Ron Martin

Ronald Martin (born 17 January 1953) is a British businessman who is chief executive of Martin Dawn PLC, an Essex, United Kingdom-based property development company. After taking an ownership stake in Southend United Football Club in November 1998, he has, since 2000, also been the club's chairman, championing its move to a proposed new stadium at Fossetts Farm during financial struggles, including 18 winding-up petitions, at the club. Under his ownership, the club was promoted to the Championship (second tier of English football) before dropping to the fifth tier National League between 2007 and 2021. In October 2023, a deal was agreed in which Martin would sell the club to new owners, with the deal expected to be finalised in mid November 2023. Sports career Reports suggest Martin was a member of the Great Britain 1980 Winter Olympics bobsleigh team - a claim Martin made in a local newspaper interview in February 2000. In 2009, the East London and West Essex Guardian reported that in the 1970s he "was on-standby to join the Great Britain bobsleigh team. The call never came". Business career A construction and property development business, Martin Dawn (Essex) Limited was incorporated on 3 November 1983 with Ron Martin named as one of its directors. The company changed its name to Martin-Dawn Ltd on 12 February 1987, and became Martin Dawn plc on 6 February 1995.