PUT simply it has never been this bad for Southend United.

Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at Bolton Wanderers continued the Shrimpers’ shocking start to the season.

But Blues have been on a depressingly downward trajectory for quite some time.

The startling statistics are by now well known but continue to underline the depth of the club’s crisis.

Southend have won just seven of their last 67 League outings and have taken just 36 points from the last 201 on offer.

This season alone, Mark Molesley’s side have picked up just five points, the lowest number in the whole of the Football League.

However, the misery does not stop there.

Blues have the worst defensive record in the country having conceded 29 goals in 14 games and, at the other end of the field, have scored just six times to join Derby County as the lowest scoring team in the Football League.

But delve a little deeper, and that is sadly just the start of the problems.

Off the pitch, the Shrimpers are also in a perilous position and a transfer embargo continues to cripple the club’s hopes of somehow trying to turn things around.

With all that going on, it is tough to follow Blues’ fortunes right now and, in truth, there has been nothing but misery for pretty much the last two years.

Losing and ongoing negativity has become the norm and it is starting to feel rather toxic too.

Supporters are beginning to vent their fury and frustration on social media and, in truth, who can blame them.

There is little, if anything, to be feel positive about at this stage.

And, above all else, there also appears to be no light at the end of the tunnel either.

That perhaps hurts more than anything and so deep are the problems it is difficult to see just how things can be turned around.

Fingers will be pointed at the manager and he is certainly not exempt from criticism.

But, since the start of 2019, Blues have had six different bosses, none of whom have been able to stop the rot.

Most of them have contributed to their own downfall but it is very much the future which must be focused on now.

Somehow or other, the Shrimpers simply have to stay in the Football League.

And they are about to enter a do or die period which will have a huge say in deciding their destiny this season.

Blues are currently six points from safety with a vastly inferior goal difference to everyone else.

But, in the next few weeks, the Shrimpers will be facing four of the six teams immediately above them in the standings.

And it is no exaggeration to suggest it is one of the most important periods in the club’s history, both on and off the pitch.

Ron Martin needs to play his part by clearing the embargo as promised this week to enable the squad to be strengthened in key areas of the pitch.

Striker Simeon Akinola cannot be registered until the embargo is lifted and he would certainly provide an alternative option in attack.

There should certainly not be an unhealthy level of expectancy placed on his shoulders but the Shrimpers are clearly crying out for improvements going forward.

Against Forest Green Rovers last Tuesday, Matt Rush wasted a golden chance to open the scoring and, on Saturday, Brandon Goodship did likewise against Bolton when the game was still goalless.

Clear cut opportunities remain few and far between for Blues but such good chances must be taken if the team are to be anywhere near securing survival.

The likelihood of relegation will become even clearer between now and Christmas and, if results do not improve, it is only natural that the pressure will seriously start to mount on Molesley.

But ultimately the problems lie far deeper than who is in the dug out and, as someone said to me on Saturday, another change could be well be compared to moving around the deckchairs on the Titanic!

However, something may soon have to be altered if results do not start to pick up.

Southend is my team but, in 31 years of following them, I have never felt sadder supporting them.

Football is no longer fun and the prospect of falling down into non-league leaves me feeling nothing but fear.