It appears that Nick Illingsworth has been refused a season ticket

[Dave Benson Phillips]

so, has cortese actually stopped nick from having a season ticket..?

 

I think that is pretty obvious, don't you?

 

Although I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that the decision will be reversed pretty sharpish though and it will be put down to 'an administration error'

 

... course it was.

[solentstars]

Yet again Cortese shows himself to be class 'A' tosser.

And yet again the same old Fundamentalist übber fans, who believe that to critisise anything the club does is close to treason, defend this petty little man.

 

i think you are spot on with that post "cortese is a little man who needs to grow some balls rather then being a spoilt brat

[aintforever]

sorry don't mean to pick on your posts but this is wrong. Echo circulation is worryingly down - particularly effected by saints - a saints or exclusive is the biggest normal boost to their sales.

 

The echo very much need saints and I was told that the direct impact of the recent dispute was talk of redundancies - very worrying.

 

Meanwhile saints sales are up.

 

The could totally do without echo

 

You are probably right, but fact is many Saints fans (real ones that actually go to games), particularly the elderly rely on the Echo for news or enjoy reading about their team in the Echo.

 

Cortese has shown complete disregard for this part of the Southampton community.

[Thedelldays]

I think that is pretty obvious, don't you?

 

Although I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that the decision will be reversed pretty sharpish though and it will be put down to 'an administration error'

 

... course it was.

 

not obvious what so ever...unless you want it to be

[NickG]

These things can be achieved without the petty feuds. The Echo ban and now the way Nick has been treated is pathetic.

 

I have no opinion about NI other than there is clearly more to it.

 

Echo spat: again two egos falling out, not huge issue and do feel echo looked silly with some of their anti-NC stances which prolong the issue.

 

 

Markus will clearly be very happy with NC tho

[dune]

I think that is pretty obvious, don't you?

 

Although I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that the decision will be reversed pretty sharpish though and it will be put down to 'an administration error'

 

... course it was.

 

Don't be so sure of that. Cortese isn't a man that likes to back down - he may well cut off his nose to spite his face.

[alpine_saint]

Yet again Cortese shows himself to be class 'A' tosser.

And yet again the same old Fundamentalist übber fans, who believe that to critisise anything the club does is close to treason, defend this petty little man.

 

You know for a fact that NC has turned round to the Ticket Office and said "Dont let Nick Illingsworth have a season ticket", do you ?

[dune]

I have no opinion about NI other than there is clearly more to it.

 

Echo spat: again two egos falling out, not huge issue and do feel echo looked silly with some of their anti-NC stances which prolong the issue.

 

 

Markus will clearly be very happy with NC tho

 

I don't think he will be completely happy because Cortese is not delivering on all fronts.

[NickG]

if we get automatically promoted this season think he will give him 10/10.

[alpine_saint]

For comments as strident and condemning as yours, I assume you have met him?

I assume you have heard him claim he speaks for all fans?

 

Dunc, he has asserted frequently that he does not claim to speak for all fans.

 

But I have read his comments and seen his interviews, and unfortunately for him when I have done so his assertions somehow ring hollow.

 

There is something about the way he expresses himself that makes it seem like he does speak for us all.

 

Maybe he shouldnt be so obliging, shouldnt stick his head above the trench, quite so readily when a journo comes knocking ?

[Dave Benson Phillips]

not obvious what so ever...unless you want it to be

 

Out of all the people to have had their money refunded back into their account, it's Nick Illingsworth.

 

And after 3 weeks the club have not even explained what's happened, let alone resolved it.

 

I think that is pretty self-explanatory, you don't even need to be pro or anti-Cortese to realise that for one reason or another, he has had his season ticket revoked. Obviously Nick is not going to say that until he has confirmation from the club... but it's quite hard when the club are refusing to speak to him!

 

Jesus, forget the rights or wrongs of it, I don't believe for one minute that NI would deliberately make up lies that could easily be shot down and would DEFINATELY lead to legal action from the club. I don't agree with the Saints Trust nor with most of what NI does, but bloody hell, he is a Saints fan like me and you and has been shafted by a bitter whinging little girl that is Cortese.

Edited 27 July, 2010 by Dave Benson Phillips

[dune]

if we get automatically promoted this season think he will give him 10/10.

