Nicola Cortese has a heart.

[derry]

On the official site there is a report that a lady whose husband survived a direct hit on the air raid shelter at the the old gasworks because he went home for lunch.

 

Eleven Saints fans were killed on Sept 26th 1940 in the shelter by the direct hit. The shelter was sited on what is now St Mary's. For years the lady's husband had tried to persuade the club to put up a plaque as a memorial to those fans but they had always refused.

 

As soon as Nicola Cortese was made aware of the request he gave it his support culminating with Kelvin Davis presenting the plaque to the lady at the BBC Radio Solent broadcast on Tuesday night commemorating the 70th anniversary of the blitz. The plaque is to be put up at SMS.

 

If Lowe etc, whoever was concerned, had refused this request they should be ashamed of themselves, especially as it is a Swiss citizen that is now doing what should have been done years ago. Sadly the lady's husband has passed away so was unaware that eventually his dream did come to fruition.

[Fan The Flames]

Its good that Saints has honoured the lives of these men. It seems strange that the previous regimes would not do so, maybe there was an acceptable explanation that we will never know of. Still they have been honoured now.

[Mowgli]

Nice story and a good ending to the campaign for recognition. But please let's not use this as a another platform to criticise previous regimes without any detailed knowledge. Over 600 people lost their lives in the raids over Southampton and thousand more injured. It is entirely a matter for the occupier or owner as to whether a memorial is acceptable.

[Colinjb]

Nonsense, everyone knows that Cortese is pure evil!

 

A superb gesture by the club.

[derry]

Nicola Cortese has taken plenty of stick on here so when he acts like a decent human being showing consideration and compassion it is good. SMS is a vast area with plenty of places to put up a plaque to the unfortunate fans killed on the stadium site. Whoever it was who turned the request down had no sense of history or how the people of Southampton feel about those unfortunates killed due to enemy action. It is right that there is a plaque on the site.

[RonManager]

This was posted on the blitz thread by Rocker 268 but is pertinent here too.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/p00cb88q/Southamptons_darkest_hour_Southampton_Blitz_70th_Anniversary

 

The background story and KD presentation starts at 38:45 and runs to 46:30.

 

Another wrong righted by NC and the club.

 

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~2235402,00.html

Edited 2 December, 2010 by RonManager
ref original poster

[alpine_saint]

I've read somewhere today that Lowe responded to a letter campaign from the womans husband,when still alive, with a letter telling him to buy one of the message bricks.

[RonManager]

I've read somewhere today that Lowe responded to a letter campaign from the womans husband,when still alive, with a letter telling him to buy one of the message bricks.

 

Yes it is alluded to in the radio article. It sounds like she is about to have a right go but the interviewer senses this and cuts in.

[saint_bert]

I've read somewhere today that Lowe responded to a letter campaign from the womans husband,when still alive, with a letter telling him to buy one of the message bricks.

 

Call me evil but I laughed at that.

[Toomer]

The lady was talking to Julian Clegg on Solent yesterday morning and I must admit I had a lump in my throat listening to her story as she was fighting back the tears.

[JackFrost]

How long before this becomes a Lowe vs Cortese argument thread?

[captainchris]

Please can someone start a controversial thread. It's very dull when it's nicey nicey all the time. No game at the weekend either i'm falling asleep!

[Sour Mash]

Call me evil but I laughed at that.

 

Me too, Lowe was always good for a bit of banter!

[Thedelldays]

Me too, Lowe was always good for a bit of banter!

 

and how you miss him

[Window Cleaner]

The lady was talking to Julian Clegg on Solent yesterday morning and I must admit I had a lump in my throat listening to her story as she was fighting back the tears.

 

although the lady in question was only 8 at the time and probably didn't even know the men concerned at the time of the bombing.

Still good to see that all the years of campaigning have got a result although I'm sure it's the spot that's more important than the fact that it's SFC.My old grandad worked at the gas works for 40 odd years,I know a lot of people were extremely attached to it.

[Sour Mash]

and how you miss him

 

Er no, not really

[corsacar saint]

Nice gesture by NC and the club.

[manji]

Well done Mr Cortese .

[Toomer]

although the lady in question was only 8 at the time and probably didn't even know the men concerned at the time of the bombing.

Still good to see that all the years of campaigning have got a result although I'm sure it's the spot that's more important than the fact that it's SFC.My old grandad worked at the gas works for 40 odd years,I know a lot of people were extremely attached to it.

