Southend United chairman Ron Martin is not particularly popular with many Shrimpers fans, but his latest interview is set to make him even more unpopular in the wider game.
He’s claimed in an interview with TalkSport that the current season should be voided and started again, which isn’t a huge surprise given where his team currently reside in the table.
Like Karren Brady yesterday, it isn’t a popular call for someone to make, not least a team struggling against the drop. The EFL even asked for cool heads and calm reflection during these testing times, not the sort of scaremongering that Martin has delivered today.
“If the season was extended for a couple of months it has a knock-on effect for next season and then when does it stop?” he asked. “That’s the reason why it makes good sense to draw a line under it now and say it’s the end before starting the new season afresh in.”
A reprieve would certainly suit Southend, who have struggled against the drop since the very first game of the season, with many of his own supporters believing he’s been preparing the club for League Two since a ball was first kicked. However, Martin believes that people would eventually see the rationale behind a void season.
“If it’s null and void then people could look at it and see it’s an unprecedented position so unprecedented steps were taken and the season was cancelled. I think people could understand that rationale.”
Whilst he feels people might understand, a group of his own supporters have responded on social media suggesting this is just another instance of him treating supporters ‘like idiots’.
Guys a clown
— Steve Whiffen (@WhiffenSteve) March 17, 2020
Having watched it, I support cancelling this whole season. But there is no way we should avoid relegation. We really deserve to go down
— Bearded Socialist (@beardysocialist) March 17, 2020
Dunno, haven't seen enough of them. Bolton are below us, so probably. No matter how many points deducted, being below us is bad. They can drop
— Bearded Socialist (@beardysocialist) March 17, 2020
I bet he does????
— Kieran Staggs (@_KieranStaggs_) March 17, 2020
Don’t think Ron has thought that through. If we cancel the remainder of the season, how do the club generate the funds to pay the players and staff?
— Neil Davis (@naad63) March 17, 2020
I agree about the refunds.. Fans vent there anger at the thought of not having a club but then ask about refunds on season tickets and tickets purchased for postponed games.
— G Tidbury (@TidburyG) March 17, 2020
Would he be saying that if we were top ???
— Tony Agg (@TonyRAgg) March 17, 2020
People are obviously quick to slate him for his opinion here and rightly so to an extent because he will obviously want us to stay in League One. But, in fairness what’s the alternative? He’s right about the knock-on effect if the new season was delayed etc.
— Joe Clark (@joeclark_11) March 17, 2020
As long as that clown is in charge, next season will just be a repeat of this one. If, by some miracle we escape relegation, a serious amount of investment is going to be needed. Can you honestly trust Uncle Ron to do that?
— James Andrews (@1970jaya) March 17, 2020
& if we were 1 point outside the playoffs he would say the same ? what a joke – lost a lot of respect for our chairman of late – treating the fans like idiots
— Stuart Manley (@Manleyst) March 17, 2020
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