A Southend protest group display key questions they want answered on the chairman’s garden wall, with the silence deafening.
The Shrimpers are to appear back in court due to a new winding-up petition filed by HMRC, and this could have serious consequences.
Macclesfield Town were previously expelled from the same division just two weeks after the order, so should the above scenario occur, could one of those relegated teams be given a reprieve?
Frustrated Southend United fans have stuck questions Echo printed on Ron Martin’s garden wall in further bid to get answers https://t.co/thPEaqRuss
— Chris Phillips (@CJPhillips1982) May 14, 2023
The timing of this will have extra eyes watching on the outcome, which could see Southend expelled from the National League.
The situation is still uncertain, the petition could still be adjourned, and if Southend United who are up for sale are able pay their debt to HMRC, like the last time the face faced a winding up order (a day before the court hearing), this issue will go away.
@SimplyShrimpers do say: “We have talks on going with potential new owners but cannot release anything due to the sensitivity of the subject. Guarantee it will be adjourned while we enter further talks with new ownership.”
Just days before the deadline, Southend United fans have stepped up their attempts to get answers from chairman Ron Martin… by turning up at his house.
Printed sheets of paper with the 10 questions Echosport published for Martin to answer earlier this month were displayed on his garden wall by members of the Southend Fan Protest Group.
A spokesman for the group said, as per Echosport: “While the sale press conference stated there would be no updates, this was before the club was plunged into further crisis with another winding up petition from HMRC.
“Fans rightly want to know if we’ll have a club to support, when its hard working staff will be paid and if the chairman is entertaining approaches or being unreasonable with his expectations?
“The Echo’s questions address all of these. We don’t think answers alone are enough to justify renewing season tickets but would go some way to giving some clarity on the position and what action fans need to take next.”
Did they get any kind of response back from Martin? Of course not. And it’s only making not just their fans, but staff and players extremely worried ahead of the High Court appearance on Wednesday.
Not only do Southend have that to deal with, but they are also under a transfer embargo since September and full-time office staff are awaiting their April payments.
Message delivered. Someone was hiding 👀.#giveup#getout#gonow#MARTINOUT pic.twitter.com/X3Acs3gao8
— Southend Fan Protest Group (@fan_southend1) May 12, 2023
Meanwhile, Kieran Maguire, a football finance expert, says, as per Echosport: “Southend are back at square one with another winding up order.
“I fully anticipate there will be procrastination and delay from Ron Martin again.
“He will try to get the judge to say I’ll give you another four or five weeks but it’s not fair on the people involved and it’s a cause for concern.
“I’ve been liaising with somebody at Southend and we have to preserve that person’s privacy but they’ve said this is another Ron Martin masterclass in how not to deal with HMRC.
“He would have had much more leeway if he wasn’t so combative with them over the years.
“This person also goes on to say that everybody in the football department is f****d off, disillusioned and at the point where if other clubs wanted their services who could blame them if they went.
“They’ve done well this year Southend in trying circumstances.
“They’ve had a decent season in the National League.
“The fans have stayed loyal and travelled in numbers.
“You can understand the despair and the disillusionment with somebody who has not got the best interests of the football club at heart.
“He’s seen Roots Hall as an opportunity to make money from a property perspective and your heart goes out to the people working there who don’t know how long they’ve got a job there or have any certainty at the start of every month whether or not they will be paid.”
This is what fans are saying as the Southend protest group display key questions they want answered on chairman’s garden wall…
@gafferwoody: Keep the pressure up lads 👏
@nicolawilletth1: Just like Hamilton, hid and ran away from any questions. Good luck to you all. Everything is crossed you get new ownership who are not slippery as an eel
@PhilipMarshall1: An owner worse than Alan Hardy, I hope Martin is gone soon
@henrynoakes56: Fuck off Ron, Time to go
@acameron78: So are Southend United going bust tomorrow or what? Any word that anything has been paid or are we just hoping the Judge is in a good mood. It’s maddening how desensitised I’ve become to all this.
@RobOnWheels: I’m seriously praying for an administration announcement either tonight or tomorrow @SUFCRootsHall. Yes, I’d take a points deduction over anything else right now. #SOUTHENDUNITED #MARTINOUT
@sufc_harry: Two days until Southend go to court with Hmrc once again no word about it getting very worried now
@tomreedwriting: Southend United fans protested at the house of chairman Ron Martin once more against his running of the Essex club. An independent football regulator may be too late, these guys are brave as they come & need support now from the so called guardians of the game. Where is it?
As fans, we’ve travelled the length of the High Street/Vic Avenue & the breadth of the country, supporting the team and carrying the message:
Our club and its land assets are not a vehicle to be gambled for personal profit.
We continue tomorrow: 18:30 Vicarage Hill #MARTINOUT pic.twitter.com/ErMnzSrHq3
— Southend Fan Protest Group (@fan_southend1) May 11, 2023
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