Paul Sturrock

[tia]

Always be a very respected man at Southend United.Remember going to Dartford friendly in 2010 and we had hardly any players signed and was very worrying but he comfortably kept us up and was unlucky not to get us promoted following season

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Always be a very respected man at Southend United.Remember going to Dartford friendly in 2010 and we had hardly any players signed and was very worrying but he comfortably kept us up and was unlucky not to get us promoted following season

I was at the training ground on his first day there. He had about 5 players mostly doing light physical work. He spent the whole time on his mobile. Call after call trying to get players in. He did it. A few duff one's, but not too bad a side in the end.

 

[Mad Cyril]

Amazing picture of Luggy at a snow bound Tannadice Park against Neuchatel Xamax.

View attachment 8787

That would make a great Xmas card.

 

[tia]

I was at the training ground on his first day there. He had about 5 players mostly doing light physical work. He spent the whole time on his mobile. Call after call trying to get players in. He did it. A few duff one's, but not too bad a side in the end.

We could have easily went same way as Stockport County who are only just back in the national league

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Great find Tangled. I used to love watching Dundee United in those midweek European matches, the highlights normally on Sportsnight, hosted by David Coleman. And Paul Sturrock was genuinely my favourite player for them. He could play main striker or left winger. Scored and made loads of goals. Brilliant and intelligent player. A few English teams were after him each season in his prime, but amazingly he kept loyal to Dundee United. They were the only professional club he played for between 1974--89. Obviously not driven by money.

I was standing behind the goal (you could in those days) where DU's 2nd half goals went in (The official away supporters were in the top tier at the other end of the Nou Camp).I was one happy Englishman that night!

 

[Napster]

That was seriously bizarre wasnt it. Text below

Some decisions in Business Life are:

• Relatively easy judgements

others are

• difficult to make

rarely in business should decisions

• be influenced by emotion

The decision I have had to make today was a very hard call but one I instinctively know is correct and in the best interests of Southend United Football Club.
Most people associated with the Club are currently thinking of “the day out” at Wembley. The 7th April will be a Special Day, a day in the Club’s history….a day for the Town of Southend.

I too will look forward to “our day out” but as Chairman my responsibility and focus must also be on the wider interests of “Southend United”. The primary objective last season and again this season was Promotion. The Manager and Players have understood that from the outset. We came up short last season in the Play Offs and the recent results against relatively low League teams such as:

o Accrington
o Barnet
o Wimbledon
o Plymouth
and
o Torquay

have not been good enough…..2 points out of 15 by any standard is poor. ALL these Teams’ playing budgets are considerably less than Southend United’s and 4 out of the 5 teams are around half of what Southend United invest in “its” Squad. The amount of investment in players must be one of the fundamental criteria for success – otherwise I could argue that by cutting the Clubs budget in half we should still expect promotion. Our investment has enabled the Manager to build a squad both last year and this year of having more, quality, players at his disposal than most Teams in the League. Therefore in the event of injury or suspension other players were readily available to “step up to the plate” and prove themselves.

All Teams in football have injuries and when that has happened at Southend we have supported the Manager still further on every occasion. The Board has recently sanctioned an additional six players (5 loanees) to help maintain the challenge at the top end of the Table. However the form, just as it did last season, has dropped off when it should have been pushing for automatic promotion. Let’s be clear, promotion should always be a realistic prospect for Southend United in League 2. We are not a League 2 Club and my ambition as Chairman is to ensure we compete and fulfil our potential whilst at Roots Hall and continue that trend in the new Stadium.

Promotion has always been the first priority and the Manager has always known that.

We could reasonably have expected to win all the above games and that would have seen us currently 2nd in the League Table…even 12 points would have seen us in the Automatics. However with just 2 points out of 15 when judged against the further support and investment in new players is unacceptable.

Paul Sturrock’s three year contract comes to an end this season and The Club will not be renewing Paul’s contract. Paul’s first year was difficult but the last two seasons he has had a free hand to achieve the clear objective of getting the Club out of this League. No matter how much I personally wrestle with the positive arguments (Paul is experienced, a nice man, honest and likeable) my responsibility is to bring success and growth to your Club.

