saint1977

If you are right about no takers @ 15p a share - and chances are you are right - then administration is looking odds on, unless it's a hours-to-go SISU job as with Coventry. Really difficult to see how things can move forward and that's from someone who still goes - there could be a fans consultation available online on the OS - Cowan has tended to be a bit more fan-friendly. I think Wilde is the real problem here (& Askham involved again), I actually don't have huge problems with Lowe but Wilde lost any trust or respect of the fans that he had. Basically, there needs to be some bridges built but even then, I just think the board are out of their depth.

It's not been a bad first post-Warne season which was always going to be tough. Awful start but oddly, since Terry went the performances have been excellent and Tahir takes a lot of the credit as well, let's hope we can get him for next season. Ervine got his confidence back with the bat and Dimi with bat and ball. Great effort in the Pro-40 but would like to see Hants have more of a go at 20/20.

Great post Phil and agree with pretty much everything in your post. Trouble is, I think we've even sunk below that level and I think that the major shareholders need to cut their losses for 15-20p a share - they haven't got the clout to get the club out of the woods and even if we stay up in 21st position this season, it'll be groundhog day for next season as Lallana and Mills (if his debut is anything to go by) will be gone along probably with Kelvin and the academy will have to be significantly downsized. We don't need a billionaire, just a group that can stop the academy from being decimated, pay a decent manager decent wages and make modest investment in the first XI. Moreover, we need a group that understand what Saints fans want (we're not Chelsea, Man City, we want a team with spirit and one that competes), has charisma and can get bums on seats again. Personally, I'd be happy being a solvent CCC club pushing for the top 6 with gates around the 25k mark.

1-up front is not helping us, if we'd started with 2-up I think we'd have won although it was a poor performance. What was weird was JP sticking with 1-up when we were trailing to Blackpool. Still, can't be too critical of the bloke as it's an impossible job.

None of them - bar Crouch IMO - have ever been Saints fans.

Lowe was a good Chairman 1997-2003 IMO but is past his sell by date and Askham has NEVER done anything for SFC accept take money out of it (reverse takeover). I won't even mention Branfoot. Wilde has gone one better and ****ed it up in TWO seperate regimes. None of them are any good for SFC anymore - time to get rid, the empty seats are a vote of no confidence and I could see their point yesterday, it was an awful game between two teams that are odds on to go down. The atmosphere was like the biodiversity in Lake Erie - ie dead. Michael Vaughan was also a good cricket captain for a number of years but stood down when he was clearly past it. Time for our board to do the same, they won't get more than 20p a share for an insolvent business.

Top, top post. Askham and cronies are on borrowed time and they know it. It's a phony war at the moment before either a genuine bid or administration which is otherwise inevitable within weeks.

As fans we're in this together but I really couldn't care less if Askham doesn't get to cream off any more money or Wilde loses cash - not my problem. I'm going to SMS so comfortable with that contribution. Wilde and Askham taking big cuts in the values of their shares is what will attract buyers - even in a credit crunch - and prevent admin. Fortunately, it isn't Guy' decision any more, it's Barclays' and if an offer comes in that the bank feels takes SFC forward and makes it sustainable - the youth policy isn't because the current board cannot even afford to run the academy at anywhere near the current size - it's bye bye to this board.

I think it's financial pressure that will make him bail out - GM has made some postings indicating Wilde's businesses weren't going so hot and that was BEFORE the economy had really nosedived. He can't afford to lose the lot and if he bails, it's crunch time.

Even at Norwich, the insurance billionaire taking them over wouldn't pay over the odds and Delia wanted to make sure he had the best interests of the club at heart. People will not pay over 15-20p a share for an insolvent business - were we not a football club we'd have been in a CVA some time ago. Askham and Wilde have been asking for silly money and they are the people killing SFC - not the fan and not the stay-away fan either. Lowe would get out at 20p a share I reckon, for his faults he understands business but it's Guy's decision and not his. I'm not sure Rupert knew just how impossible a job he was taking on, ditto JP and Wotte. There are only 2 outcomes left now and we'll find out soon - low price takeover before the bank pulls the plug or adminstration. I know which "option" I prefer.

