Martin: 'HMRC is flaunting the rules to its own ends'
All is not well in the House of Ron, part 2.
Uncle Ron told www.echo-news.co.uk: "By any reasoned analysis, the action by Revenue and Customs is wrong. Simply because it represents a messed-up Government that is exerting pressure on companies, and football clubs in particular, in an effort to repair its own mistakes, does not make Customs either correct, justified or fair. Customs is flaunting the rules to its own ends. We have and will continue to pay appropriate payments."
As if poor old Gordon hasn't got enough on his plate with the voters in a few weeks, he now has to take on Chairman Ron.
And the Ron Rant hadn't finished yet.
The Southend supremo continued: "This is a bona fide claim by the club and Customs are making mischief. Just because it is the Government, that does not make it correct. Let's not forget it is in a financial mess with instructions to collect money, however possible, regardless of the consequences. Its action is a disgrace. Customer charter is a joke."
I think it's fair to say the Conservative candidate in Ron's constituency can save themselves a canvass.
Taxman: 'We meet again Mr. Martin, I hope this time you have our money'
Meanwhile, back in London's High Court earlier this week, Southend United were described as a "habitual defaulter" as they faced another winding up petition over an unpaid tax bill.
Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs went back to court over £200,000 Ron decided had been 'misallocated' when they agreed to pay back £2.1million last November.
The case was adjourned for until March 10 by Registrar Christine Derrett and the club were given until March 3 to give their evidence to the court.
Time to hear the other side's view.
Matthew Smith, representing Queenies' Taxmen, said: "This is a petition against a habitual defaulter. The company missed payments for months seven and eight of the present tax year. The company will claim previous payments have been misallocated, and were not VAT, but PAYE debts. But it makes no difference. Essentially, this argument is designed to circumvent a ruling from the Football League that clubs in VAT debt can't take part in transfers, but they can if the debt is PAYE."
PAYE is the tax paid on the money a company pays to its employees. Both PAYE and VAT are looked after by HMRC.
A solicitor representing the Shrimpers, who refused to give her name, said: "I don't accept the description of the company as a 'habitual defaulter'."
This would almost be funny, Brian Rix could probably see a half decent farce in there somewhere, if it couldn't end up without a club to support.
S24 has already written that Uncle Ron is playing a dangerous game, and God knows how much of our season ticket money is going to lawyers and not paying the players, but we can only do what we can, and one thing is to turn up against Tranmere Saturday in our thousands and show Tilly, Brushy and the players that we are 100% behind them.