Southend United announce the news that everyone was waiting for… takeover is now complete!

Southend United announce the news that everyone was waiting for… takeover is now complete in what is a huge relief ahead of next season.

The Shrimpers have been saved with the consortium, led by Justin Rees, marking the end of a long and challenging period for the club.

The takeover has been met with widespread relief and celebration among fans and the local community, after being dealt with years of uncertainty and financial struggles under the previous ownership of Ron Martin.

The new ownership is expected to bring stability and a fresh start, and potentially a return to League Two after missing out on the National League playoffs last season under Kevin Maher, who had done a brilliant job considering the issues going on behind the scenes.

They finished 6 points behind the playoff places, but they would have been in it if it weren’t for the 10 points that were deducted for failing to pay debt to HMRC.

Southend United Football Club is delighted to confirm that COSU has successfully completed the acquisition of the Club.

— Southend United FC (@SUFCRootsHall) July 19, 2024

CLUB STATEMENT:

The Consortium is delighted to announce that the purchase of Southend United Football Club has been successfully completed.

All parties would like to take this opportunity to thank the SUFC staff, suppliers, and fans of the club for their unwavering support throughout this period. The process, which began in July 2023, was complex and as a result has taken longer than any of us anticipated.

Completing a complicated deal such as this requires hard work and compromise on all sides. With that in mind, we would like to extend our thanks to Ron and Jack Martin, who have acted with integrity and professionalism throughout our dealings, aiming to find solutions as quickly as possible to the many complex and challenging changes that arose along the way. We also thank the Councillors and Officers of Southend-on-Sea City Council. The three parties have been united in finding a resolution.

We now turn our attention to the start of the new season and hope that the Southend community will unite behind Kevin Maher and the Blues squad. There remains much work to be done but with the support of the city, we are confident of a bright future for the Shrimpers.

We hope to see you at Roots Hall for our season opener against York City as we begin this new journey together.

NATIONAL LEAGUE STATEMENT:

The National League can confirm the takeover by Custodians of Southend United (COSU) of Southend United Football Club has now been completed.

We welcome this positive news following a turbulent time for the Football Club.

We would like to thank all parties involved in the takeover which will enable the Club and its supporters to move forward.

This is how fans reacted as Southend United announce the news that everyone was waiting for… takeover is now complete!

@BookerDeWitty: YYYEEWAASSSSSSS

@andy_sufc: HAPPY WEEKEND EVERY SHRIMPER IN THE FUCKING WORLD!! 💙🦐💙🦐💙🦐💙

@RichardDavies20: Finally!! Look forward to see Southend rise back into the league!

@alanbenson460: Oh what great news. A community club, at the heart of the town and surrounding areas. The club will now return to the level it full deserves. Well done to everyone involved to get this to this point. #SUFC

@lee_currie: Well well well let’s get this season underway UTB 🦐

@Julie_Hardy63: Popping out to get a bottle of fizzy pop to celebrate 🥳 🎉

@Spikey1302: We’re so back. LETS FUCKING GOOOO

@ryan_marchingin: Roots hall car park party incoming

@beespod: Great news for Southend and their fans. Whatever happens on the pitch, no set of supporters should ever face the prospect of their club going bust off it. 👏

@VanThorb: Happy fucking days 🥳

@Samzel018: We are so back 🦐🦐

@BENJR2015: Congrats guys. Great news! Hopefully similar news at Woking soon 🤞🏻

@wgjcv4: Congrats to everyone at Southend who pushed for this. No football club should have to go through what they went through, so it’s great to see that they’re actually in safe hands.

@ShrimpersTalk: YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

@andy_sufc:
7pm Roots Hall tonight!!!
🍺🦐💙🍺🦐💙🍺🦐💙

@MitchJesse: HOLY FUCKING SHIT😭😭💙💙

@bainsharjyot: Congrats guys hope we see you in the football league soon

@shrimper62: The pre season friendly against the Gills is going to be one hell of a party. Fantastic news.

@DavidBarrett55: HALLELUJAH!!! Now lets get season tickets on sale and get some more players in, ahead of our greatest ever season. UP THE FUCKING BLUES

@Rhubarb68_: A new era for the club. Best of luck to COSU and thank you for everything you have done to get this across the line 💙

@SellBeforeWeDai: Congratulations to Southend United! This has been a very long saga and it’s brilliant to see that it’s finally come to an end. I’m sure tonight will be eventful for their fans 🥳 they deserve to celebrate! #SellBeforeWeDai

@DGardinerSPUD: Massive news. Congrats to everyone at #Blues. Can imagine what you’ve been through. We’ve been through it too. It was all worth it though. They’ll be a real force next season won’t they. Congrats to all 🤝 #SUFC

@_KieranStaggs_: Very good news buzzing too have my club back! We knew it was coming eventually let’s start showing how serious we are! No more excuses. We need too get out this league right now!

@KristofShrimper: Yes we have our football club back !!! Months and years of heartbreak and brinkmanship is over !!! Ding dong the rat is gone 🐀 ❌

@Nashyphoto: Finally. Living in Essex it’s clear how much this club means to so many people and being a Brum fan I’ve felt similar pains over the years. Enjoy the new era Shrimpers.

@Nickhardysufc: ‘we would like to extend our thanks to Ron and Jack Martin, who have acted with integrity and professionalism throughout our dealings’ 😂😂😂 LET’S GO 🦐🇦🇺🦘

@CMRandall92: Hallelujah. Best day of 2024 bar my daughters birth

@LeonImber: There were plenty of times I really thought we would never see this tweet. What a relief, exciting times

@jemmaaross: 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹 I’m not crying, you are.

@sjapresley: Best news for a change. Will be great to see details of the deal itself so we can understand how the club can begin to create success again. Understand the property element is still separate so RM still involved on that side for now?

@Jt14Klein: I’m from the U.S. and came across the story of Southend and their ownership problem.I decided to go see a match at Roots Hall while I was visiting England. The supporters were amazing and welcoming. Fully backed their team even under terrible circumstances. Wishing you the best!

@ErinStepha9278: Fantastic. To see a town or city, like Southend, without a football club, was just unthinkable. Because if this deal hadn’t gone through that’s what would have happened. Even a phoenix club, would have quickly found itself, Southend by name only

@lambeyyy1871: Brilliant news for Southend 👏🏻 hope we get some good news soon! #readingfc

@Hammers54: Not a Southend fan but I’m proud to have been born in the Essex County Borough of West Ham, so very pleased to see a beleagued Essex team in Southend are in new ownership #Shrimpers

To whoever done this on the Southend wikipedia page i salute you 😁🫡 pic.twitter.com/XuZWhs5Iov

— Tom B (@intercity144) July 19, 2024