Potential New Owners From Times Gone By

[Frank's cousin]

I think he posts on here. I've heard from people that know him that he's alright and a massive fan.

 

Thing is when Mike Wilde and Leon showed up (both of whom would be classified in that bracket) most fans believed that was all you needed to run a football club with financial problems, recently relegated and a loss of 47% of your turnover...

[Matthew Le God]

A family consortium...

 

[dune]

There was no WHY. Tommac said Allen was taking over to trumpet his own supposed role in the whole thing. He expected shortly to receive his cut as broker. All he actually did is send the SP through the roof on a false rumour.

 

I think there was more to a lot of the rumours than that. I think there was a big player behind them.

[Verbal]

I think there was more to a lot of the rumours than that. I think there was a big player behind them.

 

No, there really wasn't.

[Frank's cousin]

With a little help from some notoriously ill-informed ITKs. I remember the ticking off I got from Weston for winding up tommac, on the grounds that my posts might lead to him to 'withdraw' (!) But those were certainly the days for fan-in-the-boardroom power-trippers, whose antics lent some kind of credibility to the loons sifting through the entrails of the club.

 

I still have a recording somewhere of Mary Corbett recalling her desperate search for the truth about the Allen 'bid', only to realise that she and the rest of the board had been completely had by tommac.

 

I remeber getting a hush hush phonecall on which the plans were revealed... I will not name th caller as it would be unfair (not weston by the way) - it was certainly appealing to thos ewho wanted to believe - must admit for a moment or two... sigh... sworn to deepest secrecy and all that - very clever these ego appealing trips -.... although the best was being introduced to LifelongSaint (before he was ousted as the copier man) and having him say he had Kevin Keegan and some other ex pros numbers on his mobile - it was at that point that I had the retire to the toilets in SMS to literally **** myself laughing....

[dune]

No, there really wasn't.

 

You are only summising, as am I, but someone might have seen an advantage in upping the SP, pushing the club over the edge, and then mopping up.

[Verbal]

You are only summising, as am I, but someone might have seen an advantage in upping the SP, pushing the club over the edge, and then mopping up.

 

If you knew the ins and outs of the tommac business - a loon who had no connection with the club before or since - you'd be less willing to believe the 'big player' idea.

[dune]

If you knew the ins and outs of the tommac business - a loon who had no connection with the club before or since - you'd be less willing to believe the 'big player' idea.

 

He was nothing, completely unbelievable, but he did get the SP ramped up. So if my little theory is correct he did his job.

[Verbal]

I remeber getting a hush hush phonecall on which the plans were revealed... I will not name th caller as it would be unfair (not weston by the way) - it was certainly appealing to thos ewho wanted to believe - must admit for a moment or two... sigh... sworn to deepest secrecy and all that - very clever these ego appealing trips -.... although the best was being introduced to LifelongSaint (before he was ousted as the copier man) and having him say he had Kevin Keegan and some other ex pros numbers on his mobile - it was at that point that I had the retire to the toilets in SMS to literally **** myself laughing....

 

I remember your embarrassment well, Frank. The fact was, though, that the ITKs were created because too many people in the club and sniffing around it got it into their heads that S4E had a powerful leverage on fan opinion that would tip the balance one way or the other. I especially remember tommac coming on to S4E making his opening grand post, only to have DT take the **** out of his appalling spelling. Not quite the acclamation tommac was looking for. But it was then followed by a post from Weston saying (I think to Um pahars): 'Is this who I think it is?' Nudge nudge. And on it stupidly went.

[Verbal]

He was nothing, completely unbelievable, but he did get the SP ramped up. So if my little theory is correct he did his job.

 

Well at the time he WAS believed - not just by gullible ITKs on S4E, but by the board. Leon even blurted out a press release or press quote about it.

[dune]

I remember your embarrassment well, Frank. The fact was, though, that the ITKs were created because too many people in the club and sniffing around it got it into their heads that S4E had a powerful leverage on fan opinion that would tip the balance one way or the other. I especially remember tommac coming on to S4E making his opening grand post, only to have DT take the **** out of his appalling spelling. Not quite the acclamation tommac was looking for. But it was then followed by a post from Weston saying (I think to Um pahars): 'Is this who I think it is?' Nudge nudge. And on it stupidly went.

