Miltonaggro

If you look at previous interactions and grievences between football clubs (including what looks like a breach of the CMA in the hacking case between Liverpool and Man City) there is a reason why things have been typically settled internally, mutually, or out of court - because all top tier clubs do such things, and will go to ground and implement omerta if accused of it. Taking the ex-players with him to sign fan autographs as an entourage and attempting to chum up to Gibson and his cronies was frankly ridiculous for the CEO of a club the size and history of Southampton.

I think if Solak was on the mettle he would have flown in and been sat in a room with Salt the day the story broke. Then 'protected' him by advising on the commercial and personal realities of the football world and getting him to agree to a settlement with an NDA, perhaps the opportunity to broaden his horizons via Goztepe - nice apartment, company car, in the sunshine for a couple of years. PR along the lines of 'poor enthusiastic lad acted in error, but doesn't deserve to ruin his burgeoning career with likes of us and Euro champs Aston Villa.' Then dealt with the other internals who knew further up the chain, before directing his ire at his steward - the hapless Parsons. Nothing done by Saints in this sorry episode is 'criminal' it is all 'business', sharp practice maybe, but business. My feeling is a game of golf and drinks at the villa took precedent and a wave of the hand that the man he pays handsomely to act as a barrier to this kind of crisis could hold the fort. He failed, catastrophically!

With Cortese we could have relied on the horses head in Gibbo's bed treatment.

Word! It's probably against our human rights and that, isn't it...

Very good thoughtful post SFCam. Emotions are running so high last few days, and despite differences of opinion in terms of reaction within fanbase, we all want to come out of this fighting - let's hope Dragan Solak feels the same. Up the fucking Saints!

Absolutely pathetic and so Sport Republic...

Should have been 8am.

Odds on there will be this morning!

Time is now right for the triumphant return of NikNak and the high-tech sports science approach:

Base, yet again...

Mark Dennis is more of an Andrew Marvell man. Also, like Blake and Marvell, a right handful after six pints.

If that is what he said he was incredibly naive in attempting to appeal to Gibson and cronies ‘better nature’ - pathetic from a CEO.

Beautiful Turkish, poetic. I actually felt sorry for Aston Villa last night, knowing that their model is so deeply flawed.

If the farce in the Middlesbrough hospitality with Gibson has been reported accurately, allied to the cavalier approach to the Panel, the man is inept and should be fired by Solak today.

Nailed on. When he should have been removed after Jones and Selles.