Ron’s Q and A

Arrogant, condescending, and rude, but also determined and loyal. After Ron Martin’s Q and A on Monday I personally feel at least a little reassured. The answers Mr Martin gave weren’t always what the fans wanted to hear but came across very honestly. My key fear was that we’d pre-sold assets from the new stadium to Sainsbury’s. Assets which without would mean the club would not be self-sufficient in the future. These fears were laid to rest as it was explained that Sainsbury’s loan was secured against other land held by Ron Martin’s company.

According to the chairman we haven’t been self-sufficient for a while and it’s only due to some generous handouts from himself that we’ve managed to remain debt free. We’ve never been asked to pay rent on Roots Hall and we wouldn’t for the near future in the new stadium. Ron couldn’t guarantee for how long this would continue. If he was to sell it who knows what the new owners would do.

This precarious reliance on a benefactor to financially support a club isn’t new. It’s not just at this level either and in fact, I think clubs in the lower leagues are at slightly less risk than Premier league teams. Look at Chelsea and Manchester City. If their playboy owners ever get bored and decide to move on they may struggle to find someone with enough capital to take on all of those expensive player contracts. Fans are sometimes put in a difficult situation where they want to make their feelings known but why bite the hand that feeds you. The financial potential of Southend United currently isn’t a great one. This means that a potential buyer to replace the current chairman isn’t an option.

If the goals that Mr Martin has set out are accomplished then a Championship side, in a new stadium/retail park with a solid 15,000-20,000 fan base would be a tempting viable investment. This would be good news for everyone involved in the club, including Mr Ron Martin. This dream is a long way off for a team currently in the relegation zone of League 1 and the inability to pay its playing staff. The 14th April deadline set by HMRC could ultimately be the end of the line. So in Ron we trust. Let’s hope he’s a man of his word.