Trust Statement – 8th July 2025

The Shrimpers Trust welcomes today’s news that the Football Governance Bill has passed through the House of Commons and will go on to receive Royal Assent and become law. The need for an independent regulator for the English men’s football pyramid is universally acknowledged and not before time.

Southend United was fortunate enough to survive an owner loyal only to himself; other clubs are experiencing difficulties now and some have collapsed altogether.

The road to an independent regulator for football has spanned two Governments and seen cross party support on both sides of the aisle. We would like to put on record our thanks to all MPs who voted this through, and to all politicians and organisations who have worked tirelessly to make sure this is a practical possibility. The shadow regulator is the beginning of a journey to a regulator which will ensure that football clubs have protections from unscrupulous owners and directors, and through which fans will be recognised as core stakeholders.

This is a landmark moment in the future of English football and one that many have striven hard to achieve. We wholeheartedly support this legislation as it aims to protect the clubs that we all love, as shared cultural institutions for the benefit of all, both now and in the future.

We very much look forward to working with the Shadow Regulator to help share our own experiences, as well as continuing our constructive dialogue with Southend United FC and its owners in this area.

Previously issued Statements can be found below.

Trust Statements
Trust Statement – 8th July 2025 Trust Statement – 28th April 2025 Trust Statement – 19th July 2024 Trust Statement – UK General Election – 5th July 2024
Supporters Group Statement – 25th June 2024 Trust Statement – Update To Members – 23rd June 2024 Trust Statement – 16th June 2024 Trust Statement – 7th June 2024
Supporters Group Statement – 24th May 2024 Trust Statement – 17th May 2024 Trust Statement – 10th May 2024 Trust Statement – 5th April 2024
Trust Statement – 2nd April 2024 SUFC / Southend Council FAQ’s – 20th February 2024 Trust Statement – 17th January 2024 Trust Statement – 23rd December 2023
Trust Statement – 11th November 2023 Trust Statement – 8th November 2023 Trust Statement – 3rd October 2023 Shrimpers Trust & Irons Trust Joint Statement – 2nd October 2023
Trust Statement – 2nd October 2023 – Dereliction & Decline Supporters Group Statement – 21st September 2023 Membership Drive – 20th September 2023 Trust Statement – 19th September 2023
Trust Statement – 8th September 2023 Trust Statement – 4th September 2023 Supporters Group Statement – 1st September 2023 Trust Statement – 30th August 2023
Trust Statement – 23rd August 2023 Supporters Group Statement – 4th August 2023 Supporters Group Statement – 26th July 2023 Supporters Group Statement – 25th July 2023
Supporters Group Statement – 22nd July 2023 Supporters Group Statement – 18th July 2023 Trust Statement – 14th July 2023 Supporters Group Statement – 14th July 2023
Trust Statement – Letter to the National League – 13th July 2023 Supporters Group Statement – 12th July 2023 Trust Statement – 10th July 23 Supporters Group Statement – 5th July 2023
Supporters Group Statement – 6th June 2023 End of Season Report 22/23 Supporters Group Statement – 17th May 2023 Supporters Group Statement – 4th May 2023
Open Letter to Southend Council Planning Officer – 02/05/23 Supporters Group Statement – 28/03/23 Ron Martin & Tom Lawrence Answer Your Questions – 28/03/23 Open Letter to the Leadership, Executive, Councillors and MPs of Southend on Sea – 20/03/23
Trust Statement – 17/03/23 Supporters Group – SUFC 2022/23 ST Survey – Update – 16/03/23 Supporters Group Statement – 13/03/23 Supporters Group – SUFC 2022/23 ST Survey – 13/03/23
Trust Update – 08/03/22 Supporters Group Statement – 28/02/23 Trust Statement – 24/02/23 Letter To The APPG – 18/02/23
Anna Firth, MP Answers Your Questions – 17/02/23 Trust General Statement – Feb 2023 Trust Statement – Anna Firth, MP Meeting – 10/02/23 Supporters Group Statement – 31/01/23
Supporters Group Statement – 27/01/23 Trust Statement – HMRC Adjournment – 22/01/23 Trust Statement – HMRC Adjournment – 18/01/23 Supporters Group Statements – Nov 2022
Shrimpers Trust Confirm Loan – 15/11/12 Trust Statement – Winding-up Petition – 09/11/22 Trust Statement – Transfer Embargo – 01/10/22 Trust Statement – Non-Playing Staff Wages – 22/09/22
End Of Season Report – 21/22 Trust Statement – Work Starts On Fossetts – 08/07/22 Trust Statement – We Love The Club You Idiot! – 08/12/21 Trust Statement – Time For Reflection! – 12/10/21
Trust Statement – When Is Enough Enough? – 03/10/21 Trust Statement – Tom Lawrence – 21/05/21 Trust Statement – SOS Rally – 29/04/21 Trust Statement – 24/04/21
Trust Statement – 20/03/21 Trust Statement – SUFC Finances – Sept/Oct 2020 Trust Statement – 05/03/20 Trust Statement – 31/01/20
Trust & SZ Meeting with Ron Martin – 12/10/12 Trust Statement – 24/09/12 Darlington – Back From The Brink – Jan 2012 Aldershot Town FC – 12/01/12
HMRC Winding-up Petition – 03/08/11 Barry The Parrot Does East Fife – 18/07/11 Supporters Direct Public Statement – 13/06/11 Season Tickets – Price Increase – 29/03/11
Club Pay Back Trust Loan – 28/08/10 High Court Hearing / Club Loan – 04/08/10 Letter To Sainsbury’s – 02/07/10 Club Loan – 01/07/10
Winding-up Petition – 03/06/10 Paul & Rob’s Big Day Out – 21/04/10 High Court Hearing – 15/04/10 Loan Extension – 02/03/10
Ron Martin’s Blog – 31/12/09 Help The Trust End Polio Now – 10/12/09 Trust Statements – Oct/Nov 2009