 

The nudging and winking was infuriating and created a two tier fanbase with the ITK's in their own magic circle, the majority acting utterly cringeworthy hanging on their every word and grovelling for scraps, and few like myself who were disgusted by the whole charade. I remember when certain people outside the magic circle posted anything ITK the magic circle enforcers were straight onto them whispering caution and going into Pm overdrive and handing out a special invite to join the magic circle youth team so the peasants weren't over informed and potential bids jeopardised.

[dubai_phil]

I remember your embarrassment well, Frank. The fact was, though, that the ITKs were created because too many people in the club and sniffing around it got it into their heads that S4E had a powerful leverage on fan opinion that would tip the balance one way or the other. I especially remember tommac coming on to S4E making his opening grand post, only to have DT take the **** out of his appalling spelling. Not quite the acclamation tommac was looking for. But it was then followed by a post from Weston saying (I think to Um pahars): 'Is this who I think it is?' Nudge nudge. And on it stupidly went.

 

To be honest though, one hugely amusing thing I learnt during those days was actually how randomly Football Deals can get done. For all of the "Seymour Pierce" professionalism I still find the story of how Amanda Stavely "obtained" a contact book and used it to set the wheels in motion that led to Abu Dhabi buying Man City actually JUSTIFY the fact that some felt forums and other weird sources of information or contacts could be a factor.

 

I still simply cannot understand how the hell some Investment Banker in Switzerland could have found out about us, put together a plan that Markus would believe in, then turn up (at the last minute) and having NEVER run a club before - hit the ground running. Believing that is as much of a leap of faith as believing Kanu is still going to play football this season.

 

One source of many of the ideas could actually have been the forums, many of t he things he has done were debated (quite sensibly) on S4E and here. I don't think this could be the case but it is as believable as holding the believe that NC woke up one day and The Lord Said unto Him "Thou now knows how to run a Football Club. Go forth, buy Southampton and Reign for Eternity"

[Frank's cousin]

I remember your embarrassment well, Frank. The fact was, though, that the ITKs were created because too many people in the club and sniffing around it got it into their heads that S4E had a powerful leverage on fan opinion that would tip the balance one way or the other. I especially remember tommac coming on to S4E making his opening grand post, only to have DT take the **** out of his appalling spelling. Not quite the acclamation tommac was looking for. But it was then followed by a post from Weston saying (I think to Um pahars): 'Is this who I think it is?' Nudge nudge. And on it stupidly went.

 

Reminds me of the fine mr Lydon's words: 'ever get teh feeling you've been cheated' - got to laugh at yourself for being taken in for a moment - but in mitigation, my 'sources (:-)) were honorable... at the end of the day IMHO its the same reason why so many follow organised religions - as its easy pickings given so many want to believe.

 

I do think its a shame saintlee got so much stic about all that, as whilst there were plenty who genuinely smlled an eary rat, there were more sticking the knife in who were simply envious that they were not 'ITK'

[Frank's cousin]

To be honest though, one hugely amusing thing I learnt during those days was actually how randomly Football Deals can get done. For all of the "Seymour Pierce" professionalism I still find the story of how Amanda Stavely "obtained" a contact book and used it to set the wheels in motion that led to Abu Dhabi buying Man City actually JUSTIFY the fact that some felt forums and other weird sources of information or contacts could be a factor.

 

I still simply cannot understand how the hell some Investment Banker in Switzerland could have found out about us, put together a plan that Markus would believe in, then turn up (at the last minute) and having NEVER run a club before - hit the ground running. Believing that is as much of a leap of faith as believing Kanu is still going to play football this season.

 

One source of many of the ideas could actually have been the forums, many of t he things he has done were debated (quite sensibly) on S4E and here. I don't think this could be the case but it is as believable as holding the believe that NC woke up one day and The Lord Said unto Him "Thou now knows how to run a Football Club. Go forth, buy Southampton and Reign for Eternity"

 

The irony being that as so many had been burned into believeing in copier salemen, might yacht owning yanks, barry briefcase and helpmerhonda - when rumours began circulating about a swiss banker and his firend, most laughed it off as another wind up...

[dubai_phil]

The irony being that as so many had been burned into believeing in copier salemen' date=' might yacht owning yanks, barry briefcase and helpmerhonda - when rumours began circulating about a swiss banker and his firend, most laughed it off as another wind up... [/quote']

 

TBF by the time I heard it it had become "Something to do with Cranes".