It is clear that this club needs money. If people think that depriving the club of money will further its success, then so be it - exactly but you have the wrong target LGS. It won't get anything from Askham and Wilde, despite the huge wealth Askham made after putting nowt in. How's the £2m coming along Mike? I still go but after the diabolical performance yesterday and persistent wrangling at boardroom level, I can understand why many long-time attenders have lost patience. Anyway, the bank won't tolerate the current situation much longer either and bar Lallana and Davis, there ain't much left to sell: Thus one of two options are left 1) Wilde and Askham (remember Lowe is only a 6% part of a 24% proxy, Lowe is merely Askham's figurehead as the old coward doesn't like taking stick. That's why I retain a modicum of respect for Rupert) take a low offer before the bank swoops 2) We are put into administratio and certain League 1 next season and God only knows what happens. I've consistently heard that this has not been far away, particularly if the other clubs at the bottom pull away from us in the next few games which is already happening. People can argue all they like about stay-away fan and customer service but the reality is that we are approaching crunch time and as fan we can only watch and wait. Wilde and co. are in very weak position right now.

I think that there are interested parties and that they are going to do to Wilde and Askham what SISU did to Coventry - wait until 24 hours before we go into adminstration and put in an offer at 15-20p a share. The bank will tell Wilde and Askham to take it or they pull the plug. If that doesn't happen, the Bank can see that the fans have no confidence in the board - even SMS attenders like me - and the club will put us into admin and then attempt to buy bck for peanuts as Bates did at Leeds. We must hope if that happens that we have an administrator that will preven that happening and make that sure SFC is properly capitalised and invested in at last.

The Bank, Wilde and Askham - in that order. At the moment, Barclays will be watching closely. If a lower offer comes in that potentially takes the business forward, Wilde and Askham will have to take it or administration comes. We're very close to that point now - there's going to be a resolution soon one way or the other.

Mourinho or Ferguson couldn't keep this lot in the CCC - what chance is Jan supposed to have? It isn't just the team or the finances, the club is like a rotten pear and anyone who takes the SMS manager's job until the club is taken over needs their head examining. I don't like JP playing one up front at home but give the guy a break, it's a pig of a job.

So had I but Lowe is helpless now - Wilde cannot afford to lose the whole 25% for nowt so a low offer and he'll cave in. Askham would do the same and Lowe would have to follow . If gates and results continue to slump - and they will with only 5 CCC calibre players in the squad, administration is weeks and perhaps only days away and desperation creeps in. I believe that by the end of next month we'll have a better picture but Fulthorpe/other parties will wait for now and force a deal at the 11th hour.

Which is why they would wait until the last minute. Askham would be put out of the picture including Lowe if Wilde panicked as I think he will. Also, if the young lads could stay within 10 points of safety by January, the new owners could bring in 10-15 CCC quality players to supplement Lallana, Killer (if fit), Davis and John and have a go at staying up without the -15 point penalty of administration. I cannot see that Wilde or anyone else on the board has the £20-25m to keep the club afloat and keep the academy at it's current level, administration is inevitable unless we are bought cheaply at the last minute and it could be a matter of weeks, perhaps even days.

Askham and Wilde have never got behind the club so they have to take responsibility. I think administration is very close now and I wouldn't be surprised if there was a last-ditch Coventry/SISU type sale at a knock-down price so Wilde doesn't lose the whole lot.

Left for a friend's to have a beer long before the end, only Lallana looked capable today, Davis and the back 4 had very little to do. 2 more defeats and I think the board may opt for administration, Wilde hasn't got any capital and a 20p a share offer soon from an interested party and I think he'll weaken rather than lose the lot. Askham's proxy would then be divided. A takeover needs to happen quickly now to avoid administration - it's the only way. Fulthorpe - time to put your cards on the table or step aside.

Fundamentally correct but many of us do not believe that Wilde or Lowe represents an improvement on Crouch (and Wilde..). It's more of the same and the recent revealation that Askham - who is scum and the most hated figure in SFC history - is involved again sent a shiver down my spine. I'm going still to SMS because I won't stop because of Askham but I still don't like sharing a stadium with the likes of Guy Askham who has destroyed OUR club.

