Echo News Southend Council and Ron Martin to finalise agreement “soon” (in 6-8 weeks)

[Evening Echo]

In a statement at the time, Southend United said “we expect the club ownership will formally transfer in early 2024”.

Read more on this story


Help with Echo links

 

[Tampa Blue]

Another 2 months!!

 

[macima]

Misleading headline, "soon".

https://archive.is/rsRsn

 

[Prawn]

 

[Smiffy]

THE new owners of Southend United face another agonising eight-week wait as Southend Council and Ron Martin attempt to sign-off on a deal to allow the takeover to be completed.

In December, Southend United confirmed that contracts were exchanged between former chairman Ron Martin and the consortium set to take control of the Shrimpers - led by Australian businessman Justin Rees.

However, the deal relied upon Southend Council agreeing terms with Mr Martin for the 500 homes proposed for the Roots Hall stadium to be moved to Fossetts Farm.

As part of the takeover, Southend United will stay at Roots Hall and the grand total of homes at the Fossetts Farm site, near Waitrose in Southend, will increase to 1,400 homes.

Southend Council, which helped seal the deal with Mr Martin and the new consortium has repeatedly said it will ensure a “smooth path for the club”, and now council leader Tony Cox is confident the deal will be signed of in eight weeks time. However, the club has been left in limbo in the meantime as the consortium wait to official take control of the club. Mr Cox said: “We are looking to move things on, in about six to eight weeks it will be done." There were draft terms agreed subject to DD which allowed the sale of the club to complete on December 23.

“In January, was the scope of works in terms of what the DD would look like, because we had to go out and get those prices and costs of everything. It is now concluding in six to eight weeks."

“We know how important it is and the urgency of it, but by all accounts the last plans of Fossetts took over a year to do all the DD, so we are doing it at speed. “But I completely get the fans, and that is why we are doing everything at speed.”

Southend United currently sit 20th in the National League table, after receiving a 10-point deduction earlier in the season.

 

[Shrimpergonzo]

Let's all remember that the rat WON'T complete the sale until the deal with the Council is done, it's not that he CAN'T.

He's stringing us along and using the club as a ransom to get what he wants, holding a gun to the club's head until they give him what he wants.

He could complete the sale of the club today if he wanted to, he's just choosing not to.

 

[dusterman]

Let's all remember that the rat WON'T complete the sale until the deal with the Council is done, it's not that he CAN'T.

He's stringing us along and using the club as a ransom to get what he wants, holding a gun to the club's head until they give him what he wants.

He could complete the sale of the club today if he wanted to, he's just choosing not to.

Manky ****puffin that he is.

 

[Cricko]

Let's all remember that the rat WON'T complete the sale until the deal with the Council is done, it's not that he CAN'T.

He's stringing us along and using the club as a ransom to get what he wants, holding a gun to the club's head until they give him what he wants.

He could complete the sale of the club today if he wanted to, he's just choosing not to.

Exactly this and in the meantime he has the consortium picking up all his bills, whilst he still owns RH/club, he is sitting very pretty atm.

He does not care what happens to the club now as he has washed his hands of it.

 

[dusterman]

Exactly this and in the meantime he has the consortium picking up all his bills, whilst he still owns RH/club, he is sitting very pretty atm.

He does not care what happens to the club now as he has washed his hands of it.

Still amazed no one has sat him down via a knock to this smug bonce tbh.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Tony C has got a bad reputation(Taxi Tony is a clue). Lets see if he can finally do the right thing, and get a wiggle on. If he makes this happen within 6 weeks, all is forgiven.

 

[Smiffy]

Tony C has got a bad reputation(Taxi Tony is a clue). Lets see if he can finally do the right thing, and get a wiggle on. If he makes this happen within 6 weeks, all is forgiven.

Ex-council leader was at centre of Uber bribery probe when he took top job

A FORMER Southend Council leader was at the centre of a bribery probe when he took on the top job, it can now be revealed.

www.echo-news.co.uk

Southend Tory leader suing council after being 'unlawfully held in bribery probe'

A SOUTHEND councillor is taking legal action against Thurrock Council after claiming he was “unlawfully detained” over a bribery allegation.

www.echo-news.co.uk

 

[dusterman]

A person in power being dodgy? Unheard of.

 

[RHB]

Time to go to the barricades again, properly organised by all the fans groups with full media coverage? Council and the rat and baby rat.

 

[Barling Magna]

I'm not surprised that it will be another 6 to 8 weeks before the Council sign it off. In fact I'm surprised that they think they will be able to do it so swiftly. These things take time with so many legal complications and implications.

 

[defender05]

Let's all remember that the rat WON'T complete the sale until the deal with the Council is done, it's not that he CAN'T.

He's stringing us along and using the club as a ransom to get what he wants, holding a gun to the club's head until they give him what he wants.

He could complete the sale of the club today if he wanted to, he's just choosing not to.

Once you take away the hatred for RM for a minute, no business person would agree that sale before having everything in writing of the off chance that anything changes before the council finish there work. I'm sure the consortium know that to, if it was one of them selling something they would do exactly the same thing.

 

[overseas shrimper]

Once you take away the hatred for RM for a minute, no business person would agree that sale before having everything in writing of the off chance that anything changes before the council finish there work. I'm sure the consortium know that to, if it was one of them selling something they would do exactly the same thing.

I was thinking the same thing. And then, doubly so if you work on the assumption that RM might assume that whoever he's dealing with might have the same (lack of) principles as himself.

 

[RHB]

I'm now in no man's land in terms of what I think, and that's not a position I'm comfortable with. Do I believe that at the end of 6-8 weeks the deal will be done? I just don't know. Do I think the Consortium are prepared to keep financing the Club without owning it until it's theirs? I hope so, but again I just don't know. Do I think there is any chance that the rat and co would sign off before DD is finished? Not a chance.

So one of my local councillors has assured me that the deal will complete soon. The head of SCC has assured me that it will happen soon. But I don't think that the Consortium has confirmed that 'short' period will mean the end of this saga.

Sadly, I'm now at a point where I'm not sure I believe anything from the involved parties, I want to I really do, but there is doubt.

So finally, @Shrimperstrust, can you tell me your take on this. Are you confident that the deal will happen when 'they' say? and if it doesn't, then what?

 

[ace]

Once you take away the hatred for RM for a minute, no business person would agree that sale before having everything in writing of the off chance that anything changes before the council finish there work. I'm sure the consortium know that to, if it was one of them selling something they would do exactly the same thing.

I suspect they would be honourable though and not expect others to pay their bills in the meantime.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

I suspect they would be honourable though and not expect others to pay their bills in the meantime.

That's exactly what's been going on, if you're talking of the current owners on paper.(The Martin's). The consortium, God bless them, have been paying everything from what I've been told. I can't see Ron paying for anything whilst this goes through.

 

[Holy Joe]

Once you take away the hatred for RM for a minute, no business person would agree that sale before having everything in writing of the off chance that anything changes before the council finish there work. I'm sure the consortium know that to, if it was one of them selling something they would do exactly the same thing.

But he's not going to get everything 100% confirmed. He hasn't even applied for new planning permission yet and until he has planning then it isn't 100%