 

My uncle (R.I.P) was a fireman stationed at St Marys during the 2nd WW.

[scott_saints]

We should have an individual plaque for everyone who has ever died in the Southampton area on our stadium. Is this does not happen, well, Cortese must go. The heartless b@stard.

[Painswick Saint]

Very good gesture by the club and Mr Cortese.

[Deppo]

How do we know that they were all Saints fans? Seems a bit of a coincidence to me.

[saint_mears]

although the lady in question was only 8 at the time and probably didn't even know the men concerned at the time of the bombing.

Still good to see that all the years of campaigning have got a result although I'm sure it's the spot that's more important than the fact that it's SFC.My old grandad worked at the gas works for 40 odd years,I know a lot of people were extremely attached to it.

 

8 ?? she was married to someone who worked at the gas works !

[georgeweahscousin]

Great gesture.

[saint_mears]

Lets face it cortese needs all the good PR possible in his current status.

[Thedelldays]

Lets face it cortese needs all the good PR possible in his current status.

 

in your little mind...yeah

[saint_mears]

in your little mind...yeah

 

I dont think so as all the evidence as to why Cortese is on the rack is clear as day.

 

Just go and ask any ex employee of SFC over the last year, there are plenty of them.

[Thedelldays]

I dont think so as all the evidence as to why Cortese is on the rack is clear as day.

 

Just go and ask any ex employee of SFC over the last year, there are plenty of them.

 

LOL..yeah, he is all over wiki leaks isnt he....the blood is being spilled at SMS right now..the fans are on the streets against him arent they

lol

[docker-p]

Lets face it cortese needs all the good PR possible in his current status.

This.

A good bit of PR all for the price of a plaque and a handful of screws.

[georgeweahscousin]

Is he on the rack? Plus I would take what disgruntled ex-employees take with a pinch of salt.

 

I fully understand that some fans aren't taken with NC yet, but any need to attack on this thread, a thread that shows he is making positive/non commercial moves that previous regimes would not? No.

[sadoldgit]

How long before this becomes a Lowe vs Cortese argument thread?

 

Given the stick you gave me about bringing up the Evil One's name recently why no censure for Derry?

[Window Cleaner]

8 ?? she was married to someone who worked at the gas works !

 

the lady is 78 according to the article, that would make her 8 in 1940.So she must have married someone who was involved at a much later date.I don't know all the facts, someone surely does.Mr Ellery must have been about 14 at that time.

Edited 2 December, 2010 by Window Cleaner

[sadoldgit]

in your little mind...yeah

 

In probably quite a few people's minds to be fair DD.

[Barney Trubble]

I've read somewhere today that Lowe responded to a letter campaign from the womans husband,when still alive, with a letter telling him to buy one of the message bricks.

 

I know it ain't funny but I had to LOL. Lowe couldn't have tried to be more insensitive could he? He was just immune from feeling.

[sadoldgit]

On the official site there is a report that a lady whose husband survived a direct hit on the air raid shelter at the the old gasworks because he went home for lunch.

 

Eleven Saints fans were killed on Sept 26th 1940 in the shelter by the direct hit. The shelter was sited on what is now St Mary's. For years the lady's husband had tried to persuade the club to put up a plaque as a memorial to those fans but they had always refused.

 

As soon as Nicola Cortese was made aware of the request he gave it his support culminating with Kelvin Davis presenting the plaque to the lady at the BBC Radio Solent broadcast on Tuesday night commemorating the 70th anniversary of the blitz. The plaque is to be put up at SMS.

 

If Lowe etc, whoever was concerned, had refused this request they should be ashamed of themselves, especially as it is a Swiss citizen that is now doing what should have been done years ago. Sadly the lady's husband has passed away so was unaware that eventually his dream did come to fruition.

 

Could be Lowe, could be Wilde, could be Crouch, could be Hone, could be Hoos...........

[dune]

Welldone Nicole.

[Thedelldays]

In probably quite a few people's minds to be fair DD.

 

probably not TO BE FAIR soggy

[dronskisaint]

I dont think so as all the evidence as to why Cortese is on the rack is clear as day.

 

Just go and ask any ex employee of SFC over the last year, there are plenty of them.

 

Or you could just ask them why they are now ex-employees? I'm sure they would bear no grudges..whou does when they are sacked?!