 

There is more to running a football club than just results on the pitch. Cortese has single handedly created bad feeling with a growing number of customers and the local newspaper - that is not a good situation Nick.

[Jonnyboy]

I know what, lets form a Trust so we can have a say in how the club is run, if we buy enough shares......

...................oh.

[alpine_saint]

Out of all the people to have had their money refunded back into their account, it's Nick Illingsworth.

 

And after 3 weeks the club have not even explained what's happened, let alone resolved it.

 

I think that is pretty self-explanatory, you don't even need to be pro or anti-Cortese to realise that for one reason or another, he has had his season ticket revoked. Obviously Nick is not going to say that until he has confirmation from the club... but it's quite hard when the club are refusing to speak to him!

 

Jesus, forget the rights or wrongs of it, I don't believe for one minute that NI would deliberately make up lies that could easily be shot down. I don't agree with the Saints Trust nor with most of what NI does, but bloody hell, he is a Saints fan like me and you and has been shafted by a bitter whinging little girl that is Cortese.

 

You know for a fact, amongst the 13000+ successful applicants, that this has not happened to anyone else ?

[aintforever]

Dunc, he has asserted frequently that he does not claim to speak for all fans.

 

But I have read his comments and seen his interviews, and unfortunately for him when I have done so his assertions somehow ring hollow.

 

There is something about the way he expresses himself that makes it seem like he does speak for us all.

 

Maybe he shouldnt be so obliging, shouldnt stick his head above the trench, quite so readily when a journo comes knocking ?

 

Surely this issue here is not wether you think Illingsworth is a **** or not but if you think it's right for a lifelong Saints fan to be denied a season ticket for voicing an opinion? If that is what has happened.

[alpine_saint]

Surely this issue here is not wether you think Illingsworth is a **** or not but if you think it's right for a lifelong Saints fan to be denied a season ticket for voicing an opinion? If that is what has happened.

 

If.....IF....

 

You are right, it is wrong, and I have said so already.

[Dave Benson Phillips]

You know for a fact, amongst the 13000+ successful applicants, that this has not happened to anyone else ?

 

I am pretty sure if there was any significant amount then we would have been made aware of it on here, wouldn't you?

 

And I am pretty sure the club would have taken less than 3 weeks to respond to the problem, let alone resolve it.

 

Come on Alpine, let's be realistic eh? Cortese has thrown his toys out once again, that's pretty obvious to see.

[kpturner]

I have been trying to think of which side of the fence I am on with this, and have come to the conclusion that whilst some of NC's alleged policies, decisions, feuds etc are a tad disturbing, he is still taking what I believe to be the most important thing (the football team) in the right direction for the time being. I am therefore unwilling to join the anti-NC brigade because an alternative with no money and no future is too frightening to contemplate. No NC at SFC = no ML at SFC. I therefore have a slight head in the sand attitude, and I suspect I am not alone.

[dune]

Jesus, forget the rights or wrongs of it, I don't believe for one minute that NI would deliberately make up lies that could easily be shot down and would DEFINATELY lead to legal action from the club. I don't agree with the Saints Trust nor with most of what NI does, but bloody hell, he is a Saints fan like me and you and has been shafted by a bitter whinging little girl that is Cortese.

 

Exactly. I too am/was a massive critic of the saints trust, but that is irrelevent because Nick Illingsworth has been treated like a piece of ****. I just hope those who think that the sun shines out of cortese's arse never get treated like nick has.

[Thedelldays]

Out of all the people to have had their money refunded back into their account, it's Nick Illingsworth.

 

.

is it...?

 

seriously...is it..?

or is nick the only one with a website to say as such..?

[manji]

Out of all the people to have had their money refunded back into their account, it's Nick Illingsworth.

 

And after 3 weeks the club have not even explained what's happened, let alone resolved it.

 

I think that is pretty self-explanatory, you don't even need to be pro or anti-Cortese to realise that for one reason or another, he has had his season ticket revoked. Obviously Nick is not going to say that until he has confirmation from the club... but it's quite hard when the club are refusing to speak to him!

