Breaking News We are the Consortium buying SUFC.

[Petejames]

Has anyone seen SVC at matches in recent weeks? Looking for clues to whether or not the consortium plans to maintain Stan’s involvement with the club. Would be a pity if they don’t.

Why wouldn’t they?? Stan got Tom Lawrence involved stan got Kev and co on board !!

 

[MikeLapper]

My mate who works in finance says that Special Situations Group (SSG) is one of the most prestigious groups at Goldman Sachs and he worked his way up to leading that globally.

Simply put, he's a big dog.

Sorry, no doubt I’m being dense but which of the consortium was at SSG?

 

[JAL]

Reading through their experience, biography and what they do in their careers, I think we're in safe hands, although anything is better than the rat.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Honestly I feel the opposite. These are local people who know the Club, have been successful in business and more importantly there's not a property developer among them.

The Club itself is well-run just not well-funded previously. The football side of things has a great structure.

I'm much more positive than before this statement tbh.

Jason Brown set up a Property Hedge Fund.

Not sure if it's been mentioned as I am a bit behind on my catch-up... but with no majority shareholder and a proper board in place, will one of them become chairman (Rees, I would assume as he has been the front man), or could they appoint a chairman (e.g. promote Tom)?

Good corporate governance would be for the chairman to be different to the CEO.

Of course there’s more than one company involved here (they will likely own the shares through a separate limited company) and so who is on the board of SUFC Ltd and Roots Hall Ltd may be separate to who is on the board of Consortium Limited.

 

[TJC]

If you are in the positive in your bank account you have more money than Ron Martin

It's not just about having money. Ron apparently has some but unwilling to use it to bail out his mismanagement

 

[Leeboy]

Sorry, no doubt I’m being dense but which of the consortium was at SSG?

Jason Brown

 

[Napster]

Jason Brown

Texture like sun

 

[overseas shrimper]

Jason Brown set up a Property Hedge Fund.



Good corporate governance would be for the chairman to be different to the CEO.

Of course there’s more than one company involved here (they will likely own the shares through a separate limited company) and so who is on the board of SUFC Ltd and Roots Hall Ltd may be separate to who is on the board of Consortium Limited.

I'm not saying make the CEO a chairman as well. That's why I mentioned promoting Tom from CEO to chairman. It would obviously mean appointing a new CEO if it were to happen.

 

[JWShrimper]

Texture like sun

Never a frown with Jason Brown.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I like the fact that no one will have a controlling stake. After years of Ron as dictator we will now have to look to build consensus and buy-in.

I like that the consortium have flown under the radar. They haven’t made it about them and their egos.

I really like that a group which sees sport as a vehicle for good is part of this. The community aspect is huge. This club can do a lot for the local area and that will build the bond between club and residents that will drive our next generation of support.

I like the fact that they are local and supporters.

I hope they can be custodians. Custodians of a club striving to be self sufficient and community focused is the dream.

If I wanted a billionaire to buy success I could support Man City or Chelsea or Wrexham. I just want a club I can be proud of - I’m proud of Kev and his team on the pitch - we just need to match that off the pitch.

 

[JAL]

It's not just about having money. Ron apparently has some but unwilling to use it to bail out his mismanagement

People also don't realise that you do need a lot of money to make things work, you just need to be able to run it well.

Being self sustainable is a massive factor.

 

[Holy Joe]

Interesting they mention Kev, Tom and Still but not Stan.

They also say they don't want to make changes so I guess Stan's position is ok?

Stan was at a game a couple of weeks ago, so he is still around

 

[Tommy2holes]

All we can hope for is that this group are the real deal and that in future we are in safe hands.

I'm liking a consortium. Debt being shared by 6 instead of loaded ala Ron, onto one person. Also means more ideas and less one dimensional thinking.

All we can do as fans is get fully behind the club and try and pack out roots hall as often as possible.

 

[Gt Yarmouth Shrimper]

In some ways, I hope that they do not have "deep pockets" - the long term security of the club relies on there being some financial balance.

They'll need them. If the club wish to climb the leagues, deep pockets are exactly what they need, unless they will be content with always being a yo-yo club. The vast majority on here will soon be on their backs if so.

 

[LSUFC]

"grassroots involvement in Southend football"
" a lifelong supporter of the club"
"season ticket holder for the past 40 years"
"life-long Southend United fan"

How amazing these statements are!

I still don't get why Justin Rees is interested in little Southend United!
Do I care ..... NO, just ..... THANK YOU.

 

[Justleavingwork]

Interesting they mention Kev, Tom and Still but not Stan.

They also say they don't want to make changes so I guess Stan's position is ok?

Stan was at a game a couple of weeks ago, so he is still around

They don’t mention anything about head of commercial either but I’m sure Rylee job is safe

 

[GDM]

They'll need them. If the club wish to climb the leagues, deep pockets are exactly what they need, unless they will be content with always being a yo-yo club. The vast majority on here will soon be on their backs if so.

It would be really disappointing if after all we've been through there is a clammer from fans to spend money we won't have. I would be more than content, and I would hope all fans are, with being a L1 - L2 yo-yo club, after all that is exactly what we were. If there is a mention of us being a championship level club then that would be a very bright red flag that these guys are not the guys for us...

 

[JAL]

They don’t mention anything about head of commercial either but I’m sure Rylee job is safe

Absolutely no way any of the media or commerical teams are touched.

They're more than safe, if anything, they'll be given the resources to improve on top of what they've got.

 

[Jmayhew32]

It would be really disappointing if after all we've been through there is a clammer from fans to spend money we won't have. I would be more than content, and I would hope all fans are, with being a L1 - L2 yo-yo club, after all that is exactly what we were. If there is a mention of us being a championship level club then that would be a very bright red flag that these guys are not the guys for us...

I wholeheartedly disagree. We have a fan base and catchment area that is far greater than many Championship clubs and even some Premier League clubs, but I can't any reason why, in time, we can't become an established CH / L1 club - think Plymouth / Rotherham etc...

We were missing the right people and I genuinely believe we have that now. The good times are coming back and hopefully they're back to stay.

 

[Angell Delight]

Interesting they mention Kev, Tom and Still but not Stan.

They also say they don't want to make changes so I guess Stan's position is ok?

Stan was at a game a couple of weeks ago, so he is still around

It’s certainly very strange that Stan hasn’t posted anything on social media regarding the last few days. I would have thought after the lengths he went to a couple of years ago to try to get Ron to sell the club he’d have been one of the first to post about the club’s survival from the brink of extinction. To be honest it makes me think he’s either leaving or has left the club, to me it’s the logical explanation.

Whatever the situation I think it’s important to acknowledge what a major part Stan played in the appointment of such a fantastic management team that will hopefully stand us in very good stead for many years to come. God knows what division we’d be in now if Ron had been left to appoint again - let’s not forget he’d already given the job to the likes of Bond (*shudder*) and Molesley in recent years….

Stan - whether you’re going or staying THANK YOU on behalf of us all for everything you’ve done, both on the pitch and now off it.