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Southend at risk

A range of clubs below Premier League level is talking to the media about the threat to their survival and indeed to the whole structure of the football pyramid.   However, some clubs were in trouble even before the pandemic and in the rest of the economy would not be regarded as viable businesses.   Clubs, however, have a special place in their communities.

A case in point is Southend United.   They have a £500,000 tax bill due in a few weeks.  This is not the first time the club has left the taxman waiting, notably in 2010 when they came close to administration.

Property developer Ron Martin has owned the club for 22 years. Over the years he has loaned the club £19m via his holding company to offset losses.

His long term goal has been to move out of Roots Hall to a new stadium at Fossetts Farm.   This, he thinks, could be the springboard that would take the club to the Championship.

Quite a lot of people have moved into Southend in recent years, but many of those interested in football are likely to have attachments to London clubs.

Paradoxically the stadium scheme is as near to fruition as it has ever been with the local authority on board with a revised project that would include the construction of 2.000 homes.   There are more immediate concerns, but Martin insists that the club are not another Bury or Macclesfield.   Let's hope he is right.

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