The Jobson Years

[blake]

Hi everyone

I've been reading this forum with interest. I'm now ready to make my debut. Firstly, a big thank you to everyone associated with running Shrimperzone.

One thing that strikes me is that most people's views on here are so black and white. So, I'm going to present a balanced view on a crucial period in our club's history that I want to raise. No doubt, someone is going to accuse me of being mad or extreme in my views, but I want to express my views on the Jobson era. From what I've read, Vic Jobson has come in for quite a bit of stick on here.

The point is we are all here on this forum because of Vic. If it was not for him, we would have no club to support. I guarantee it. If this forum was going 20 odd years ago, I may have been the Mel Slack. I saw at close hand how he had saved the club. Literally. But then later, he nearly destroyed all his good work - more on that in a minute, but let's not forget what he did. I repeat: we would have no club to support had it not been for Vic. We should never forget that.

For those who weren't around at the time, the Jobson story started with the Rubin brothers. Again, history has judged them harshly I feel. At the time, I couldn't understand what they were doing to the club. But all they wanted was to get out as quickly as possible. They'd just lost their father at a young age. They were only in their 20s. They ended up with a football club that they suddenly had to control and they wanted to sell. They had to get players off the books to reduce the wage bill to attract a buyer. (Incidentally, I can tell you that they are genuine Southend fans still, but at the time they had to get out.)

Who came along to take over? Anton Johnson. Despite his initial impressiveness, his true colours soon came out. He was so unsavoury that a World In Action programme was made to investigate his business dealings. At that time, there was also the Christmas savers club money theft. Scandalous. (Who helped with refunds? One Robert Maxwell!!) And there was also a man in charge of the market who along with Johnson and their cronies left the club on its knees. The club nearly disappeared out of the football league or, worse, existence altogether.

Jobson - a passionate man - took them all on and, against the odds, won. How he managed to oust Johnson from controlling our club should go down in SUFC folklore. He had several litigation battles against the old regime, and won them all.

But - just like Churchill was a man to win the war but not a man to win the peace - so Vic was the man to save the club but his same characteristics alienated so many people during SUFC's time of "peace". He fell out with so many people - many of whom had helped him.

Make no bones about it - his PR was abysmal. The way he alienated the fans meant we would never get the big crowds that we needed to really progress. He saw that the Blues couldn't progress long-term at Roots Hall. He tried so hard to move us within Southend. But he was blocked by other difficult characters at the Council (people I had first-hand experience of - that could be the subject of another thread). At the time, most fans (wrongly, I believe) didn't want to leave Roots Hall. But moving would have helped the club to ensure its long-term survival - something that most fans now see, 10-20 years on. His comments about Basildon were typical Vic - I personally believe he either did it to call Southend Council's bluff or did it out of frustration because of the dreadful way the likes of Norman Clarke and others on the Council had treated him and the club. I don't think he ever really wanted to move to Basildon, but of course it was Vic's way of doing things - and dreadful PR.

Vic's reputation with the fans was also not helped by his vice-chairman. The less said about him, the better. But how anyone could have gone from being heavily involved in Anton Johnson's team to Vic Jobson's second-in-command in an instant speaks volumes of him.

Vic turned the finances around. He helped build the platform to get us into the second tier for the first time. And then just as something even more special was on the cards, he fell out with Dave Webb! Again, typical Vic. He had managed to attract Webb back for a second time - Webb and Fry saw Vic's passion for the club. He just didn't know how to channel it.

And then, having built the club up, he nearly let the club go back to the wall. As his health was faltering, he let Whelan nearly destroy us with the drinking culture within what I recall was the 4th highest paid players in the second tier! Utter madness! The wage structure as we slipped back down the leagues nearly destroyed us. Then along came the new Dawn and the rest is history.

So, in my opinion, a bit of perspective. And before anyone accuses me of being a pro-Vic extremist, please read again what I've said - I think it's quite balanced. He saved the club and for that we should be thankful. But then he nearly took us down the drain as his health deteriorated. And also, for anyone questioning me, you should know that Vic banned me - along with my 85 year-old grandfather, together with our neighbours (just for being our neighbours) - from getting season tickets and membership cards, just because he had not appreciated the good work my father had done to help him for many years and preferred to pick an argument with him! It was only because of a kind person in the ticket office that we allowed to come to games in without Vic knowing!

