Uncle Ron continues to paint a rosy picture for the Shrimpers future
While the latest accounts for Southend United were published showing the club lost £2 million in July 2008/09 and had an overall debt of £7.97 million, Shrimpers supremo Ron Martin insists that everything is in place to improve
the club's financial situation, including reducing the players wage bill by 50%, and that, as reported in Tuesday's Echo, 'the future is bright.'
Despite all of this Uncle Ron remains confident that the 2012/13 season will be played at a shiny new stadium built at Fossetts Farm.
Better tell ex-Captain Kev to get his testimonial plans ready!
This is all due to the; 'necessary due diligence' required on such a complex proposal, which necessitates the purchase of some 30 individual property interests has delayed matters beyond my wishes and expectations. I do however remain solid in my resolve to provide the club with a new home and with the recent good progress made on all fronts I can say we expect to be playing in the new stadium in the 2012/13 season.'
Get those diggers in fast.
Then again, Ron was confident seven years ago that we would move to FF in 2006, in time for the centenary!: www.southendunited.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10444~336632,00.html
However, today's www.echo-news.co.uk states; 'confusion surrounds a new plan for Southend United's Fossetts Farm stadium development, which is in stark contrast to those approved three years ago. The new proposal includes a health centre, less shop space - 16,400 sq m instead of 22,682 sq m - and 67 flats, with parking, rather than 127 flats in the previous plan, at the site in Eastern Avenue. It still includes a 22,000-seater stadium and 114-bed hotel, plus conference space, players hostel and bars. The application is classed as a request for "screening opinion", which is a legal requirement to determine whether a development plan needs an environmental impact assessment.'
Hang on, back in February, (click on to the full article below), we we're told FF will be partially built with no main stand, have only three sides, and a reduced capacity of 14,000.
Most of the faithful actually agreed with the last bit!
The latest development plan is scheduled to be debated by Southend Council by April 25th with Uncle Ron expecting it to be waved through, however, both Southend Council leader Nigel Holdcroft and St Luke's councillor Anna Waite said they couldn't comment on the new plans as they weren't familair with them.
The club's AGM takes next week and as the editor is a shareholder S24 will be represented.
What was said only a couple of months ago:
www.southendunited-mad.co.uk/sngl/ed21/
all_change_for_southend_united_stadium_plans_as_council_say_yes_
needs_to_be_a_phased_construction_647108/index.shtml
Time for the Mad Hatter to make another appearance, the only person who speaks Ron's language.
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'If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?'
- The Mad Hatter (put a top hat on Ron above......go on, imagine it, spooky.)