the things Rupert Lowe has said over the years

[Sheff Saint]

 

 

I guess my 'apologist' approach never had anything to do with supporting the man, but in seeing the logic in doing things differently - I liked the idea of a strong youth development approach, investment in sports science, have always liked the idea of continental system, of managers being there to get the best out of the players the club has, not completely changing things at great expense when they come and go... especially as they have no loyalty either - and its seems a perverse excuse of managers who blame their lack of success on the inability to spend vast quantities of money - for me we should judge our managers on the IMPROVEMENTand the results they get with the resources they have - but I guess thats unrealistic as well as as fans our demands and expectations are so much more ambitious.

 

 

As in all walks of life we are always far more forgiving of those that have success - had we achieved more positives with the approaches, the comments and crazy ideas whole response from fans to his arrogance, rants and insults of the customers, would in reality be forgotten or considered an amusing aspect of his character.... because of the very obvious position we find ourselves in, any deviations from what is considered the standard excepted approach is considered a fatal flaw.

 

In theory i'm well up for this. I think we do need to head down this path. But what is not the right idea is to take such a revolution approach. Baby steps and evolution are needed. Sure, get the kids up and through. But we are in the CCC, we need a few old heads and we need to play in a certain style.

 

Lowe thinks he can change the practice of however many years of modern football overnight. And you can't. And pis*ing off the supporters with a know it all attitude is not going to endear him either.

 

And the divide over success and failure is life, is it not? In such a high powered, hig profile position the line between success and failure is marginal. But if Lowe oversaw two relegations, there can be no denying his term should end and it would end in failure?

Edited 12 January, 2009 by Sheff Saint

[Toomer]

Somedunce you have yet again proved that you know sweet FA about the club.

[saint1977]

In theory i'm well up for this. I think we do need to head down this path. But what is not the right idea is to take such a revolution approach. Baby steps and evolution are needed. Sure, get the kids up and through. But we are in the CCC, we need a few old heads and we need to play in a certain style.

 

Lowe thinks he can change the practice of however many years of modern football overnight. And you can't. And pis*ing off the supporters with a know it all attitude is not going to endear him either.

 

And the divide over success and failure is life, is it not? In such a high powered, hig profile position the line between success and failure is marginal. But if Lowe oversaw two relegations, there can be no denying his term should end and it would end in failure?

 

Good practical post. I think the people posting on here claiming "prejudice" against Rupert really need to change the record. I'm educated to Postgraduate level so Rupert's background has never been an issue for me at any stage, I think this ceased to be an issue for any supporters that had felt it was a problem in the late 90s and it's only Mandaric with his duck-hunting jibe and the media that have kept it going.

[Channon's Sideburns]

Good practical post. I think the people posting on here claiming "prejudice" against Rupert really need to change the record. I'm educated to Postgraduate level so Rupert's background has never been an issue for me at any stage, I think this ceased to be an issue for any supporters that had felt it was a problem in the late 90s and it's only Mandaric with his duck-hunting jibe and the media that have kept it going.

 

Christ!!! How many times?????????!!

 

The criticism of Lowe has now NOTHING TO DO WITH HIS BACKGROUND!!

 

Majority of Saints fans simply do not like him because he:

 

a) He oversaw the relegation of this once proud club after 27 years in the top division;

b) He failed to either locate or encourage upward investment in his 10 years in charge;

c) He showed no ambition to get us promoted in the important first season following relegation;

d) He seems to think he can re-invent Football;

e) He shows no respect to shareholders (outside of his yes-men who keep him in), players or supporters;

f) He will never admit that HE (not 'people') made mistakes;

g) He is a leech on the arse of our club.

 

See, nothing to do with his upbringing - doesn't matter what school you go to, if you are simply not a nice person, you'll always be a ***t.

[alpine_saint]

Christ!!! How many times?????????!!

 

The criticism of Lowe has now NOTHING TO DO WITH HIS BACKGROUND!!

 

Majority of Saints fans simply do not like him because he:

 

a) He oversaw the relegation of this once proud club after 27 years in the top division;

b) He failed to either locate or encourage upward investment in his 10 years in charge;

c) He showed no ambition to get us promoted in the important first season following relegation;

d) He seems to think he can re-invent Football;

e) He shows no respect to shareholders (outside of his yes-men who keep him in), players or supporters;

f) He will never admit that HE (not 'people') made mistakes;

g) He is a leech on the arse of our club.

