Lowe v Cortese...

[NickG]

Was last season one of your most enjoyable as a saints fan?

 

Are you looking forward to this season more than you have in recent years?

 

Do you enjoy watching Lallana, Lambert and Fonte?

 

Think people expect too much and look too deeply

[Thedelldays]

this place is hysterical...I bet those at the club pish themselves reading the rabble on here..

[dune]

Was last season one of your most enjoyable as a saints fan?

 

Are you looking forward to this season more than you have in recent years?

 

Do you enjoy watching Lallana, Lambert and Fonte?

 

Think people expect too much and look too deeply

 

Will you be able to afford to watch many more games the more Cortese hikes the prices?

 

If you are priced out of football will this affect your enjoyment?

[Dibden Purlieu Saint]

I believe things are more transparent...IMO, the booking fee is just that...

installment plans gone to cover costs

 

someone even said yesterday that they would rather the club "try and pass something off" when explaining something..IE, happy for the club to lie if it sounds alright just so they got that warm fuzzy feeling..

 

football fans are the most precious bunch you can meet....IMO, the honesty from the club is far more refreshing than lowe waving letters from chris iwellumo...or saying sturrocks job is safe for him only to leave the next day..?

 

can you REALLY believe lowe and all those managers..? really...

why did pearson leave..? lowe must have told you..?

did you really believe the "dutch duo"..? i did for a while..what a bad choice that was..

 

yes, honest lowe...that was his nickname

 

Believe the Dutch Duo? What do you mean by that? I believed that they said they were going to try and get us to play Total Football. They tried, but failed. That's not a lie, or dishonesty, that's being cr@p.

 

Strange post this one.

[NickG]

If I can't afford to go it will.

 

I think season ticket prices set by Cortesse are very fair.

[Thedelldays]

Believe the Dutch Duo? What do you mean by that? I believed that they said they were going to try and get us to play Total Football. They tried, but failed. That's not a lie, or dishonesty, that's being cr@p.

 

Strange post this one.

 

yes..the revolutionary coaching set up...yes, it was just that wasnt it..

[dune]

If I can't afford to go it will.

 

I think season ticket prices set by Cortesse are very fair.

 

Not everybody wants a season ticket for myriad reasons.

 

So with you is it just a case of "i'm alright jack"?

[Thedelldays]

Not everybody wants a season ticket for myriad reasons.

 

So with you is it just a case of "i'm alright jack"?

 

like you were when it came to JPT final tickets....

[Dibden Purlieu Saint]

yes..the revolutionary coaching set up...yes, it was just that wasnt it..

 

I think for an English team it was revolutionary.

 

It didn't work though.

[Thedelldays]

I think for an English team it was revolutionary.

 

It didn't work though.

 

I dont think it was...nor was SCW..or even simon clifford...

 

jesus, the list of lowes bullsh1t is endless

[SnailOB]

Lets cut to the chase, ML, RL, NC - ****, snog or marry ?

[Dave Benson Phillips]

As I said before...

 

You can't compare them for anything more than engagement with supporters because running a PLC and being bankrolled by a billionaire are two completely different jobs.

 

When it comes to respect and engagement with supporters, Lowe wins hands down.

[hypochondriac]

I believe things are more transparent...IMO, the booking fee is just that...

installment plans gone to cover costs

 

But Stu proved that that was nonsense yet he was told that they were not discussing it. Even if that is the case, why was there no explanation on the OS for its removal? And why such a short notice period of its removal? I would expect those two things at least from the club then I could say 'oh well, it's a bit cr*p but at least we know why.'

 

someone even said yesterday that they would rather the club "try and pass something off" when explaining something..IE, happy for the club to lie if it sounds alright just so they got that warm fuzzy feeling..

 

I think there is a difference between lying and using diplomatic language. Anyone fairly skilled linguistically could pen an explanation for the removal of the TBT game without it sounding like 'we didn't want to get duffed by a much better team.'

