• 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.

Whole squad on furlough - or not!

To play devils avacado for a minute, let’s say it was you in that position. What would you do?

You’re earning £16k a month. And from that £16k per month, you have to spend £10k of it, on bills & keeping a roof over your family’s head.

Over the course of the last six months, you have not been paid by your club on the agreed date, on (at least) two occasions, meaning you have had to explain to the bank why you can’t afford your mortgage repayment that month, or why you’re going to default on a car payment. Maybe you’re paying a mortgage on your parents house too, meaning that also gets missed. There’s a whole myriad of debts there that won’t be getting paid on the agreed date.

That’s a lot of phone calls, apologies & sleepless nights lost to money worries, which is solely down to the inability of your employer to do the basic act of honouring the contract that you signed in good faith.

And in the case of some, they’ve had to borrow more money to keep their heads above water, which of course further increases their debts.

I love this football club as much, if not more, than anyone else. But if that happened to me, I’d feel more than a little ****ed off tbh.

And that brings us upto now. Some people have this misconception, that the players will only be dropping 20% of their wages, which is wrong. A reduction from £16k down to £2500, is more along the lines of an 85% loss of earnings.

To put that into context, let’s say the average man in the street earns £2000 per month. If he also dropped 85%, his takehome would be £300.

How does anybody survive, pay bills, feed their families & keep roofs over their heads, on £300 a month? It’s impossible.

I’ll repeat, I love this club as much as anyone else here, but who would risk their families welfare & their homes?

Simple question; what would you do?

It depends, some clubs including Colchester were also paying players the difference between the furlough pay out and their normal salary, so the players were no worse off and the club just got a helping hand with part of the wage bill.
 
I'm going to comment on this before I've read through the rest of the thread so apologies if anyone has mentioned this already.

I went from earning £1400(ISH) a month to £0 because of Covid. That's a 100% drop. They should count themselves lucky they will be able to get as much as furlough can offer.

If they are in trouble financially they can also take a 3 month mortgage holiday (something I had to do) and hope furlough will cover the rest of the debts they have. (Something I haven't had to worry about because aside from my mortgage and a 0% credit card I live within my means)

Surely they have two options here, the first is to accept furlough and get something, the second is to reject furlough and get nothing as the club can't afford to pay them.

Sorry to hear that, I hope you’ve got yourself back on your feet, or at least will do soon.

I think what your post highlights, is that we’ve all had to endure some hard times over the past 3-4 months, and we should consider that before condemning other people. We’ve all struggled in our own way, whether it be through physical, mental or financial.

You say they have two options, but from how I understand it, the players just want the same deal that the original seven agreed to.

There is only one person holding that up.

Some people have praised other clubs players, for accepting furlough, without knowing what stipulations were put into those furlough agreements. And it’s the same here, we’re condemning our players without really knowing why.
 
It depends, some clubs including Colchester were also paying players the difference between the furlough pay out and their normal salary, so the players were no worse off and the club just got a helping hand with part of the wage bill.

Yes I have heard this.

Similarly, up and down the country, chairman have either offered his deal to their players, or have said they’ll reimburse the players at a later date I.e. when the football returns, or when they leave the club).

I understand that has happened with seven of our players.
 
Absolutely disgusted by the players refusing to go on Furlough. Talk about greed and no thought for the clubs financial position. And the fact that they took us down, makes it even worse. Do they really expect 100% wages without playing any games for months? They are payed to play games. Footballers have never had it so good wages wise, and yet they won't help out their club in it's hour of need. Expecting a scathing statement from RM soon.

Don't forget, most of the players that "took us down" left in January. We're left with a) the "good guys" who we wanted to keep, and b) the kids.
 
Yes I have heard this.

Similarly, up and down the country, chairman have either offered his deal to their players, or have said they’ll reimburse the players at a later date I.e. when the football returns, or when they leave the club).

I understand that has happened with seven of our players.

If so that is probably why all the others want the same deal and turned down an alternative furlough offer. (Assuming the offer to them was different)
 
  • Like
Reactions: GBJ
Yes I have heard this.

Similarly, up and down the country, chairman have either offered his deal to their players, or have said they’ll reimburse the players at a later date I.e. when the football returns, or when they leave the club).

I understand that has happened with seven of our players.
Yes been two types of deals, those furloughed may have had the remainder paid by the club, those who deferred will get the rest back at a later date.
 
Yes been two types of deals, those furloughed may have had the remainder paid by the club, those who deferred will get the rest back at a later date.

Aye.

And if the remaining players get given that same deal, I’m sure they’ll sign their furlough agreement too.

I hearing that the trouble is, Ron can’t/won’t put any guarantees on anything.
 
No idea if this has been mentioned already or not and I am a huge John White fan but considering the whole squad has declined being furloughed, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell you not to go on Instagram and start showing off your new BMW.

Now for all I know, he could have been given this car for free! That's very possible considering his relationship with whatever that car companies name is that sponsors the club. BUT still, its just not very wise IMO. If he hasn't been given it, then that's even worse.

I even think if he has been given it, it's still a bit bad form considering a lot of people are struggling at the moment, fans are owed ST money etc etc, the list goes on.

EDIT - I must admit, I'm assuming it's his car because his post and story doesn't exactly say that but it certainly looks that way. I just want to be fair to him there.
 
No idea if this has been mentioned already or not and I am a huge John White fan but considering the whole squad has declined being furloughed, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell you not to go on Instagram and start showing off your new BMW.