One final thought - to those of you who moan about the way things are today, just think (or imagine) what it was like in 1983-4.

Anyone care to share your thoughts?

As one of the neighbours who was banned by Vic Jobson I have to say that I entirely agree with your assessment of his reign. You haven't mentioned the fact that Vic was also at the end having marital problems which must have distracted him and contributed to his aggressive behaviour.

I also agree with you about the Rubin brothers. They took over from their father of whom I have an abiding fond memory. He was a mad keen sports fan but with worsening sight. I once saw him at Essex cricket. Because he couldn't follow the ball or see the square he asked those around him including my crowd to tell him what was going on. He just loved the atmosphere of a sporting occasion. I don't know if he was a good or bad chairman but his heart was definitely in the right place.

It is easy to say with hindsight that the brothers ought not to have sold out to Anton Johnson. Their money was at stake in the deal and I can't remember if they got it all in the end. Certainly they had to fight for what they got. They were conned just as everybody elsae was conned.

 

[Mick]

I remember Victor Thomas Jobson with little or no admiration and even less affection. He was, quite frankly, not a very nice person, in my opinion.

Yes, he rescued the club from the equally odious Anton Johnson for whatever motives he had at the time. He got lucky with Dave Webb but every time things were looking to improve some sort of relationship issue sent us backwards again. His despotic reign lurched from one controversy to another and his penchant for futile and pig-headed litigation cost the club dear. The club (he) reneged on numerous debts to local businessmen some of them terminal. He treated loyal supporters like something he'd stepped in on the pavement, referring to some who disagreed with him as the "Hitler Youth".

He left Southend with a £4million pound debt, despite raking in double that from player sales.

My favourite anti-Jobson protest banner was the one bearing the message "Vic gets up your nose". He certainly did.

Nevertheless, RIP.

 

[General Easterly]

deleted

Ctrl Alt Del

 

[blake]

Paul or Jonathan?

;) ;)

Apart from Webb and his team, which VJ did his best to interfere with (especially after we had gone top of the old 2nd division after beating Newcastle convincingly on New Year's day) VJ's reign was nothing other than a fairly depressing, although interesting, period of time in the history of the football club.

Let's not try to rewrite history.

Here's to the future.

Why not rewrite history if the initial view is misconceived? Perspectives change over time and historians are always reconsidering and reviewing earlier judgments. Once we can see the wider picture we will often realise that our initial view was mistaken.

Yes Vic Jobson was not everybody's cup of tea. He certainly wasn't mine, but there is no getting away from the fact that the foundations of the club as now constituted are as a result of his belligerence.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Points now answered offline :)

 

[shrimpereeee]

Why not rewrite history if the initial view is misconceived? Perspectives change over time and historians are always reconsidering and reviewing earlier judgments. Once we can see the wider picture we will often realise that our initial view was mistaken.

QUOTE]

That's dangerous, very dangerous! I can think of a modern historian who who would agree with you.

 

[Maidstone Shrimper]

A good summary of the Jobson era, Elstree. I remember writing a long letter to Vic during the Murphy era, urging him to sack the manager as I was sure he was taking us down with his awful team selection and tactics. I received a reply – 3 pages of A4 – that was polite but included a defiant defence of Murphy and went into considerable detail about his own feelings for the club. The following week Murphy signed Collymore.

So there was some disasterous decision making during the latter years of his reign and awful PR but he wasn’t as clear cut a villain as he’s pictured at times.

 

[shrimpereeee]

VJ's obituary as reported in the echo on 20th September 1999.

http://archive.echo-news.co.uk/1999/9/20/214605.html

 

[ElstreeBlue]

VJ's obituary as reported in the echo on 20th September 1999.

http://archive.echo-news.co.uk/1999/9/20/214605.html

Thanks, "Shrimpereeee"! Well done on finding this. What an excellent report. Shows we weren't re-writing history today after all! Just like you and me, Shrimpereeee, the Echo had also been banned at one point from the ground, so might also have had an axe to grind, but I think describes things really well. Don't disagree with a word, and I also agree with what John Adams said. Does anyone still doubt Vic's passion for the club and what he did to save it having read that article?

