A packed out courtroom find out the fate of National League club Southend United’s latest winding up petition on Wednesday.
Echosport reported that HMRC filed a second winding-up petition against the Shrimpers, with the amount believed to be around £250,000.
This has been the 18th winding-up petition in 25 years, and 15th under chairman, Ron Martin. Staff have gone unpaid, fans have lent money that remains unreturned, the club is up for sale and in 2021 the Shrimpers were relegated from the EFL for the first time in 100 years.
Fans of the club have protested outside Ron Martin’s house, while also setting up a donation page to help those staff/players who have gone unpaid.
Ron Martin seeks for another adjournment, after the court case was initially adjourned back in May.
Following the incredible effort from the Southend players, their staff and manager Kevin Maher, they managed to stay in the National League and only just miss out on a playoff place by two points despite everything going on off the pitch.
Blues survived a winding-up order, over a sum of close to £2million, back in March, but have remained quiet this time around.
Journalist Dylan Walsh says the club are still under a transfer embargo with the real threat of the National League kicking them out of the division.
Packed courtroom at the Royal Courts of Justice, as Southend United face a winding up petition for debts of £275,000 owed to HMRC.
The Blues case is 32nd in line to be heard. pic.twitter.com/PvItkWIhB2
— BBC Sport Essex (@BBCEssexSport) July 12, 2023
Good to join the protest outside Ron Martin’s house this evening.
No sign of RM, as expected. Security stationed outside.
Shame there wasn’t more, especially since it’s the night before we’re in court. Credit to these fans 👏🏼
Radio silence today, disgusting. Onto tomorrow 🦐🤞🏼 pic.twitter.com/JIP5Twnh93
— London Shrimper (@londonshrimper) July 11, 2023
James Schooley and Chris Phillips gave updates via Twitter on what was happening in court on the 12th of July 2023…
JS: We are number 32 on the list, so imagine at least half of the hour-long session will pass before our case gets heard. Southend fans here in the double figures but a smaller room – poor @CJPhillips1982 and @AllAtSeaFanzine having to stand.
JS: Judge is here. We had to stand. How pleasant.
JS: Ron and Tom sitting together. Both seem relatively relaxed. Can’t think why.
JS: Terrifying and sobering to see how easily and swiftly a judge says “no more extensions, I’m serving a compulsory winding-up order”.
CP: Tom Lawrence and Ron Martin here in court. Not the biggest of rooms but it’s packed out and standing room only at the back now.
CP: Very strong rumours here that there’s a second bid on the table for Blues now.
CP: Blues are 31st in the list so there is going to be quite a wait
JS: Here we go… Ron has stood up
CP: Blues are now up
JS: £325,000 debt, £275k unpaid
JS: 2x witness statements served yesterday seeking 42 day adjournment but HMRC pushing for liquidation
JS: Npower paid off, PG Site Services agreed to support adjournment
JS: Gets £900k debt down to around £300k
CP: Ron Martin has asked for an adjournment of 42 days
JS: 42 days asked for, for new sale to go through and new owners to pass OADT. FA will dictate how long sale takes.
JS: HMRC barrister argues that this all sounds speculative
CS: It’s been adjourned until August 23rd.
CP: It will now come down to what the league decide.
JS: That was a very stumbling and unimpressive performance by Mr. Martin. Arguing just because he disagreed with the HMRC barrister’s view that its speculative to be waiting on a 3rd party (a buyer) was idiotic. Judge told him, in a more polite way, to shut up. Pick your battles.
Anna Firth, MP for Southend West, said as she waited for the outcome that the situation of Southend United is “truly devastating”.
She said, as per Echo News: “Today is a big day for all Southend fans, I fully appreciate the emotion of today and the concern you are feeling.
“Southend United Football Club has 117 years of proud history and to see it in this current situation is truly devastating for so many.
“Like everyone, I am anxiously waiting for today’s outcome and remain in constant contact with the Shrimpers Trust and Southend United Football Club, ready to assist however I can.
“2Blues fans are truly remarkable and as I have said before, you deserve so much better. Fingers crossed for today and I hope we can start to see some improvements in the near future.”
Here’s what fans are saying as a packed out courtroom find out the fate of Southend United’s latest winding up petition…
@PinkyRound14: We have to get him out before the 42 days!
@sjapresley: How long is this going to keep happening?!? We are in no state to run a club going into the new season. Any mention of when a takeover may be completed?
@JoshTyrrell03: How all the players and staff haven’t walked yet is beyond me, they all deserve statues.
@tim020204: Seriously, but at least we can breathe a bit @kimuraperform if you are buying us just do it soon please get rid of Ron
@simonharris_mbd: Ron Martin is becoming the king of ‘Trust Me ‘Bruh.’
@antsk: Ridiculous. Ron knows the season starts in 3 weeks, does he?
@gafferwoody: I can see players wanting to walk now more than ever
@Sam_Hall01: National league won’t have that, we will be out of the league well before August 😭
@djmikejolly: The state we’ll be in by then – bottom of the NL if they haven’t thrown us out already
@richsaz17: Called it, realistically as much as we can complain as Ron is still there, it was this or bust. Gotta take the small wins and hope that the deal can of through in this time 🤞
@RobEves: Be interesting to see what the adjournment was granted based on. Seemed to be a very quick decision to accept!
@samgoody23: We are finished. Absolutely finished
@hund85: Surely that is enough for the league to have doubts so will take us out the league??
@paulo_dalio: At best, a points deduction now from the league
@hfitch121: Prolonging the inevitable.
@merlinsbeard66: Wont have any players by then
@harrisbadger: What a farce this is turning into. Hope Ron gets out of Essex permanently after this
@ConorSammon100: Goodbye @TheVanaramaNL #MartinOut
@elton_gee123: I’ll be honest, I was feeling quietly optimistic this week… not any more. I thought Ron was bluffing about sale not progressing. This isn’t good at all. Wonder what the NL are going to say/do….
@slough_womble: The National League are not as soft as the EFL only need to look at Macclesfield, Darlington, Hereford, Chester, Halifax & Rushden but fingers crossed for all Southend fans
@richbayes1: That’s us out of the league now then 😢
@HenryKolt: Seasons fucked already, with this current squad we will go down.
@samtheshrimp18: At least we are still here. Seasons fucked though. All over £275k. Bullshit
@shaunybarlow: What a mockery of our justice system! The geezer needs locking up and throwing the key away. He’s toying with peoples lives. What an absolute joke. #martinout
@TheMoronHunter1: As it always was going to be. This is all about money owed. If there is the slightest chance of it being repaid, an adjournment is going to be granted in 99% of cases.
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