by Ian Hughes

Southend boss Steve Tilson could have the safest job in football

Southend chairman Ron Martin recently extended manager Steve Tilson's contract despite the club sitting bottom of the Championship.

It is a highly unusual step in the ruthless world of football, where often a manager is the first to be sacrificed when results aren't going a club's way.

Leeds, Hull, Barnsley and QPR sit directly above Southend in the Championship - and all four clubs have recently axed their managers.

It clearly demonstrates there is no room for sentiment in football.

But Martin told BBC Sport: "I don't think it's right that managers should be left alone to sink or swim on their own - this is team work.

"The relationship between the manager and the chairman is fundamental. I think it is absolutely pivotal to success.

I didn't think I was paying Steve enough in the Championship Ron Martin

"I trust Steve's judgment - not just because has guided us to two successive promotions, but I also believe his judgments in the Championship have been good on the whole."

Unfortunately for the club, those judgments have Southend four points adrift at the foot of the table.

It could be argued that the club's rise has been too rapid for them to be competitive in the Championship.

Especially when you consider that it was only three years ago that the club was hovering precariously above the relegation zone of the old division three.

"There is some truth in it - that we may have risen too rapidly," added Martin. "But I don't generally subscribe to the consolidation theory.

"Although, inevitably, as you move up, clearly those players who were successful in League Two may not be successful in the Championship.

"And we still have largely the same core of players.

"In addition, it's unfortunate that some of the players we have brought in are not making the starting line-up right now. So we need to strengthen in some positions.

"We have to work this through together and I will back Steve's judgment by providing him with the finances to bring in the players he needs."

Performance-related pay

Southend fans can rest assured those are not empty words - they need only to look at the vote of confidence given to Tilson, in the form of his contract extension - and the circumstances surrounding it.

Martin revealed: "I didn't need to give Steve a new contract, as I'd given him a three-year contract as he came from League Two to League One.

"It had a clause in it which I had introduced which meant that if we won promotion in our first year in League One then there would be an automatic extension of an additional two years.

"Steve achieved that and when I looked at the terms of that contract I thought that, actually, they were unfair and I didn't think I was paying him enough in the Championship under that four-year agreement.

"So we reviewed the terms. That's team work and working together."

There can be no doubt then that Martin is prepared to put his money where his mouth is - and it is refreshing to see a sense of loyalty and perspective in what has become a greedy sport.

And Martin's ideas about what a football club should be - and represent - also fly in the face of the current fashion.

I'm very comfortable with Steve and vice versa. And I know together we will get it right Ron Martin

With a debate brewing around the malfunctioning youth policies in England, and the favouring of buying rather than producing players, Martin has a radical plan.

"One of the things I wish to do is invest in youth and change Southend from a centre of excellence to an academy club.

"And on the back of us building a new stadium, which we hope to get the go-ahead for soon and then have built by August 2008, I will certainly do that.

"I know that you can buy success but there's something wholesome about the youth of the area - say within 20 miles -being attracted to the club, coming into the academy and making through to the senior team.

"I think that people are more likely to raise their game if they are attached to club that they've grown up with."

As for the present, Martin is convinced Southend will avoid the drop this season.

He insisted: "I still believe we will not be relegated. If we win two matches and teams above us lose a couple we will be right back in the mix.

"So I remain cautiously optimistic that we can get out of this."

And for the future, Martin has no doubts that Tilson is the right man to lead the team.

Martin said: "I think I've got all the ingredients in Steve to help make this club successful. I don't need to change him.