SAVE OUR SHRIMPERS

Fans protest in support of crisis club

- Chris Dunlavy

HUNDREDS of desperate Southend United fans took to the streets yesterday with the fate of the 117-year-old club hanging in the balance.

The Shrimpers have been operating under a transfer embargo since September and narrowly avoided extinction on Wednesday when a High Court judge granted the club an extra 42 days to settle a £275,000 debt to HMRC.

Staff have not been paid for three months, water has been cut off at the club’s training ground and Saturday’s pre-season friendly against Billericay Town was cancelled due to a lack of fit players.

The National League met with Southend officials on Thursday and have been affording the club time in order to kick off the new season on August 5. However, without assurances that fixtures can be fulfilled there are fears the league will have no choice but to revoke Southend’s licence to compete in the competition.

Supporters protested outside the house of owner Ron Martin yesterday, urging the 70-year-old to sell up.