The leader of Southend Council fears for the future of Southend United following fresh revelations about the state of the club's finances.
Tory Nigel Holdcroft warned if Fossetts farm doesn't go ahead soon the club could find itself homeless.And he said the Council was powerless to intervene during the club's economic woes.
He said " I don't think there is anything we can do to assist. Certainly with the financial problems it would be inappropriate to use public funds to shore up a private company.We will have to see what happens and if they survive the latest challenge.If they don't it's a question of whether the club continues to exist.Until we know what's happening it's difficult to come up with anything to help".
The Council appears to have done all it can to oil the wheels of the planning process, which finally came to fruition in 2008 with approval from the secretary of state.
The Echo revealed last month the council had even bypassed the usual financial checks on Ron Martin's companies before councillors agreed to sell land to one of them and help obtain land for the Fossetts Farm development.
All along the council has said the new stadium along with 127 homes, 114 bed hotel and 20.000sq metres of retail space would be a huge boost to the economy of Southend, but that support is waning.
Mr Holdcroft added "Supporters are now losing faith and confidence that anything can be done. We have worked very closely with the club in respect of the redevelopment of Roots Hall and the proposed new stadium. We have responded quickly and positively to approaches made to us, but we can't respond to something we are not directly in control of. If Fossetts Farm doesn't go ahead it would be disastrous.I would be concerned what security the football club has so far as Roots Hall is concerned. It's always been my major concern that if they don't get the new stadium they would be unable to continue to occupy their current site".
Tory Nigel Holdcroft warned if Fossetts farm doesn't go ahead soon the club could find itself homeless.And he said the Council was powerless to intervene during the club's economic woes.
He said " I don't think there is anything we can do to assist. Certainly with the financial problems it would be inappropriate to use public funds to shore up a private company.We will have to see what happens and if they survive the latest challenge.If they don't it's a question of whether the club continues to exist.Until we know what's happening it's difficult to come up with anything to help".
The Council appears to have done all it can to oil the wheels of the planning process, which finally came to fruition in 2008 with approval from the secretary of state.
The Echo revealed last month the council had even bypassed the usual financial checks on Ron Martin's companies before councillors agreed to sell land to one of them and help obtain land for the Fossetts Farm development.
All along the council has said the new stadium along with 127 homes, 114 bed hotel and 20.000sq metres of retail space would be a huge boost to the economy of Southend, but that support is waning.
Mr Holdcroft added "Supporters are now losing faith and confidence that anything can be done. We have worked very closely with the club in respect of the redevelopment of Roots Hall and the proposed new stadium. We have responded quickly and positively to approaches made to us, but we can't respond to something we are not directly in control of. If Fossetts Farm doesn't go ahead it would be disastrous.I would be concerned what security the football club has so far as Roots Hall is concerned. It's always been my major concern that if they don't get the new stadium they would be unable to continue to occupy their current site".