 

Jesus, forget the rights or wrongs of it, I don't believe for one minute that NI would deliberately make up lies that could easily be shot down and would DEFINATELY lead to legal action from the club. I don't agree with the Saints Trust nor with most of what NI does, but bloody hell, he is a Saints fan like me and you and has been shafted by a bitter whinging little girl that is Cortese.

"whinging little girl" hahahahaha pot kettle black.

[alpine_saint]

As far as I can tell, the only FACTUAL thing that NC has done to p*ss off some fans is the installment plan removal.

 

I've said all along, if it is important enough to you, you find a way to afford it up-front. If you cannot afford it anyway upfront, you should be worrying about bigger things.

 

NC has rebuilt the team, made us potential promotion candidates.

 

The whingers can f**k off.

[manji]

Exactly. I too am/was a massive critic of the saints trust, but that is irrelevent because Nick Illingsworth has been treated like a piece of ****. I just hope those who think that the sun shines out of cortese's arse never get treated like nick has.

 

You still ****ed off Michael Wilde let you down ?

[Colinjb]

As far as I can tell, the only FACTUAL thing that NC has done to p*ss off some fans is the installment plan removal.

 

I've said all along, if it is important enough to you, you find a way to afford it up-front. If you cannot afford it anyway upfront, you should be worrying about bigger things.

 

NC has rebuilt the team, made us potential promotion candidates.

 

The whingers can f**k off.

 

Bloody hell, I agree with Alpine!

[Dave Benson Phillips]

is it...?

 

seriously...is it..?

or is nick the only one with a website to say as such..?

 

Through word of mouth and all the other websites, if it had happened to a few more Saints fans then I am pretty sure we would have heard about it... even more so if they had been trying to contact the club for THREE WEEKS and being ignored/fobbed off.

 

Come on Dulldays, even you are not stupid enough to put it down to administration error, forget judging whether it's right or wrong... it's pretty blatantly not an administration error, is it?

[saint_mears]

I have been struggling to work why , when we are in the middle of the most optimistic and settled close season for years,there is a small cabal of anti-Cortese types trying to rock the boat. Then I realised,these self-serving idiots do NOT want Saints to succeed. They want Southampton to be a small unsuccesful parochial club. They can then wheedle thier way in with jobs "club historian" or "fanontheboard" for example or if that doesn't work attention seeking "open letters" , incessant interviews to local press or Sky, protest marches , open meetings with out of work desperate ex-Saints or a resurrected Saints Trust gaining profitable membership due to the failures of the club.

Before you dismiss this as fantasy just look at how many of the cabal are left-wing trade union types spouting fantastical nonsense about Southampton being a Barcelona type peoples run club.

Lefty schitt-stirrers hate nothing more than stability and success.

Long live Southampton Football Club as a successful , professional and profitable football club.

 

 

tiresome drivel to be honest

[Dave Benson Phillips]

As far as I can tell, the only FACTUAL thing that NC has done to p*ss off some fans is the installment plan removal.

 

I've said all along, if it is important enough to you, you find a way to afford it up-front. If you cannot afford it anyway upfront, you should be worrying about bigger things.

 

NC has rebuilt the team, made us potential promotion candidates.

 

The whingers can f**k off.

 

Liebherr's money and Pardew rebuilt the team actually, but nevermind.

[docker-p]

And you know the whole story do you docker? Had a 1-2-1 with Cortese have we?

 

While on the surface of it, this sounds dodgy, we don't know the whole story now do we?

Nope, i don't know all the facts. But web forums the world over would be pretty bleak places if we couldn't comment without 100% knowledge of all facts.

There does seem to be enough 'smoke' to suggest NC has thrown his toys out of the pram again when faced with criticism. Lets face it he has form.

[dune]

You still ****ed off Michael Wilde let you down ?

 

No Phil, I was one of the first to see through Wilde and took a lot of abuse for speaking my mind.

[trousers]

ALL things considered, is there anyone who's genuinely unhappy being a Saints fan right now?

[St Marco]

So let me get this straight....

He actually wrote to NC basically saying "I am the saints fans spokesman, we demandz payment plans, and we want to remove your crest you just designed! And went to The Echo to print it?!" and he wonders why he got burnt?!

 

No offence to the guy but this is the 21st century. Football is a business. It is not like we are being forced down the mines with no pay! What was he supposed to do bow down to you and grant your requests?