 

football fans are the most precious bunch you can meet....IMO, the honesty from the club is far more refreshing than lowe waving letters from chris iwellumo...or saying sturrocks job is safe for him only to leave the next day..?

 

Personally I think there are communication issues from both regimes. I don't really think there is much value to be gained from comparing them.

 

can you REALLY believe lowe and all those managers..? really...

why did pearson leave..? lowe must have told you..?

did you really believe the "dutch duo"..? i did for a while..what a bad choice that was..

 

yes, honest lowe...that was his nickname

 

...

[SnailOB]

can't agree with the word 'respect' when used in conjunction with RL / fans. That is pushing it a little bit.

 

Personally think the club is a bit more professional now. I'm sure that when ML/NC came in they said they would run club as a business so not surprised with majority of changes.

 

Think the main current problem is too many changes at same time and zero explanation. As per previous management, communication should be key and the lack of communication is very frustrating.

 

Just don't see the point in the RL/NC - NC/RL debates though as this question isn't as simple as a black/white answer. RL was not the anti-christ as neither is NC. Just don't understand why everyone has to look for a villain.

[hypochondriac]

Was last season one of your most enjoyable as a saints fan?

 

Are you looking forward to this season more than you have in recent years?

 

Do you enjoy watching Lallana, Lambert and Fonte?

 

Think people expect too much and look too deeply

 

What has this got to do with Cortese and his attitude?

[dune]

When it comes to respect and engagement with supporters, Lowe wins hands down.

 

I never thought i'd ever agree with such a statement, but it's true. In Cortese we have our very own Ken Bates.

[hypochondriac]

can't agree with the word 'respect' when used in conjunction with RL / fans. That is pushing it a little bit.

 

Personally think the club is a bit more professional now. I'm sure that when ML/NC came in they said they would run club as a business so not surprised with majority of changes.

 

Think the main current problem is too many changes at same time and zero explanation. As per previous management, communication should be key and the lack of communication is very frustrating.

 

Just don't see the point in the RL/NC - NC/RL debates though as this question isn't as simple as a black/white answer. RL was not the anti-christ as neither is NC. Just don't understand why everyone has to look for a villain.

 

Brilliant post. Sums up perfectly how I feel. Not sure why people fail to grasp this very simple concept.

[Thedelldays]

...

 

oh..if stu proved it...that must be fact...

im surprised he is not running his own football club..or ticketing business...or even not run his own business

 

I think I will sit and wait to see what is FACT or not....someone came back from the club yesterday claiming someone there told him that the increases were due to the club making a loss last season...but if you (or stu) say other wise....then......................

[hypochondriac]

oh..if stu proved it...that must be fact...

im surprised he is not running his own football club..or ticketing business...or even not run his own business

 

Fancy providing facts to the contrary to disprove Stu? Or are you just going to go ahead and call it ******** because it was Stu who posted it. Interesting stance there.

 

I think I will sit and wait to see what is FACT or not....someone came back from the club yesterday claiming someone there told him that the increases were due to the club making a loss last season...but if you (or stu) say other wise....then......................

 

No I believe that was in respect of the car parking. Anyway, it is the lack of communication which is the central issue here IMO.

[benjii]

It's nonsense to say that you can't compare the two because Lowe didn't have the same money as Cortese has at his disposal.

 

Lowe might indeed not have had the backing of a billionaire but what he did have (before he helped get us relegated) was 20+ years of top flight football, a 30,000+ crowd, no decent local competition and large scope to become easily the biggest football club south of Birmingham and outside London.

 

The reason it all went downhill was that, in this position, he decided to appoint: Gray, Wigley, Sturrock, Redknapp (decent manager but never going to be able to work with Lowe) and made a host of other poor footballing decisions.

 

Now, do people think the wage Pardew is on is a wage that we couldn't have afforded in the Premier League? And yet we have recruited a manager far better than the list above (other than Redknapp). Lowe fundamentally did an awful job because of his appointments of Sturrock, Wigley and Redknapp. That season was a disaster and it was a completely avoidable disaster caused solely by the actions of the executive management. (And just to head-off the Hoddle lunatic - yes, fans were against Hoddle but other managers were also available). None of the decisions made that season were ones where Lowe's hand was forced by a lack of money.

