• Welcome to the ShrimperZone forums.
    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which only gives you limited access.

    Existing Users:.
    Please log-in using your existing username and password. If you have any problems, please see below.

    New Users:
    Join our free community now and gain access to post topics, communicate privately with other members, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and free. Click here to join.

    Fans from other clubs
    We welcome and appreciate supporters from other clubs who wish to engage in sensible discussion. Please feel free to join as above but understand that this is a moderated site and those who cannot play nicely will be quickly removed.

    Assistance Required
    For help with the registration process or accessing your account, please send a note using the Contact us link in the footer, please include your account name. We can then provide you with a new password and verification to get you on the site.

The Morning After

Brett Angle

First XI
Joined
Oct 24, 2010
Messages
561
In the cold light of day I wondered if I would feel any different, but I don't. The club (not fans) has got exactly what it has deserved and in that I guess, with a league competition being the ultimate meritocracy, justice this season (and last) has been done.

Any organisation, in any walk of life, that has been run as poorly as Blues has been done in recent years, autocratically, with a lack of honesty/transparency, muddled decision making and a failure to deliver on the fundamentals such as paying staff and your tax bill on time, never mind on a new stadium, is ultimately doomed. Nobody should be surprised. It is what happens next that will determine whether the club can return to the EFL in the next few seasons or whether it will go the same way as other long standing members of the Football League that suffered a similar fate as us due to poor leadership.

Can that happen with Ron still at the helm? I personally think it can, despite what I have said above. But he needs to completely change his style and approach, accept he has made some serious errors of judgement, set up a proper Board with all key stakeholders represented carrying genuine gravitas AND be 100% committed to 'the project' as they say in modern parlance. The work needs to start today as does preparation for next season in the National League. Honesty begins with accepting that fate now and the sooner that happens the sooner that can start.

In term of 'on the pitch' much of what happens in the next few weeks will determine the kind of players the club SHOULD be able to attract at that level to be very competitive. However to enable that to happen things need to happen off the pitch - and that, due to the current structure and philosophy at the club, starts and ends with Ron unfortunately. That needs to change significantly but in my view doesn't necessarily mean that he has to, or indeed should, go. Change and Ron staying are not mutually exclusive and anybody insisting they are run the risk -in my opinion - of repeating the mistakes of the past and forgetting the timeless adages of 'be careful what you wish for' and 'better the devil you know'.

Believe me, anybody who thinks things can't get any worse is very much mistaken. We need energy at the top more than ever - at a time when it is most difficult to find it. Come on Ron show some today and let's have actions rather than words. Are you up for the challenge or is it time to hand things over to somebody who is?
 
Last edited:
The last couple of sentences are key for me, it's time for Ron to decide whether he wants to be a football chairman or a property developer and go all in on one of those.

Personally I think its time for us fans to do something about this and form an organisation to buy a large share of the club (>40%), preferably 51%

I have absolutely no idea how we go about doing that, I guess we would need investors and potentially current board members to be involved.

Does anyone know how many shares are not owned by Ron?
 
Last edited:
A quick look on companies house, even though the statement is a bit of a mess.

Company Director David Markscheffel owns 6.54%
South Eastern Leisure Limited owns 70.62%
Peter Robert Butler owns 2.5%

They are from what I can see on my phone the 3 biggest shareholders.

RM is the sole Director of SEL, there is a break in them shares of what looks like 49/49/2. I’ll do some more research into the statements but it looks like RM will own 49% of SEL.
 
SEL is owned by Martin Dawn PLC...

Which is owned (FFS) roughly

85% Ron Martin
8% Ron Martin’s Wife
7% Geoffrey King

What I’m confused about is, there’s tonnes of mortgage charges against Martin Dawn PLC, for different developments. If Martin has access to the absolute millions he has borrowed, how did the Club not have the money is needed to lift the embargo?
 
Not relegated yet in all but name. However, whilst relegation is always gutting I'm assuming they play football in the National League? I just want to have club to support and watch them play football.

It could always be worse. How do Bury or Macclesfield fans feel knowing they will never see their club as they knew it play football again.

As long as Southend United continues to exist I'll continue to support. If I didn't want heartache and stress I would have chosen a "big club" back in the late 80s / early 90s to support when all my friends in school were supporting the Arsenals, West Hams, Liverpool's and Leeds.
 
I always used to wonder if I’d ever see us in the fabled new stadium, established in the championship, maybe occasionally even in the promotion fight like a Brentford or better still a Reading or a Bournemouth. I’m 60 this year, not ancient by any means but the clocks ticking. I’m now starting to wonder if I’ll see us as a league club again. When you look at some of the clubs in the NL, once proud long term members of the league, who’ve been down there now for 10 or more years, it’s sobering. I also spare a thought for Grimsby, never my favourite club, but one that has been through this already in recent years, made it back to the league & probably thought they’d never allow it to happen again. And here they are with us. That’s another sobering thought. If it can happen to them it could happen to us. There are so many lessons to be learned if we are to get back, then stay back.
 
