Supporters Group News Supporters Group Statement and Q&A meeting with Ron Martin and Tom Lawrence. 28/03/2023

[Target man]

In fairness all Ron and Tom have done is state the bleeding obvious. The club is desperate for the season ticket money. They were asked a question and they answered it honestly. Would you have expected them to say they're not desperate and they can go months without the money?

I think it's more the point, when March 1st came the promised loan was supposed to cover everything and give us capital, then this didn't quite happen as stated, and the following silence to cover it up, enfuriated many people, hence the season ticket hold was to draw him out and provide answers... which worked. Only the answers have only turned out to be yet more lies. Great he's announced he'll be selling, but until he's gone we are operating appallingly. He doesn't even seem to acknowledge how hazardous to health the current ground is FFS, and therefore, won't be investing in our safety.

The 23/24 season card money is exactly to pay for that, the next season. When we find out that this is paying off current debts, including December wages, it's no wonder people are voting with their feet. If anyone has any sense, they'll just pay for tickets game by game, because that's how the club is being run, not to last a season.

I don't see any fairness in silence that is covering over yet more lies. We are basically paying in good will for football next season, when realistically, that money is keeping the current team on a ventilator this year.

 

[blues exile]

The longer this soap opera drags on, the more the CEO will lose credibility for allowing himself to be used as cover for Martin's equivocations and evasions.

 

[londonblue]

I think it's more the point, when March 1st came the promised loan was supposed to cover everything and give us capital, then this didn't quite happen as stated, and the following silence to cover it up, enfuriated many people, hence the season ticket hold was to draw him out and provide answers... which worked. Only the answers have only turned out to be yet more lies. Great he's announced he'll be selling, but until he's gone we are run appallingly. He doesn't even seem to acknowledge how hazardous to health the furrebt ground is FFS, amd therfore, won't be investing in our safety.

The 23/24 season card money is exactly to pay for that, the next season. When we find out that this is paying off current debts, including December wages, it's no wonder people are voting with their feet. If anyone has any sense, they'll just pay for tickets game by game, because that's how the club is being run, not to last a season.

I don't see any fairness in silence that is covering over yet more lies. We are basically paying in good will for football next season, when realistically, that money is keeping the current team on a ventilator this year.

Maybe, but we all knew that and all Tom and Ron have done is say what we already knew.

But more to the point, the whole idea behind delaying buying season tickets was to force Ron to communicate. That worked. Not only did he hold a meeting, but by saying what he said, he's basically said the delay (protest) has worked.

So now that it has worked, why are people beating him up with that? It had the desired effect and people are angry that it did!

 

[Target man]

Maybe, but we all knew that and all Tom and Ron have done is say what we already knew.

But more to the point, the whole idea behind delaying buying season tickets was to force Ron to communicate. That worked. Not only did he hold a meeting, but by saying what he said, he's basically said the delay (protest) has worked.

So now that it has worked, why are people beating him up with that? It had the desired effect and people are angry that it did!

Fair play. Putting into perspective the proposal was to get him to speak, which like what he said or not, as you say, has happened. I guess now it's down to the individual. I'm still weighing it up personally, but no one is under obligation to pay for it when Ron says they should. The season starts in August I believe ...

 

[Napster]

The season starts in August I believe ...

The season starts when Ron's gone.

 

[Target man]

The season starts when Ron's gone.

I didn't say which August lol

 

[londonblue]

The season starts when Ron's gone.

So next season could be a write off. (I'm agreeing with you by the way. I just think we'll be extremely lucky if he's gone in time for KM to get what he wants for next season.)

 

[northlincsshrimper1]

Taking note of Mr Martins answers to the questions. my doubts are still there. On that basis I will not be renewing my season ticket as yet and when I do it will be by credit card, which is not my usual method of paying, but I am not prepare to take any other risk while the current chairman is in place.

 

[Target man]

Taking note of Mr Martins answers to the questions. my doubts are still there. On that basis I will not be renewing my season ticket as yet and when I do it will be by credit card, which is not my usual method of paying, but I am not prepare to take any other risk while the current chairman is in place.

Begs the question if they same thing will happen with player sponsors next season. £380 plus VAT to sponsor a player when during the season there's a chance they'll walk for free, as Kacper did, due to wage mismanagement. It is likely to occur again no doubt. Aside Kacper, although players stayed, if they hit a period of non payment again they know full well a precedent has been set and they can follow the lead. Where is that money going anyway????