Now for all I know, he could have been given this car for free! That's very possible considering his relationship with whatever that car companies name is that sponsors the club. BUT still, its just not very wise IMO. If he hasn't been given it, then that's even worse.

I even think if he has been given it, it's still a bit bad form considering a lot of people are struggling at the moment, fans are owed ST money etc etc, the list goes on.

EDIT - I must admit, I'm assuming it's his car because his post and story doesn't exactly say that but it certainly looks that way. I just want to be fair to him there.

Now is not the time or the place to be bragging about getting a new car! Very selfish and pathetic.
 
Last edited:
Aye.

And if the remaining players get given that same deal, I’m sure they’ll sign their furlough agreement too.

I hearing that the trouble is, Ron can’t/won’t put any guarantees on anything.
Can he until the stadium is done? It’s ok re financing but he probably didn’t do that with all of what’s happened and still to come in mind as he wouldn’t have known fully I guess.

Not defending him just thinking out loud so to speak
 
No idea if this has been mentioned already or not and I am a huge John White fan but considering the whole squad has declined being furloughed, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell you not to go on Instagram and start showing off your new BMW.

Now for all I know, he could have been given this car for free! That's very possible considering his relationship with whatever that car companies name is that sponsors the club. BUT still, its just not very wise IMO. If he hasn't been given it, then that's even worse.

I even think if he has been given it, it's still a bit bad form considering a lot of people are struggling at the moment, fans are owed ST money etc etc, the list goes on.

EDIT - I must admit, I'm assuming it's his car because his post and story doesn't exactly say that but it certainly looks that way. I just want to be fair to him there.

I hope that includes management who had a section on his watch costing more than some people earn in a year and got paid on time when others had not received anything
 
Can he until the stadium is done? It’s ok re financing but he probably didn’t do that with all of what’s happened and still to come in mind as he wouldn’t have known fully I guess.

Not defending him just thinking out loud so to speak

I’m not sure. But If I’m surmising out loud, I’d suggest that Ron probably wants this issue resolved quite quickly. Time isn’t necessarily on his side, considering payday is approaching. So he’s got to do something.

If I had to guess, I would have thought he’s probably agreed to what the players are asking for by now - i.e. the same deal that the original seven got.

Maybe there’s something else holding it up?

Maybe the PFA have asked Ron to provide proof that he will stick to his word, and honour the stipulations (as other owners have had to do), and unfortunately Ron can’t provide that evidence?

Don’t you think it’s odd that we’re the only professional football team, whose players have failed to agree furlough terms? Either we’ve got the greediest bunch of kids in English football, or there’s something else there.

Ron is the owner of this football club. Whatever happens - past, present and future - is down to him. The plaudits & blame will always find their way back to him.

I’ve long argued that the financial management of this club, has been shambolic for many years now. 17(?) winding up orders, players on ridiculous contracts, consistently losing money every single month.

I’m very concerned that we’re about to reap what we’ve been sowing all these years.
 
I hope that includes management who had a section on his watch costing more than some people earn in a year and got paid on time when others had not received anything

Don’t forget his shoe shopping trip to Harrods, whilst some players were frantically scrambling to borrow money to pay their car leases & mortgages.
 
All this turmoil will be terrible for team morale, if Mr Martin isn't careful, next season will be a write off before a ball is even kicked. You loyal fans don't deserve all this uncertainty, it must be diificult to feel any positivity at present.
 
If the club end up like Bury, the fans will never forgive our players for their part in killing our club off. They probably have to stay away from the Southend & South east part of Essex to avoid an clash with SUFC fans who feeling high on emotional & angers.
 
All clubs must be looking at their finances . The effects of covid have yet to be felt .Simon Royce has just lost his job at Gillingham.
 
I’m not sure. But If I’m surmising out loud, I’d suggest that Ron probably wants this issue resolved quite quickly. Time isn’t necessarily on his side, considering payday is approaching. So he’s got to do something.

If I had to guess, I would have thought he’s probably agreed to what the players are asking for by now - i.e. the same deal that the original seven got.

Maybe there’s something else holding it up?

Maybe the PFA have asked Ron to provide proof that he will stick to his word, and honour the stipulations (as other owners have had to do), and unfortunately Ron can’t provide that evidence?

Don’t you think it’s odd that we’re the only professional football team, whose players have failed to agree furlough terms? Either we’ve got the greediest bunch of kids in English football, or there’s something else there.

Ron is the owner of this football club. Whatever happens - past, present and future - is down to him. The plaudits & blame will always find their way back to him.

I’ve long argued that the financial management of this club, has been shambolic for many years now. 17(?) winding up orders, players on ridiculous contracts, consistently losing money every single month.

I’m very concerned that we’re about to reap what we’ve been sowing all these years.
I Agree would make sense to sort quickly and amicably, also reckon your right he has probably tried his luck and then said ok same deal.

PFA cannot ask the club directly for proof, they have to go via the FA/EFL for that, although not sure if they can then only do that if there are current salary arrears which we apparenty do not have.

It is strange that we are of the lower leagues one of the only teams left without a furlough or deferment of some kind. IN someways is that a credit to Ron that he continued to pay most of the players fully ? (I do not think Sol is furloughed as I am sure the echo would have reported that). QUite possibly something else in there, i am not inside so dont know about Southend, but it could be w have trie donut best to keep them on full and not sue the system to out advantage, could be the PFA interjection when we first tried to furlough the 7 has had an effect. Hopefully it all gets sorted
 
Back
Top