Zone Update Shrimpers Trust Statement

[choggy]

Choggy
Its still a Football club/business
take the emotional stuff a side its a business (at the moment) owned by Ron, When he has something to say he will.
All you need to know is the debt will be paid Friday end of...none of your/Our business how that happens.
As long as the team turns up each week that all that is of our concern.
many things are social events but I dont care who owns my local pub as long as it's open thats the main thing....none of my business who owns it.

Its like everyone thinks they are shareholders...For gods sake get a grip on reality

It's a football club that is run as a business, not the other way round. A football club exists for its supporters and with the exception of MK Dons every club in the football league was up by football fans for the sole purpose of watching a game of football. You could argue that Premier league clubs are run purely as a business over football, but the majority of Southend fans don't support a premier league club for that very reason.

 

[ldnfatso]

I have sat silently for the last week but think the time is right for me pipe up.

At the end of the day Southend United is a Sports club that offers people the chance to Watch a sporting event..its up to us if we decide to or not.

We have no right to knowledge...Ron doesnt really owe us anything. okay his actions will result in less people attending (I actually doubt that)

When we need to know we will know.

SUFC will not cease to exist on any outcome...okay 10 pts deduction...I'm not going to stop going are you?

Lets stop this we are supporters its our right...frankly its not

It does have a duty to tell shareholders though!

 

[SARF]

lets face it.. the trust had a bit of a panic up, and fair enough, thats what they are there for.. Ron said he would sort it and so far it appears he will.. the 'consortium' will have to wait, Ron is still in charge .. we are near the play offs despite everything and the new ground is still green for go...

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Now that, I just cannot agree with. It is, whether you like it or not, his business. He owns something that we all hold dear to our hearts. Seeing it as 'our club' is, as someone else I think has said, letting your heart rule your head.

SUFC is a business. In exactly the same way Tesco's, Argos, Debbies Massage Service or Mr Patel's newsagent is. It provides a service to paying customers. Us.

The similarities go further than that: like Debbies Massage Services, we don't pay tax either.....

 

[Mad Cyril]

lets face it.. the trust had a bit of a panic up, and fair enough, thats what they are there for.. Ron said he would sort it and so far it appears he will.. the 'consortium' will have to wait, Ron is still in charge .. we are near the play offs despite everything and the new ground is still green for go...

And I have a good feeling about the FA cup.

 

[McNasty]

If there was no Trust, no Echo or no Zone with all the comments and questions from the people concerned, the Club and it's owners and board could do what they like without answering to anyone other than the AGM.
I have been to SUFC AGMs and the Chairman has answered the questions put to him, some questions had much better answers than others but if the AGM didn't exist the club could get away without informing the fans about anything.

I am sure the Trust is trying hard to all supporters, whether Trust members or not, the Echo is trying to get information for it's readers and the Zone is here for all comments, both good and bad.

Let's hope the Club doesn't get it this situation again but if it does let's hope people get behind everyone connected with the club to take away the un-certainty as my nerves can't stand the excitement of the last few weeks.

 

[Holy Joe]

Seriously ??

You are complaining because Ron hasn't come out today and said "nothing" :doh: :tumbleweed:

That doesn't read how i want it to but i'm sure you get my point

I despair sometimes, i really do

No I'm disappointed that Ron didn't keep to his agreement to keep in touch with the Trust on a daily basis.

 

[Shrimperstrust]

Statement Update - 09.11.09

The Shrimpers Trust is delighted that Ron Martin has been able to secure the necessary funds to satisfy HMRC and therefore allow Southend United FC to avoid the threatened Administration.

The Trust understands that Mr Martin has been extremely busy and would hope that his time over the next few days will allow him to explain the precise funding arrangements where they affect the Football Club.

In particular, we would be interested to know how much funding has been put in place over and above the debt to HMRC; supporters will be keen to understand whether money is available for new players and indeed whether existing staff and player salaries are secure for the foreseeable future. It has been to the credit of those that have remained available during this period that the club currently occupies a top-half position in Coca-Cola League One, with this placing further evidence of the excellent job being done by management duo Steve Tilson and Paul Brush.

Finally, the Shrimpers Trust would like thank all supporters for their generousity during this difficult period. The money raised for the Save Our Southend appeal will be ring-fenced as part of a designated Fighting Fund for the immediate future and will not become part of the larger Shrimpers Trust finances. However, we would like to confirm that, should Southend United be faced with extinction in years to come, all monies gathered since the establishment of the Supporters Club Trust would be used to save our Football Club.

All of the Trust Statements regarding the current financial plight SUFC finds itself in can be found on the Trust Website by clicking here.