 

See, nothing to do with his upbringing - doesn't matter what school you go to, if you are simply not a nice person, you'll always be a ***t.

 

spot on.

[fos1]

Christ!!! How many times?????????!!

 

The criticism of Lowe has now NOTHING TO DO WITH HIS BACKGROUND!!

 

Majority of Saints fans simply do not like him because he:

 

a) He oversaw the relegation of this once proud club after 27 years in the top division;

b) He failed to either locate or encourage upward investment in his 10 years in charge;

c) He showed no ambition to get us promoted in the important first season following relegation;

d) He seems to think he can re-invent Football;

e) He shows no respect to shareholders (outside of his yes-men who keep him in), players or supporters;

f) He will never admit that HE (not 'people') made mistakes;

g) He is a leech on the arse of our club.

 

See, nothing to do with his upbringing - doesn't matter what school you go to, if you are simply not a nice person, you'll always be a ***t.

 

Post of the day spot on !!!

[saint1977]

Christ!!! How many times?????????!!

 

The criticism of Lowe has now NOTHING TO DO WITH HIS BACKGROUND!!

 

Majority of Saints fans simply do not like him because he:

 

a) He oversaw the relegation of this once proud club after 27 years in the top division;

b) He failed to either locate or encourage upward investment in his 10 years in charge;

c) He showed no ambition to get us promoted in the important first season following relegation;

d) He seems to think he can re-invent Football;

e) He shows no respect to shareholders (outside of his yes-men who keep him in), players or supporters;

f) He will never admit that HE (not 'people') made mistakes;

g) He is a leech on the arse of our club.

 

See, nothing to do with his upbringing - doesn't matter what school you go to, if you are simply not a nice person, you'll always be a ***t.

 

Exactly but there are still a small but loud minority on this site who still maintain that if you oppose Rupert Lowe that you must surely come from a council house and dig pavements all week (not that there is anything wrong with either by the way). I think this is very insulting on our fans and to those who may have links with the current regime on this site I would urge you to quit this line of attack because it is a real turn off and not based within any recent evidence. McMillan and co. had a pop but that was so long ago it was just after Souness had left and the issue hasn't reared it's head since - it was only Mandaric wanting to get at Lowe and the media's image of Rupert which is not the fans fault.

 

I'm not bothered about whether Rupert is nice, it's the fact that he's made too many foul ups and would have been out of the door long ago at most major organisations, it's only because senile sycophants like Askham and Richards that he stays in, plus King Rat Mike Wilde.

 

I assume that you were agreeing with me Channon, I certainly wasn't supporting the likes of Professor who keep on throwing this accusation around. Like you, I'm sick of reading that anyone who opposes the current regime does so because he went to public school. Utter tosh and some of Rupert's followers are very worried by current fan opinion I reckon.

Edited 12 January, 2009 by saint1977

[Channon's Sideburns]

Exactly but there are still a small but loud minority on this site who still maintain that if you oppose Rupert Lowe that you must surely come from a council house and dig pavements all week (not that there is anything wrong with either by the way). I think this is very insulting on our fans and to those who may have links with the current regime on this site I would urge you to quit this line of attack because it is a real turn off and not based within any recent evidence. McMillan and co. had a pop but that was so long ago it was just after Souness had left and the issue hasn't reared it's head since - it was only Mandaric wanting to get at Lowe and the media's image of Rupert which is not the fans fault.

 

I'm not bothered about whether Rupert is nice, it's the fact that he's made too many foul ups and would have been out of the door long ago at most major organisations, it's only because senile sycophants like Askham and Richards that he stays in, plus King Rat Mike Wilde.

 

I assume that you were agreeing with me Channon, I certainly wasn't supporting the likes of Professor who keep on throwing this accusation around. Like you, I'm sick of reading that anyone who opposes the current regime does so because he went to public school. Utter tosh and some of Rupert's followers are very worried by current fan opinion I reckon.

 

Exactly 77...in fact at the moment I'm being barracked by the usual suspects on another thread because I mentioned that having watched the 6-3 win over Man U in 96 it showed how we had fell as a club since Lowe got involved.

 

Seems like their all on 'Protect Rupert Alert'.

