THE Shrimpers Trust have announced plans to help unpaid members of staff at Southend United.

Some workers at the Shrimpers have gone four months without a single salary while players have stopped pre-season training together after the majority of the squad did not pick up their June pay packets last Friday.

And the Trust have now announced plans to support club employees.

A statement confirmed: “The Shrimpers Trust would like to invite any affected staff members to approach the organisation in the strictest confidence to make an application for support from a hardship fund set-up for this purpose.

Blues’ plans for the forthcoming National League campaign are currently in tatters.

Talks continue for the club to be sold but a statement issued by the joint supporters groups again underlined fans’ fears for the future, on the same day the fixtures were released for the 2023/24 campaign.

“This is a day that should bring optimism and excitement about what is to come over the coming campaign but, instead, Blues fans have been met this week with reports that the first-team squad have halted pre-season training with some players not having been paid their June wages,” said the statement.

“We wholeheartedly support the players’ collective decision to suspend training until all members are paid.”