Views from the Sieve

Big cost cutting measures on the
way at Southend,

Been happening for a while.

This just announced:

Southend United can confirm that Kevin Maher and members of his coaching staff, Darren Currie and Mark Bentley, will depart the Club following a review at the conclusion of the 2025/26 season.

"Thanks for winning us the FA Trophy. You're fired!!"

Dagger59 wrote: Tue May 19, 2026 8:10 pm "Thanks for winning us the FA Trophy. You're fired!!"

The computer/tech company Cisco had a record quarter and on the same day last week laid off 10% of their workforce. The email was basically what you typed, with record quarter for FA Trophy."

Imagine us firing the legendary Ted Hardy after the 1997 final - and we lost that one! I would love to see us have a proper tilt at the FA Trophy next season. A trip to Wembley would do wonders for the support and if Wealdstone can get there then surely we can.

What the owners have done to
Maher is disgraceful.
I’m told some of the players have been offered
new contracts with a 50 per cent wage cut
so could be a few looking for new clubs.
I’d take a couple but not sure they would
drop down to our level

Most will end up at Chelmsford, they like paying silly money to players on their way down just like us, but that is all changing for us now.

This seems to be a regular theme amongst owners, they start off with ambitious plans to get clubs promoted but then realise that it is far from easy and more expensive than they thought. It’s a tough job owning a football club and feel sorry for the Southend fans who thought they were the saviours when they first took over.Their a big club at that level with a large fan base and hope it doesn’t end in disaster.

Same thing happened to us under Freund and Club Underdog. Both thought that taking a non-league club up to the Championship and beyond was a breeze until it isn't. I think that the whole Wrexham thing has made it attractive to anyone globally who has made a mint in other industries to step in and do the same. I hope that KSI, Carroll and Fernandes realise that this is a tough project and not necessarily destined for smooth success. Having said that I think they have already made some cracking decisions so far which gives me a lot of hope. Freund ultimately failed because he allowed Thompson to continue running the whole club when he should have appointed a new CEO and moved Thompson into an operational role which didn't involve the footballing side.