Turtle

in response to nineteen canteen... (can't be arsed to "quote" the whole diatribe again.... saves space!) You do speak very well, apart from the fact that your case against the lowe out brigade fails to recognise the limitations of the lowe administration - where you are very clear on the limitations of those other who tried (and failed) to deliver something different to the "prudent" and "experimental" approach lowe prefers. People do business in different ways. Some succeed against the odds (and despite some decisions). Some fail despite having seemingly sound business plans. The issue we have here is not as black and white as ANY of you paint it. My main concern over the running of SFC is in that the model of having a PLC with large shareholders leasds to a belief that those people who could "afford" to buy enough shares can put themselves into the position of running a multi-million pound business. How many PLC's can you name where the major shareholders feel they are the best people to run the business on a day to day basis? Very few, I would summise? Just because you can afford to buy shares, should not lead you to believe you have the right skills and decision making ability to run something like a football club. All the major shareholders (and prospective ones) should take a step out of the boardroom and appoint (through advertising and interview) a team who can run the company with clear objectives (measurable) and some level of acountability to the shareholders. This is how good governance works. The shareholders call to account those who run the business. My personal preference would be for all the major shareholders to declare themselves unfit to be "on the board" and maybe even to sell their shares at today's prices to a local community body that would keep a watchful eye over those in charge. The football club should be at the centre of the community and not used as a rich man's plaything. It should be inclusive to the people on the street and be accountable to the people of Southampton. We are unlikely to rid ourselves of the PLC status that the reverse takeover brought to us, unless someone very rich decides they can't get a good enough return on their money with interest rates being so low. One final thing about Mary Corbett's "interview" on Hants Radio - she speaks much sense, but fails to spot the flaw in seeking Fulthorpe/Cousins to step in. They too are fans with a small amount of money and little proof of any business accumen. We would be stepping out of yet another frying pan and into yet another inferno should these two be sucessful in ousting the present board. My personal experience of at least one of these people would bring to the conclusion that we would not be getting quite what we would be being sold! Our club is failing and will continue to do so whilst any of the major protaganists remain involved.

Stay away! ;-)

FWIW - I think another march would attract more people and be even more effective - people definitley stayed away this time around thinking it would be aggressive and another excuse for "rent a mob" and chorley and co to take the limelight. if the people of Southampton get fed up with the disruption, then the pressure will be felt all the more within the council and businesses for them to recognise the need to apply pressure to lowe and co.

;-) :-p

Grand Plan. JP out RL to manage the team.

There are many examples of companies being run by experts in the boardroom and not just the largest shareholders. Why do people assume that the people holding sway over the majority of the shares should be Chairman etc..... One thing Wilde got right when he first ousted Lowe was to realise he was not the right person to Chair SLH. His selection turned out to be flawed, but he accepted that the best person to run the club on a day to day basis was not himself as the largest shareholder. We could have completely different people in the Boardroom, people who know the business of football, and not a single shareholder amongst them. Lowe, Crouch, Wilde and all the other "large" shareholders should realise this and get in a team who know how to keep the business on an even keel whilst still being able to "speculate to accumulae". Its this balance that has been missing with the recent administrations.... one is too "prudent" and the other was too "bullish".....

When Derby appointed Clough jnr recently, it was lauded as a brave but exciting move - one that would at least lead to a more united fan base and give the mangement more time to put in place their own system (put things right, in their own words) I think given our current situation, we could only aspire to get someone like Nick Holmes in. We couldn't afford anyone like Billy Davies, Ady Boothroyd or even Nigel Pearson (as if he'd come back!)... I think NH is a great option for getting some unity at SFC, but this could only happen with Rupert gone. If Derby can appoint Nigel Clough, then Saints can appoint Nick Holmes