'We'll sort it' vows Martin as Blues face new winding up order over unpaid tax

8:00am Thursday 14th February 2013 in Southend

'We'll sort it' vows Martin as Blues face new winding up order over unpaid tax 'We'll sort it' vows Martin as Blues face new winding up order over unpaid tax

SOUTHEND United chairman Ron Martin has told of the Blues’ continuing dilemma with the tax man as the club faces yet another winding up order over an unpaid bill.

Mr Martin vowed the club will rise out the latest financial hurdle and there will shortly be positive news about the deal with Sainsbury’s to move to Fossetts Farm.
 

However, he said a “zero tolerance” approach by HMRC, to football clubs who are late with payments by just a matter of days, has posed ongoing difficulties for the cash-strapped club.
 

Revenue and customs issued a winding up petition on February 4 over an undisclosed tax bill due from the club, which was just three days late, according to Mr Martin.
 

It has been listed for a High Court hearing next month and if it remains unpaid a judge could order the club is wound up and dissolved.
 

Mr Martin assured fans it would be settled before court, as the club has done numerous times over the last three years, and the petition withdrawn.
 

He said HMRC treated clubs more harshly to standard limited companies, because the tax man is not classed a “preferential creditor” with football clubs.
 

If a standard limited company was wound up the tax man would be paid out first before anyone else, but with football clubs it has to vie for a share of the assets left with any other creditors.
 

Comments(16)

eurodoomed says...
9:17am Thu 14 Feb 13

Sooner or later, HMRC's patience will run out and SUFC will be finished.
Let's hope that they don't change the rules to a "three strikes and you're out" basis.
Please Ron, sort out the new ground, and pay the tax bills on time!!

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saddo99 says...
9:34am Thu 14 Feb 13

I,m not a SUFC fan but I wonder if this bloke knows what he is doing! This saga of tax and the muddle over the ground seems never ending. My vested interest is that I live near Roots Hall and cannot wait for them to move. Vic Jobson had his faults but the club always had a sense of direction when he was chairman. Just the sight of Ron Martin fills me with dread.

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perini says...
9:57am Thu 14 Feb 13

..and people still believe that SUFC will get a new ground ? They'll be lucky to still be around in 1 years time!

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SUFC1906 says...
11:21am Thu 14 Feb 13

They must get the TV fee money from the 2 televised Orient JPT games. If they get through to Wembley, they get more TV money & share of the gate receipts at Wembley along with an element of the sponsor prize money. Surely a large proportion of that would pay the tax bill, even if it was only the 2 Orient games TV money & no Wembley appearance. As for the so called news about Fossets Farm & Sainsbury's, one fears that will merely be an announcement of the date that Sainsbury's start demolishing Roots Hall as its unlikely that the stadium at Fossets Farm will physically get built. To those that say you can't have one without the other due to planning rules, SBC have form for changing planning conditions in respect of supermarket building projects when money talks. Look no further than Tesco, Short St where planning terms & conditions changed regularly

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binmandom says...
12:48pm Thu 14 Feb 13

Why does this same story keep cropping up? Do we have a Finance Department?

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teyeagle says...
2:23pm Thu 14 Feb 13

If you know HMRC is taking a tough stance with tax payments how can SUFC and those associated with the club make a late payment and threaten the future of the club? If you look back, this is not the first time this has happened. Ron Martin, sell the club to someone who is competent and solvent NOW!

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emcee says...
3:44pm Thu 14 Feb 13

Ron Martin is a liability to SUFC. Someone needs to take over who knows what they are doing.
Glad to hear that HMRC are taking the zero tolerance stance. About time too. Too many comapnies and organisations not paying tax when due.
The cynic in me wonders whether Sainsburys have been waiting for the collapse of SUFC.

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rhowes says...
4:17pm Thu 14 Feb 13

I am a tennis fan, but I do wonder whether it's time for football clubs to be treated as all other private companies?
Why not make HMRC a "preferential creditor" just like for any other company?
Then the club would have to pay their tax as a priority.