If the Club were to appoint a different Manager during the Close Season the new man would have no opportunity to assess the ability of the current squad of players in, and crucially, a competitive environment. That would mean that we would start next season with uncertainty, inevitable changes and a loss of continuity as he got to grips with each players ability (strengths/weaknesses), the individual characteristics and how those temperaments mould within the squad as a whole.

This all takes time and the Club needs to hit the ground running from day 1 with absolute focus on the task in hand. Not “spluttering” whilst the new Manager is still on a steep learning curve as to each players suitability etc.

The next 7-8 games (at least) is an opportunity for the players to prove their ability. I have not lost faith in this Squad, they are good people, with talent and many capable of playing at a higher level. I would like to keep much of the Squad together but it is now up to each and every player to prove beyond any doubt that my faith, and in the opinion of the new Manager, is not misplaced.

The Club as I say above will not be renewing Paul’s contract at the end of this season and will appoint a new Manager tomorrow to ensure the Club’s interests are protected and advanced both now and from the first day of next Season.

They say

“there is no sentiment in football”

I do not agree, we are all human and have to understand the emotions influenced by our decisions.

The decisions here are, as I say at the beginning of this Statement, driven by the wider interests of Southend United…..its success and growth whilst remaining conscious of what is fair and just. These may not be sentiments common to Football but it is the way I want this Club to be run.

For all these reasons I have suggested to Paul he leads the Team out and manages them at Wembley. He has earned that privilege and agreed.

Ron Martin
Chairman

 

[Gt Yarmouth Shrimper]

Call me Mr Thicko Napster but what point are you trying to make?

 

[Benfleet A1]

2 points out of 15 springs instantly to the fore.

 

[Napster]

2 points out of 15 springs instantly to the fore.

Plus the stuff about squad investment, which Ron has backed Bond with.

 

[Blue Yonder]

I think I've worked out who grapevine is..

 

[Bromley Blue]

That was seriously bizarre wasnt it. Text below

Some decisions in Business Life are:

• Relatively easy judgements

others are

• difficult to make

rarely in business should decisions

• be influenced by emotion

The decision I have had to make today was a very hard call but one I instinctively know is correct and in the best interests of Southend United Football Club.
Most people associated with the Club are currently thinking of “the day out” at Wembley. The 7th April will be a Special Day, a day in the Club’s history….a day for the Town of Southend.

I too will look forward to “our day out” but as Chairman my responsibility and focus must also be on the wider interests of “Southend United”. The primary objective last season and again this season was Promotion. The Manager and Players have understood that from the outset. We came up short last season in the Play Offs and the recent results against relatively low League teams such as:

o Accrington
o Barnet
o Wimbledon
o Plymouth
and
o Torquay

have not been good enough…..2 points out of 15 by any standard is poor. ALL these Teams’ playing budgets are considerably less than Southend United’s and 4 out of the 5 teams are around half of what Southend United invest in “its” Squad. The amount of investment in players must be one of the fundamental criteria for success – otherwise I could argue that by cutting the Clubs budget in half we should still expect promotion. Our investment has enabled the Manager to build a squad both last year and this year of having more, quality, players at his disposal than most Teams in the League. Therefore in the event of injury or suspension other players were readily available to “step up to the plate” and prove themselves.

All Teams in football have injuries and when that has happened at Southend we have supported the Manager still further on every occasion. The Board has recently sanctioned an additional six players (5 loanees) to help maintain the challenge at the top end of the Table. However the form, just as it did last season, has dropped off when it should have been pushing for automatic promotion. Let’s be clear, promotion should always be a realistic prospect for Southend United in League 2. We are not a League 2 Club and my ambition as Chairman is to ensure we compete and fulfil our potential whilst at Roots Hall and continue that trend in the new Stadium.

Promotion has always been the first priority and the Manager has always known that.

