SOUTHEND United supporters have expressed their fears for the future of the football club.

A high percentage of Blues’ players and staff are still waiting to receive their February pay packets while the club remain under a transfer embargo.

The Shrimpers are also back in the High Court on Wednesday to face a winding up order issued by the HMRC due to an outstanding balance of £668,000.

And Jamie Forsyth, the editor of the All At Sea Fanzine, is among those to be concerned.

“I’m extremely worried,” said Forsyth.

“The size of the club’s latest HMRC debt, and the fact that players and staff have been late receiving wages are real concerns.

“It’s not just for the club’s finances, but these people have families and bills.

“That ill will ripple out to the community, and we are seriously alienating a lot of people in south Essex.

“A points deduction could well be looming and with a dreadful recruitment record since Steve Kavanagh left, plus regular transfer embargoes and a damaged reputation within the game, it’s hard to see us assembling a squad that will be competitive in League Two next season.

“The only thing that might keep us out of non-league in 18 months’ time is the similar woes of other clubs.”

The Shrimpers have been hit by three EFL charges, two of which are for the late of payment of wages to their players.

Blues have also been charged for fielding an ineligible player in the 2-1 win against Lincoln City at the start of February.

And Forsyth feels changes must be made.

“For the club, the priority has to be to cut the wage bill substantially, allocate a sensible but competitive budget and stick to it, and appoint a competent CEO,” said Forsyth.

“Ron Martin has claimed he will do these basic things next season, but there have been far too many empty promises.”

Several other fans contacted Echosport to express their concerns with many critical of the club’s chairman Martin.

But Oliver Graystone was among the minority in choosing to stay positive.

“I do fear for our future but I also feel that League Two will be good for us to hopefully regroup and go again,” said Graystone.

“But we can’t afford to go in to League Two with the same off the field troubles as last year.

“League Two is a League that Ron Martin knows very well and I do believe he is the right man at the moment.

“A lot of fans got on his back after the January clearance but those same fans need to understand that it’s not a bottomless pit and and getting rid of those players was in our best interest.

“It’s what Bury should have done and I’m looking forward to next season.”