Southend United

[James Verrinder]

Did anyone see the article on Ceefax yesterday about Southend? They owe £400,000 to the Inland Revenue and face being wound up in court next week. there is a buyer waiting but they will only buy if the chairman, someone called Main, steps down and he is refusing to do so.Seems very weird, would Noades or Goldberg done the decent thing for us or carried on pig headedly like this bloke?

[Men At Work]

Surely that could only happen if less than 50% of the club is up for sale. If it's more then the buyer gets control can appoint whoever they want as chairman. Another possibility is that the current owner won't sell to the potential buyer. I wonder if it's another Doncaster situation.

[Psychokiller]

Goldberg did stand down when the club went into administration. That was about the only honorable thing the guy's done in his life!

As for Noades, well, who knows?

[James Verrinder]

But surely there must be some way of forcing him to stand down if there is a buyer waiting? I dont know whether they are in administration and isnt it normal for lubs in admin to have the chairman step down? It really rams home to me how fortunate we are to have come out the way we have done

[Men At Work]

From the BBC sports site yesterday. It looks like he is a non-owning chairman :

Alan Little's build up to the new season at Southend United has been hit by potential upheaval behind the scenes.
Club chairman John Main says he has been asked to step down and told that if he stays on there will be no cash to save the Blues.

"Without any warning, I was confronted with a letter for me to sign my resignation. I was expected to sign straightaway."

Main is adamant about his position though: "I am not going to resign. I have had constant phone calls from supporters and sponsors supporting me and I am not preprared just to walk away.

"I do not believe enough thought has been given to what we have achieved here in the past year or so. The major shareholders do not fully appreciate what we have done.

The Shrimpers owe £400,000 to the Inland Revenue.

"Within a few hours my life has been shattered. I hope talks will take place to resolve this," Main concluded.

[Psychokiller]

This man is pathetic! As if any supporters are going to back him when their club's survival is at stake!!!

[Neil MacQueen]

Southends debt problem is over now i've heard.

------------------
A nice pint (of Fosters)in the Moon and Spoon

[Neil MacQueen]

Originally posted by Men At Work on 07-26-2000 02:20 PM
not fully appreciate what we have done.

The Shrimpers owe £400,000 to the Inland Revenue.

[/i]

Looks like the Shrimp industry is going down the pan then.



------------------
A nice pint (of Fosters)in the Moon and Spoon

[Neil the Eagle]

I notice Moore Stevens have been called in there, not sure whether that's in an official capacity as administrators or as consultants.

[E-GUL]

Talking of southend united didn't they just beat Brighton, this has finally shut-up the seaweed!

------------------
I'm sure I'm palace 'til I or they die!

[Slimbloke'H']

Must have missed this one first time around!

Psychokiller,

John Main is most definitely NOT pathetic!!!!!!!!!

His position as Chairman was as a club employee only, he is not a shareholder. He has worked his gonads off for Southend Utd. over the last 18 months or so, and the club is actually in a far better state financially than it was prior to his appointment. He managed to reduce the clubs’ overall debt considerably (including the debt to the Inland Revenue from £900k to £400k) but the club missed ONE installment to the I.R., who promptly called in the outstanding balance, hence the winding up order.

The property company that now has a controlling interest in Southend simply wanted the Main out so that they could put their own guy in, and used the blackmail technique to achieve it (bugger off or Southend Utd. don’t get any more investment). Being the sort of bloke he is, he did in fact step sideways to a position as a non-executive Director.