 

Seeing I was at Glastonbury at the time, for some strange reason I never managed to make the connection I kept looking out for long necked birds flying by..

 

Safe drive tomorrow - Dead Bloody Jealous.

[Verbal]

To be honest though, one hugely amusing thing I learnt during those days was actually how randomly Football Deals can get done. For all of the "Seymour Pierce" professionalism I still find the story of how Amanda Stavely "obtained" a contact book and used it to set the wheels in motion that led to Abu Dhabi buying Man City actually JUSTIFY the fact that some felt forums and other weird sources of information or contacts could be a factor.

 

I still simply cannot understand how the hell some Investment Banker in Switzerland could have found out about us, put together a plan that Markus would believe in, then turn up (at the last minute) and having NEVER run a club before - hit the ground running. Believing that is as much of a leap of faith as believing Kanu is still going to play football this season.

 

One source of many of the ideas could actually have been the forums, many of t he things he has done were debated (quite sensibly) on S4E and here. I don't think this could be the case but it is as believable as holding the believe that NC woke up one day and The Lord Said unto Him "Thou now knows how to run a Football Club. Go forth, buy Southampton and Reign for Eternity"

 

You're being too modest about your own ITK moment, DP. Must be photocopied on your brain surely?

[dune]

I still simply cannot understand how the hell some Investment Banker in Switzerland could have found out about us, put together a plan that Markus would believe in, then turn up (at the last minute) and having NEVER run a club before - hit the ground running. Believing that is as much of a leap of faith as believing Kanu is still going to play football this season.

 

My thoughts exactly. Without people like Tommac and the increased SP Lowe and Co could probably have sold us to someone, but once that SP went up to something like 50p we were overvalued and no-one would touch us. This swallowed up time and admin resulted. We were then bought for a snip. Now i'm not for one minute suggesting that our current owners were behind Tommac and the like, but what can't be disputed is that the actions of Tommac and the like enabled the purchase at a knocked down price. There were in my opinion quite a few interested parties who could've benefitted and any one of them might have seen the advantage of having a Tommac.

[Verbal]

My thoughts exactly. Without people like Tommac and the increased SP Lowe and Co could probably have sold us to someone, but once that SP went up to something like 50p we were overvalued and no-one would touch us. This swallowed up time and admin resulted. We were then bought for a snip. Now i'm not for one minute suggesting that our current owners were behind Tommac and the like, but what can't be disputed is that the actions of Tommac and the like enabled the purchase at a knocked down price. There were in my opinion quite a few interested parties who could've benefitted and any one of them might have seen the advantage of having a Tommac.

 

You can see it that way if you want. But don't forget how the same antics almost led eventually to the club's extinction. It was that close.

[dune]

You can see it that way if you want. But don't forget how the same antics almost led eventually to the club's extinction. It was that close.

 

Rubbish (IMO of course) we were never going out of business. Once in admin we were ripe for picking. As DP points out it's highly unlikely that the Liebherr bid was sorted over night. Multi million pound investments take a lot of planning and groundwork.

[Verbal]

Rubbish (IMO of course) we were never going out of business. Once in admin we were ripe for picking. As DP points out it's highly unlikely that the Liebherr bid was sorted over night. Multi million pound investments take a lot of planning and groundwork.

 

We'll never know, because we got so lucky. My point though is that tommac was a hopeless 'freelancer' who thought he could make a quick buck brokering a mega deal with the employer of two lawyers shooting the breeze on one of his company's lease jets. He had no connection to anyone until he dazzled the board with his 'brokered' Allen deal. Lowe, of all the 'big three', was apparently the most sceptical.

[dubai_phil]

You're being too modest about your own ITK moment, DP. Must be photocopied on your brain surely?

 

Actually no it never came from there. It was a random local call from an old mate in the IT biz which led to a meet in a local Starbucks with some bloke who did all the traditional shifty ITK dance and was gob smacked when I laughed at him.

 

To be fair though, I did of course enjoy the rofl call back to Toner land afterwards. I believe the operative expression is "Wind Up". Television Star, Outstanding Track record blah blah blah. But for a supposed Chess expert the boy what only ever played twice when he was drunk checkmated him in 6 moves

[dune]

We'll never know, because we got so lucky. My point though is that tommac was a hopeless 'freelancer' who thought he could make a quick buck brokering a mega deal with the employer of two lawyers shooting the breeze on one of his company's lease jets. He had no connection to anyone until he dazzled the board with his 'brokered' Allen deal. Lowe, of all the 'big three', was apparently the most sceptical.