I agree with 95% of your post John although Blackstock has been kicked up the backside by Dowie and hence he is now producing what we knew he was capable of and not coming into pre-season training a bloater. Mills was a shame, ignored by Redtoss and played out of position by Beerley. Results are paramount however although the objective is different to our other CCC seasons - staying up, so the results are relative. We NEED our first home win on Saturday as Barnsley are fellow strugglers and Simon Davey is under real pressure up there. Having given Blackpool 3 easy points, we cannot slip up in another home 6-pointer. The other thing is that the likes of Blackpool, Donny, Barnsley (wage cap as have been in admin) and others still have less resources than SFC even with us nearly kaput so our league performance still needs to improve a bit - we can do it if we play like we did V Brum in the League Cup. If we don't win Saturday, we are in real trouble as League 1 = administration. The other key is investment, without that, the academy WILL have to be significantly downsized and I know that for a fact and I don't say that often on here. Investment is the only way we can survive at CCC level with our overheads, even with the summer reductions and people really have to understand that. I'm not even talking about spending money on better players or being flash, that would only come with bigger investment and dare I say it, a takeover....

It was. Need 3 points Saturday though - Barnsley are dreadful and if even this Saints side can't beat them at home it's curtains to our CCC stay. In fact both teams have won only 1 league game this season and it was against Derby!

Nail. Hit. Head. Midweek games either result in being late due to coming in from another location across the South East - the most gridlocked region in the UK - and coming into Britain's most congested city (Southampton since London got the C-Charge) - doesn't help. As ever, it'll be a Saints goal I miss and not the opposition's! It's a wonder anyone comes into Soton for anything other than football, unless you enjoy traffic jams (my other half enjoys West Quay I suppose). Getting out is easier for midweek games than it used to be though. Saturday games are far easier - park in Woolston at a friend's place and bus over and a 5-10 min walk. Can't really do that unless I'm working locally for midweek games.

Can see your point TDD but pre-Sky clubs like Saints, Norwich and others could finish in the top 4 or 4 and get European spots. Post-Sky this diminshed a bit but also clubs like Saints were held back by infrastructure (eg stadium and bits around it that make money) which couldn't catch up with the Sky money. Still, Saints, Charlton, Coventry (until Bryan Richardson wasted huge wages on rubbish) and others could finish in or around the PL top half (or just stay up) - SFC 12th 1997/8 and 10th 2000/1 on 15k gates. There's NO way that good management, a youth system and clever coaching could do that now, the Skates can only do it at Farton bankrolled by a right bunch of dodgers (just like their manager really, no wonder Harry and Sacha get on). After 2003, it's become impossible with the wage inflation and huge gulf between resources. Chelsea and Man City are miles ahead of Man U, Liverpool and Arsenal - the latter can only compete on prestige, not wages. The rest might as well be in the CCC the gulf is so huge. Chelsea had done very little to suggest they were a super club bar the early 70s and have spent most of my adult life in the old Div 2. Not only that, the focus is very rarely on the game and often resembles a weekly edition of the FT - that's what most of us go to football for, to leave that cr@p at work!

Cheers for the advice guys, I've also had a work contact who is very skilled offer to look at it today. I'm fully comp as is the other guy but the the accident was partly my fault as well so I'm not going to hit him for the full amount but he is contributing quite a bit. He wants to preserve his NCB and I could do without the paperwork of the insurance so it suits everyone.

Yep, Tahir could be the new Mushtaq of South Coast County Cricket - at the Rose Bowl this time - and is living proof that English batsmen haven't got a clue how to play legspin. I think that the subcontinent and the Aussies develop better spinners as they enhance the attributes a young spinner has whereas in England the dreaded MCC coaching manual comes out and the individuality that gets good players out is lost as well as the "mystery". Would Warne have ever emerged if he was English, let alone Mendis of Sri Lanka? Also, the pitches are so ruddy orientated for crappy medium-pace seamers that if a young wrist-spinner drags one down and gets hit for 4 in his first over, the skipper turns straight away back to his 35 year old 74mph plodder.