Southend United FC.

[ramsgate valiant]

It was on our local tv news last night that Southend United have been granted permission

to build a new 22,000 seater stadium on the outskirts of the place.Strange when you consider

that they are in the bottom three of The National League & that the club owner is due in court 

with criminal accusations. 

[robf]

Southend has certainly been a circus in recent months. I saw Phil Brown's increasingly erratic outbursts and then there's the Collymore issue. I can't understand that one - he wants to help out for free then there are issues over his role and remuneration. How do those two match up with a voluntary role? I hope they sort their problems out, I certainly think a change of owner would help. 

[Phil1965]

The club has been a laughing stock for the last few years. Southend is a big town, sorry city, but the club is poorly run.

[Essex Vale]

Southend deserves a much better football team than it has.  I look at the model put in place for the new Bury FC, based on the German idea of fan ownership, with financial input from a backer and a sympathetic local authority which helps incorporate the club into local life.   That is the way to go.  Southend ought to be able to attract good ownership, but I feel that Ron Martin, the current owner, has fended off other people. over the years. In some ways he reminds me of the late Bill Bell.  Both achieved great things for their club but they did not know quite when to let go.

 

Backing Phil Brown to lead them out of non-league was a desperate measure.  I am not entirely sure what Stan Colleymore will bring to the table, other than publicity.