 

Well he wasn't sceptical enough, and given his background and the fact he is/was chairman of W H Ireland, he fooked up big time. The SP was allowed to be ramped up and he çould have intervened if he'd been on the ball. His negligence cost him millions.

[Micky]

Personally during our dark, dark days I was somewhat disappointed that a certain Mr Mark© Jackson (aks LLS) never got the opportunity to drop his blueprint for success into the club - just think where we could be today?

[dubai_phil]

Well he wasn't sceptical enough, and given his background and the fact he is/was chairman of W H Ireland, he fooked up big time. The SP was allowed to be ramped up and he çould have intervened if he'd been on the ball. His negligence cost him millions.

 

True...

 

But, don't forget he (as CEO) had been awarded large quantities of stock options so he owned some fair percent of the club. As that old share price went up, it becomes VERY difficult for a Turkey to vote for Xmas. Everyone WANTED to believe, as Verbal has indicated the story seemed "plausible" - we have experience

 

"Trusted Advisor sees Opportunity to take to his Billionaire Investor. Asks some basic questions and says I think this might be something he is interested in"

 

Shame Rupes & the gang picked the wrong one, it sure as sh1t worked for us a few years later!

[dubai_phil]

Personally during our dark, dark days I was somewhat disappointed that a certain Mr Mark© Jackson (aks LLS) never got the opportunity to drop his blueprint for success into the club - just think where we could be today?

 

How do you know he didn't?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just saying like.

In the interests of Friday night banter of course

 

[Frank's cousin]

TBF by the time I heard it it had become "Something to do with Cranes".

 

Seeing I was at Glastonbury at the time, for some strange reason I never managed to make the connection I kept looking out for long necked birds flying by..

 

Safe drive tomorrow - Dead Bloody Jealous.

 

Glasters at your age... last time went was '90, James, primal scream, heat wave...

 

i remember when Me and Ron met Saint Lee and he introdusced us to liflong - was expecting a besuited well groomed executive type... well wont say any more than:scared: that

 

Should be a grand day out tomorrow!

 

Tell ya what though this nostalgia lark is a bit of laugh though!

[Frank's cousin]

Personally during our dark, dark days I was somewhat disappointed that a certain Mr Mark© Jackson (aks LLS) never got the opportunity to drop his blueprint for success into the club - just think where we could be today?

 

Monkey Chicken Zoo.....

[dune]

Monkey Chicken Zoo.....

 

The Grand Plan For Bournemouth

 

[dubai_phil]

Monkey Chicken Zoo.....

 

Ah, the perfect memory to head off to bed with.......

 

Just a shame I never managed to record the "Tiger Woods Pitch & Putt in the Northam" gag at the time

[dubai_phil]

OOh which reminds me - back on Topic..

 

We forgot a name from the list.

 

Tiger Woods.

 

Hell there was EVEN a photo in the very first TSW Forum Match Programme showing the great man signing the agreement.....

[Weston Saint]

And always had a piece of the inside track but never all of it. He blanked when some challenged him as being Salz (or his "bestest best friend" Leon) but was probably someone who worked for him in the City

Morph? I knew who he was, what school he went to in the past and was in touch with him by email at the time. He had powerful contacts, that is all. He works in the city but not for any of the main players. Nice guy and I would not dream of saying who he was or his powerful friends.

[dubai_phil]

Morph? I knew who he was, what school he went to in the past and was in touch with him by email at the time. He had powerful contacts, that is all. He works in the city but not for any of the main players. Nice guy and I would not dream of saying who he was or his powerful friends.

 

Nor should you ever

[Frank's cousin]

Morph? I knew who he was, what school he went to in the past and was in touch with him by email at the time. He had powerful contacts, that is all. He works in the city but not for any of the main players. Nice guy and I would not dream of saying who he was or his powerful friends.

 

Hi Weston - how's things?

 

'powerful friends?' sounds like you could tell us but would have to kill us

 

Seriously though... for a change Dune has got me thinking - I remember we went into admin, the media mentioned and unknown Swiss bid - but because it was (in hindsight) serious, there was not a sniff to be had about it - and one by one the others dropped out .... then the unexpected share price rise .... then admin.... uhm....