 

[Pubey]

So basically there is no fighting fund (well £6k) but the trust account would be used if needs be. Glad to have finally got to the bottom of that. It would be good to get more details fom Ron, but im glad the trust have finally found the tact button

 

[TrueBlue]

So basically there is no fighting find (well £6k) but the trust scout would be used if needs be. Glad to have finally got to the bottom of that. It would be good to get more details fom Ron, but im glad the trust have finally found the tact button

Do you honestly think if the club was in trouble the trust would hold any money back from the club? makes me sick you have to ask.

 

[Pubey]

Do you honestly think if the club was in trouble the trust would hold any money back from the club? makes me sick you have to ask.

Chill out Scott. I'd guess the trust would at least hold
back a few pennies so they could continue to function. Rather than chucking £100k at a sinking ship needing millions (hypothetically speaking) I wonder if there would be more usful ways for the trust to use it's fund

 

[TrueBlue]

Chill out Scott. I'd guess the trust would at least hold
back a few pennies so they could continue to function. Rather than chucking £100k at a sinking ship needing millions (hypothetically speaking) I wonder if there would be more usful ways for the trust to use it's fund

Oh yeah we would obviously hold back what would be required for admin to continue to support further fund raising.

Seriously though if you have any ideas drop the trust a line mate always looking for new ideas.

 

[Cricko]

So basically there is no fighting fund (well £6k) but the trust account would be used if needs be. Glad to have finally got to the bottom of that. It would be good to get more details fom Ron, but im glad the trust have finally found the tact button

God how pedantic some people are...does it matter in the big picture..we raised a few quid to go into the Shrimpers Trust incase there may have been a problem..As it turned out it was not needed. It is no big deal.

 

[Pubey]

God how pedantic some people are...does it matter in the big picture..we raised a few quid to go into the Shrimpers Trust incase there may have been a problem..As it turned out it was not needed. It is no big deal.

Jesus, there have been numerous people on here wondering about the 'fighting fund'. As I've said, repeatedly, it's never been clear if the trust had a ringfenced amount as they originally suggested years ago. In recent weeks when it might have been required, a simple answer never came. I've said it before and I'll say it again, as a trust member I fully support their aims, even if I've disagreed with their tone of their statements in recent weeks. I don't see that as being a pedent, just wanting to know what fallbacks are in place.

My current point is that if the bill went unpaid, then the trust amount wouldn't cover It fully, and so it could maybe have been use to generate greater funds, rather than being all chucked into a bottomless pit

 

[Homer]

God how pedantic some people are...does it matter in the big picture..we raised a few quid to go into the Shrimpers Trust incase there may have been a problem..As it turned out it was not needed. It is no big deal.

So the trust raised (£6k) if that is not needed for the fighting fund then personally i think it should be split up and given to local charties it would be better used in my opion

 

[A Century United]

So the trust raised (£6k) if that is not needed for the fighting fund then personally i think it should be split up and given to local charties it would be better used in my opion

Can't agree - I donated online, and my wish and intention was that the money should be for the Trust, not ultimately a charity, however worthy.
Most was raised by hard-working Trust volunteers with buckets, it was made clear that it was for the Trust, not the club, and it should be ringfenced and kept as the Trust have said. I would like to see it added to as much as possible, too.

 

[devonexile]

Can't agree - I donated online, and my wish and intention was that the money should be for the Trust, not ultimately a charity, however worthy.
Most was raised by hard-working Trust volunteers with buckets, it was made clear that it was for the Trust, not the club, and it should be ringfenced and kept as the Trust have said. I would like to see it added to as much as possible, too.

I agree with you CU. Like you, I donated online and thought it was clear that the money would be retained by the Trust for future use if the club did not go into administration. I also agree with you that given the present situation the Trust should carry on fund raising.

 

[choggy]

I think the Trust have chosen the only option available to them. The need for a 'fighting fund' never materialised however that's not to say that it might not in the future. Donating the money to charity or using it for any other purpose that for what it was intended for (now or in the future) would inevitablly lead to accusations of misuse of this money, even if it was meant with the best of intentions.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I think the Trust have chosen the only option available to them. The need for a 'fighting fund' never materialised however that's not to say that it might not in the future. Donating the money to charity or using it for any other purpose that for what it was intended for (now or in the future) would inevitablly lead to accusations of misuse of this money, even if it was meant with the best of intentions.

It's a little early to say the need never materialised and your right to say that it may well be needed in the future.

I don't think RM had £2.1m hidden down the back of his sofa (contrary to popular belief this isn't where the Freddy money went), so it is highly likely that this money was borrowed. This means that it will have to be paid back some time - probably with an extravagant interest rate.

Until we hear something to confirm otherwise, I'm going to assume these problems haven't been solved, only delayed.

 

[The General]

Has anyone answered the question yet, or shouldn't i ask?!

;)