Southend United's co-owner Ron Martin has revealed his disappointment with a poll designed to help Blues' fans win back the Roots Hall North Bank.

The Shrimpers carried a voting slip in the matchday programme for the recent home clash with Hartlepool - which was attended by more than 5,000 spectators --but Martin said the feedback had been poor.

Blues received just 50 replies, with only 26 fans expressing a wish to return to the North Bank, which currently houses opposition supporters.

And Martin said it was nowhere near enough votes for the club to carry out building work on the stand - at a definite cost of £17,000 - for new segregation barriers and gates, toilets, plus catering and ticketing facilities.

"The response was very poor and left me feeling very disappointed," admitted Martin.

"We realised that a lot of our fans would like to go back in the North Bank and we gave them the chance to show us this was the general consensus of the Roots Hall crowd.

"But the feedback we have received is nowhere near enough to get the wheels in motion."

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Published Thursday November 7, 2002

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