Southend United fan protests against club owner Ron Martin Photo: TPI/Shutterstock/Holly Allison
Southend United, the worst-hit club in the world English football could be saved from collapse by the government's Level Up Fund.
Earlier this month, ministers submitted new applications to the Community Ownership Fund to help local residents «take back control of valuable public assets.»
A bid to buy the dilapidated Roots Hall, which is on the market for £4.5 million, has now been put forward as part of a decision by a group of supporters backed by MPs.
Southend's financial problems now go back decades, having been affected since 2000 more than 15 petitions for dissolution were filed. The club have achieved 10 points this season, initially having only 10 players registered for the recent match and receiving the final verdict. warning about the need to pay off debts by next month.
Ron Martin, the owner accused of leaving the National League's bottom-fed side under threat of folding, is willing to sell his stake in the club for £1. However, the club's website says its «principal terms» of sale also include a £4.5 million ground payment. The maximum grant for community ownership is £2 million, but Telegraph Sport understands local councilors have indicated the local authority will also support the purchase. Payments for the land, which Martin said was also bought for £4.5 million 25 years ago, could be spread over three years, with no rent payable during that period.
The deal was would be bigger and more ambitious than government support for Bury's return to Gigg Lane this season following the club's expulsion from the Football League in 2019. In the case of Bury, around £1.3 million was allocated — £450,000 from Bury council and the rest from the leveling up fund.
Liam Ager, a key figure in Southend's supporter's bid for confidence, told Telegraph Sport: «I'm definitely confident we've got something for Upgrade, Housing and the Community of sufficient quality for us to be positive and hope for a good result.» «
Ager, from fanzine All At Sea, added: «We think there is a precedent with Bury. Unfortunately for them, this happened after the club had already been expelled. But we came to this a little earlier, with a professional team of proposal writers.”
'You'll get screwed if you don't sort it out'
Southend were fined 10 points last month after a court gave them a last chance to avoid liquidation on October 4. Judge Sebastian Prentice told the club: “If it weren't for a football club with an app for its fans, I'd be screwing you today. If this is not dealt with, you will be liquidated on the next date.”
The petition has been launched by HMRC over unpaid tax, but other creditors are believed to include energy supplier nPower. Money is also believed to be owed to last season's sponsor PG Site Services, other local organizations and St John Ambulance.
Those behind the bid to buy the stadium say they will impose conditions on Martin to repay existing debts. Without Roots Hall, Martin would almost certainly have given up ownership of the club. For more than a decade he has been talking about moving the team to a multi-million pound housing estate on the outskirts of the city. But the design remained a series of architects' drawings as Roots Hall fell into disrepair. Earlier this season, a group of fans carried out urgent work to ensure the stadium met safety standards. Ager, however, says mushrooms grew in the toilets during the summer as «the place became an absolute dump.»
Following discussions with local MP Anna Firth and Southend-on-Si Borough Councillors, the Shrimpers Trust Board, which represents around 1,000 fans, confirmed last week that it had submitted an Expression of Interest to the Community Property Fund to «transfer ownership of Roots Hall and its freehold facilities are in the hands of those who value it most — our local Southend-on-Sea community.»
“This is not just about securing the future of Southend United,” the statement said. “Expressions of interest will allow DLUHC and the government to understand that our community is serious about preserving and developing Roots Hall, realizing its potential as a key community asset, and realizing all the opportunities and positive impact it can have on the health and well-being of the local community and economics.
“It outlines how this can happen and what these opportunities look like, and if successful, partners will be invited to submit a full application for financial support. This is part of a wider project to explore all available options to enhance the role of fans in ensuring the safety and long-term sustainability of Southend United Football Club.
Martin separately sought a stay on the completion of the orders. so the sale of the club can be completed. Local Southend newspaper The Echo reports that Justin Rees, an Australian shares trader, is trying to secure a deal.
Martin bought Southend in 1998 and has been chairman since 2000. Southend were promoted to the Championship in 2006 and memorably beat Manchester United 1-0 in the EFL Cup the following season, but fortunes have since changed.
A government spokesman said no may comment on any specific Leveling Up funding application. “The Community Property Fund is now open again for applications and will close on 11 October 2023, with groups being invited to apply for up to £2 million in funding for the first time,” the statement added.
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