Fitzhugh Fella

well done! Next march maybe a good idea to have it half an hour later so when everyone gets to the ground there can be a protest and then everyone go in.

tbh if you weren't there you don't know what you are talking about!

I agree there is a lack of a big credible alternative. I think perhaps in hindsight however it would have been better to have given the Crouch/Pearson option a few months, if only because they were on a bit of a roll after excaping relegation. Lowe made his mind to come back in Feb/March (and got MW onside) but then ran too fast with the ball. If he waited until say Nov/Dec and the Crouch/NP show was faltering he would have been in a better position to claim the moral high ground and Crouch would have been a busted flush. This failing probably encapsulates Lowe's biggest flaw - he is too entranched and is not flexible in deed once he has made his mind up. Nice to have a sensible debate with you, btw - I do "understand" the points you make but of course everything is polarised with Rupert Lowe and I am as guilty as anyone for that, I accept.

Good post - the protesters have the moral highground, great march, significant numbers and a wide spread of attendees. Plus no anti songs during the match. So the anti Lowe voice is varied, genuine and non political. His defenders on here have been exposed as nothing more than bitter and twisted. Lowe will never see sense but Wilde is a different kettle of fish. He is not held back by a pompous ego- he knows the writing is on the wall. I reckon we continue to support the club in the stadium but more marches beforehand and afterwards. The media coverage has been massive this weekend and that will encourage more to join next time. I sense the tide is turning - however one thing we must be cautious of is that beware of who might come in - the anything but Lowe sentiment was our undoing last time.

Bern - you are making a fool of yourself. Crouch's business uses the same branch of Barclays as the club, in Reading. Because Crouch's business is quite significant I have it on good authority (not from Crouch) that the bank would have been more than happy with his continued stewardship. Thats not saying he was a brilliant Chairman because he wasn't but..... As they say, money talks!

OK Manji - I am going to (politely) atttempt to give you the reason for this "hysterical scapegoatism" because I understand the point you are making and to a degree it is true that Wotte has unfairly been tarnished before he has had a chance. Is Wotte a good manager? I don't know - how could I? I have heard things about his character which sound worrying but accept he could be the victim of political spin so let's give him the benefit of the doubt. I think the reason people make remarks like "same meat different gravy" when they learnt of his appointment was because it was a Lowe appointment. Unfortunately whether or not you agree with the overriding sentiments a majority on here feel to Lowe the simple fact is his reputation is so shot to tatters that anything he does (like appoint Wotte) will not be trusted and will be derided. This was my whole point when he called the EGM alongside Wilde. I can understand why he wanted to come back, and I can't knock the bloke in thinking he could do a better job and I can't blame the man for wanting to prove a point but he should have realised in the fickle word of football whenever a fanbase turn their backs there is usually never ever a 2nd happy homecoming. He should have left well alone imo. I have tried to answer your valid question with a little courtesy, I am not trying to wind you up, merely trying to empathise with your opinion.

Can't have been much of a discussion. I think someone at te club have realsised that Holmes is very injury prone as mentioned by several on here when he signed.

He would have looked better if he ditched the scarf and borrowed one of Bally's cloth caps imo

the march and the numbers that turned up far exceeded my expectations. The police had to close all roads in and around St Marys and I wonder when there was such a large scale protest in the streets of Southampton. Great humour, lots of kids and a protest brilliantly made and organised. (Thanks for my Rupert badge btw only 250 printed so it will be valuable soon.) I think the demo helped frustrations because during the game the support was superb. Today I was proud to be a Saints fan - reading this thread has been great (except Manji).

Can I also add the support in the stadium was awesome. No anti Lowe songs just 100% SUPPORT. The Swansea fans were up for it too. IMO Southampton fans behaved impeccably today - a peaceful protest, well organised and well attended and yet superb suppport throughout the match. What a shame Lowe and Wilde were probably not there to see it. Had they been they might have learnt a bit about what it actually means to be a fan of the Saints.

Just back and I have to say today exceeded my expectations. The march was about 800 yards long and without a doubt there was over one thousand there. The police had to stop all traffic around St Marys while the procession made their way to the stadium and it was nice to see the pubs empty and the punters join in. The police presence was well over the top with all their filming etc because there was not a hint of nastiness or trouble and the helicopter overhead was ridiculous. This is the first time there has ever been a pre-match protest of such a scale and the fact so many made an effort made me proud. Everyone agreed it was a worthwhile exercise despite the fact the two main protaginists were absent. Good to see St Lee there as well, plus Mary Corbett who joined in all the way from the Bargate. Mark my words today a message was sent.

