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President
Chairman’s Blog 27.01.09 - From Inside Your Club
When I started looking at investing in SUFC and held early meetings with Vic Jobson it soon became clear (the opposite actually!) that the operation was surrounded in mystique.
I will not speak ill of the dead but I think the Chairman at that time simply conducted his affairs and those of the Club almost under a veil of secrecy. Certainly information flow was on a “need to know basis” which is hardly conducive to developing a relationship with the Cub’s supporters (our customers) in an effort to progress the Club both on and off the pitch to everyone’s advantage.
For that to happen there must be mutual trust and such trust can only be gained by being open and communicating with the supporters regularly.
Incidentally it might interest fans to know that extracting information in relation to the Club at the time of the purchase of Vic Jobson’s shares was not the easiest task. Apart from our own DD we ended up instructing the accountants, Deloitte, to report on the Club’s finances. Their initial report took six weeks following which I sent them back for a further nine weeks to ensure that we had a good understanding!
Therefore soon after I started involving myself in the day to day operations one of my first instructions was to ensure that fans were kept informed of not just the on field activity but also, as we progressed, the work the Club does in the community and, at the relevant times, the new stadium plans – the latter being crucial to the Club’s evolution.
I hope the supporters feel we have made progress in this respect but I can let you know that we are always looking at ways of improving service and the flow of information which is admirably coordinated by Garry Adamson, the Club’s Director of Commercial Services.
The idea of me doing a blog is the next step in that communication process and, I hope, helps supporters at least know the facts and some of the decisions behind the running of the Football Club. Of course, I do not expect everyone to agree with the judgements but at least the reasoning will be known.
What I propose to do for a trial period is a weekly posting. This will cover such things as football finances, stadium plans, management strategy (including scouting), youth development (including academy status), the Club’s work in the community (and how it integrates with growth). Additionally we can look at my medium to long-term ambitions for your Club and how I perceive these being achieved.
If supporters feel the blog is worthwhile it may be possible to introduce a Q&A. Obviously I will not be able to respond to all emails but will hopefully reply to a number and deal with the majority of points raised and certainly we could make provision for my replies to be included in the following week’s posting.
Next week I plan to look carefully at the financial aspects of football. This will cover Southend United’s history and the financial movements over the last few years which would include the level of investment in the Club together with players’ wages both current and historic.
As a taster, our current wage bill so far this season is probably on target for a top six finish and, that being the case, will be twice what it was when we were last in League 1. During that year we utilised 25 players whereas so far this year we have utilised 31 players.
I set out below more clearly the make up of those 31 players:
Southend United 08/09 Season First Team
Long-term Injured = 3
Forwards = 8
Midfielders = 10
Defenders = 6
Goalkeepers = 4
In looking at players’ wages it is important to understand in what positions we have invested (rightly or wrongly). For instance we have eight forwards at the Club and yet the goal ratios are poor:
08/09 Season League Goal Statistics
Goals for = 31
Goals against = 42
These statistics prompt many different theories:
· Some might argue that we have leaked too many goals and therefore the defence needs strengthening.
· Others might argue that the defence is under pressure because the ball comes through midfield too quickly.
· Whereas others may say if the ball could be held up top neither the midfield or defence would be under so much pressure – and there would be more opportunity to score
Of course all of this is true in some way or another and therefore the selection of players and the investment in those individuals both from a financial and time perspective is absolutely paramount in my view.
Together over the coming weeks we can examine these positions more clearly and you, our customers, can perhaps have your say or at the very least make your judgements on the facts available.
One fact that I can assure you of is that we continue to exercise DD in every area of the Club as we maintain its growth and hopefully success.
Rome was not built in a day and the restructuring and advancement of Southend United Football Club will also take time but together we will get it right.
Up the Blues!
Ron Martin
Chairman,
Southend United Football Club
When I started looking at investing in SUFC and held early meetings with Vic Jobson it soon became clear (the opposite actually!) that the operation was surrounded in mystique.
I will not speak ill of the dead but I think the Chairman at that time simply conducted his affairs and those of the Club almost under a veil of secrecy. Certainly information flow was on a “need to know basis” which is hardly conducive to developing a relationship with the Cub’s supporters (our customers) in an effort to progress the Club both on and off the pitch to everyone’s advantage.
For that to happen there must be mutual trust and such trust can only be gained by being open and communicating with the supporters regularly.
Incidentally it might interest fans to know that extracting information in relation to the Club at the time of the purchase of Vic Jobson’s shares was not the easiest task. Apart from our own DD we ended up instructing the accountants, Deloitte, to report on the Club’s finances. Their initial report took six weeks following which I sent them back for a further nine weeks to ensure that we had a good understanding!
Therefore soon after I started involving myself in the day to day operations one of my first instructions was to ensure that fans were kept informed of not just the on field activity but also, as we progressed, the work the Club does in the community and, at the relevant times, the new stadium plans – the latter being crucial to the Club’s evolution.
I hope the supporters feel we have made progress in this respect but I can let you know that we are always looking at ways of improving service and the flow of information which is admirably coordinated by Garry Adamson, the Club’s Director of Commercial Services.
The idea of me doing a blog is the next step in that communication process and, I hope, helps supporters at least know the facts and some of the decisions behind the running of the Football Club. Of course, I do not expect everyone to agree with the judgements but at least the reasoning will be known.
What I propose to do for a trial period is a weekly posting. This will cover such things as football finances, stadium plans, management strategy (including scouting), youth development (including academy status), the Club’s work in the community (and how it integrates with growth). Additionally we can look at my medium to long-term ambitions for your Club and how I perceive these being achieved.
If supporters feel the blog is worthwhile it may be possible to introduce a Q&A. Obviously I will not be able to respond to all emails but will hopefully reply to a number and deal with the majority of points raised and certainly we could make provision for my replies to be included in the following week’s posting.
Next week I plan to look carefully at the financial aspects of football. This will cover Southend United’s history and the financial movements over the last few years which would include the level of investment in the Club together with players’ wages both current and historic.
As a taster, our current wage bill so far this season is probably on target for a top six finish and, that being the case, will be twice what it was when we were last in League 1. During that year we utilised 25 players whereas so far this year we have utilised 31 players.
I set out below more clearly the make up of those 31 players:
Southend United 08/09 Season First Team
Long-term Injured = 3
Forwards = 8
Midfielders = 10
Defenders = 6
Goalkeepers = 4
In looking at players’ wages it is important to understand in what positions we have invested (rightly or wrongly). For instance we have eight forwards at the Club and yet the goal ratios are poor:
08/09 Season League Goal Statistics
Goals for = 31
Goals against = 42
These statistics prompt many different theories:
· Some might argue that we have leaked too many goals and therefore the defence needs strengthening.
· Others might argue that the defence is under pressure because the ball comes through midfield too quickly.
· Whereas others may say if the ball could be held up top neither the midfield or defence would be under so much pressure – and there would be more opportunity to score
Of course all of this is true in some way or another and therefore the selection of players and the investment in those individuals both from a financial and time perspective is absolutely paramount in my view.
Together over the coming weeks we can examine these positions more clearly and you, our customers, can perhaps have your say or at the very least make your judgements on the facts available.
One fact that I can assure you of is that we continue to exercise DD in every area of the Club as we maintain its growth and hopefully success.
Rome was not built in a day and the restructuring and advancement of Southend United Football Club will also take time but together we will get it right.
Up the Blues!
Ron Martin
Chairman,
Southend United Football Club
