Blues' £120,000 a year chief executive Peter Storrie would seem set to carry on collecting his huge salary for the forseeable future.

Club owner Ron Martin told the fans forum last week that any decision on Storrie, whose contract runs out in July, would be left to chairman John Main but then added pointedly: "I can't see any reason why he will not still be chief executive of this football club next term."

It's no secret that Main and Storrie do not really hit it off - the chairman expecting more commercial income than has actually been produced.

Martin was quick to point out that Storrie has been held back in his quest to produce much needed revenue by the poor performance of the team on the pitch.

But I am afraid that is not a good enough excuse for a man who is earning an amazing salary for someone at this level of the game.

And fans' anger won't be quelled until they are told exactly what Storrie does to justify his fat wage packet.

Fan loyalty is a fragile thing

I am afraid I have sensed for some time now that Blues fans are growing more and more disillusioned with the way the club is heading.

And unhappily major shareholder Ron Martin's meeting with supporters last week did little to lift the air of despondency hanging over Roots Hall.

As the Echo's front page headline on the story of the meeting so aptly said it left more questions than answers.

It would appear that plans for the long awaited new stadium will now be submitted next month with a suggestion that it could be more than another three years before the work is completed.

In the meantime the struggling club is expected to somehow find around £500,000 a year rent for Roots Hall and the training ground with no suggestions as to what might happen if they fail to come up with the money.

People who I always reckoned had blue and white blood coursing through their veins are slowly but surely turning their back on a club which they feel has let them down badly.

A postman friend of mine and a guy called Robin Port were two who I never thought would ever miss a home game - they have followed the team for years through good times as well as bad.

But they both told me last week that they have had enough - the postie now goes up to watch Chelsea and looks in at non-league games while my old school pal Robin has now converted to Canvey Island.

And unless Mr. Martin and chairman John Main move quickly to lift the spirits and restore people's faith then I am afraid a lot more will disappear down to Park Lane.

Main has done a lot to try and revive a family atmosphere at games and takes time out to meet and chat with supporters before matches.

But I am afraid that is not enough, the club needs some urgent PR work to persuade people that they do have a future and can haul themselves out of the current doom and gloom.

I warned Martin Dawn PLC when they took over from the late Vic Jobson that they would mess with Southend United at their peril and that they had inherited a tremendous responsibility to ensure the future stability of the club.

Hopefully they will soon start to emerge from the giant shadow hanging over Roots Hall into brighter sunshine before it's all too late and there's no one left who cares!

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.