Saint Fan CaM

You are talking about one of next seasons top players there I hope you realise!

Unfortunately that's pretty much how I see it, although we might get a lucky last minute goal to force a draw. It will not be good enough.

So by inference, he has been told he will not stay if we're relegated??? I am not his biggest fan TBF, but even I would prefer some continuity of management or its a case of here we go again - another chance for Lowe to ****-up a managerial appointment. And I agree with Channons Sideburns - there are the first signs that the better playing staff will be leaving us. If we thought this season team was full of youngsters, I think we'll be seeing a lot of Academy players in L1 next season. I can almost smell the almightly uproar of disatisfaction that will come crashing down on Lowe and Wotte should we go down.

Completely different set of circumstances (and I suspect you know this). Crouch did not INVEST money to the club - he bought shares to attempt to take some control over a failing regime in desperation because he cares for the club. Things have moved substantively on since then as I am sure you are aware. This club has needed serious investment for years. How much has Lowe secured in his time? None. Why will no individual invest MONEY into Saints? Because there is little hope of return on investment in our current state. Why will no-one buy cheap shares in the club? Because (a) we're close to administration (thanks Lowe) and (b) they will need to spend a significant amount of money to gain control (thanks to the PLC set-up by Lowe) and then spend even more money sorting out the financial mess (thanks Lowe) before sorting out the playing and coaching staff shambles (thanks Lowe). Sorry, but your hopes for a white knight coming along are ill-founded - the PLC and general financial health of the company are seeing to that. Lowe and Co are going nowhere unless administration forces them out. It's a depressing and thoroughly disheartening prospect, but this club is on its knees with only two possible outcomes - administration or win a higher % of games in the seven remaining than at any time since being relegated. And even the latter course may not ultimately save the club....we might still see administration and/or a fire sale in the summer of 'assets'.

Mmm, can I have some of your pills please?

Frankly I am gobsmacked that there are so many people with enough money to splash around on such a luxury - perhaps they're all bankers! I kind of understand Alpines point - the SMS pitch is not a municipal play park - its supposedly a professional footballing stadium. In some way it sort of cheapens the stadium experience in a way - i.e. if it was not so special, why would people pay that much? And after doing so, does it become less special or less magic because there's no mystery or gravitas to SMS? Never the less, if it's all done after the end of the season then I guess there's no harm done really. And Lord knows, the club needs the cash.

I applaude what is probably one of the best factual summaries I have seen on this forum. Great post! :smt038:smt038:smt038

Where have you been for the last 10 years?!? The reason no-one would be willing to invest is because the club is a PLC with loads of shareholders who could all gain from the investment and the investor would see little return for (unless they had millions to throw away in a moment of philanthropic madness). It ain't going to happen - EVER! The only way anyone other than the idiots running the show right now will get involved, is if the PLC goes into administration. That's not to say its a good thing as such or that we should be wishing it on the club etc., but it is nevertheless a fact. Nobody in their right mind would throw good money after bad given the current regime. Better to wait for administration and then invest in a club that has had the equivalent of a thorough colonic irrigation to flush out the cr&p! IMHO.

Well its all debatable and hearsay of course, however I think it would be a little more than deckchair movements. I did not say there was NO money - like now - just there would not be big money. Plus if Lowe was no longer around disaffected supporters might come back - more money in the coffers. Other benefits will also be seen - like re-focus on a smaller better squad perhaps? If we beat the drop it will be despite Lowe's policy and strategy IMHO. I think your 75% is way over the mark - more like 40% chance based on even the last 7-8 games.

I have recently been told by a reasonable source that there are interested parties waiting to swoop if administration happens (take it or leave it - it's just a whisper from an ex-player who still keeps one eye on the club). They will not make themselves known until this happens though as it would not make sense to break cover. There is not major money involved and I do not think there will be until the club is de-listed and somehow finds itself in the Prem. However, it would be the end of Lowe and Co and a fresh start which is about as much as can be hoped for nowadays frankly. In summary, I think there's more chance of us staying up than there is of Lowe staying on after administration and that's saying something.

I wouldn't bet on the play-offs whatever league frankly. It would appear that Lowe is not going to go for Admin this season, so when we're relegated the -10 points (or more) will keep us rooted in League One for at least two seasons - perhaps longer and perhaps even in L2, who knows?

Trouble with me is I've lost hope...despite wanting everything to go right - the team to win - I've seen the club underachieve through lack of ambition for too long now. How can even the most ardent supporter continue to believe in a club that has slapped its loyal fans around so badly despite years of faithful support? How can anyone really believe that the players in this team, the management and coaching staff have got what it takes to fight and stay up? Past evidence unfortunately flies in the face of hope...the club is on its knees waiting for the guillotine to fall...at least that's how many people feel I'm sure.

That stat looks very bad, but surely it is not an accurate comparison? The majority of the 39 games were played under JP and the stupid team selections/formations he played so it isn't as bad as you are suggesting. If we play to the same form as since Wotte took over, then the situation is not quite as bleak. The problem though is that the team are not finding scoring form when they need it and worryingly seem very capable of going behind before waking up to the fact that they are in a relegation scrap. At the end of it all, we still need to gain at least 12 points from a possible 21 IMO and THAT is a huge task. I think we're going down based on the assumption that it's just too big a mountain to climb for this team.

My thoughts entirely. All this talk of Wotte and whether he is the saviour of SFC seem to mask the fact that Lowe has royally f*cked this club over not once, but twice (or perhaps nearer ten times if you count the number of Managerial ****ups).

Rubbish. There are plenty of examples of how not to "do a Southampton". Reading for a start - a well managed football club who chose a good Manager - stuck with him and will no doubt reap rewards again this season. "Carbon Copy" my @rse!

The easy answer to the original thread question is "yes". There are other factors at play perhaps, including policy issues like playing McGoldrick every game whatever his form.

We're fooked more with each game not won. We're down.

I think they actually dump the stuff out in the Solent and the prevailing tides float it down the coast where it settles in Pompey harbour. Hence the stench down that way, but they figure it's the best place for it. HTH.

The trouble is he probably knows all this, but in reality does not care. Financial expediency is the name of the game. However, Rupert is such a rubbish businessman and the PLC is such a straight-jacket when it comes to invetment, there has never been the chance of raising expectations and ambition to achieve anything more than poor mediocrity. :mad:

Well that's nice. I suppose you could say that Lowe and Co are working hard to put us into a position whereby lower league rules apply!

Oh dear. Things are looking far from rosey. I strongly suspect there is just not enough about the side to survive.

Could this be the beginning of the end? Something tells me we are fooked. )-:

1. '76 Cup Final win 2. Winning a game (any game) when its against all the odds. 3. Seeing Lowe deposed the first time around. 4. Future? Seeing Lowe getting run out of Southampton after his shares are worth nothing due to administration.

No it was not. However, it was made a lot worse due to the nature of crowd control at the time. The varous controls that have been introduced over time to ensure everyones safety are all linked. If you cannot see that, its clear you're unable to see the 'big picture' to be honest. I also do not believe the club is in a position financially to make significant alterations to the stadium layout even if Lowe and Co wanted to...it would not be a simple case of just cordening off a section or similar.

No I don't go there - and if I did to be fair, I would not mind standing as I like the atmosphere it generates. However, not everyone wants to stand. So, perhaps there should be a petition raised by someone like the thread starter to lobby the club to introduce a standing area? It might see some success, who knows. But to kick the club for controls that have been progressively introduced by law due to some of the terrible scenes of death and injury at football stadiums in the past, is not being mature or reasonable IMHO.