Earlier today I received an email from a supporter that raised a few points of which one or two were so wide of the mark that I thought I would speak with the person directly - I also emailed. When we did eventually speak earlier this afternoon, there is no question that he is a true supporter and very passionate about the Club's welfare and I think we were both glad that we had the conversation, if only to enable me to reassure him and add clarity.

The email made me think, how could a supporter be thinking in that way when the Club has published so much to keep our fans informed? Maybe somehow the message has been lost so I thought it important to write this note to all supporters.

The main comment was "Roots Hall has now been sold down the river". If I have not made it clear, then over my dead body (don't shoot me!) the Club will not be leaving Roots Hall until the new Stadium is built. This arrangement is locked into an agreement with Southend Borough Council and the Sainsbury's store, which we are to build, will be constructed well after the Stadium is underway and cannot be occupied until we have moved and are playing football at the new ground. I have no doubt the person who wrote the email, having spoken to him, means well but I was flabergasted that anyone could think I might leave the Club exposed in that way. He said that there were rumours of ground sharing …. there is absolutely no way that's ever going to happen. The plans and programme are being very carefully coordinated through a partnership with Sainsbury's to deliver the Club's new Stadium and their new store with as little disruption to Southend United's operation as possible.I hope that puts supporters' minds at rest.

Another point raised concerned HMRC and he suggested that we publish what the position is in the match programme or local newspaper again to put supporters' minds at ease. I am sorry but I thought we had already done that and, to add further clarity to that position, I have asked the Club's media department to place on the website today answers to direct questions put to me yesterday by The Echo with my responses verbatim. The principal point that should be highlighted is that our appeal against the surcharges totalling some £162,000 is not something that has been dreamt up. Does anyone really think that our legal team, including a senior Barrister, would go into the High Court with some spurious claim - of course not. The reason we appealed is because in 2006 the Club had an almost identical scenario where we appealed to HMRC over what we thought were inappropriate surcharges and WON that appeal which leads us to believe that we will be equally successful this time. We are also right to apply "set off" in challenging HMRC and hope to restore the Club's position to a nil balance. It is worth supporters looking at the Club's website for a more detailed picture in answer to The Echo's questions of yesterday.

The final point of the supporter's email surrounded Colchester United who he says "(a) built a Stadium and (b) are investing in players and are challenging at the top of The League". It's true that a new Stadium of 10,000 seats has been built for Colchester but with local authority money at no cost to the Club whatsoever and which took 8 years from inception and 1 year constructing. I'm sure it seems a long time to Southend supporters because it's constantly talked about but it's only three years last month since we had planning approval from Southend Borough Council which was then delayed 20 months in between by the Government Office. By comparison, projects of this size take time take time (ours is a lot more complicated involving a Sainsbury's food store and a Retail Park) as opposed to just moving from the old Stadium to a greenfield site, as was the case with Colchester.

As regards to Colchester investing in players, I accept that they probably have invested in players but I don't feel, from Monday's performance, that we were an inferior team, in fact I thought, rightly or wrongly, we tried to get the ball down and play football in what were very difficult conditions. Trying to be impartial, I don't think we deserved to lose the game but their first goal was a freak which made our task harder from almost the first minute. We all know goals change games. One would never have thought that there was such a big gap between Colchester's position in the league and that of Southend United. We have lacked continuity but the quality of the team is there for all to see and tomorrow when we have got our full squad back in play, I hope that will bring us the rewards we both need and deserve. Over the last month we have not only signed three new players but, with Jean-Yves M'voto returning, it's like four new signings which does add impetus.

As I said at the beginning of this note, the email received this morning was clearly written by a passionate supporter who signed off his email with 'I hope you care too'. My care and commitment to the Club has not and will not ever be in question and I will not be satisfied until such time as we have fulfilled the Club's potential which I believe to be enormous. We have a fantastic fan base and one which can continue to grow and passionately support our fantastic Club through new facilities which are now very much in sight. There is detailed work going on behind the scenes with ourselves, Sainsbury's, Council and Bank which will manifest itself into diggers, steel and concrete in the coming months. That will be something to celebrate but right now all I want is for us to celebrate three points tomorrow and I hope as many of you will turn up to offer your continued and brilliant support to our fantastic little - but growing - Club.

Up the Blues!

Ron Martin
Chairman