 

He then came back and tipped us right over the edge after Pearson had shown signs of being able to sort us out.

 

When Cortese starts making decisions as bad as these then there might be a valid comparison between the two but at the moment there is none.

[hypochondriac]

Benji, if I am honest I think you have a point. I really think there is no value which can be gained from comparing the two. I think there are flaws in both regimes and both have come under criticism. I hope and pray that Cortese can sort out the appaling lack of communication so that we can become a united and happy fanbase once again, like we were last year.

[miserableoldgit]

can't agree with the word 'respect' when used in conjunction with RL / fans. That is pushing it a little bit.

 

Personally think the club is a bit more professional now. I'm sure that when ML/NC came in they said they would run club as a business so not surprised with majority of changes.

 

Think the main current problem is too many changes at same time and zero explanation. As per previous management, communication should be key and the lack of communication is very frustrating.

 

Just don't see the point in the RL/NC - NC/RL debates though as this question isn't as simple as a black/white answer. RL was not the anti-christ as neither is NC. Just don't understand why everyone has to look for a villain.

In a nutshell.

[benjii]

Benji, if I am honest I think you have a point. I really think there is no value which can be gained from comparing the two. I think there are flaws in both regimes and both have come under criticism. I hope and pray that Cortese can sort out the appaling lack of communication so that we can become a united and happy fanbase once again, like we were last year.

 

Do you really think we're not now though?

 

It is a small minority of Saints fans who are genuinely upset at the minor things which have happened recently. I bet most do not care about:

 

parking,

the pre-season tour,

a booking fee,

the Ted Bates trophy,

the name of a room.

 

Did people stop going because of Lowe's "train-gate" - no, IMO. If people stopped going it was because the team was dross.

 

ST numbers will be the proof in the pudding as to how unhappy the ST-holding fan-base is. I appreciate the whole installment plan thing is very annoying for some but come the season I bet most have found a way round it and assuming we do establish ourselves at the top of the league no one will give a hoot about a few PR ****-ups/communication issues.

[miserableoldgit]

It's nonsense to say that you can't compare the two because Lowe didn't have the same money as Cortese has at his disposal.

 

Lowe might indeed not have had the backing of a billionaire but what he did have (before he helped get us relegated) was 20+ years of top flight football, a 30,000+ crowd, no decent local competition and large scope to become easily the biggest football club south of Birmingham and outside London.

 

The reason it all went downhill was that, in this position, he decided to appoint: Gray, Wigley, Sturrock, Redknapp (decent manager but never going to be able to work with Lowe) and made a host of other poor footballing decisions.

 

Now, do people think the wage Pardew is on is a wage that we couldn't have afforded in the Premier League? And yet we have recruited a manager far better than the list above (other than Redknapp). Lowe fundamentally did an awful job because of his appointments of Sturrock, Wigley and Redknapp. That season was a disaster and it was a completely avoidable disaster caused solely by the actions of the executive management. (And just to head-off the Hoddle lunatic - yes, fans were against Hoddle but other managers were also available). None of the decisions made that season were ones where Lowe's hand was forced by a lack of money.

 

He then came back and tipped us right over the edge after Pearson had shown signs of being able to sort us out.

 

When Cortese starts making decisions as bad as these then there might be a valid comparison between the two but at the moment there is none.

 

Again, in a nutshell.

[Capel Saint]

Yep have to agree with the last two posters.

 

Under Lowe we were going downwards as he had the club run as a plc and therefore starving the club of any real investment plus it created the Wilde, Corbett, Crouch, Lowe fiasco that brought the club to its knees.

 

Cortese has come in, got a billionaire to invest, clearing the debt, make the club private ownership again and is turning the club around and making it go upwards. So a simple choice for me.