I have completely changed lots of family arrangements in order to free up the time to participate in the march today. I march not to rid the club of Lowe or Wilde or even to install Crouch. I march to show I care about my club. I march because it gives me a chance to demonstrate just how badly this club has been run since it became a PLC. I want to show the citizens of Southampton that there are people who still have pride in their football team. I march for all the fans who can't make it because they are dispersed all over the world. I march for all those fans no longer with us who have supported the team loyally ever since 1885. I march out of respect to the great servants of our club - people like Ted Bates, Alan Ball, Peter Osgood, Bobby Stokes, Derek Reeves, John McGrath, Charlie Wayman, Steve Mills, Austin Hayes and many many more. Come and join in what will be a dignified, peaceful statement. I gather Mary Corbett will be there. I am sure her father would have been proud and totally agreed with the stand we are making. Rgds Duncan

This too I can broadly accept Frank. Like you say had Rupert approached things differently rather than try and hoodwink us with the Dutch total football dream even I would have shut up or at least given it a chance. We all would have, I suspect because we all accept the financial situation. Trouble is I am so suspicious of him I just can't believe him and when the rumours started about his involvement in playing matters such as team selection I immediately grow concerned. And then you see his behaviour at the AGM (ie that letter reading) and you realise you just can't get behind him - or I can't anyway. He is his own worse enemy which is a shame.

Bern I give you my word the next good thing I hear about Lowe, I will post.

Bernard - I don't know whether I am more flattered or piqued by you equating my influence alongside Lowe's. I don't post to be helpful or otherwise. I post what I am told and believe. Just because the club is desperate for unity does not mean I should hold back from posting what is I believe to be truthful. Would you rather the truth be pushed under the carpet in the name of unity? If you do then the validity of anything you say is severly undermined. By the way are you going to Watford? I am and we could meet for a pint if you like?

Tell me about it. I was watching one of those old "Big Matches" from the 70s this afternoon, swaying terraces, muddy pitches and no shirt sponsorship. Those days are long gone and like those drunken nights up the Top Rank they will never come back. What we have now is a pathetic quisling, a bad example of what a public school education can produce and.. well I don't know about Leon to be honest, I am starting to blow hot and cold to be frank, but in the absence of a decent alternative................................

Tbh - I wouldn't say I was a great fan of Crouch - some of his PR when he took over was toe-curling and I can understand how he gets up some peoples noses but when you read things like this I realise more people would unite behind him than the other two. http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/news/4083906.Local_business_community_would_back_Leon__reckons_Dossie/

You are quite correct to point that out. My mistake - now you know why I have to pay David Bull a small fortune to edit my books!!

Certainly with you on the Saints Trust Richard. However the unhappiness at this club has only manifested itself since it became a PLC and I would advocate or wish a return to the days when it was run as a football club. How we do that I don't know, unless the fans come up with something which is where I am basically coming from. In yester year the club was actually run by fans albeit of the "country gentry type" and looking back it does make you wonder how a bunch of amateurs (because that was all they were) managed to do such a good job. George Reader who was Chairman when we won the Cup was an ex-referee and a school teacher while of course John Corbett and Co could hardly be classified as hard nosed business men. They were fans and they succeded to an extent. Now I will climb out behind my big chip and politely answer Mark aka Jonah as to where I expected us to be this season. When Pearson kept us up, I confidently expected him to do the same this year and with all the positive noises emanating out of SMS re how he had galvanised the place it was an realistic expectation. As soon as I heard Lowe was coming back my expectations plummeted and we are exactly where I though we would be. A disunited, disgruntled, very unhappy club in a relegation position. I appreciate this current financial crisis is much more the fault of the post-Lowe era thanks to the wanton behaviour of the execs and naivity on the part of the non-execs, but Lowe had had his day and made his own mistakes and in coming back, he only made a fragile situation even worse. Crouch claims to have had things under control before he was removed, stating the banks etc were more than happy with him at the helm. Of course he would say that wouldn't he but to my way of thinking he is the best of 3 evils, if only because he is (just about) the least hated (or put it another way the emotions surrounding him run at a lower temperature). I would be happy to see all of them disentangle themselves from the club forever because it seems the fans will never truly unite behind anyone who has been involved in running the club over the last decade. But who will come in? You can forget Salz and Co because they have turned their back on the club it seems just when we needed them most. Who wants a mercenary foreign investor? No thanks. Who then? The only answer really is the fans themselves which is where I came in. Far from ideal and fraught with potential problems but the only viable solution in my eyes. This club is on the eve of destruction to quote a 60s classic. That is not being over dramatic - it really is - can we really afford to argue about the pros and cons of fan ownership at such a time. Radical times call for radical solutions.

An interesting debate, gentlemen and one I am reluctant to join so late but while I understand points made on both sides we all have to admit that the current set up (which Jonah is urging us to rally behind) has been an mitigated disaster which shows no sign of ever improving. Whille I am against fans being on Boards or running the club on a day to day basis I do think the crux of the matter is the word ownership. If the club is owned by fans who then chose the professionals to run it it would sure as hell cut out a lot of the arguments and mud slinging you get on here. It would be far from perfect, fraught with difficulty and Buccotim's point about the fiver on this forum has not gone unnoticed but ,when all said and done, what we have at present is a big enough argument to embrace alternative methods.

Well whatever Ponty - you must protect your source but if JP intended to resign when he woke up Friday morning then Rupert Lowe is God's gift to humility.

There's a great photo I have got of Graham Poll pulling out his card with Dave Beasant restraining Micky Adams with Fox recieving treatment on the ground and the Milton Terrace in the background. Why I never put it in ITN I'll never know.

there's that razor sharp intellect and amazing recall coming to the fore. You are of course right and the winner of tonghts star prize - a framed photograph of Lawrie and the Cup