I needn't have bothered writing my long initial post - could have just linked to the Echo obituary!

 

[Irate Ian]

Crook Vioctor Jobson Deceased

Your first thread is interesting.

Correct me if I am wrong, but we are talking about the same Victor Jobson who broke [forced into liquidation] a building company from Grays, by not paying them for ground improvements he had already been paid for by the Football Trust [making stadium all seater for safety purposes], purely based on spurious disputes.

He would step on anyone and everyone to his own gain.

The victims of his actions are the ones who are IMO deserving of consideration [viz the children of the builder be broke when their home was later repossessed].

An utter rogue, through and through and as an aside, a serial adulterer.

I have found most rougues are very personable and colourful individuals, but the dishonour of the man was totally disgusting to me.



Hi everyone

I've been reading this forum with interest. I'm now ready to make my debut. Firstly, a big thank you to everyone associated with running Shrimperzone.

One thing that strikes me is that most people's views on here are so black and white. So, I'm going to present a balanced view on a crucial period in our club's history that I want to raise. No doubt, someone is going to accuse me of being mad or extreme in my views, but I want to express my views on the Jobson era. From what I've read, Vic Jobson has come in for quite a bit of stick on here.

The point is we are all here on this forum because of Vic. If it was not for him, we would have no club to support. I guarantee it. If this forum was going 20 odd years ago, I may have been the Mel Slack. I saw at close hand how he had saved the club. Literally. But then later, he nearly destroyed all his good work - more on that in a minute, but let's not forget what he did. I repeat: we would have no club to support had it not been for Vic. We should never forget that.

For those who weren't around at the time, the Jobson story started with the Rubin brothers. Again, history has judged them harshly I feel. At the time, I couldn't understand what they were doing to the club. But all they wanted was to get out as quickly as possible. They'd just lost their father at a young age. They were only in their 20s. They ended up with a football club that they suddenly had to control and they wanted to sell. They had to get players off the books to reduce the wage bill to attract a buyer. (Incidentally, I can tell you that they are genuine Southend fans still, but at the time they had to get out.)

Who came along to take over? Anton Johnson. Despite his initial impressiveness, his true colours soon came out. He was so unsavoury that a World In Action programme was made to investigate his business dealings. At that time, there was also the Christmas savers club money theft. Scandalous. (Who helped with refunds? One Robert Maxwell!!) And there was also a man in charge of the market who along with Johnson and their cronies left the club on its knees. The club nearly disappeared out of the football league or, worse, existence altogether.

Jobson - a passionate man - took them all on and, against the odds, won. How he managed to oust Johnson from controlling our club should go down in SUFC folklore. He had several litigation battles against the old regime, and won them all.

But - just like Churchill was a man to win the war but not a man to win the peace - so Vic was the man to save the club but his same characteristics alienated so many people during SUFC's time of "peace". He fell out with so many people - many of whom had helped him.

Make no bones about it - his PR was abysmal. The way he alienated the fans meant we would never get the big crowds that we needed to really progress. He saw that the Blues couldn't progress long-term at Roots Hall. He tried so hard to move us within Southend. But he was blocked by other difficult characters at the Council (people I had first-hand experience of - that could be the subject of another thread). At the time, most fans (wrongly, I believe) didn't want to leave Roots Hall. But moving would have helped the club to ensure its long-term survival - something that most fans now see, 10-20 years on. His comments about Basildon were typical Vic - I personally believe he either did it to call Southend Council's bluff or did it out of frustration because of the dreadful way the likes of Norman Clarke and others on the Council had treated him and the club. I don't think he ever really wanted to move to Basildon, but of course it was Vic's way of doing things - and dreadful PR.

Vic's reputation with the fans was also not helped by his vice-chairman. The less said about him, the better. But how anyone could have gone from being heavily involved in Anton Johnson's team to Vic Jobson's second-in-command in an instant speaks volumes of him.

Vic turned the finances around. He helped build the platform to get us into the second tier for the first time. And then just as something even more special was on the cards, he fell out with Dave Webb! Again, typical Vic. He had managed to attract Webb back for a second time - Webb and Fry saw Vic's passion for the club. He just didn't know how to channel it.