 

So before all the Cortese critics start putting me into the Cortese lover category I acknowledge that, yes, he has made a few bad pr gaffs including pulling the installment plan and the communication has not been good. But I prefer Cortese, as I see a club on the rise, rather than a club always fighting the odds against relegation every season until our inevitable downfall from the Prem and then the Championship.

[NickG]

What has this got to do with Cortese and his attitude?

 

because its a passtime watching/supporting a football team. THat is how I judge them.

[dune]

Yep have to agree with the last two posters.

 

Under Lowe we were going downwards as he had the club run as a plc and therefore starving the club of any real investment plus it created the Wilde, Corbett, Crouch, Lowe fiasco that brought the club to its knees.

 

Cortese has come in, got a billionaire to invest, clearing the debt, make the club private ownership again and is turning the club around and making it go upwards. So a simple choice for me.

 

I'm not disputing any of this, but comparing the poor decisions, poor PR, and general contempt for the fans of Lowe and Cortese. Put Lowe in Cortese's position with a rich owner and there'd be little to choose between them. Put Cortese in Lowe's position in charge of the PLC and again there's little to choose between them. In short I am comparing Lowe and Cortese as people and if anything Cortese cares less for the fans imo.

[NickG]

Was last season one of your most enjoyable as a saints fan?

 

Are you looking forward to this season more than you have in recent years?

 

Do you enjoy watching Lallana, Lambert and Fonte?

 

Think people expect too much and look too deeply

 

Do you really think we're not now though?

 

It is a small minority of Saints fans who are genuinely upset at the minor things which have happened recently. I bet most do not care about:

 

parking,

the pre-season tour,

a booking fee,

the Ted Bates trophy,

the name of a room.

 

Did people stop going because of Lowe's "train-gate" - no, IMO. If people stopped going it was because the team was dross.

 

ST numbers will be the proof in the pudding as to how unhappy the ST-holding fan-base is. I appreciate the whole installment plan thing is very annoying for some but come the season I bet most have found a way round it and assuming we do establish ourselves at the top of the league no one will give a hoot about a few PR ****-ups/communication issues.

 

Point I was making - football is about the game, winning, enjoying, entertaining etc.

 

There were no matches against Lowe when we got to the cup final- rightly so. He was the same man with same attitude.

 

If Cortesse delivers a successful team virtually all fans will be happy with him

[dune]

Point I was making - football is about the game, winning, enjoying, entertaining etc.

 

There were no matches against Lowe when we got to the cup final- rightly so. He was the same man with same attitude.

 

If Cortesse delivers a successful team those who can afford to pay/don't mind being fleeced/don't go to many games (and this isn't a dig at dulldays) will be happy with him

 

I've edited your post.

[NickG]

perhaps save that debate until he is fleecing us or our ticket prices are ridiculous.

 

At the moment they are not.

 

Wish there was a forum years ago when I couldn't afford tickets!

[dune]

perhaps save that debate until he is fleecing us or our ticket prices are ridiculous.

 

At the moment they are not.

 

Wish there was a forum years ago when I couldn't afford tickets!

 

At present our ticket prices are high, and as in the case of gutter businesses i.e RyanAir we have a Cortese Tax on online/phone purchases which bumps the price up further. Nick you need to realise that we are a League 1 club where supply exceeds demand. If Cortese is prepared to charge premium prices + sneaky add ons now it stands to reason that as demand matches and exceeds supply he's going to hammer us with exhorbitant prices. When this happens I do hope you will be happy.

[SnailOB]

perhaps save that debate until he is fleecing us or our ticket prices are ridiculous.

 

At the moment they are not.

 

Wish there was a forum years ago when I couldn't afford tickets!

 

To try and put some perspective on things

 

To take me and the kids to football for the season will cost about £18 a game as renwel season ticket holders

 

IF i choose to take kids to cinema and see a film instead the tickets cost in region of £30 for 3D film (non-imax, i'm not a millionaire !) AND the cinema will charge me a booking fee as well if I buy tickets online AND they will charge for the glasses now.

