Fitzhugh Fella

No who would, but they have to acknowledge they are partly the reason we are there.

Could do a lot worse imo - he's a top bloke, intelligent and most important has an excellent relationship with our soon to be Chairman/DoF.

I'd like to help you out here GM but like you I am concerned as well - unless the income from these two players leaving was all part of the "deal".

Bit unfair Ron, telling people who aren't "in the loop" to shut up! You may think the criticism of MJ unfair but he brings a lot of it on his own back either by his conduct in that ludicrous and excruciating news interview or by the piece in last night's Echo. I too was holding my counsel on the man until I found out more but when he is plastered all over my evening paper insinuating that Fry is a liar I feel moved to pass comment. I repeat I would not want that man anywhere near my football club and nothing would change my mind. Sorry.

As a confirmed and perennial "Lowe is evil" poster, I must (much to my chagrin) have to concur with you, benjii.

Phil, I really respect you as a poster and your heart in deffo in the right place but you are flogging a dead horse with your support for MJ. I am sure he is a nice bloke and well-intentioned etc etc etc but having spoken to him on the phone a few times I would not want him anywhere near my football club no matter how badly stricken we were. He simply lacks the ability to "deliver" imo and his presence has not only artificially raised the price Pinnacle and others have had to pay (thereby less funds for the team) but also prolonged the agony. He is a good old fashioned bull****ter who has been caught out on more than one occasion and sucked a few in along the way. And now he is all over the Echo with his "I'm in regular contact with Matt" crap. He and the Echo make good partners. Let's move on. Hey I'd happily buy him a pint - he is a Saints fan after all but no more nonsense, please. Cheers Duncan

If I was going to have to rely on a safety net I wouldn't want it to be held by Marc Jackson, Phil, sorry! At least I would know what I was facing without a net and would take extra precautions.

Looks like I am well and truly beaten in this argument. There was just something about him I didn't warm to. Lack of humility perhaps? I dunno but I am sure as hell not going to convince anyone so I will back off with good grace. Will follow his next move with interest.

Ron, don't get me started on KD, I actually thought Strachan severely mismanaged him. Everyone knew KD had talent but Strachan was very stubborn and alienated a man who sometimes needed an arm around him. Had Davies stayed it is possible his influence properly harnessed could have been the difference between staying up and relegation.

Whilst I accept some of what you say, I distinctly remember for many games under WGS we were awful to watch. I accept that what has happened since he has left has been much worse but at the time I rememer thinking how football had been better under Jones (before his troubles), Souness and Hoddle. As we were never going to win the Prem the quality of our football was important and I maintain - apart from a few occasions - WGS fell short. And I still don't think he told us the real truth of why he did leave which at the time may have saved us a couple of disastrous years under the continued flawed stewardship of Lowe. But football is all about opinions - I can understand why he is popular but I swear some fans have short memories which is just as well I suppose. (I did like his post match comments however).

Well you know more than me Ron but the Celtic fans didn't like him and John Hartson went as far as saying some hated him.

I agree. Football is spiralling out of control using money it does not have. Wages/transfer fees are rocketing and every club is borrowing more to keep up. It is utter madness. P*mpey won the Cup last year with a team they didn't own a tenth of. How can a properly run club (ie spends within its means) compete on a level playing field? Hearn has not expressed himself well (assuming he was not misquoted to spice the story up) but the fundamentals of his thoughts are quite correct.

Wouldn't want GS anywhere near SMS thankyou. Not temperamentally suited to being a good manager. He gets teams fit and organised but they don't play decent football. It never ceases to amaze me how much stick Hoddle gets for walking out on Saints to join his old club and yet Strachan is forgiven for turning his back on us for no one.

Andy - I am assuming that the price "paid" to acquire the club includes paying off both Barclays and Aviva so in effect we are now debt free. For that we should be grateful but let's not forget the fans no longer own the club or have any rights or say in how it should be run.

I know what you are saying "Mr Nice" but tbh there was some real information in TL's statement (ie just one owner, MLT's pivotal role) so I found it enlightening and well worth making. There has been enough rumour, gossip and supposition on here since we went into admin and it is nice to hear something positive from the horse's mouth. I think many of us learnt a lesson following Wilde's arrival and no one is saying we should not be optimistically cautious here but let's not start throwing the baby out with the bathwater just yet. Already I know of people who have not previously had a ST saying they may well get one now (my Dad for one) after having read TL's words so that can't be a bad thing.

Fair post

Hi Tim - just back from the Ave where the likes of Kade, Wayne Bennett, Big Kenny, Ken Massey, Micky Windows, Sam MacLoughlin, Phil Green and loads of others were celebrating that every alternate Sat afternoon come rain or sun we will still have a Mecca to head to. And I don't mean the Royal Pier.

I hear Martinez is being lined up to replace Bruce at Wigan so the Dyer deal may yet collapse.

No not manager but I think he will have an involvement on the football side of things.

In the Echo it says "the proposed offer has been given the seal of approval by the creditors" so it looks like the price has already been agreed in principle.

I wouldn't just yet, Morph - some might have changed and some might yet want anonymity - would hate to hack them off and blow things.

Think you will find he will be seeing a lot less of Jeff Stelling.

With respect NSS, I find it strange that someone with no "emotional attachment" should bother to post what is a well constructed post on this forum, which at the moment is a refuge for those with far too much emotional attachment. But thanks anyway I think I have learned something... so please don't go away.

The Easybeats from Australia - reached nos 6 in 1966 - a good year for Saints.