Southend United chairman John Main has revealed the Third Division club are finally preparing to lodge a planning application for a brand new £12.5 million stadium.

The Blues supremo said details of the Shrimpers' proposed 16,000 all-seater ground, which they hope to build at their current Eastern Avenue training base, should be in the hands of council chiefs within two weeks.

Southend's owners, Billericay property developers Martin Dawn plc, have continually failed to submit plans for the last year, despite naming a number of deadlines, but Main believes the long wait is over.

"Following long talks between our major-shareholder Delancey and Martin Dawn I can finally confirm that we will be pushing our planning application forward within the next fortnight," said Main.

"I know that we have missed a number of deadlines to submit our proposals for a new stadium to Southend council in the past, but this is final and will happen."

Blues have less than three-years to build a new home following the £4m sale and leaseback of their present Roots Hall home to clear debts.

And, with the Seasiders still losing more than £100,000 per month, Main thanked Southend's fans for backing the club with healthy season ticket sales over the past few months.

"We have sold more than 900 season tickets so far this summer, which is an amazing effort," said Blues' chairman.

"Prices have gone up this year and I know our supporters must be disillusioned following another bad season last term.

"But it's very encouraging to see that they have come out yet again and backed us financially when we asked them too. Their football club is very grateful for their help."

However, Main was upset to announce the axing of Blues' Let's Do It Together campaign nights which were due to be held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week.

Southend's chairman had promised to meet every Shrimpers fan this week on a one-to-one basis to discuss the club's future, but only an apathetic number of supporters bothered to ring for an appointment with Main, which resulted in a cancellation.

"It's a shame because our commercial department worked very hard on this," said the chairman. "But I'll still meet the handful of supporters who bothered to get in touch at another time."

Blues boss Alan Little is still hoping to tie up a deal for a new left-back ahead of his players' return to work this Wednesday.

The Shrimpers chief is also finalising plans for a week's pre-season training at Suffolk's Hollinghurst RAF airbase.

By Bernie Friend

Reporter's e-mail: bernie.friend@notes.newsquest.co.uk

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