SOUTHEND United's boss has accused the taxman of trying to ruin the club.

Ron Martin, chairman of the Blues, claimed the HM Revenue and Customs' attempt to place the club in administration over a £2.1 million tax debt could have spoiled everything fans loved about the team.

Last month, the Echo reported that the HMRC wanted to put the club into administration over £690,000 tax debts, a figure which was later to revealed to be around £2.1 million.

But no action was taken after the club settled the debt.

Mr Martin claimed the HMRC had only been concerned with protecting Government coffers and did not care about the club.

Writing on his blog, he said: “As football supporters we are all cursed with a genetic propensity for moaning, but the taxman's efforts to unglue all that is good about our wonderful club was beyond the pale."