Southend Tickets.

[macfleetwood1]

I see they have been allocated 988 tickets. Also seating included. Does anyone know what our ground capacity is fixed at? There are so many different figures. Its also important that the Stewards are clued up, at the posh game I went to sit in my normal seat at the hospital end, and told 1 was on the wrong side.  After 3 other fans behind me managed to convince the Steward, its no relation to the position of the QE ,at the Tennyson End.
We will be on trial for this match, its important we are on the game in more ways than one.

[westlynnmike]

Much confussion about seats in the Stands, mainly caused by the "Block" lettering at the top. They bear no relation to the "Section" lettering printed on the Tickets.

I have emailed KLTFC and Mark Hearle replied that this was one of the tasks on the list to be addressed before the 2021-22 Season starts.

So "Watch this Space".

 

[Blue_and_Gold]

Why do something today, when it can wait until tomorrow?   

[1906]

Southend fan here. There seems to be some confusion at our end about segregation. Some reports seem to be saying the terrace is segregated, while some are saying the seats are but the terrace isn't, etc.

We've sold about 800 terrace tickets and no doubt a couple of hundred seats so far, and that was reported last night by KL so that's after just one day of sales (although clearly most people would have eager to snap them up quick as there's a worry there wont be enough).

If there isn't segregation it does concern me a bit. It only takes a couple of idiots, and unfortunately we do have our fair share and spirits will be very high having not been to football for so long.

A bit of clarity from those ITK would be much appreciated!

[kenny r]

The terracing is segregated on the opposite side of the ground from the Stand. You have half of your segregated area under cover towards the corner flag and the rest in the open behind the goal line in the same corner, if that makes sense. There is a toilet block and segregated access to the food outlet. Access to your area is through a separate gate.

As far as I am aware there is no segregation in the Stand ( but don't trip over a Zimmer or walking stick!)

We are looking forward to your visit as I am sure you are.

[gs50]

Don't understand problem with seats I purchased two tickets and states section block, row and seat number.

[1906]

The terracing is segregated on the opposite side of the ground from the Stand. You have half of your segregated area under cover towards the corner flag and the rest in the open behind the goal line in the same corner, if that makes sense. There is a toilet block and segregated access to the food outlet. Access to your area is through a separate gate.

As far as I am aware there is no segregation in the Stand ( but don't trip over a Zimmer or walking stick!)

We are looking forward to your visit as I am sure you are.

Thanks Kenny, we certainly are looking forward to it. While the level is not where we wanted to find ourselves (our last away game fans could attend was at Rotherham), it has certainly been a long time without football for everyone.

As you may be aware we have been far and away the worst team in English professional football for about two and a half years now, and while there are a few people with their head in the sand thinking we're going to challenge for promotion, most of us are very realistic about our chances this season and for me, winning more than we lose and a few good away wins and maybe a little cup run would be fantastic after the miserable few years SUFC fans have had.

[Mallard]

1906 what’s it down to in as much why the club finds itself in the Non League structure ?

[1906]

It's a good question and I could be here all night.

The short answer is the club is run by a property developer, who took over 23 years ago with an eye on the very valuable land Roots Hall is sited on. He proposed a new stadium, about 3/4 of a mile to the north east. So far, so good. Roots Hall is a fantastic traditional ground, but it is falling apart.

Unfortunately, this proved to be a little trickier than he first imagined, for reasons I won't bore you with, and we are now more than 2 decades later with no new stadium, and the chairman having spent the best part of £20million covering the club's losses.

In 2016/17 under Phil Brown we spent fairly big, certainly at a foolish level for us, to push for The Championship, but missed out on the playoffs by a point. This relatively successful season was achieved with big name (Simon Cox, Anton Ferdinand, Nile Ranger,Marc Antonie Fortune to name a few) but ageing players with no resale value. We also dropped a few heavy contracts on players on the wrong side of 30, some of whom have actually only just left.

We failed to go up, and we then spent the next couple of years trying desperately and unsuccessfully to cut our cloth. Chris Powell suffered greatly from having to cut what he could (which happened to be some of the more important players in the dressing room) while being unable to do anything about the players sat on three year deals on big wages. He was sacked, and we went downhill fast, making a series of panickly appointments while giving them absolutely nothing to work with. The result was we had to off most of our senior pros during the 19/20 season, and we finished it with a load of U23s on the pitch, most of whom are still with the club.

Last season was the final nail, an utter farce. The chairman for once made a shrewd managerial appointment but too late, with less than a month until the start of the season. He criminally left him under a transfer embargo, forcing him to start the season again with mainly a load of kids and whoever he could beg, steal and borrow as other clubs had snapped up all the decent free agents. Unsurprisingly we were rock bottom with something like 5 points in early December.

Molesley was slowly turning things round, sacrificing style for a tactic designed to frustrate far superior opponents and nick the odd win and draws. Unfortunately, we had absolutely no firepower all season and while things did improve, it was not enough to save Molesley. Brown game in and while there was the expected slight upturn in form, an absolutely criminal 2-0 defeat to our arch rivals (ever the one to pass the buck, he has blamed this defeat on our match analyst who he promptly dismissed) Colchester, which basically relegated us.

In the background, the club has been left utterly neglected and skint, failing to pay players on time, facing winding up orders, being placed under transfer embargoes, and treating people terribly at every turn. It's a downward spiral that has lasted the best part of four years, but there is hope on the horizon that with a deal struck between the council and the club easing our financial situation, things might have bottomed out. If planning permission is finally granted for the stadium, there is hope that the owner's work here will be done, and he will be able to sell the club to a more reliable and competent custodian.

OK, maybe it wasn't such a short answer.

[Mallard]

Ta 1906.   Always interesting to hear how Clubs fall from Grace or the opposite seeing in fancied Clubs succeeding.

Hopefully there is an upturn for your club just around the corner ( after Aug 14th of course)

[KES80]

Very interesting post 1906......thank you. (Thanks Mall for asking.............that awful downward spiral shrouded often in mistrust has happened to many a club, including one in Blue and Gold in the not too distant past)

[rod]

Sad but also a great advertisement for community based clubs run with the direct involvement of a supporters Trust?

[Mallard]

Interesting that 2 previous Southend Managers have Norwich connections.   Rob Newman and Kevin Bond.

Also a previous Shrimpers Manager had both Norwich and Kings Lynn connections..... Peter Morris.

Also forgotten the late Bobby Moore was once Manager at Roots Hall.

[kenny r]

We (literally) bumped into Bobby Moore when we played Gravesend in our Southern League days. He was Manager of Southend and was having a look at a centre half playing for Gravesend.

[Blue_and_Gold]

1906, that makes a good read. Many thanks.

£20,000,000 to end up in the same league and level as Kings Lynn.

Maybe people chasing the dream of league football at all costs, should take note.