Frank's cousin

Fos, was not saying YOU are the spreader of gossip, but I just dont get why Crouch would tell us about this if he is involved in any difficult discussions... surely you and FF can see how it can look contrived to at this sensitive time to have this 'positive PR' released? It may simply be the ultimate in cynicism, but I just cant trust these guys: any of them. Lowe's incompetent decisions and awful communication, Wildes bull, and Crouch -who seems according to some to be too good to be true, certainly from a PR perspective - Sorry Duncan, you say he is 'quiet man' but what of all the criticism on here when he first came on the scene? Those of you out there that can still not understand that this is not and has never been a 'if you're not with us, you're against us' eg, just because you question and have issues with one side does NOT FECKING mean you support the other, I give up, you are obviously not prepared to see this in that way so insult me all you like, but if you expect any respect for your opinions that has to work both ways..

Uhm ... although possibly correct from a few Nick... I think we have to move on from this. We are constantaly TOLD that the preudiced bunch is a tiny tiny minority and that most are simply responding to his actions during the last 4 years or so... My issues with Crouch are actually more similar to my original issues with Wilde - rhetoric with no substance designed to get in with fans. Fans who are desperate form some good news delivered in a 'fan friendly' way after years of Lowe's appaling communication and decisions... easy pickings for a wiley and PR savy bloke. Thats not to say I would not want him to succeed if he was back again - just wish he'd shut up with the platitudes and do whats necessary no matter how unpopular....

Its just gossip or 'planted gossip' If you ask me. Its easy for Crouch to 'let slip' he has done this or done that when its all completely impossible to substantiate.... its simple PR/spin as Crouch has always been a master of the silver tongue and getting fans 'onside' - If there was ever any substance to what he said, he might be a darn good chairman, but so far its been hot air and fan friendly rhetoric - He would get alot more respect by telling it as it is rather than more of the same 'look at me, I am a real fan and understand you all' stuff....

Have to aadmit, Merrington is showing himself to be a bit daft on that front - I know playesr are not all Mensa candidates but I am sure they can understand that the title is less important than the role and responsibilty - afterall 40 years ago teh manager used to book the coach to away games and hotels - are we saying we should bring that back? Afterall its 'traditional'...

No the criteris for a good chairman is if Alpine says he is...

The short answer is he does not - if he has spoken with an Out of work manager, he is entitled to do so, but not as a a rep of the club, if hes spoken to someone currently in a job or to their chairman, has he now become an agent?

Alps in insult shocker! FFS grow up - why is everything with you seen as a points scoring exercise? Smacks of insecurities and 'issues'. You have failed to grasp a simple concept - at the end of last season we were pretty much united behind the TEAM to avoid relegation, that did not mean we were all happy with what Crouch was doing. Crouch may well be better in some folks eyes that what we have right now, but that does not make him suddenly the best possible option long term. that is a point of view held by many.

Problem is irrespective of LOwe and Wilde out teh picture, Crouch does not hold all the answers and he certainly does not unite everyone - nor did he last time.

Sadly there is alot more wrong with the club than Rupert Lowe - if it was as simply as removing him and all would be wonderful, it would be easy...

That easy to say.... I would love to be able to have any confidence in this - really I would, if only to justify the faith/belief/hope I had at the start of the season - and yes in an ideal and fair world we would all give him the chance, but this is not appointment number 1 of 'the untried at this level' type, but number 4 and with 3 failures behind us there is simply no confidence left to draw on... The problem is obvious. I have NO problem in the concept of employing a young inexperienced coach who has passion and enthusiasm and a love for the club - but for this to succeed you need time - several seasons/years to really develop. Quite simply,the pressures and complexities of the modern game at the top levels dont allow the luxury of time no matter how much the intentions are good or the logic in the 'slow build' approach -there is is simply too much resting on it.

Surely the only issue should be what he does... if he continues to feck up we will be in the mire for years to come....

Speculation on TalkShiete this morning was that the kettering boss was 'in the frame' for teh 'vacant' role... so feck knows whats going on

Re the timing - needed o be done really before the weekend to hopefully give Wotte time with the squad befor tuesday...A decent bloke, with god ideas on how e game should be played, but not able to put that into practice at this level - would make a good academy director/coach IMHO, but not a first teamer.

LOL, cheers for lifting the gloom a little!