 

IF we go to Paultons park - expensive, Marwell, Legoland, theatre etc....

 

EVERYTHING has a cost and out of all those football is rather reasonably priced.

 

Choice is a wonderful thing people

[Dave Benson Phillips]

At present our ticket prices are high, and as in the case of gutter businesses i.e RyanAir we have a Cortese Tax on online/phone purchases which bumps the price up further. Nick you need to realise that we are a League 1 club where supply exceeds demand. If Cortese is prepared to charge premium prices + sneaky add ons now it stands to reason that as demand matches and exceeds supply he's going to hammer us with exhorbitant prices. When this happens I do hope you will be happy.

 

I think that is the point that Nick does not get. It is obvious that SFC is being built into a RyanAir model, with add-ons for everything, even parking at the stadium now!

 

It is quite clear that as we rise through the leagues, we will be charged premium prices, either top, or more likely, 2nd or 3rd most expensive in the Champs, and top 6 stuff in the Prem.

 

Some people are prepared to wait for it to happen, by then though, it will be too late...

[dune]

AND the cinema will charge me a booking fee as well if I buy tickets online.

 

What are your thoughts on the ethics of the said booking fee?

[Capel Saint]

I'm not disputing any of this, but comparing the poor decisions, poor PR, and general contempt for the fans of Lowe and Cortese. Put Lowe in Cortese's position with a rich owner and there'd be little to choose between them. Put Cortese in Lowe's position in charge of the PLC and again there's little to choose between them. In short I am comparing Lowe and Cortese as people and if anything Cortese cares less for the fans imo.

 

Personally I think you are being a little harsh on Cortese as I don't feel he is treating the fans with contempt. I do agree that he has made some un popular decisions and the lack of communication to the reason why he has made these decisions has been rather poor which will not help the mood with some fans. However, I don't agree with this current mood of lunching Cortese over a few issues compared to the bigger picture of improving the club both with facilities and players.

 

Yes I agree that they are similar in a number of ways because they are both businessmen who were/are running a football club. However, trying to compare the two is difficult as who to say what Lowe would have done with lots of funds and who knows what would have happened if Cortese had to run a plc. All too hyperthetical and not really relevant in my humble opinion.

[SnailOB]

What are your thoughts on the ethics of the said booking fee?

 

I hate it ! And I hate what SFC have done with regards to this BUT unfortunately football is now a business and I don't see what NC has done is anything different to any other 'entertainment' industry.

 

BUT in line with some of this thread, overall, football at SFC can still be called 'resonably priced'

[dune]

I hate it ! And I hate what SFC have done with regards to this BUT unfortunately football is now a business and I don't see what NC has done is anything different to any other 'entertainment' industry.

 

BUT in line with some of this thread, overall, football at SFC can still be called 'resonably priced'

 

If you hate it stand up and shout about it. In other countries fans are not ripped off because they wouldn't stand for it. As Winston Churchill once maybe said "sometimes you have to draw a line in the sand and stand your ground". It's a shame we as a nation and a fanbase are so easy to be treated like ****.

[Dave Benson Phillips]

To try and put some perspective on things

 

To take me and the kids to football for the season will cost about £18 a game as renwel season ticket holders

 

IF i choose to take kids to cinema and see a film instead the tickets cost in region of £30 for 3D film (non-imax, i'm not a millionaire !) AND the cinema will charge me a booking fee as well if I buy tickets online AND they will charge for the glasses now.

 

IF we go to Paultons park - expensive, Marwell, Legoland, theatre etc....

 

EVERYTHING has a cost and out of all those football is rather reasonably priced.

 

Choice is a wonderful thing people

 

There is no point comparing us to Paultons, Legoland, Cinema or anything else, it's irrelevent... it's football.

 

And compared to other football clubs in our league, we have the most expensive in the league, that is a fact.

 

Personally although I think they are pricey, I don't think they are p!ss-taking yet... but the prices will put alot of people off.

[Secret Site Agent]

Just playing devils advocate here, but I was wondering on who people think is the devil incarnate at the moment.

