Southend boss Kevin Maher admits he was left surprised by the latest winding-up petition for the club as fans vent more anger at Ron Martin.
HM Revenue & Customs issued the petition to The Shrimpers on Thursday. The settlement followed the 1st of March payment of a £1.4m tax debt.
The club refused to comment to the BBC on the latest petition after ending the season without paying non-playing employees for the last two months.
Maher told BBC Essex however that the recent contact from HMRC was a complete surprise to him.
ICYMI 🔈
The #Southend United head coach Kevin Maher says he’s had no thoughts of quitting despite the club’s financial issues.
— BBC Sport Essex (@BBCEssexSport) May 5, 2023
“It took us by surprise – we knew there’s stuff going on at the club that’s ongoing but it’s obviously got to be dealt with,” he said.
“There are issues at the club that everyone’s aware of but it’s the first I heard of it.”
Maher says now that the season is over, there will be no additional revenue generated to pay staff who have worked without wages.
“They’re the obvious concerns – the staff who’ve done a brilliant job throughout the season and are incredibly loyal and professional so they’re the ones you think about and the club itself,” he said.
“All I can think about is how brilliant they’ve been and how lucky we are to have them. They still turn up to work and do some brilliant things despite no pay.”
Maher’s Shrimpers side were just two points away from making it to the National League playoffs.
He said that getting so close to the finals gave him “immense pride” and he is not considering his future with the club despite financial uncertainty and current transfer embargo.
“I’m sure there will be people looking to buy it because it’s a brilliant football club and in a great position on the football side,” he said.
“It’s a team with assets, a fanbase that gets over 8,500 through the gate – I think it gives you a great opportunity to really take the club forward.
“I think we’ve got the chance to do that if we can work properly. We’re very close to being able to take off and if and when that happens, we’ll take some stopping.”
Under Maher, the Shrimpers came close to making the National League play-offs this season, missing out on a place by two points, despite winning their last two games.
The 46-year-old said getting so close gave him “immense pride” and that he was not considering his future at the club, despite the financial uncertainty and the current transfer embargo.
“I haven’t thought about that [leaving]. We want to work properly and I want to do it at Southend,” he said.
“I’ve got a great connection with the club and the fans and if we could add to the players we’ve got we’re a good enough team to get to the right end of the table.
“We can’t hide away from that fact [transfer embargo]. We went through a big rebuilding programme last summer, we don’t need to do that this year, we need to fine tune what we’ve got.
“But there is that element that the players will know and their agents will know where the club is at and that makes it difficult to build a squad.”
Maher adds he has not heard of anything regarding a potential sale, but remains convinced the Shrimpers would be an attractive proposition for any buyer.
SHRIMPERS TRUST STATEMENT:
Supporters groups are aware of a new winding-up petition served upon Southend United Football Club concerning monies owed to HM Revenue & Customs.
This notice furthers the trend of financial mismanagement and negligence at our club under owner Ron Martin and is, ashamedly, the 18th winding-up petition served during his 25-year tenure. It unfortunately brings into sharp focus once again the question of our club’s very existence, with the High Court hearing scheduled for 17th May – just thirteen days away.
New ownership or investment into the club is being sought but it is clear that, until this is in place, there will continue to be grave concerns about the future and a dark cloud hovering above Roots Hall.
We feel desperately sorry for the club’s excellent staff who are still missing several months’ wages. This unacceptable situation continues to be a stain on Southend United’s reputation and a source of shame for all connected with the club. Today’s news will not give anybody confidence that this will be rectified soon. Their loyalty continues to be taken for granted and we stand with them.
Any notion within the club’s hierarchy that supporters’ group statements or reduced season card sales are at all to blame for any of the current woes is delusional. A supporter’s decision to not renew their season card is an individual one which won’t have been taken lightly. Nobody can be blamed for feeling disillusioned or that their continued support and loyalty has been presumed.
Now is the time for Ron Martin to consider what he wants his legacy to be, and whether he’d like to depart with some goodwill in the bank. We believe that his position is untenable and his redemption in the eyes of the fanbase impossible, but he can still prove that he truly cares about the club and show that he is doing right by it and its supporters.
We therefore implore the owner to be realistic about the terms and timeline of a sale, and to be an open book. A good start would be to audit and submit all missing accounts. This summer must not develop into a game of chicken. Time is of the essence. We feel it is important that everybody involved does everything within their power to facilitate the process, in order to provide certainty and to ensure – before it’s too late – that the football department is given the tools necessary to make next season one of success on the pitch.
Supporters’ groups have worked incredibly hard off the pitch to push the club and its plight into the spotlight of the media, local council and Government. That work is more important than ever and will continue in earnest.
In addition to the immediate situation, huge questions remain around the timescale of the new stadium development, the prospective move to the new training facility, the future of the Academy and how Southend United FC will be financed in the short-term. This uncertainty is crippling the club, and the lack of communication with the fanbase only serves to fuel a negative atmosphere of ill-feeling and worry. We call upon the club owner to communicate with supporters urgently regarding the situation, with clarity and candour.
Time and again Ron Martin is insulated from the consequences of his own behaviour. Players, staff, local government officials and of course fans have borne the brunt of his pernicious incompetence. We implore prospective new owners to declare their intentions publicly with the hope of giving everyone involved at Southend United some much needed hope.
We’d like to thank all supporters that have completed our 2023/24 season ticket survey so far.
Ten questions for Ron Martin to answerhttps://t.co/XpTbeGwKzK
— Chris Phillips (@CJPhillips1982) May 5, 2023
Here’s how fans reacted as the Southend boss says he’s surprised by the latest winding-up petition and comments on his future at the club…
@jabbso: I wouldn’t blame any part of the management team or player if they decided to move on this summer. The club seems to be in absolute disarray and may not exist in a fortnight. It’s a hopeless situation.
@ConorSammon100: @TheVanaramaNL biggest robbery ever if @kevlaa7 isn’t manager of the season.
@NicaraguaVisit: We need a club statement now..from the CEO if RM is in hiding.
@DrugganLuke: You really couldn’t blame him or anyone who walks away from this appalling situation, there really needs to be something put in place where a corrupt owner can be stripped of his ‘asset’ if they prove time and again they can’t properly finance it
@BryanGOBsmacked: So Kev speaks to Tim Lawrence every day but the CEO didn’t know or mention this was coming? Beyond me how a club can be run in such a way that the Chairman can keep a winding-up order a secret from the CEO. Unbelievable in fact. Very odd.
@gazpacho110: @SUFCRootsHall why is #ronmartin such a cunt? #southendunited @TheVanaramaNL the end is near
@willsimpson999: Is going to walk and you can’t even blame him. Ron Martin is a fucking cunt.
@FarmdogSUFC: Deserves so much better. I hate to say this out loud but I’m resigning if I’m him. A level above easily
@V2Neco: RM is fucking disgusting
@XXL_Cyclist: Felt more than a bit sorry for @kevlaa7 on @BBCEssex this evening. Once again asked questions the Parasite Owner should be answering but hes hiding as usual like the worm he is #martinout #parasiteowner
There’s a lot of very concerning things about this statement – not least that the men running the club didn’t bother to inform the manager despite the petition having been lodged more than a month ago pic.twitter.com/xlHrY4Gw3M
— Mr Cameron (@acameron78) May 4, 2023
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