We could reasonably have expected to win all the above games and that would have seen us currently 2nd in the League Table…even 12 points would have seen us in the Automatics. However with just 2 points out of 15 when judged against the further support and investment in new players is unacceptable.

Paul Sturrock’s three year contract comes to an end this season and The Club will not be renewing Paul’s contract. Paul’s first year was difficult but the last two seasons he has had a free hand to achieve the clear objective of getting the Club out of this League. No matter how much I personally wrestle with the positive arguments (Paul is experienced, a nice man, honest and likeable) my responsibility is to bring success and growth to your Club.

If the Club were to appoint a different Manager during the Close Season the new man would have no opportunity to assess the ability of the current squad of players in, and crucially, a competitive environment. That would mean that we would start next season with uncertainty, inevitable changes and a loss of continuity as he got to grips with each players ability (strengths/weaknesses), the individual characteristics and how those temperaments mould within the squad as a whole.

This all takes time and the Club needs to hit the ground running from day 1 with absolute focus on the task in hand. Not “spluttering” whilst the new Manager is still on a steep learning curve as to each players suitability etc.

The next 7-8 games (at least) is an opportunity for the players to prove their ability. I have not lost faith in this Squad, they are good people, with talent and many capable of playing at a higher level. I would like to keep much of the Squad together but it is now up to each and every player to prove beyond any doubt that my faith, and in the opinion of the new Manager, is not misplaced.

The Club as I say above will not be renewing Paul’s contract at the end of this season and will appoint a new Manager tomorrow to ensure the Club’s interests are protected and advanced both now and from the first day of next Season.

They say

“there is no sentiment in football”

I do not agree, we are all human and have to understand the emotions influenced by our decisions.

The decisions here are, as I say at the beginning of this Statement, driven by the wider interests of Southend United…..its success and growth whilst remaining conscious of what is fair and just. These may not be sentiments common to Football but it is the way I want this Club to be run.

For all these reasons I have suggested to Paul he leads the Team out and manages them at Wembley. He has earned that privilege and agreed.

Ron Martin
Chairman

It’s little wonder that the council never take our chairman seriously. The grammar in that statement is atrocious.

 

[Napster]

https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/sp.../plymouth-argyle-legend-paul-sturrock-3490950

 

[Strykr]

Top bloke and really saved our bacon at the time.

 

[maninasuitcase]

https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/sp.../plymouth-argyle-legend-paul-sturrock-3490950

That online newspaper site seems even worse than the EE! So many adds, clips and related news to load just to check out an article that maybe takes a minute to read at most.

I thought PS was a great manager for us. Without his skills, we could easily have ended up being relegated out of the football league.

 

[Barling Magna]

Thoroughly deserved for a good man who saved Southend United. Without the floodlights failure at Aldershot he would have got us promoted having personally gathered together a team of battlers and dedicated professionals who played for him and for us. He had his own private battle against chronic illness too. Top bloke.

 

[Swiss Tony]

Thoroughly deserved for a good man who saved Southend United. Without the floodlights failure at Aldershot he would have got us promoted having personally gathered together a team of battlers and dedicated professionals who played for him and for us. He had his own private battle against chronic illness too. Top bloke.

Bang on BA and lets not forget he was one hell of a footballer too, and may I say his treatment for the Wembley final was shocking,just saying.

 

[Ricey]

Bang on BA and lets not forget he was one hell of a footballer too, and may I say his treatment for the Wembley final was shocking,just saying.

It was disgusting but it shows what sort of man he is by still turning up and having a beer with the fans. Why they couldn’t wait until after the final is beyond me, it was Sturrock that got us there.

 

[The Big Dady]

Thoroughly deserved by Paul Sturrock, for what he did for Scotland, Dundee United, Plymouth Argyle, and most importantly Southend United.

 

[Sammy Shrimper]

Sturrock stopped the decline following relegation. We could have continued in freefall with Stockport, and only last season did they get promoted back up to level 5.

 

[wildheart]

Ron Martin treated him so badly at the end. Top bloke Mr Sturrock.