 

Obviously Lowe made some big blunders, was arrogant, self promoting, never put his own money into the team and didn't care one bit about the fans.

 

Cortese has come in, found us investment, and tried to implement new ideas for the fans. However, he has also sacked staff, is also very arrogant (probably to at least rival ol' rosey cheeks), removed the ST installment plan, nearly sacked a manager who did well, levied a tax on tickets, and now cancelled the Ted Bates trophy.

 

I think people are harsher than they need to be on Lowe but that's my personal opinion, and if he had done the above people would be marching through the streets again.

 

So, who's worse then? There's only one way to find out. FFFFIIIIIIGGGGHHHHHHTTTTTT.

 

God I am really struggling over how to answer this one but her goes:

 

RL: Very arrogant and once he came back after being removed became worse, and turned into Caligula. Did run us into the ground I believe and really didn't give a **** as he made out it wasn't his mess. he was in over his head and did too much in the public eye.

 

NC: I'm not sure about the arrogance, more a single blinkered vision of the way forward. I have mentioned previously why I am willing to believe that his decisions, although strangly bizzare at times are done with the best intention for the majority of Stakeholders in his mind. Some will always winge but what do you want, some sort of easy life or a decent team in a self sufficient home with Premiership back up?

 

I prefer NC as I can see that his master. Marcus, has the same sort of outlook as I, a tangible plan with a definate target to achieve over a fixed timeline, not short term fixes to small problems. In simple terms, A team that is fit enough to challenge in the Championship, but built and playing in L1.

 

And NC would win the fight with a pile driver to the swede in round three.

[Thedelldays]

stu..you are very much an "im alright jack" type of fan

 

you bragged about getting your "30 tickets" for the JPT final....at the detriment to other fans.....

 

now, you like to speak for others?

[Foxstone]

There is no point comparing us to Paultons, Legoland, Cinema or anything else, it's irrelevent... it's football.

 

And compared to other football clubs in our league, we have the most expensive in the league, that is a fact.

 

Personally although I think they are pricey, I don't think they are p!ss-taking yet... but the prices will put alot of people off.

 

Now on the other thread you are convinced that we are not being bankrolled !

 

So unless we raise some revenue in other ways how do we pay for the best manager and coaching set up in Div 3? Two of the top scorers in Div 3 - In fact most of the best players in Div 3?

 

You can't have it always.

[SnailOB]

There is no point comparing us to Paultons, Legoland, Cinema or anything else, it's irrelevent... it's football.

 

And compared to other football clubs in our league, we have the most expensive in the league, that is a fact.

 

Personally although I think they are pricey, I don't think they are p!ss-taking yet... but the prices will put alot of people off.

 

Disagree

 

We have this lovely vision of football but it does not exist anymore. Watching your football team is a choice not a right. Football is business, i don't like it but unfortunately that is how it is and we can thank the Premier League for that as well as greedy players.

 

I would think that SFC are trying to get families back because they know that if a kid enjoys his football he will want the shirt, the hot dog at half time, the quilt cover, curtains etc..... And in that regard SFC is competing against theme parks, cinemas etc.. and so far as far as families are concerned then I think the pricing is 'reasonable'.

 

Families only have so much disposable income and football may not win everytime as a priority for most.

 

That said, unlike the club that RL inherited (already established family club playing top-flight football) and that under his stewardship hit a decline, NC has taken on a club (albeit with much better facilities) that was in the s**t. In order to make money (because that is what he and ML want to do) we have to be succesful and grow further. With that comes decisions that we as 'customers' may not like but they are NC decisions to make and ultimately he will face what ever consequenses arise from those decisions.

 

I hope he gets balance right because if he does then ultimately we should all benefit.

[trousers]

Maybe Lowe is still in the background pulling strings. He bought SFC in secret installing a cuddly looking man as 'owner' and a fearsome Italian chap as chairman. Their brief was to bring the good times back to the club but to annoy as many fans along the way. Promotion to the premiership would be achieved but at a price: the supporters despise the Italian one.

