FURIOUS Blues fans have called for chairman Ron Martin to step down – insisting he is “nothing but trouble”.

With loyal supporters growing frustrated at a series of poor results leaving Southend United wallowing at the bottom of League Two, a protest group has formed in recent weeks.

With fans still not allowed inside Roots Hall due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the group have staged protests outside the ground with “#MartinOut” banners.

But Mr Martin insists he has the club’s best interests at heart and feels the supporter’s pain.

A spokesman for the protest group, going by the name Rat Martin, said: “He has done nothing but disappoint everyone for years, causing endless amounts of problems and everyone has had enough of our football club being a laughing stock around the country.

“Whilst they ignore the fans’ demands, the failures only fuel us more to get the attention of everyone able to stop the abysmal downward spiral of this club.

“We already have a wide backing even as far as Blackpool, who successfully outed their troublesome owners.”

Mr Martin and Southend Council are currently working hand in hand on major plans for a new stadium – as well as 850 homes – at Fossetts Farm, off Eastern Avenue.

Mr Martin added: “I am astonished to hear that and particularly at a time when, with the council’s support, we are securing the clubs future following years of effort.

“It is understood fans, as I and my family do, get very down with the on-field performances.

“However as I have said previous, and happy to repeat myself, we are in a rebuilding phase. Those players that didn’t care, were overpaid and underperformed have been paid off or left.

“We have a young, committed management team who we are backing to get it right.

“They have been challenged by injuries, including Covid, but we are coming through that and if people want to close their minds to the progress Mark Molesley and his staff are making there is nothing I can do about that.

“Equally, if certain individuals want to close their minds to the monumental progress we have made off the pitch then there is nothing I can do about that either.

“It is a fact the club will move to a new stadium providing enviable potential to succeed.

“No member of the Southend United Board will ever lie… people may not like what they hear but we never tell them anything other than how it is, whilst respecting confidentiality.

“It is very easy to criticise from afar, everyone can be an armchair-man. However, try putting hundreds of thousands of pounds of your own money most months, including through this global pandemic effecting everybody’s lives, into the towns football club and you may feel a little different.

“I am disappointed by what is being suggested but there are none so blind as those who do not want to see.”