I am still absolutely seething. Disgusted, hurt and angry. I stand by what I said, I do not want any of these useless players to play for us ever again with the exception of maybe 2?

To make things worse, I work in a school and most of the students are spammers fans.

If they do make fun, it will be an instant detention thought o be fair a lot of the students do follow Southend as they know I like them.

I might just put myself in isolation for safety reasons!
 
SEL is owned by Martin Dawn PLC...

Which is owned (FFS) roughly

85% Ron Martin
8% Ron Martin’s Wife
7% Geoffrey King

What I’m confused about is, there’s tonnes of mortgage charges against Martin Dawn PLC, for different developments. If Martin has access to the absolute millions he has borrowed, how did the Club not have the money is needed to lift the embargo?

That is the trouble, plain and simple RM owns the lot in some form of entangled companies where debt passes around like sandwiches at a tea party. Nobody would be interested in buying the club as it is only a name.

He has asset stripped everything and borrowed money against it all to keep himself and his dream afloat. He just mortgages a bit more when he needs a few more quid. If he had outside businesses doing anything or making any money at all it might be different..He has survived on the back of the club not the other way around.
 
Still in shock after yesterday. I am trying to come to terms with the fact that we are all but relegated.

As many have said it is very difficult to get promoted from the National League and this is a disaster for our club.

I'm very concerned about our future. We need significant investment in our squad which is something we cannot afford. I can't see anyone wanting to buy the club from Ron and don't believe Ron has the funds to turn things around. Is administration our best option? Take the points deduction now? This may be the best option for option for the club and Ron. It will also be a more attractive proposition for a new owner.

If Ron does nothing I can see us folding within the year.

I will support my club until the end. Up the blues!!
 
Still in shock after yesterday. I am trying to come to terms with the fact that we are all but relegated.

As many have said it is very difficult to get promoted from the National League and this is a disaster for our club.

I'm very concerned about our future. We need significant investment in our squad which is something we cannot afford. I can't see anyone wanting to buy the club from Ron and don't believe Ron has the funds to turn things around. Is administration our best option? Take the points deduction now? This may be the best option for option for the club and Ron. It will also be a more attractive proposition for a new owner.

If Ron does nothing I can see us folding within the year.

I will support my club until the end. Up the blues!!

Under league rules I think we’d have the points deduction next year.
If you are on the cusp of or have been relegated the points penalty is the following season. If you are “safe” at the point of administration the penalty happens the same season.
 
The last couple of sentences are key for me, it's time for Ron to decide whether he wants to be a football chairman or a property developer and go all in on one of those.

Personally I think its time for us fans to do something about this and form an organisation to buy a large share of the club (>40%), preferably 51%

I have absolutely no idea how we go about doing that, I guess we would need investors and potentially current board members to be involved.

Does anyone know how many shares are not owned by Ron?
Waste of time pleading/asking Ron Martin anything!
Can’t believe a word he says and he will sh it on anyone to get his way.
Liar and a conman that has ruined this decent club for his own gain....will never change unless of course the burst artery forces him in to submission!
 
That is the trouble, plain and simple RM owns the lot in some form of entangled companies where debt passes around like sandwiches at a tea party. Nobody would be interested in buying the club as it is only a name.

He has asset stripped everything and borrowed money against it all to keep himself and his dream afloat. He just mortgages a bit more when he needs a few more quid. If he had outside businesses doing anything or making any money at all it might be different..He has survived on the back of the club not the other way around.

But he puts in millions of his OWN money every season and has done for 20+ years!
 
Time to let go? Let Ron go under and take the old Sufc with him? Form a Phoenix club from the ashes of this mess fcsu for example.. ala Wimbledon
 
Its not great being relegated, but new grounds to go to etc might be interesting for a season. Although I do fear it will be a lot longer than that. I'm more sad that we lost our ground and to some extent our identity as a football club. Something is rotten at the top of this club and it filters down all the way down to the pitch. The slide will continue while Ron is still in charge the last three years are evidence of that.
 
Whilst acknowledging who is to blame let's not forget the role Southend council have played over the last 40 plus years in not supporting it's own league...sorry non league club.Does anyone seriously believe if the current plan of providing it with a low cost ,high density sink estate housing wasn't on the agenda that approval at the worst possible time for the club would be on the cards .At last a sinking second rate seaside town gets the club to match it.
 
But he puts in millions of his OWN money every season and has done for 20+ years!

That's why I favour evolution rather than revolution. The guy has probably been one of the longest serving Chairman in the clubs history and will have certainly lost the most money. Very easy for people say they are prepared to buy club - but what bit? It will require Ron to write off huge debts and give up the few assets he has to make it mildly attractive. Not sure that is likely and frankly unless supporters groups work with him, accepting that it is vital that he takes responsibility for our current plight and shows us tangible evidence of his determination to put it right, then we run the risk of getting caught in a cycle of blame (fans) and obstinacy (Ron). That might result in thing looking significantly worse this time next year for everybody. Conciliation, goodwill, energy and determination to put things right at all levels are the orders of the day - to create the kind of environment that gives the Manager and team the best possible chance of success on the pitch.
 
Back
Top