[Weston Saint]

Hi Weston - how's things?

 

'powerful friends?' sounds like you could tell us but would have to kill us

 

Seriously though... for a change Dune has got me thinking - I remember we went into admin, the media mentioned and unknown Swiss bid - but because it was (in hindsight) serious, there was not a sniff to be had about it - and one by one the others dropped out .... then the unexpected share price rise .... then admin.... uhm....

Hi Frank, got your email yesterday (it went into my spam folder...must have been all those "het's" ) Will reply over the weekend.

[Frank's cousin]

Hi Frank, got your email yesterday (it went into my spam folder...must have been all those "het's" ) Will reply over the weekend.

NO worries, now paid up - will be good to hear form you - finally getting to a game again tomorrow!

[SuperMikey]

Tony Lynam was part of the Pinnacle consortium along with Mickey Fialka and others. He used to post on the Takeover Thread (the Saints one, not the other one...) under his own name until things went t!ts up and he mysteriously disappeared from the board....

[dan17]

I am sure Tony L has been back a few times to express best wishes etc......thank **** we ended up where we are today!

[dune]

David Dickenson looks pale in comparison.

 

[Micky]

Tony Lynam was part of the Pinnacle consortium along with Mickey Fialka and others. He used to post on the Takeover Thread (the Saints one, not the other one...) under his own name until things went t!ts up and he mysteriously disappeared from the board....

 

TBF Tony was up front right from th start. Posted here to update us and answer questions when he could. He takes a lot of stick from some on here, but I actually think that his intentions were good and honest, it's just that he didn't realise that his backer(s) never actually had the tools to do the job, as MLT found out as well.

 

After it all panned out I believe he actually came back on here to wish us well, decent guy really - never had a problem with him.

[manji]

Saints Trust Chairman Steve Godwin commented:

 

“The purchase of 1885 shares in Southampton Leisure Holdings by the Saints Trust is a major step forward for all fans of Southampton Football Club. It gives the average fan on the terrace a voice in the way the club is run. Right now that voice is only a whisper but in time it will grow to be roar”.

 

Great find ! lol Its true a lot of the fanontheborders were having great fun at the time.

[Frank's cousin]

Thing is, it was not a great time really - so much bitterness and vitriolic abuse kicking about, a right ***** fest on the boards - dug out some old PMs yesterday and jeez could some some 'eminent' posters be nasty little boys. The Lowe thing divided, created suspicion and was generally crap all round. I was just as guilty as as anyone in imagining dark forces at work, accusing folk of all sorts of agendas etc so some of the abuse was probably justified, even if the nature of it was surprizing.

 

No one should take these boards seriously in anyway, but it is interesting lookig back how easy it is for these more 'political' threads to cause real anger and resentment amongst us board obsessed few.

[Bad Wolf]

I heard Rod Stewart at one point.

[eelpie]

Didn't some of these feature in the fabulous Sergeant Pepper spoof poster?

Was that by Art?

 

Would love to see it again

[SuperSAINT]

[dubai_phil]

 

 

 

Oh yes

[Frank's cousin]

Didn't some of these feature in the fabulous Sergeant Pepper spoof poster?

Was that by Art?

 

Would love to see it again

 

That was Pancake - someone else did one fo pompey recently as well which was just as funny if you can find it amongst the 20 squillion pages of the Takeover thread!)

[SuperSAINT]

Marcus Evans (He of Ipswich fame) looked at us prior to buying them too, I believe....

 

Couple of side-notes...

 

1) Why has no-one got that video clip up of Mark Jackson up on here yet? (Was it from Meridian?)

2) Who was Saint David? I'm sure he used to be talked about for being ITK for some reason that I can't remember.

[Badger]

 

Did we ever find out who were involved in this bunch ?

 

Were they serious contenders or were they just cowboys?

[Badger]

Seeing the names of David Frost and Anthony Salz listed above reminds me of one other who was linked to them according to rumours , Gavin Davies.

 

Also, some Kennedt bloke, involved in Sale Sharks and more recently a failed bid for Rangers. Perhaps he was part of the Souness party.

[SuperSAINT]

Did we ever find out who were involved in this bunch ?

 

Were they serious contenders or were they just cowboys?

 

That pun WAS intended, right?

 

No - Never knew who they were. Not even sure they were even real TBH.