A year ago John Main became Southend United's new chairman. BERNIE FRIEND spoke to the Blues supremo about his First 12 months in charge and his hopes for the Third Division club's future

Southend United chairman John Main has just celebrated his first turbulent year in charge of the Roots Hall club, but it has not dampened his enthusiasm for making the Shrimpers successful again.

Despite being given more than the odd sleepless night by the Third Division side's mounting debts and continuing struggles on the pitch, Main is determined to finish the job he has started.

"I'm more than happy to stay at Southend for the next ten years as long as the club is being run the right way as I have always intended," he said.

"When I became chairman at Roots Hall 12 months ago I knew I had a major job on my hands, and nothing has changed, but I'm satisfied that we're slowly making progress, although there is a long way still to go."

Ever since taking over the reigns of power at Roots Hall from former Blues supremo Vic Jobson, Main has gone out of his way to repair burned bridges around the town.

"I've got to know a lot of Southend's fans during my time at the club and I hope that they trust me now," he said.

"When I came to Roots Hall there was no relationship between the club and its supporters, which was wrong, and I'd like to think that I've helped to rebuild a link between both parties."

Always the eternal optimist, Main is desperate to bring the good times back for Blues' long-suffering fans, who still have fond memories of their favourites playing First Division soccer only a few years ago.

"If I could wish for anything it would be to bring Southend's brilliant supporters some long overdue success on the pitch," Main continued.

"During my short time at the club I have grown very attached to our fans and I have a great deal of feeling for them.

"They've suffered a miserable couple of years watching their team struggle, but we are striving to put things right and cheer them up by building them a winning side."

With Blues needing to move to a new ground in less than four-years time following the sale of Roots Hall, which has sparked fears of homelessness among Shrimpers fans, Main repeated his commitment to the club.

It is an allegiance that coincides with obvious behind-the-scenes problems, which saw Main storm out of Southend's recent 2-1 home defeat against Hull City, following a row with Ron Martin, the chairman of the club's major-shareholder Martin Dawn plc.

"As in most businesses there are conflicts of interest and relationships get stretched to the limit, including mine with Martin Dawn," Main said.

"Some people think I'm some sort of puppet for the club's major shareholder, but that couldn't be further from the truth. If I don't think decisions made by Martin Dawn are right for Southend then I will defend the club vigorously against them as that is my responsibility as chairman.

"There's no way I could meet our fans as I do at various meetings and question and answer evenings and then sell them short behind their backs.

"It's not in my nature and is something I will never do while I'm chairman of Southend United."

Year in charge - John Main is looking to a rosier future for the club after starting to rebuild the Blues

Picture: ROBIN WOOSEY

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