 

Solution? The fans friend Lowe returns to 'oust' his stooge Cortese and everything is rosey again.

 

Brilliant. You gotta admire Lowe for such ingenuity.

[Minsk]

I'm waiting for the first 'Lowe cost us 10 points last season for not putting us into Admin' fallacy. Just before anyone does, the bank foreclosed on the club with the overdraft having reduced to the levels agreed. It was the bank who changed their minds.

 

He did put some Dutch jokers in chanrge though.

 

The bank changed the overdraught facility about 6 months before we went into admin. However, yes they did bounce the cheque which is said to have forced us into admin. But then I would expect the finance manager (if not the CEO) to know that a cheque was going to be bounced when it was written - which would have been before the cut-off date for -10 points. So, IMO, yes he did cost us at least a play-off spot last season and, also IMO, probably doesn't give a toss about it.

[Minsk]

As for the RL Vs NC debate, I agree with these posts:

 

It's nonsense to say that you can't compare the two because Lowe didn't have the same money as Cortese has at his disposal.

 

Lowe might indeed not have had the backing of a billionaire but what he did have (before he helped get us relegated) was 20+ years of top flight football, a 30,000+ crowd, no decent local competition and large scope to become easily the biggest football club south of Birmingham and outside London.

 

The reason it all went downhill was that, in this position, he decided to appoint: Gray, Wigley, Sturrock, Redknapp (decent manager but never going to be able to work with Lowe) and made a host of other poor footballing decisions.

 

Now, do people think the wage Pardew is on is a wage that we couldn't have afforded in the Premier League? And yet we have recruited a manager far better than the list above (other than Redknapp). Lowe fundamentally did an awful job because of his appointments of Sturrock, Wigley and Redknapp. That season was a disaster and it was a completely avoidable disaster caused solely by the actions of the executive management. (And just to head-off the Hoddle lunatic - yes, fans were against Hoddle but other managers were also available). None of the decisions made that season were ones where Lowe's hand was forced by a lack of money.

 

He then came back and tipped us right over the edge after Pearson had shown signs of being able to sort us out.

 

When Cortese starts making decisions as bad as these then there might be a valid comparison between the two but at the moment there is none.

 

Do you really think we're not now though?

 

It is a small minority of Saints fans who are genuinely upset at the minor things which have happened recently. I bet most do not care about:

 

parking,

the pre-season tour,

a booking fee,

the Ted Bates trophy,

the name of a room.

 

Did people stop going because of Lowe's "train-gate" - no, IMO. If people stopped going it was because the team was dross.

 

ST numbers will be the proof in the pudding as to how unhappy the ST-holding fan-base is. I appreciate the whole installment plan thing is very annoying for some but come the season I bet most have found a way round it and assuming we do establish ourselves at the top of the league no one will give a hoot about a few PR ****-ups/communication issues.

 

Disagree

 

We have this lovely vision of football but it does not exist anymore. Watching your football team is a choice not a right. Football is business, i don't like it but unfortunately that is how it is and we can thank the Premier League for that as well as greedy players.

 

I would think that SFC are trying to get families back because they know that if a kid enjoys his football he will want the shirt, the hot dog at half time, the quilt cover, curtains etc..... And in that regard SFC is competing against theme parks, cinemas etc.. and so far as far as families are concerned then I think the pricing is 'reasonable'.

 

Families only have so much disposable income and football may not win everytime as a priority for most.

 

That said, unlike the club that RL inherited (already established family club playing top-flight football) and that under his stewardship hit a decline, NC has taken on a club (albeit with much better facilities) that was in the s**t. In order to make money (because that is what he and ML want to do) we have to be succesful and grow further. With that comes decisions that we as 'customers' may not like but they are NC decisions to make and ultimately he will face what ever consequenses arise from those decisions.

 

I hope he gets balance right because if he does then ultimately we should all benefit.

[Saint Fan CaM]

This thread is WUM feed. There is nothing more to say.