[Smirking_Saint]

Nice gesture, should have come sooner.

 

I wondered how long the thread would be hijacked by Smears and Docker, and also intrigued at how they would spin it into an anti-NC post.

 

I am impressed.

[Smirking_Saint]

Or you could just ask them why they are now ex-employees? I'm sure they would bear no grudges..whou does when they are sacked?!

 

Its also so so so easy to sack people without having to go through a tribunal these days, so easy

[Thedelldays]

Nice gesture, should have come sooner.

 

I wondered how long the thread would be hijacked by Smears and Docker, and also intrigued at how they would spin it into an anti-NC post.

 

I am impressed.

 

yet, saying when rupes refused this gesture they pass it off as "banter"....

[dune]

Nice gesture, should have come sooner.

 

I wondered how long the thread would be hijacked by Smears and Docker, and also intrigued at how they would spin it into an anti-NC post.

 

I am impressed.

 

They are just as entitled to air their views as you are.

[derry]

I dont think so as all the evidence as to why Cortese is on the rack is clear as day.

 

Just go and ask any ex employee of SFC over the last year, there are plenty of them.

 

I know somebody that worked for the management under Cortese and still works in the club. She has, apart from saying that he is a demanding boss, said a lot of good things about how she was treated personally by him. So your statement is too radical by far. Suffice it to say that there are a number of people that dislike him.

[Window Cleaner]

yet, saying when rupes refused this gesture they pass it off as "banter"....

 

although the old Gas company could have inserted a proviso into the agreement for the purchase of the land that a commemorative plaque had to be put up for their lost employees, nothing easier really.

[Smirking_Saint]

They are just as entitled to air their views as you are.

 

I don't say that Nicola is a god, nor do i think it, infact i wasn't even going to bother writing on this thread before they posted their rather predictable drivel, it is a decent enough gesture and should have been done sooner in all reality.

 

It just annoys me that any good the man does is twisted and anything he ever does that can be twisted into some sort of evil plot will be.

 

And from what basis ??

[hamster]

the lady is 78 according to the article, that would make her 8 in 1940.So she must have married someone who was involved at a much later date.I don't know all the facts, someone surely does.Mr Ellery must have been about 14 at that time.

 

Back then many many of the 'eligible' men were overseas and coming home in lower numbers to that in which they enlisted.

 

There was a phenomena whereby many young women didn't have much option but to marry an older man. Harsh perhaps but true, my Nan telled me this ergo it is fact.

[Smirking_Saint]

I know somebody that worked for the management under Cortese and still works in the club. She has, apart from saying that he is a demanding boss, said a lot of good things about how she was treated personally by him. So your statement is too radical by far. Suffice it to say that there are a number of people that dislike him.

 

I have heard the same, he is demanding and doesn't put up for slackers or people just there for an easy life. Easy to see how that would get peoples backs up, especially if they end up unemployed.

 

I have also heard good things in the fact that he rewards forward thinking and ambition along with good work ethics.

 

How is that a bad thing ? Surely thats what work should be ?

[derry]

Could be Lowe, could be Wilde, could be Crouch, could be Hone, could be Hoos...........

 

Look, Lowe built the stadium and 'etc' covered all the rest. 'Whoever was concerned' shows that nobody is being targeted, however subsequently I saw that the lady's grandson 'Golden Balls,' has posted in the Lounge Blitz thread and stated that his grandfather was trying to get Lowe to agree but he wouldn't. So it was Lowe.

Edited 2 December, 2010 by derry

[Window Cleaner]

Back then many many of the 'eligible' men were overseas and coming home in lower numbers to that in which they enlisted.

 

There was a phenomena whereby many young women didn't have much option but to marry an older man. Harsh perhaps but true, my Nan telled me this ergo it is fact.

 

It's not all that big a difference in any case,shows though just a what age lads were going to work in places like the gas works. I remember mum telling me she started in some sort of cheese factory at about the same age before restarting studies at about 16/17.

[dune]

I don't say that Nicola is a god, nor do i think it, infact i wasn't even going to bother writing on this thread before they posted their rather predictable drivel, it is a decent enough gesture and should have been done sooner in all reality.

 

It just annoys me that any good the man does is twisted and anything he ever does that can be twisted into some sort of evil plot will be.

 

And from what basis ??

 

lol @ you getting wound up by what's witten on a forum.