Echo News Southend United under transfer embargo due to money owed to HMRC

[rigsby]

The word round the campfire is its the biggest bill yet....Well we are on course for lots of records this season

I reckon it was Yorkshireblue told CP .....Then again there were plenty of us around the camp fire so its no big secret.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

why did rons statement last week say we had signed two players only sort with agents

Because he had a meeting with the EFL to hopefully lift the embargo, but he failed. Theo Vassell has agreed the contract and signed, the agents fee agreed, just waiting now for the lifting of embargo or (Ron finds some hidden money to pay HMRC, for the EFL to lift embargo).

 

[Fairport]

Rather than sign players it would be better to use all available income to pay the main creditor, HMRC. The most pressing thing is to somehow keep the club in business. It could mean having a very small squad next season topped up by academy players, as long as we get enough points to steer clear of the National League then so be it. Our income next season will probably be dependent on selling one or two players such as Kelman or Clifford, if it keeps us afloat then great. We have got to be realistic.

 

[Chairman Trigg]

That Season ticket renewal money will save the day for Ron .....just waiting to hear it drop through the letterbox now ....I need a good laugh !

 

[Smiffy]

The word round the campfire is its the biggest bill yet....Well we are on course for lots of records this season

I reckon it was Yorkshireblue told CP .....Then again there were plenty of us around the camp fire so its no big secret.

I hope you are joking Riggers.

If memory serves me correctly, the biggest HMRC bill was around £2m+ back in the Tilly/Sturrock era.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

The other thing to take into consideration is Ron relies on home game pay per game customers to inject some much needed cash, and to help the day to day running of the club. I'm told it's well down and in a critical situation, because of the cert relegation, performances and lack of players. SUFC employ a lot of staff, and with not much coming in from these quick 3 home games, I fear people won't be getting paid again. So he has to find money from somewhere.

 

[Smiffy]

The other thing to take into consideration is Ron relies on home game pay per game customers to inject some much needed cash, and to help the day to day running of the club. I'm told it's well down and in a critical situation, because of the cert relegation, performances and lack of players. SUFC employ a lot of staff, and with not much coming in from these quick 3 home games, I fear people won't be getting paid again. So he has to find money from somewhere.

Yep. Assuming January's tax bill needs to be paid end of next week, then its a worrying toss up between HMRC and some of the staff perhaps.

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

The other thing to take into consideration is Ron relies on home game pay per game customers to inject some much needed cash, and to help the day to day running of the club. I'm told it's well down and in a critical situation, because of the cert relegation, performances and lack of players. SUFC employ a lot of staff, and with not much coming in from these quick 3 home games, I fear people won't be getting paid again. So he has to find money from somewhere.

I notice the club did some kind of 3 for £50 promotion if you attended Cov, Gills and Burton. Wonder how successful that was .. at least the money is in the coffers up front with promotions like that .. he should try some more of those IMO to tempt the casuals in. £25 pay on the day is a fair sum for bottom of L1 football.

 

[Westcliff DGS]

The other thing to take into consideration is Ron relies on home game pay per game customers to inject some much needed cash, and to help the day to day running of the club. I'm told it's well down and in a critical situation, because of the cert relegation, performances and lack of players. SUFC employ a lot of staff, and with not much coming in from these quick 3 home games, I fear people won't be getting paid again. So he has to find money from somewhere.

Average crowd this year is down by around 600 from the average last season

 

[Smiffy]

Average crowd this year is down by around 600 from the average last season

Yes, but weren't season card sales actually up?

Which means we are quite a bit down on walk ups, which is the biggest issue cashflow wise.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Very much so how could the HMRC put us under a transfer embargo we have had several winding up petitions but that hasn't resulted in an embargo for a long time. EFL expressed their concern about the way the club was being run when we had the wages issue. Looks like they are trying to punish us for late payment of taxes in a different way.

1. HMRC doesn't put us under embargo; it's the League who puts us under embargo.

2. Appreciate you are better connected than most but other than if we made a signing when there's an outstanding winding up petition there's no way of knowing that. The League don't publish it and Ron is clearly a bit touchy about it and doesn't publicise it.

It is likely that we were under embargo throughout the January 2020 window. We were clearly under embargo from at least early January 2019 until 18th January 2019. We were probably under embargo early/mid July until 1st August 2019. We have probably been embargoed at other times as well outside the transfer window.

There's been a clear pattern over the previous years where we haven't made any signings for weeks, when we've been desperate for bodies and when players have been training with us, only for us to then make 2-3 signings on the same day which is clearly down to us being under an embargo (appreciate it could also be for debts other than HMRC)

why did rons statement last week say we had signed two players only sort with agents

It didn't say that.

https://www.southendunited.co.uk/news/2020/february/player-and-general-update-from-the-chairman/

The other thing to take into consideration is Ron relies on home game pay per game customers to inject some much needed cash, and to help the day to day running of the club. I'm told it's well down and in a critical situation, because of the cert relegation, performances and lack of players. SUFC employ a lot of staff, and with not much coming in from these quick 3 home games, I fear people won't be getting paid again. So he has to find money from somewhere.

You can tell Ron's desperate.

https://www.southendunited.co.uk/news/2020/february/season-card-holder-burton-ticket-offer/

 

[Westcliff DGS]

Yes, but weren't season card sales actually up?

Which means we are quite a bit down on walk ups, which is the biggest issue cashflow wise.

Don't remember seeing the season ticket sales are, but cannot imagine any club saying they are down on the last year if they stayed in the same division

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Average crowd this year is down by around 600 from the average last season

The official attendance and the actual attendance are two different things. The official attendance was 6021 on Tuesday. But it was more like 4000 something, with loads of empty seats everywhere.

 

[Westcliff DGS]

The official attendance and the actual attendance are two different things. The official attendance was 6021 on Tuesday. But it was more like 4000 something, with loads of empty seats everywhere.

thats true as ST holders are taken as being in attendance, so only loss of income, on ST holders, is sales of drink and food.

 

[kentblues]

Probably the first embargo related to the non-payment of some wages, this probably led to EFL coming in and wanting comfort on the finances before lifting embargo which Ron probably expected in time for the end of the window especially as Jan wages paid on time as well as those not paid Dec.

The EFL probably then noticed as they looked at our finances that we were late on a large HMRC bill- and said well so you are going to get another winding up order for this. Ron will have said but it will be paid before it goes to court just as every time before. The EFL will say you might say that but we aint lifting the embargo now until this is settled as well. Which will be next week.

I suspect in the next Gazette you will see another winding up order followed immediate confirmation from Ron it is paid.

Problem is Ron probably genuinely expected the EFL embargo to be lifted before the end of the window and so all the crap that has followed. However, once we demonstrate payment next week by the sounds of it Vassell and Smith definitely, and very probably Paddy as well will be on board.

With these three plus the players coming back from injury we should at least be a bit more competitive again to the end of season, pick some results and be in a better place for next year.

 

[kentblues]

Oh and what a chance for Ted- 11/12 games- I hope for the lad he grabs it with both hands as it were..

 

[Westcliff DGS]

Oh and what a chance for Ted- 11/12 games- I hope for the lad he grabs it with both hands as it were..

shame he cannot be registered

 

[kentblues]

shame he cannot be registered

He will be next week when the HMRC bill is paid - which I am sure will be welcomed by you, me and everyone else. Apologies- just want to put my positive hat on although I understand its strictly verboten..

 

[borientater]

Would we be treated the same way by the EFL if we were Bolton ? Doubt it .

 

[MisterStubbs]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1230437139831193601

Could he be talking about Osadebe?