 

You had a choice, buy a season ticket and come and watch the team play. You seem to have decided to go to the media with your opinions and claim it is a bad deal for all. Not quite true is it? Season tickets are actually up which shows the payment plan thing is nowhere near as bad as you claim. And for the crest thing....i won't even go there.

 

Now i don't know the facts but it just sounds like the guy went to media to try and create a fuss as he has done before and it backfired. Only have yourself to blame.

[NickG]

There is more to running a football club than just results on the pitch. Cortese has single handedly created bad feeling with a growing number of customers and the local newspaper - that is not a good situation Nick.

 

fans are happy as well - Wembley + increased season ticket sales.

[dune]

tiresome drivel to be honest

 

I bet he was a Lowe fanatic.

[Thedelldays]

Liebherr's money and Pardew rebuilt the team actually, but nevermind.

 

thought you said markus was not funding us..?

anyway, NC signs the cheques...

[Master Bates]

At least now they'll have something to talk about at their AGM.

[manji]

No Phil, I was one of the first to see through Wilde and took a lot of abuse for speaking my mind.

You and me both. Youre so on the wrong side of the barricades on this one..........

[Fitzhugh Fella]

Dunc, he has asserted frequently that he does not claim to speak for all fans.

 

But I have read his comments and seen his interviews, and unfortunately for him when I have done so his assertions somehow ring hollow.

 

There is something about the way he expresses himself that makes it seem like he does speak for us all.

 

Maybe he shouldnt be so obliging, shouldnt stick his head above the trench, quite so readily when a journo comes knocking ?

 

Alps - I don't know NI at all well, but he seems a decent enough bloke who perhaps was projected into a role he didn't particularly want but one which the lazy media find convenient? I don't know.

And I don't know the ins and outs of the season ticket refusal, but if it is true then the very least a fan of long standing (home and away) deserves is an explanation.

 

As to the JPT incident - whether or not Nick I was responsible or not I have no idea and it sounds a right balls up but the two events should not be interwoven.

Again this seems to me to be a case of a lack of correct communication

[dune]

fans are happy as well - Wembley + increased season ticket sales.

 

On the pitch things are "currently" good, but I do think storm clouds are brewing as far as AP is concerned, and Cortese's PR skills (or lack of) are there for all to see. If Cortese was doind everything right - as he should be - we wouldn't be having this discussion, the Echo wouldn't have been banned, and Nick Illingsworth would have his season ticket.

[Dave Benson Phillips]

thought you said markus was not funding us..?

anyway, NC signs the cheques...

 

I said the initial purchases came out of Liebherrs pocket possibly, since then there has been no further investment that I can see.

 

And anyway, regardless of whether Cortese signs the cheques, he needs agreement from Liebherr... and who we sign has fook all to do with him. So all credit must go to Pardew.

[Thedelldays]

I said the initial purchases came out of Liebherrs pocket possibly, since then there has been no further investment that I can see.

 

And anyway, regardless of whether Cortese signs the cheques, he needs agreement from Liebherr... and who we sign has fook all to do with him. So all credit must go to Pardew.

despite NC saying markus IS STILL funding us...then and that MARKUS HAS NO decision making responsibilites...just provides money and comes to games...that is it..

then again, you dont like that so it must be bollix.....

[NickG]

only a very very small internet obsessed fans are discussing him in negative way.

 

If he loses patience and sacks AP after 3 games it will be different.

 

I think people of here resent him whatever he does so this discussion would happen.

[Junction 9]

They would though, unfortunately this forum seems to attract the sort of people that wouldn't probably p!ss on a Saints fan if they were on fire. No loyalty towards fellow Saints whatsoever, luckily when it comes down to it, these people are in the minority in the real world. Unfortunately though, through hidden usernames, these people like to blindly defend the club to the hilt. Smirking is a great example of this.

 

It's no coincidence whatsoever that the majority of people who don't see the problems with Cortese don't have experience of SFC at customer level, living away from Southampton, sometimes in another country, with only a few actually having a season ticket. I guess you can see why they wouldn't be bothered and why all they care about is the results on the pitch. I think their views would be different if they had more involvement with SFC though.

 

I have a season ticket and have no problems with SFC at customer level. None whatsoever, none, zero. All I care about is results on the pitch, I fail to see what other involvement is required of me.

