IT’S SOUTHEND OF THE LINE
Brown out, fans protest and Colly asks to help
Rowe 19, 40, 73 pen, Khan 49
STAN COLLYMORE wants to breathe life back into Southend after the National League crisis club hit a new low.
With the Blues today beginning their search for a seventh manager in less than four years, former Roots Hall favourite Collymore wants to help.
Phil Brown (right) was sacked with Southend lying 20th, just outside the relegation zone, following Saturday’s home defeat to Chesterfield.
Protests made it clear the fans blame chairman
Ron Martin’s stewardship for the Blues’ sorry decline. Back-to-back relegations led to the Essex club falling through the League Two trapdoor and out of the Football League for the first time in 101 years last season – and Collymore wants to come to the club’s rescue. The Mirror Sport columnist (above) said: “It’s just about opening doors. It’s not rocket science. “I had a really good time at Southend and seeing fan groups fractured, the support of the club fractured, and players not playing with any confidence, why wouldn’t I offer any support? “I’m part of the official recruitment process to try to find the right man to get them back to the EFL. “Anything beyond that... I’ve set out a number of times, over the last five months, roles I feel I could help and be involved in to try to bring a bit of calm, stability, experience and a feelgood factor.
“If I could do that it would be amazing. I told supporters what’s been going on for five months, football forums have been asking, ‘Is he in? Is he out?’
“I don’t want to be a manager, I don’t want to be a coach, I don’t want to run a club. But I can facilitate getting the right people into the right places very quickly.”
Southend supporters brandished red cards in the first half as part of a protest against the chairman, who has insisted he has no plans to sell up.
And the game was later held up with both teams being led back to the dressing rooms after a number of fans invaded the pitch with a banner saying ‘Martin out’.
Collymore added: “I’ve said to Ron, ‘Get me involved in the club, no money’.
“There’s a loser’s mentality at the club, but if I get involved it will be arrested. I guarantee it.”