HUNDREDS of angry Southend United supporters protested for 14 hours outside the house of the club’s under-fire chairman Ron Martin on Saturday.
The Shrimpers' future remains in serious doubt with the National League yet to decide whether or not the crisis club can kick off their campaign at the start of August.
And fans came from far and wide to make their feelings known to Martin.
Among them was passionate supporter David Hills who described Blues as the third biggest love in his life.
“I’ve supported Southend since I was a kid and now my son supports them too,” said Hills.
“We’re season ticket holders and Ron Martin has just destroyed it.
“I just want Martin gone and I want our Southend back.
“I just want us to be stable and to pay our bills.
“It means everything to me, it really does.
“The club is my third love. My other half and boy come first and second and then it’s the club.
“It’s just heartbreaking and if he doesn’t do something by the end of July the league are going to kick us out.”
Blues fans gathered throughout the day outside Martin’s house in Benfleet.
And Luke Mayes was there for both the start and the end of the protests.
“One man brought me here today and that’s Ron,” said Mayes.
“The fact we couldn’t play today against Billericay tells me everything and the more I look into it all, the more triggered I get.
“The thought of Saturdays with no football is just awful.”
Blues have yet to begin their pre-season preparations due to a lack of available players.
And a worried Mayes was among a group of fans who spoke with Martin just as the protest was getting underway.
“It was the same old really but he’s clever,” said Mayes.
“You can never come back with what you want to say to him because he always shuts you up.
“Ultimately the thing that came out of it was that he said he will release a statement on Monday suggesting what buyers will get for their money so it’s more transparent for everyone.”
Blues fans will now be waiting to see if that statement is forthcoming but either way supporters remain seriously concerned for the future.
Water has been cut off at the club’s training ground while a transfer embargo has been in place since September.
And passionate supporter Perry Rourke has been worn down by the seriousness of the situation.
“I’ve been supporting the club 20 years now but at this point now it’s emotionally exhausting and talking about it isn’t even therapy anymore,” said Rourke.
“The takeover is dragging on and as usual in football the only ones suffering are the fans.
“It’s emotionally draining and it’s just sitting with Ron now.
“All we can do as supporters is inconvenience his life as much as possible in the hope he gives into the pressure and sells the club.
“Unfortunately I’m not sure he’ll do that and it’s literally heartbreaking.
“It just can’t go on like this.”
And Phil Parker, another big Blues fans, echoed those sentiments.
He said: “We want to put the pressure on because something has to change very quickly or the club is going to be dead.
“It’s embarrassing that three weeks before the start of the season we don’t have enough players for a pre-season friendly against Billericay.
“It’s shocking it’s come to this and he needs to go now.
“He’s sucking the life out of this club.
“The message is clear, sell up and get out because this is just unbelievable.”
The Shrimpers currently have just 14 contracted players on their books and players are training with no medical cover due to that department not being paid.
And Kerry Fairless – who has been watching Blues since 1976 – is now fearing the worst for the club’s future due to Martin’s mismanagement.
“The man has got no interest in running a football club properly,” said Fairless.
“He needs to sell up and get out.
“We’ve got no players, no medics and staff I’ve spoken to are really down because they’ve got no money.
“I won’t put any more money in his pocket.
“My £20 makes no difference to him but I refuse to go and I’m not the only one.”
But Fairless does believe Martin will eventually leave.
“It’s heartbreaking to see but eventually he’ll go,” said Fairless.
“I think he will have to but we’re now fighting to save the football club.
“I don’t think we’ll start the season but if we can prize the club off him and not be liquidated we can start again as Southend United in a lower league next season and work our way up.
“It’s not ideal but it’s better than nothing.”
The club’s financial concerns are felt throughout the community.
And Michelle Gargate, the landlady of the Blue Boar pub where Blues were formed back in 1906, is keen to see the back of Martin.
“We’re normally looking forward to the season starting by this point but at the moment we’re not sure that’s going to happen this year,” said Gargate.
“We’ve got bills to pay and we don’t know what’s going to happen to our pub while he’s running the club the way it is.
“He’s messing around with livelihoods and he needs to leave.
“He needs to get out, stay out and never come back.”
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