting

 

[Tommy2holes]

Great to have such people on board.

Build it and they will come..

The fact that we are getting 6300 home fans against a part time team on a Tuesday night in the 5th tier tells its own story.

We still need roots hall to be updated and sign a few more quality players if we want to achieve success, but I'm sure the consortium will want a league return as soon as possible.

 

[Lincoln Shrimp]

Can anyone copy and paste the story for those that can't access the full story please?

 

[Smiffy]

JASON Brown insists the opportunity to help build a future for Southend United was too good to turn down.

Brown, who grew up supporting the Shrimpers, is part of the consortium close to taking control of the National League club.

And the 55-year-old admitted he would always have regretted not becoming involved at Roots Hall if he had rejected the opportunity.

“This is my hometown football team and how often do you get a chance to invest in your team?” said Brown.

“It doesn’t happen very often and my kids said exactly that too.

“They said if I didn’t do it now I would regret it forever and they’re right.

“What motivated me was that if I didn’t step up now I would always look back and ask myself why I didn’t do it and regret it.”

Brown first started to fall in the love with the Shrimpers during the 1970s.

And he can still remember heading to Roots Hall for the first time.

“My grandfather was a massive football fan and he was the first person who brought me to a game,” said Brown.

“I was in the south west corner of the ground with him and I think we played Sheffield Wednesday.

“It must have been in the mid 1970s when he brought me along.

“I remember watching the game and waiting for a replay when a goal went in because that’s what I had been used to on the TV.”

Brown went on to watch many more Blues games alongside school friends from Westcliff High.

And in the early 1990s he attended most away games too.

“I went away for college but I worked in London for a couple of years after that and did a lot of away trips in that time,” recalled Brown.

“It was the early 1990s by that point and I was at Bury for the famous Ian Benjamin goal.

“I went to all the games really on the motorway with the scarves out the window but I moved away to Hong Kong in 1995 so its been more of a remote experience since then.”

Brown still attends matches when home for Christmas and in the summer months.

But he has worked hard to establish his own business overseas.

“I worked for Goldman Sachs for many years and then I launched my own business,” said Brown.

“It’s a hedge fund and invests in debt of Asian companies.

“It’s a fund I formed about 10 years ago and it’s hands on, roll your sleeves up trying to solve problems type of job.

“Some of my friends were teasing me because I do a lot of investing in distressed companies.

“The perception was Southend was like that but although I do that for a living I’m not looking at it in that way at all.”

In fact, Brown is relishing his involvement and has been blown away by the response he has received from family and friends.

“My mum still lives in Thundersley in the house I was born in and my brother lives in Leigh,” said Brown.

“They’re really excited about it and I didn’t realise the reaction my involvement was going to generate.

“So many friends I’ve had over the years have got in touch to say how excited they are and I didn’t factor that in at all.

“I felt good about it but the fact so many other people did as well was a really nice knock on effect.

“My mum is very passionate about it but the only thing she isn’t happy about is that Justin (Rees) gets all the attention so I tease him about that!

Brown will be working hard alongside Rees and the other consortium members to get the Shrimpers back on track after a torrid few years.

But Brown only agreed to be involved due to the collaborative approach of those now involved.

“I had always wondered if there might be a chance something could happen but not as an owner,” said Brown.

“I never wanted to be a dominant shareholder.

“The first time I spoke to Justin and Ron (Martin) about getting involved the condition was it had to be part of a bigger group.

“I didn’t want to be viewed as the person to take it forward but I was happy to be in a group.”

And it did not take long for Brown to realise Rees had similar aspirations for the Shrimpers.

“When I heard what was happening I got in touch with Jez Moxey who it seemed was overseeing it but he said to speak to Justin,” said Brown.

“We had a chat and it became quite clear quite quickly that we were thinking about it all in the same way.

“We’re not wealthy enough to be backing the clubs in the billions but we can put money in to try and get it into a stable position.

“It seemed like a meeting of minds and we’ve been working together since the end of the third quarter of last year to make this happen. “

The consortium agreed heads of terms with Ron Martin back in December but are still waiting to officially take charge due to the final part of the deal involving the council and plans for Fossetts Farm.

However, everyone involved remains certain the deal will soon be concluded and Brown is thrilled to play a part -despite the extra work!

“I laugh that I get to 4pm in my day job which is 8am UK time and as my day ends there the emails start from Southend,” said Brown.

“It’s 24/7 job at the moment and the days go very quickly.

“Working on this is a labour of love.

“There are many issues to work through and it’s a never ending process but we have a real desire to make this place better.

“I don’t want to be soft and silly about it but that’s how I feel.

“It’s an enjoyable burden on my time.”

And Brown is fully aware of the club’s extreme potential.

“The catchment area of the club is sufficient enough to support a team in a much higher level,” said Brown.

“This is a club that should be League One/Championship on average.

“The home crowds are great but it’s the away support that surprises. We’re taking 800, 1,000, 1,200 to away games in the fifth tier and that’s amazing.

“The volume of the support tells you there’s something bigger to build on here.

“The business model doesn’t rely on promotion but naturally you would expect this club to operate at a higher level given its support base.”

Blues have also performed well on the pitch this season given the issues they have faced.

And Brown is impressed by the work being done by boss Kevin Maher.

“Kevin is doing a fantastic job,” said Brown.

“He came in for the final hour of the board meeting and went through a presentation with us.

“We were very keen to reassure him we were all very aware of that.

“There’s no prima donnas in the squad either and it’s a good group of people.

“We’re all very excited for the future.”

 

[Northbank Nirvana]

fantastic interview, fabulous fella . I'm slightly biased as I've know Jason since I was 11 years old but rest assured fellow Shrimpers , the club is in safe and ambitious hands .
Good times are coming :)

 

[Tommy2holes]

fantastic interview, fabulous fella . I'm slightly biased as I've know Jason since I was 11 years old but rest assured fellow Shrimpers , the club is in safe and ambitious hands .
Good times are coming :)

I hope that is the case.

Roots hall needs help and soon to get back to capacity and start making more matchday revenue.

 

[Thundersley Blue]

fantastic interview, fabulous fella . I'm slightly biased as I've know Jason since I was 11 years old but rest assured fellow Shrimpers , the club is in safe and ambitious hands .
Good times are coming :)

Would be a good idea to repeat this post each time we fail to win this season.

 

[CC51DAS]

A good positive read. Lifts the spirits a bit.
Its good to know we have some guys with good business acumen driving things forward.
Unlike the clown who took us down