Southend sack their manager after match gets halted due to more protests

Southend United sack their manager after their match on Saturday afternoon gets halted due to more protests with fans on the pitch.

Phil Brown has been sacked by the Shrimpers with immediate effect, along with assistant manager Craig Fagan after their side were hammered 4-0 by Chesterfield.

A very brief club statement was issued within an hour after the National League game had finished, with Southend falling to 20th place in the current standings.

CLUB STATEMENT:

“Southend United can confirm that Phil Brown and Craig Fagan have been relieved of their duties effective immediately.

“The search for a new manager starts today.

“The club will be making no further comment at this time.”

Southend United’s match with Chesterfield was halted for nearly eight minutes as furious Blues fans legged it onto the pitch to protest against chairman Ron Martin.

Supporters from the corner of the West Stand came across to the dug-outs to vent their fury at Martin’s running of the club, leading referee Scott Tallis to take both teams off the pitch.

Supporters also could be seen waving red cards in the first half to protest against Martin who is not at Saturday afternoon’s game.

SEE MORE: Southend chairman Ron Martin stoops to new low SWEARING at fan in Zoom meeting

Fans reacted as Southend sack their manager after the match gets halted due to more protests…

How did Ron manage this while attending to his ‘prior engagement’?

— Sam Bate (@theB8) October 9, 2021

@Declan_Mcghie: He’s not the one who should be going

@ScotsShrimper: Here we go again, a long over due process to find someone who won’t do any better than the last four/five managers. Phil showed signs of improvement at the end of last season, never got the full backing in the summer. RON MARTIN is the one who needs to go!

@SouthendSimply: Martin next

@Tempy_Town: i bet they’re relieved tbh

@kevinlowe12345: Could tell considering fagan was offering out a fan during the game and them both staying quiet the whole second half not giving any instructions to players….

@jmpschooley: This is only half the job. We need a full cleanse and reset behind the scenes, and you’re not getting that if you retain Ricky Duncan and Anton Robinson. Good start, but do the full job!

@gmthefridge1: Steve Bruce should be available soon. By all accounts he’s the best manager ever in the premier league. All the pundits will tell you. Loves bacon and the seaside. Won’t need paying a lot either as #NUFC will give him a load when he goes. 👍🏻👊🏻

@JamieHoskins15: @rubycurrie as it should have been before the Mark Molesley disastrous error appointment. We wouldn’t be non league now FACT

@Undercover_mole: It is no good blaming the mangers all the time. The rot starts at the top not in the middle.

@liamwag5taff: They are not the ones that should go

@hraarmstrong: Who on earth is going to want to take that on? Absolute shambles of a football club

@Anneliese_86: Ron do the right thing now please!! GO!!

@paulforsyth84: Never been so happy to see our corner flag. Martin is the fundamental problem but Brown is an absolute disaster.

@jezrab: I think one of our biggest problems at the moment is thinking we are to good for the Conference. We are where we are and we need someone who has experience of getting a team out of this league.
Very sad watching your own team collapse in front of your eyes.

@scottycav13: Shambles from top to bottom. Our club is a laughing stock

@rickijones: The right decision IMO. Brown was never gonna get us out of this position. His successes have always been riding on the crest of a wave, not turning teams around. Shouldn’t be getting beat 4-0 by anyone in this div especially at home.

@EvanEdw29209238: Good lost the dressing room after a couple of games and just blamed the players and took no blame himself

@Rockgigterry: Can’t say I’m sorry that Brown has gone, was never persuaded it was ever the right appointment . That said, the issues of the club run far deeper than the management team but the Brown exit is a start.

@nickandrews11: Rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic?

@Ianjholmes: Good!! But the real problem remains

@motive8me_pt: Yep that makes sense for the demise of a club that’s in free fall ! Pity that the chairman is so focused on delivering a stadium that he’s forgot that you need a team to play in it!

@ShrimpersTalk: Good should never repeat history

@BeeDave4writing: Absolutely the right decision, thank god it was done early in the season with enough time for someone to keep us in this level…Not that that’s guaranteed but it’s a chance at least.

@PeterWayland1: After hearing Collymore on BBC Essex maybe Ron is taking him up on his offer?

Play has stopped here at Roots Hall as fans come onto the pitch pic.twitter.com/ea8gv19cE8

— Chris Phillips (@CJPhillips1982) October 9, 2021