And then, having built the club up, he nearly let the club go back to the wall. As his health was faltering, he let Whelan nearly destroy us with the drinking culture within what I recall was the 4th highest paid players in the second tier! Utter madness! The wage structure as we slipped back down the leagues nearly destroyed us. Then along came the new Dawn and the rest is history.

So, in my opinion, a bit of perspective. And before anyone accuses me of being a pro-Vic extremist, please read again what I've said - I think it's quite balanced. He saved the club and for that we should be thankful. But then he nearly took us down the drain as his health deteriorated. And also, for anyone questioning me, you should know that Vic banned me - along with my 85 year-old grandfather, together with our neighbours (just for being our neighbours) - from getting season tickets and membership cards, just because he had not appreciated the good work my father had done to help him for many years and preferred to pick an argument with him! It was only because of a kind person in the ticket office that we allowed to come to games in without Vic knowing!

One final thought - to those of you who moan about the way things are today, just think (or imagine) what it was like in 1983-4.

Anyone care to share your thoughts?[/QUOTE]

 

[Mick]

Your first thread is interesting.

Correct me if I am wrong, but we are talking about the same Victor Jobson who broke [forced into liquidation] a building company from Grays, by not paying them for ground improvements he had already been paid for by the Football Trust [making stadium all seater for safety purposes], purely based on spurious disputes.

He would step on anyone and everyone to his own gain.

The victims of his actions are the ones who are IMO deserving of consideration [viz the children of the builder be broke when their home was later repossessed].

An utter rogue, through and through and as an aside, a serial adulterer.

I have found most rougues are very personable and colourful individuals, but the dishonour of the man was totally disgusting to me.

This includes some of the things I was hinting at in my slightly more measured critique.

 

[londonblue]

Why not rewrite history if the initial view is misconceived? Perspectives change over time and historians are always reconsidering and reviewing earlier judgments. Once we can see the wider picture we will often realise that our initial view was mistaken.

QUOTE]

That's dangerous, very dangerous! I can think of a modern historian who who would agree with you.

Yeah, but he's not a historian.

 

[londonblue]

Your first thread is interesting.

Correct me if I am wrong, but we are talking about the same Victor Jobson who broke [forced into liquidation] a building company from Grays, by not paying them for ground improvements he had already been paid for by the Football Trust [making stadium all seater for safety purposes], purely based on spurious disputes.

He would step on anyone and everyone to his own gain.

The victims of his actions are the ones who are IMO deserving of consideration [viz the children of the builder be broke when their home was later repossessed].

An utter rogue, through and through and as an aside, a serial adulterer.

I have found most rougues are very personable and colourful individuals, but the dishonour of the man was totally disgusting to me.

Ian, I think you have just proved EB's point. In the mid 80's when we were really up against it and about to go out of business that is the kind of chairman we needed - the kind of person that would fight tooth and nail to save the club. However, once we had survived he didn't change his business practices, which is where he went wrong.

 

[Kent Shrimper]

You know what, i thought he was an effing ****. I only know of Vic through being a Shrimper for 28 years. I had 1 opportunity to confront him and that was whilst working for Telewest, who as you know sponsored the club. I was a Sales rep at the time and "Won" the opportunity to be in the hospitality box for a game. So i enjoyed the hospitality and when exiting Roots Hall come across Vic. At the time (maybe 22ish) i was hot headed and under the influence, i was less that complimentary to Vic who had a "bodyguard" with him, the one thing i remember about Vic and this only because i have had the pleasure of conversing with Ron is that he portrayed an image and persona of someone who thought themselves better than others and wad down right rude. Did i know the man, of course not. Did i want to. Hell No!!!

 

[Csboy]

Welcome to the board ElstreeBlue (or is that really Dave Jobson?). You make some interesting points.

As someone who lived through the Vic Jobson years and remember it as if it was yesterday i fell I should throw in my thoughts:

At 1st Jobson was seen as a saviour he came in with the club almost out of business and he did manage to get Anton Johnson out of the club before he ran the club into the ground. I remember talking to him after the Torquay game which we won to stay out of the re-election bottom 4 places in the 4th Division and he said how he hoped the club would never be in that position again and that we could move forward.
He appointed Dave Webb and all seemed well then we see Dave Webb resign half way through season due to a row with Jobson, the first of many times managers would leave southend due to rows with Jobson.

