Fans have a right to doubt the news as they’ve been hearing it too many times already. Their new stadium was to be built already in 2010, but works haven’t started yet. So, why would this change now? Echo-News.co.uk has more.

Design for the future stadium of Southend United FC (SUFC) is ready since 2006. It was supposed to get built in 2010, but no breakthrough happened so far. The club isn’t able to finance the mixed sports-retail development without external funding and this proved a huge obstacle.

But doesn’t seem to be one any more as the club are supposed to sell their current ground, Roots Hall, to Sainsbury’s, the long anticipated partner. Income will allow three stands of the new stadium to get built, reaching some 14,700 people.

SUFC and Sainsbury’s issued a joint statement informing about anticipated progress. “Work on the new store is continuing behind the scenes to secure the necessary technical approvals from Southend Council. At the same time we are progressing the contracts and programming of the project.

“We hope we have all necessary approvals in the very near future which would enable us to complete the stadium in 2014.”