Saints sacked Higgins when the allegations took place despite the fact he was subsequently acquitted, This may or may not have been around the time that Dave Merrington told Management. Saints were not trying to cover up anything as the world were aware of the situation because of the Court case. I find it hard to accept Lawrie's Statement on Solent for the reasons Channon's Sideburns states above. Unless, of course, Lawrie was not Manager then.