Fitzhugh Fella

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

very soon I was told last night

Constructive dismissal then?

yep has it ever happend at home?

Last night was the first time --- --- --- for the Saints in an away match. Fill in the missing 3 words.

Then why, 2 days before, tell the Echo he was going to redouble his efforts for the remainder of the season?

If JP announced he had not resigned but had been pushed (as I think the majority suspect) could not the club be in hot water for releasing a falsehood to the stock market? Just a thought.

I am inclined to agree Richard. The only thing I will say was Crouch had less time and he had to deal with the Execs but when all said and done the sooner someone new comes in the better but... is that likely?

I think someone is actively working on something similar.

Rather than snipe or split hairs from the sidelines Ron, perhaps you could provide evidence that Lowe DID contribute to the ex-directors box. Posts like the one you just made do not convince me of your impartiality.

You optimist Andy.

I don't know whether to weep or cry.

How about going on holiday twice in the same month that the transfer window is open and he has sacked a manager

Nick you really should think before posting sometimes - I know you do not intentionally offend but some fact finding would stand you in good stead. Around this time John Corbett (servant and saviour on many times of the club since 1936) was an ill old man who was taken advantage of by Askham and Co, who "allegedly" tried to swindle him out of his shares. He certainly was not up to voicing his concerns.

Petrified of Lowe and his team of lawyers I'm afraid.

Its snowing in the Alps so someone has had a good day

Mark - you may have missed a reply I posted a week or two back when I apologised to you for getting it wrong re Wilde. I admitted I had been far too quick to welcome Wilde (and I am sure Mary would too have some regrets as hindsight is a wonderful thing) but you have to remember who created the climate that, at the time made us feel like drowning men clutching at straws. When you're fighting to keep your head above water a drowning man does not check the seaworthiness of the lifeboat. I am pretty sure Mary no longer has aspirations to once again serve as a director of SFC so we need not judge her competence on that score. What she has proved today is unlike some who continue to slither and hide behind the nearest stone (Askham and Wilde) she is at least prepared to put her head above the parapet. She does this because she is a fan who is concerned at the directiion the club is going. If you met her you would soon see that. She did not ask to inherit her father's shares and I have never heard her claim to have any rights because of it. If you and I had inherited a similar windfall you and I would have been as keen as her to have had the chance to get involved and I daresay we would have made mistakes - but they would have been genuinely made.

well Nick I was told by the horse's mouth so to speak and short of calling Mary a liar - which I am sure you wouldn't do - I think we had better take her version of events.

No this mutual friend has a holiday home near the French south coast but Mary did not go there. They had the conversation at a wedding they both intended. Mary is pretty upset by this misapprehension. It is awkward for her too because she does not want to compromise her friend. I hope this clears things up.

I have spoken personally to Mary re the whole Paul Allen scenario. In a nutshell Tom McLaughlin ™ approached the club and said PA was interested in investing in Southampton and was acting on his behalf. Checks were made and it was established that TM had in the past acted for PA (aircraft leasing) and therefore he was considered to be legit. Before long the execs went cold on the idea once they found out there was nothing in it for them. That meant TM was shunned - even to the point the execs refused him hospitality and he and another had to pay to enter SMS through the turnstiles. Mary, Leon and Co still believed TM could deliver but were frustrated by the facts the execs wanted to scupper the deal. As time went on suspicions grew that TM was not exactly kosher but contrary to reports Mary did not get on any aircraft or make any approaches to PA. She did have a friend however who knew PA slightly and she asked this friend to keep his ear out to see if PA's interest was genuine. Leon and Pat Trant called a meeting with TM who assured them he was still intent on delivering PA. Leon and Pat then paid him a sum of money by way of commission from their own accounts, but within a fortnight TM had reneged on promises and they lost their money. In the end things got nasty with TM which a lot on here can understand. The only thing you could possible level at Leon, Mary and Co is they were sucked in but there again so were most of the fans.