 

[defender05]

Trying to get an idea of cost to buy club plus RH freehold. The latter at football ground price rather than development value which is only possible if the club has somewhere else to play.
New owner could re-furbish RH and take time to consider long term stadium options.
FF may well not go ahead anyway due to financial reasons.

You would need to pay whatever RM was making from all of the flats/housing that will be built there.

 

[Shrimper Brownie]

Fans must not be tricked into thinking that they are to blame somehow for the financial problems.

Ron Martin has shown his true colours in his answers there - what an utter disgrace to effectively say that us fans are to blame for the financial problems (or more specifically that we would in the future, be the problem, season cards etc).

How he thinks he can just say things like that and expect it to go over our heads is beyond me.

Get out of our club quick you parasite.

 

[MilkeySUFC]

I happen to be accredited and with 20 years in the seating industry but I won't expect a call any time soon!

You don't need to expect a call; put your name forward to Shrimpers Trust to be on the walk round.

 

[Rayleigh boy]

Trying to get an idea of cost to buy club plus RH freehold. The latter at football ground price rather than development value which is only possible if the club has somewhere else to play.
New owner could re-furbish RH and take time to consider long term stadium options.
FF may well not go ahead anyway due to financial reasons.

given that RM is broke this seems an avenue well worth exploring ..

also should we end up in administration this what a supporters group would want ..

I certainly dont see how a skint bloke can ever build a stadium

 

[Fairport]

I appreciate that the club like most small outfits operate at a loss but it would be nice to see a set of up to date accounts just to see where the income and expenditure is. It makes you wonder how the likes of Accrington and Sutton United keep going. Maybe we overspend on coaching staff and a large playing squad? I don't know, as always we are just guessing what goes on. All we know is that the club has been dragged down and almost ruined by a dodgy property developer. I passed Roots Hall this afternoon, even the flag outside the ground is at half mast!

 

[kentblues]

It has always been the case that the club get no revenue over the summer months (obviously no games May, June, July). So the season ticket money keeps us, and indeed many other clubs, going over the summer. Nothing has changed. Nothing new. And for many clubs nothing different.

There no point withdrawing funds and then bemoaning the ensuing issues around cashflow, wages, getting embargo lifted.

It is, of course, always a personal decision

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Because:

A. The club is now putting the onus on the fans to rescue the club financially, which is tantamount to blackmail.

B. We have all been supporting the club with season card sales for the last few seasons and still find ourselves embargoed anyway.

C. Ron told us directly that the bridging loan would stabilise the club and yet people still aren't paid and we remain under an embargo. It's clear he got nowhere near the amount he actually wanted.

I won't buy a season card with him in charge. I have no faith at all that even with season cards selling well, we would not find ourselves infront of the court again facing winding up charges.

If a new owner comes in, I'll be at the front of the queue to buy a new increased price season card.

If your concern was avoiding facing winding up orders then the best course of action would be to buy a season card. Because if there’s no cash coming into the club that can only hasten the winding up orders.

 

[Medway Blue]

You don't need to expect a call; put your name forward to Shrimpers Trust to be on the walk round.

I've already asked the Trust to contact Sherif. Hopefully they do soon.

 

[Rayleigh boy]

I appreciate that the club like most small outfits operate at a loss but it would be nice to see a set of up to date accounts just to see where the income and expenditure is. It makes you wonder how the likes of Accrington and Sutton United keep going. Maybe we overspend on coaching staff and a large playing squad? I don't know, as always we are just guessing what goes on. All we know is that the club has been dragged down and almost ruined by a dodgy property developer. I passed Roots Hall this afternoon, even the flag outside the ground is at half mast!

yep - indeed ... and remember RM put in 24 million !!!!!!!

Maybe there are gold plated taps in the boardroom bogs

 

[Target man]

given that RM is broke this seems an avenue well worth exploring ..

also should we end up in administration this what a supporters group would want ..

I certainly dont see how a skint bloke can ever build a stadium

He's broke, but would sell the 3 sided stadium (which isn't built yet) for less than half .... can anyone explain please? This makes zero business sense and I'm clearly missing something here .....

 

[Rayleigh boy]

He's broke, but would sell the 3 sided stadium (which isn't built yet) for less than half .... can anyone explain please? This makes zero businesss sense and I'm clearly missing something here .....


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smoke and mirrors b/s - he is done for ...

has he paid the 200k the sharp lawyers wanted ?

he sold the club because he can't pay the wages cos hes got no money ..

SUFC has been keeping him afloat ...

FF is a dream sold to supporters so he could get planning permission for his housing.

All he has actually got is some planning permissions, a broke football club and no money -