We then saw his disastrous handling of the new stadium. He seemed to just slag off the council and made it clear he was going to build the stadium his way and no doubt make a lot of profit out of it.

Decent fans were banned from the club for daring to speak out against him. He then said he likened the Southend fans calling for him to go to 'Hitler Youth' the whole thing was a nightmare caused by him alone.

Had another row with Webb which caused him to g again, didnt do enough to keep Fry or Steve Thompson and gradually ran the club into the ground which took us the best part of 10 years to recover from.

Jobson for me was just slightly better than Anton Johnson but not much. Don't wish anyone dead but I don't think there were too many Southend fans unhappy when he died.

 

[Irate Ian]

Victor Jobson Deceased

Ian, I think you have just proved EB's point. In the mid 80's when we were really up against it and about to go out of business that is the kind of chairman we needed - the kind of person that would fight tooth and nail to save the club. However, once we had survived he didn't change his business practices, which is where he went wrong.

With respect to your point of view, I say again with a clear conscience and certain knowldge from my personal & business dealings with him, that he was a crook who did not give a damn who he ripped of.

Defrauding his creditors was his Modus Operandi. As sure as night follows day it is certain in my mind that he will have ripped of the club and its supporters as well as many others.

How anyone can believe that is what SUFC needed is staggering, beyond belief.

I know more facts than I feel it necessary to disclose here.

You cannot defame the dead; or the living by telling the truth.

Sorry but IMO he can rot in hell until it freezes over as far as I am concered.

 

[Lord Football]

I'll give you my thoughts on "Uncle Vic" as someone who was there at the time, was involved with Blues on Tour and then United For Southend.

My greatest disappointment was that they didn't put a disco on his grave so we could dance on it.

What many forget is that as a supporters organisation, Blues on Tour (who were are the time also the official supporters club) supported the cause to keep the club in Southend. Rightly so in my opinion. Whilst most of us were in our 20s, we did have some older heads who understood some of the political machinatons and were able to deal the politicians at the Council.

Sadly, Vic also had a habit of threatening those who supported him. How many times was I threatened with season ticket removal, how many times was I threatened with a ban, how many times was I thrown out of the Shrimpers etc. I was not alone. Despite this outrageous and tyrannic behaviour, he still came to us for support and help, and we gave it.

The turning point was the treatment of Dave Webb. When that broke, he lost the trust of everyone, including most of the players. They used to join us in the Railway, so we got it first hand.

Then things got nasty. Individually we were picked off. I was summoned to John Adams' office on more than occassion that spring and summer to discuss the behaviour of this band of renegade supporters.

I recall comments such as "If you don't like it here, support someone else". Boycotts and bannings followed. Blues on Tour went underground, news of the work the supporters organisations did were systematically removed from Blues News and the programme. Certain people's names were censored. Anyone remember the Tranmere game when he ferried in police from outside of Southend and all hell broke loose?

I also recall, and will never forget or forgive, the Hitler Youth comment. That is about as low as you can go. It's strange you know, but that was the final nail in the coffin for me. Even my old mum who has never had the slightest interest in football was horrified at that. It was at that point I parted company with the football club, took up Vic's offer and naffed off to another club for the rest of the season. I only attended away games from then on in, not wishing to give my cash to Uncle Vic.

I'd gone from 46 games a season to virtually none, overnight. All thanks to him. I was not alone. There were many of us who just stopped going. It ceased to be fun, it had become a war and it was personal.

It took me almost 20 years to fully get back into it (ok, so marriage, kids, mortgages etc have played a part in that).

I am not alone. There were a great many of us who fell out of love with the club at that time. Some have never returned. Some like me needed our kids to get us back into it.

Uncle Vic's legacy. A lost generaton.

 

[Irate Ian]

Amoral

Thanks Elstree Ive always tried to keep a distance on the politics and running of the club...having supported them since the early 70,s ....whatever league or position weve been in .....The way your piece reads i think its not unreasonable to have a stand named after him .... on the pure basis as it were not for him we would not be in the position to (fingers crossed) have our new home built there ..... I guess it was all down to making decisions at the time .... and a lot of supporters only saw the wrong ones ....

