THE Labour leader of Southend Council has celebrated a "truly amazing day" for the Blues as the consortium's takeover is finally complete.
Daniel Cowan, St Laurence Ward councillor and council leader, has issued a full statement as, after a year long worth of discussions, the consortium headed up by Australian businessman Justin Rees have finally taken over the running of Southend United.
In it he thanks the consortium and supporters for never giving up on the club, Southend's former Conservative MP Anna Firth and current Labour MPs Bayo Alaba and David Burton-Sampson for their support, and paid tribute to Echo sports reporter Chris Phillips for his incredible coverage.
He said: "Today, the news we have all been waiting for finally broke. The takeover of Southend United Football Club is complete!
"Since I accepted the post of Leader of Southend Council, I have lived and breathed Southend United Football Club. The property deal at Fossetts Farm was already complex enough without the future of the club hanging in the balance over it.
"It was hard work but the hardest thing were those days when securing the future of the football club and doing what was right for the city and the council, were mutually exclusive and I had to be willing to walk away.
"I admit that this weighed heavy on me, as no-one wants to be the council leader who oversaw the demise of the local football club, but I had to be willing to walk away from a bad deal, and I was.
"Fortunately, we were all able to find a different way forward and whilst there is still the matter of the property deal, which is crucial to unlocking investment for Roots Hall, we are now working in a much healthier space with the club under new ownership, and our new heads of terms being significantly improved on the last ones.
"Today is a truly amazing day for the club, a chance to turn the page and start a new chapter. Season tickets are back on sale and I know how excited fans are to get back to Roots Hall to support the team.
"I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank a lot of people. Firstly, the Consortium for being patient, receptive to a new idea, and so committed to the takeover. Many other investors would have walked away but they never gave up on Southend and that is why I was so clear that no COSU, no council.
"I have to give thanks to our former MP, Anna Firth, for all of her efforts and to our new MPs, Bayo Alaba and David Burton-Sampson, who alongside Labour and administration colleagues, gave me so much support in the small part I have played in this, especially my ward colleagues Lydia and Madi, and my deputy, Anne, for picking up the slack.
"I also want to pay tribute to my predecessor, councillor Tony Cox. Whilst we may have needed to pivoted away from his proposal, I know from experience just how much he would have put into this and that should not go unrecognised.
"The unsung heroes are our council officers who put so much effort into this. I asked them to perform miracles with the new proposals and they were incredible. Alan Richards, Glyn Halksworth, Athar Rashid, Joe Chesterton, and Colin Ansell were all pivotal and whilst we all still have work to do, their contributions should be triple underlined.
"I must give huge personal thanks to the Shrimpers Trust, for all of their advice, counsel, support, knowledge, generosity, and sacrifice. Their support and influence was vital in shaping the right conditions to follow our negotiation strategy and if that hadn't worked, this statement wouldn't exist.
"Chris Phillips at the Echo has been incredible and I hope he gets to take that holiday before the season starts!
"Finally, I want to thank all the fans for their patience, for their support, their belief, and the kindness they have shown me during the process. I hope to see you all at a match soon."
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