The mrs had me trawling shops this morning looking at new showers for the bathroom...joy of joys, and also forced me to listen to Radio 2 in the car. Luckily I managed to convince of the importance of getting some footie fix and was able to turn over to 5Live to listen to a bit of Ketterging town doing their bit.... It did bring back a few memories. Back in April 2003, Villa Park....I can still see it all in slow motion, Mazza has broken forward and taken the ball on a one-two, cuts in a little but is deep towards the byline and dinks in a perfect little ball as the Brettmonster times his run perfectly and Saints go one up. The Roar, the joy as I tunred to the Mrs and we hugged, I turned around an hugged some strange ugly bloke in a saints shirt as we jumped up and down, and generally made embarrassing noise. It was a defining moment - It was going to be our day and for me the elation of our fans that day knowing we were going to Cardiff as we left the ground was deserved - because we were the the 'small' cub made good. We had shiney new stadium, a good manager and it seemed the good times were well and truely about to begin. Most fan sites at the time focussed on dicussing the football, and despite a tiny few stuck in the Ragged Trousered Philantropist timewarp Lowe was afforded a gruding respect - Even during the Gray debacle, the shouts around SMS were not of 'Lowe Out' but of 'are you watching Rupert Lowe'... we wanted him to take action. I was proud of our club and proud of the fact we had done this without risky debt, living within our means, had a good academy set up - the future looked bright, the future looked red and white and Lowe DESERVED some credit for this and I was happy to give it to him as were many. Last weekend saw fans fighting fans as we struggle to maintain our status in the second tier, the 1st team kids, lacking the experience to compete too often, despite their desire and obvious promise. HOw we got here is a minefield of negative variables, mistakes, rumour, gossip and speculation, and to be honest its been debated so many times and by all of us that we are probably all sick to the teeth of it. The FACT remains we are here and it looks bleak. But hey, ever the optimist, I have defended the indefensible, stuck my neck out and tried to see the cons AND pros in the decision made given the perilous financial circumstances, I have called for open minds to give things a chance and to urge fans to at the very least appreciate that despite the concerns, there was logic in these decisions.... I have taken a lot of flak for it too, unjustly in my view, but I'm old and ugly enough not to give to much of a feck about that.... BUt then comes yesterday, did not leave work until about 7.30pm and have a 2 hour drive - 5Live on and the news...JP has resigned...feck me! I would like to go on record and say I feel sorry for him.. a decent intelligent guy who likes to play the game as it should - those early season games showed our kids looking good - the results must surely come... dignified yet out of his depth. So he fell on his sword (or Crouch paid him off - I can do conspiracy too...;-)). OK, thank feck, Lowe about to finally do something positive... Wotte in charge for Tuesday and then Dowie or someone coming in to giveus the fight....Got home a bit just after nine, Sky sports news bar...Wotte named as successor.... Wotte de feck? Mr Lowe How on earth do you expect even the most mild mannered rational balanced fans who ahve tried to see positives in actions to provide some semblence of reality to understand the logic in that? Surely, you must see that what we needed was someone like Dowie, experienced in this division and a low risk option that would have had the added benefit of if not unifying, at least rallying some more fans to the relegation scrap? Wotte de feck are you thinking? Sure money is tight, but cant you see that not only have you simply shuffled the pack and simply increased the risk of relegation, but done absolutely nothing to inspire fans for a relegation fight. There is only so much we can take. Despite the crap I get, I have always tried to present the pros in what many believe are your most bizzare and oft foolhardy decisions - why? Because there WERE some to many of them and I believe its only right that they got an airing so it was not about the anti's propoganda which often portrayed speculation and gossip as fact. But I have drawn a blank on this one... I simply find nothing in this decision that under the present circumstances is logical or defensible. Thanks a lot. In the words of mr Lydon 'ever get the feeling you've been cheated' - well I and I would guess many of us 'balanced' fans do now. As a fan, its my duty to hope beyond hope that somehow Mr Wotte manages to perform a miracle in the face of all logic, but the odds are so set against that, division 1 seems a cert... and thats from me, mr bloody optimistic... As a fan I hope you stick two fingures up to me come seasons end for ever doubting it was the right move... I realy do, for the good of the club, but I am resigned to league 1 right now and its ****ing me off... I simply cant imagine why you did this...and can only conclude that its ineptitude.

Thanks for the concise and clear account CS. I do think that is where Lowe HAS probably been smart in that I am speculating based on the last audited accounts that we dont have any footballing debts (or at least minimal) so I dont think we would fall fowl of the dreaded -17 on top of the -10 for admin...?

wages utilities insurance police/service costs tax vat paye suppliers

Is it me or does Harry actually look convincing as an aging women - one who was has not been blessed in the looker stakes?

Did look like we were clear of that as of last audited accounts - Lowe is known for his wanting to keep aged debt to a minimum...

Sorry, I know that you know that, but its dont stop some ignoring it...;-)

Have we at the very least in that time reduced the rate of losses, or are we still losing money? because that seems to be the problem, because in effect there comes atime when we have no choice if trading whilst insolvement...?

The others could be quite funny - this would be just plan idiocy - to compare what Hitler did versus running of a football club could only be done by someone who has no idea of the evil that man did.

Its what I have been saying for some time, but be careful - this will be considered 'lowe-luvie' speak from some quarters ;-)

I suspect though that we really only owe Aviva and Barclays, so can you see them accepting a CVA?

Sorry Rich did not see your answer to this already... thanks by the way.