This is surely a very sick joke. For anyone who has admiration for Jobson, please consider the following:-

Had you had your business crushed, home repossessed and your wife and chidren rendered homeless with all the mental anguish that involves, due to Mr Jobsons refusal to pay you for work done, you might now have a differing view.

Please also consider the consequential victims of Jobson.

Will anyone now compensate them for their money after all these years with paying them what was rightfully theirs in the first place ?


I could not begin to think how I would now feel if my money had been stolen from me by Jobson which he then sunk into property and other investments which have increased in value by 10 fold or more and become inherited by others.

I would agree that civil crime pays and that we condone fraud and theft in this country.

In a word Mr Jobson was: Amoral

 

[Irate Ian]

Amoral Victor Jobson

Interested to hear your sad account, does not surprise as your story is typical of what anyone could expect from Jobson.

I would have gone to the disco !!

Does anyone know how many went to his funeral and whether a true account of his life & Modus Operandi was given to the "mourners".##

I'll give you my thoughts on "Uncle Vic" as someone who was there at the time, was involved with Blues on Tour and then United For Southend.

My greatest disappointment was that they didn't put a disco on his grave so we could dance on it.

What many forget is that as a supporters organisation, Blues on Tour (who were are the time also the official supporters club) supported the cause to keep the club in Southend. Rightly so in my opinion. Whilst most of us were in our 20s, we did have some older heads who understood some of the political machinatons and were able to deal the politicians at the Council.

Sadly, Vic also had a habit of threatening those who supported him. How many times was I threatened with season ticket removal, how many times was I threatened with a ban, how many times was I thrown out of the Shrimpers etc. I was not alone. Despite this outrageous and tyrannic behaviour, he still came to us for support and help, and we gave it.

The turning point was the treatment of Dave Webb. When that broke, he lost the trust of everyone, including most of the players. They used to join us in the Railway, so we got it first hand.

Then things got nasty. Individually we were picked off. I was summoned to John Adams' office on more than occassion that spring and summer to discuss the behaviour of this band of renegade supporters.

I recall comments such as "If you don't like it here, support someone else". Boycotts and bannings followed. Blues on Tour went underground, news of the work the supporters organisations did were systematically removed from Blues News and the programme. Certain people's names were censored. Anyone remember the Tranmere game when he ferried in police from outside of Southend and all hell broke loose?

I also recall, and will never forget or forgive, the Hitler Youth comment. That is about as low as you can go. It's strange you know, but that was the final nail in the coffin for me. Even my old mum who has never had the slightest interest in football was horrified at that. It was at that point I parted company with the football club, took up Vic's offer and naffed off to another club for the rest of the season. I only attended away games from then on in, not wishing to give my cash to Uncle Vic.

I'd gone from 46 games a season to virtually none, overnight. All thanks to him. I was not alone. There were many of us who just stopped going. It ceased to be fun, it had become a war and it was personal.

It took me almost 20 years to fully get back into it (ok, so marriage, kids, mortgages etc have played a part in that).

I am not alone. There were a great many of us who fell out of love with the club at that time. Some have never returned. Some like me needed our kids to get us back into it.

Uncle Vic's legacy. A lost generaton.

 

[Irate Ian]

Addendum

As a final addition: I also told Jobson to his face what I thought about him at his office at Roots Hall & I hope that many others will also have done so in his lifetime.


His comment: You are no supporter of the football club.

My reply: No, Mr Jobson, it is the management, I do not support.
Goodbye.

With respect to your point of view, I say again with a clear conscience and certain knowldge from my personal & business dealings with him, that he was a crook who did not give a damn who he ripped of.

Defrauding his creditors was his Modus Operandi. As sure as night follows day it is certain in my mind that he will have ripped of the club and its supporters as well as many others.

How anyone can believe that is what SUFC needed is staggering, beyond belief.

I know more facts than I feel it necessary to disclose here.

You cannot defame the dead; or the living by telling the truth.

Sorry but IMO he can rot in hell until it freezes over as far as I am concered.