SOUTHEND United head to Torquay on Saturday bidding to halt their depressing decline.

After back to back relegations, the Shrimpers now sit 16th in the National League standings following two defeats in quick succession.

But the downward spiral has not come as a surprise to legendary former Blues boss David Webb.

“It’s disappointing but no-one can say they haven’t seen it coming,” said Webb, who had four separate spells in charge of the Shrimpers.

“From when Chris Powell left it seems to have been a bitter demise.

“It needed somehow or other, someone to slam the brakes on it but it was never going to happen so it’s gone into freefall.

“I don’t need to say anything.

“I think everyone has seen what’s gone wrong.

“Unfortunately once things happen in a football club it’s very, very, very difficult to pull it back.

“It takes a massive intervention in some ways.”

And Webb revealed he had reached out to chairman Ron Martin in a bid to help Blues.

“I’ve offered to help a couple of times but it fell on deaf ears,” said Webb.

“I wasn’t going to make a big thing of it, it’s just the way things are.

“I had a few conversations with Ron to try and help but Ron was determined to do it his way and that’s fair enough.

“He runs the club and that’s the way it was.

“I just look at it from afar now and just feel really disappointed for everybody but what will be, will be.”

In contrast to Blues’ current momentum, Webb had his Southend side moving rapidly up the rankings and memorably led the club into the second tier of English football for the very first time back in 1991.

That second successive promotion was secured via a 1-0 victory at Bury in a match which remains Webb’s stand out moment with the Shrimpers.

“The biggest moment for me was the day we won promotion at Bury,” said Webb.

“We went down to 10 men but we had a team who could sustain that.

“We had some great stalwarts and we had about 15 or 20 coaches full of fans.

“It was the good old days of football and it was great.

“I’ve had so many clubs I have a lot to look back on but Southend was really where I had most success as a manager so it’s always going to pop up in my mind.”

But, prior to taking charge of the Shrimpers, Webb had been managing Torquay.

And it was eventful spell at Plainmoor where Webb was in control of more than just the team.

“I actually had control of Torquay when I managed them,” said Webb.

“It was a weird situation.

“I was having a court case with Bournemouth about them getting rid of me.

“I saw a club come up for sale and my lawyers looked at it because they thought it was Bournemouth.

“It turned out to be Torquay but they had made contact with people already and I felt duty bound to go down and talk to them.

“I got involved financially and ran the club with a couple of other chaps.

“I did the best I could but it really needed someone with a bit of money behind them.

“I played as well and when I did I drove the coach as well so it was a bit ridiculous really.”

However, Webb’s next stop proved to be Southend.

“When I was with Torquay we played against Southend and I saw the chairman Vic Jobson,” said Webb.

“I knew him from when I was at Chelsea and him and his dad would come and watch us play.

“He said about Southend and it was the ideal way for me to get out of trying to run a football club and manage it. “ But, Webb’s own experience at Torquay makes him sympathetic towards the Shrimpers’ current plight.

“I do feel for people who run clubs, like Ron Martin,” said Webb.

“There’s no magical way and people don’t have bottomless pits of money.

“I’ve worked for people with extreme amounts of money and they still couldn’t get the success.

“It’s not easy but Southend had a couple of good hits at it, especially when Tilly (Steve Tilson) was there.

“To be fair to Ron he was throwing money at it and they got promotion but after that you have to try and sustain that if you can.

“Football has been and always will be about making decisions and it’s the people who make least wrong decisions who are successful.

“The people who are successful make wrong decisions but it’s about learning from them and that’s what football is about.”

But nowadays, 75-year-old Webb is enjoying a watching role, following the fortunes of his son Daniel who is now assistant manager at Chesterfield.

“I keep my football kicks via Daniel which is nice,” said Webb.

“He’s made a good career choice going to Chesterfield. It’s a good club and they’re nice people.

“Him and the manager are both young and energetic and if they do well then fantastic.

“But if they don’t it won’t be for the want of trying.