SOUTHEND Council has thrown a lifeline to beleaguered Southend United with a commitment to look at investing £4.5million to buy Roots Hall.

Southend United chairman Ron Martin has said he will sell his entire shareholding at the Shrimpers for just £1 - but it will cost £4.5million to buy Roots Hall.

Last night, councillors took up that challenge and unanimously voted to support a motion by Matt Dent, Labour councillor for Kursaal ward, urging council support for the club as another deadline to settling its debts looms.

The council voted to call an extraordinary council meeting where financial support for the Blues could be explored.

Ron Woodley, Residents First councillor for Thorpe Ward suggested £10million earmarked for the Seaway leisure complex project could be diverted to saving the club.

He said: "This council agreed we will give £10million to the Seaway development. The Seaway project will never happen. They've been given nine years to get that going. We need to use those resources. We have revenues and reserves of £93million. There's a potential new owner coming on board. Can we afford to wait for that new owner? We've got less than 28 days to get this right. We haven't got time to ponder.

Mr Dent called the club a vital part of the community that was in a “perilous position".

He said: "It’s a position it’s been in many times before but this time it really does feel like its last chance saloon.

“The city cannot afford to lose Southend United Football Club we have one of the most passionate and dedicated fan bases, I think, in all of football. They deserve the support of this chamber in finding a future for their club.

“The role of this council, the role that it can play in saving Southend United is honestly to me unclear at this point."

Mr Dent added: “One of the ideas that has been suggested is that they could look at purchasing as a community asset Roots Hall to, at the very least, give Southend United a reliable and secure base from which to rebuild itself from the situation that it’s in.

“I don’t think that this council can sit by quietly while Southend United slips into oblivion. If it’s going to survive this, if we are going to have a football club at the heart of this city we need to stand up alongside the fans who have already done so and speak out.”

Tony Cox, leader of the council said: “I will not leave any stone unturned to ensure that club’s survival.