[dune]

You and me both. Youre so on the wrong side of the barricades on this one..........

 

No i'm not, i'm standing up for Nick Illingsworth despite being dead against the Trust etc because it is the right thing to do. You were banned from SaintsForever for expressing your right to freedom of speech and you were a tad annoyed by this weren't you - what's the difference between that and how Nick Illingsworth has been treated?

[dune]

only a very very small internet obsessed fans are discussing him in negative way.

 

If he loses patience and sacks AP after 3 games it will be different.

 

I think people of here resent him whatever he does so this discussion would happen.

 

Utter rubbish. Cortese came in with a clean sheet. Any negativity he is reaping was sown by him.

[docker-p]

So let me get this straight....

He actually wrote to NC basically saying "I am the saints fans spokesman, we demandz payment plans, and we want to remove your crest you just designed! And went to The Echo to print it?!" and he wonders why he got burnt?!

 

No offence to the guy but this is the 21st century. Football is a business. It is not like we are being forced down the mines with no pay! What was he supposed to do bow down to you and grant your requests?

 

You had a choice, buy a season ticket and come and watch the team play. You seem to have decided to go to the media with your opinions and claim it is a bad deal for all. Not quite true is it? Season tickets are actually up which shows the payment plan thing is nowhere near as bad as you claim. And for the crest thing....i won't even go there.

 

Now i don't know the facts but it just sounds like the guy went to media to try and create a fuss as he has done before and it backfired. Only have yourself to blame.

Yes football is a business but one that is totally different from any other, otherwise we would all shop around for the best deal and watch that team rather than one we 'support'.

And it's a very sad day when someone can't question a policy without being penalised for it.

[Dave Benson Phillips]

despite NC saying markus IS STILL funding us...then and that MARKUS HAS NO decision making responsibilites...just provides money and comes to games...that is it..

then again, you dont like that so it must be bollix.....

 

Right, when the accounts come out, if we are significantly funded by Liebherr after the initial transfers are taken out, I will make a bet with you... one which I will stick with.

 

If after the summer transfers and initial purchase/payback to Liebherr have been taken out, we have made a loss of more than £1m then I will have my account deleted.

 

If we are between -£1m and +£??? on our accounts then you delete your username and never post on here again.

 

How's that for confidence and a deal. Come on... jump in on the bet. I am confident... are you??

[Thedelldays]

Right, when the accounts come out, if we are significantly funded by Liebherr after the initial transfers are taken out, I will make a bet with you... one which I will stick with.

 

If after the summer transfers and initial purchase/payback to Liebherr have been taken out, we have made a loss of more than £1m then I will have my account deleted.

 

If we are between -£1m and +£??? on our accounts then you delete your username and never post on here again.

 

How's that for confidence and a deal. Come on... jump in on the bet. I am confident... are you??

 

so we have to be significantly funded by markus...not even just funded...

 

what payback....NC has again said there is no payback to markus..

[St Marco]

I have a season ticket and have no problems with SFC at customer level. None whatsoever, none, zero. All I care about is results on the pitch, I fail to see what other involvement is required of me.

 

Exactly.

 

As long as we win, play well. Are not being ripped off, can get a decent pie/beer at half time, go to Wembley now and then who gives a **** what the chairmans personality is like?

[Guided Missile]

So.....I roll up outside St. Marys and start selling crap merchandise, to Saints fans who are drawn to the stadium, owned by Liebherr, to watch a team owned by Liebherr, from a stall with a Saints crest on it.

The fans complain to the club about the crap merchandise I sold them and after I pack the stall away and try to take my seat in the stadium, a representative of the owner politely tells me that I am no longer allowed in.

 

I can't say that it would be an unreasonable turn of events...

[manji]

No i'm not, i'm standing up for Nick Illingsworth despite being dead against the Trust etc because it is the right thing to do. You were banned from SaintsForever for expressing your right to freedom of speech and you were a tad annoyed by this weren't you - what's the difference between that and how Nick Illingsworth has been treated?

 

There is no evidence he has been banned anyway you have jumped on every anti-Cortese bandwagon going so dont suddenly make it some kind of moral crusade,who are you fricking Ghandi ?