C'mon Andy!

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2shedsjackson says...
4:38pm Thu 14 Feb 13

rhowes wrote:
I am a tennis fan, but I do wonder whether it's time for football clubs to be treated as all other private companies?
Why not make HMRC a "preferential creditor" just like for any other company?
Then the club would have to pay their tax as a priority.

C'mon Andy!
Then the club would have to pay their tax as a priority.
.
No they wouldn't. It would mean that HMRC would be first in line if SUFC went bust, but there would be no incentive for Martin to pay what he owes when it is owed.
.
Mr Martin you are not special, as you are costing UK PLC money by having HMRC having to chase your debt to society and you are costing SUFC money in legal fees. Do not blame HMRC as they are looking after my interests by making sure you do not do a runner and leave an unpaid debt.
.
Presumably there is a very good reason why you have a track record of not paying your taxes on time?

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Danshrimp says...
5:29pm Thu 14 Feb 13

SUFC1906 wrote:
They must get the TV fee money from the 2 televised Orient JPT games. If they get through to Wembley, they get more TV money & share of the gate receipts at Wembley along with an element of the sponsor prize money. Surely a large proportion of that would pay the tax bill, even if it was only the 2 Orient games TV money & no Wembley appearance. As for the so called news about Fossets Farm & Sainsbury's, one fears that will merely be an announcement of the date that Sainsbury's start demolishing Roots Hall as its unlikely that the stadium at Fossets Farm will physically get built. To those that say you can't have one without the other due to planning rules, SBC have form for changing planning conditions in respect of supermarket building projects when money talks. Look no further than Tesco, Short St where planning terms & conditions changed regularly
The TV money and 10% of the gate receipts from the Orient games go into the pot with all other JPT games, which is shared out between the clubs. Apart from the chance of playing at Wembley, we gain nothing from these two games and in fact they are quite a hindrance.

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Thomo100 says...
7:51pm Thu 14 Feb 13

Same old rubbish out of the Chairman.
Paying players late or not at all, now the tax man is after them again.
I am a lifelong Blues fans of over 40 years and was a significant sponsor and season ticket holder for many years.
This year we decided to stop throwing good money after bad as enough was enough for us.
Don't forget that Sainsburys are waiting in thw wings to pick up the scraps.

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siddymint says...
8:00pm Thu 14 Feb 13

As I understand no one can attend any games in Southend because there is an injuntion until march 2014 that prevents gatherings, vehicles travelling in convoys more than two cars gathering together for a meet . etc

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SUFC1906 says...
9:01pm Thu 14 Feb 13

Did'nt know that they had to wait till the end of the season to get their club share of JPT money so stand corrected. If as you say its a hindrance, then why enter at all unless the league insist they must be in it. The comment above about an injunction preventing attendance at games is confusing. How did 3900 attend the Cheltenham game? Walk? Can't use a vehicle in case it travels in convoy, more than two cars. No gatherings. Strange? That means every home game the crowd must breach this apparent injunction merely by being at the game.

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Seasider90 says...
10:26pm Thu 14 Feb 13

HMRC - Bunch of crooks. They're happy to do "deals" with large companies thus they pay a ridiculous low amount of tax yet the rest of us, including football clubs get trodden on. Anyone that can do the tax man - good on em - they are government crooks

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SARFENDMAN says...
10:28pm Thu 14 Feb 13

Well it's reassuring to know that Ron is consistant in his stance and you could roll out this same article year in year out....well that's until Sainsburys move in and Blues... ??????????

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bongking says...
2:05pm Sun 17 Feb 13

Put yourself in martin's place, with all the money he has lost, with financial problems, not much money coming into the club,he is trying to sort things out, but its made hard with fans constantly on his back. How many of us fans would like to be in his position, would you just give up after putting loads of money into the club, to much to loose,no one else will take over the club, no money about, simple as that, so i would just let him get on with it, shouting abuse at him is not going to get a new stadium built, if you are so worried about the club, donate money, raise money, try to help, not hinder him!!!

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