FOOTBALL finance expert Kieran Maguire has hit out at Ron Martin’s running of Southend United.

The Shrimpers are back in the High Court again next Wednesday following another winding up petition from HMRC.

And, speaking on his Price of Football podcast, Maguire admitted he felt Martin’s ownership was unfair on those involved with the club and that he did not have the best interests of Blues at heart.

“Southend are back at square one with another winding up order,” said Maguire.

“I fully anticipate there will be procrastination and delay from Ron Martin again.

“He will try to get the judge to say I’ll give you another four or five weeks but it’s not fair on the people involved and it’s a cause for concern.”

Blues, who paid off a tax bill of close to £2million at the start of March, have been in a transfer embargo since September due to outstanding tax bills.

The club’s full-time office staff are still waiting to be paid for April and Maguire is fully aware of the growing sense of frustration at Roots Hall.

“I’ve been liaising with somebody at Southend and we have to preserve that person’s privacy but they’ve said this is another Ron Martin masterclass in how not to deal with HMRC,” said Maguire.

“He would have had much more leeway if he wasn’t so combative with them over the years.”

And Maguire also revealed he had been told that head coach Kevin Maher and his backroom team are running out of patience.

“This person also goes on to say that everybody in the football department is f****d off, disillusioned and at the point where if other clubs wanted their services who could blame them if they went,” said Maguire.

“They’ve done well this year Southend in trying circumstances.

“They’ve had a decent season in the National League.

“The fans have stayed loyal and travelled in numbers.

“You can understand the despair and the disillusionment with somebody who has not got the best interests of the football club at heart.

“He’s seen Roots Hall as an opportunity to make money from a property perspective and your heart goes out to the people working there who don’t know how long they’ve got a job there or have any certainty at the start of every month whether or not they will be paid.”

Co-host Kevin Day added: “I don’t understand how he’s allowed to keep on getting away with it.

“But he won’t keep getting away with it because the brinkmanship will fail.

“It beggars belief.”