Southend United Football Club has today issued the following statement:

The Club's Chairman, Ron Martin, has today (3pm) confirmed that one of his Group Companies has now paid, in full, the tax due to HMRC in the sum of £2.1m thereby removing the threat of administration.

The funds were being held by the Revenue's solicitors and at lunchtime today they have been released.

A further, more detailed, statement will be made next week.