Fitzhugh Fella

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

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.