[ooohTerryHurlock]

Watching that clip from 1997 after Souness and L Mac quit made me realise there was a lot of footage and interviews with our illustrious Chairman I have either missed or forgotten.

 

Now although I am anti Lowe, I don't want to turn this into another Lowe out thread but I would be interested to hear some of his more memorable quotes, possibly to use in an article. So if you have any authentic ones that are verifiable post away. Some actually are quite good - I particularly warmed to him (briefly) when he called Tottenham's Board "a bunch of North London yobboes" during the Hoddle departure - or was it the Dean Richards' transfer.

 

And then there was that cling ons on the starboard bow which for the life of me I can't remember the context. Darn I wish I had kept a record - too busy writing ITN, I guess.

 

.... Yes it is things like this that make him so inept as a Chairman - instead of letting Hoddle go on a hand shake and with goodwill - he drummed up all this hatred and bad feeling - and then tried to reintroduce Hoddle years down the line and wondered why the fans did n't want him back! - He leaves you speachless at times.

[saint1977]

.... Yes it is things like this that make him so inept as a Chairman - instead of letting Hoddle go on a hand shake and with goodwill - he drummed up all this hatred and bad feeling - and then tried to reintroduce Hoddle years down the line and wondered why the fans did n't want him back! - He leaves you speachless at times.

 

That is a very good point to raise actually. I personally had no problem with Hoddle returning but I'm not surprised that there were other STs sat around me with "ABH" t-shirts on. I'll give Rupert his due, he did squeeze a great price for Dean Richards but to stir the rhetoric and then to have a pop at the fans for following his original lead in 2004 was a bit rich. FFS, there were even t-shirts printed for the N London Cup Semi saying "Saints say be a Gooner for the day"!

[once_bitterne]

Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe confirmed on Thursday that Hoddle was a candidate for the manager's job.

 

Lowe rejected suggestions he had bowed to fans pressure in dropping plans to bring Hoddle back to the club he walked out on three years ago.

 

But Lowe told a news conference Hoddle could still replace Gordon Strachan and he would not be swayed by fans.

 

Lowe said the popular choice was not always the right one and that people deserved a second chance.

 

"The shields are up and the Klingons are shooting at us and every time they land a punch they are sapping our power.

 

"Of course we will listen to what the supporters have to say, but at the end of the day they support the club but they don't run it.

 

"He (Hoddle) is a tremendous coach," Lowe said.

 

"We want somebody who can coach the excellent squad we have built up, to lead them and be tactically aware so instead of us going to Old Trafford and Highbury and losing narrowly, we win.

 

"Yes Glenn left this club under a cloud but if anyone should be bearing a grudge it is me as he put me through the mill (when he left).

 

"It took me some time to find a solution and when we appointed Gordon Strachan we had a similar response from fans because of what had happened at Coventry.

 

"I am not ruling anything in and I am not ruling anything out.

 

"But regardless of whether he is the popular choice we will do what is right for this club."

 

If only Lowe had the balls to re-appoint Hoddle we would not be where we are now.

[saint1977]

If only Lowe had the balls to re-appoint Hoddle we would not be where we are now.

 

I wish he had as well OB but you've got to admit that Rupert did make a rod for his own back with all of the "North London Yobbos" spin. I can even remember arguing with 2 STs in the next row from us who had "ABH" t-shirts on making a case for Hoddle's return but the hysteria from Hoddle's exit in 2001 that the club had whipped up still made rational debate impossible. These 2 men were otherwise good lads all season but were spitting chips at the thought of Hoddle returning and couldn't be talked around. People should think for themselves but Rupert did reap what he sowed (ironic turn of phrase as we're discussing Hoddle...) from 2001.

[alehouseboys]

I always chuckle at the one, along the lines of, us becoming..."the Man United of the south!"

 

And although I can't guarantee he was responsible (but...) the strap line when moving to SMS..."We built it, You fill it"

 

Well, we filled it and then.......................

[Alain Perrin]

.... Yes it is things like this that make him so inept as a Chairman - instead of letting Hoddle go on a hand shake and with goodwill - he drummed up all this hatred and bad feeling - and then tried to reintroduce Hoddle years down the line and wondered why the fans did n't want him back! - He leaves you speachless at times.

 

Because I'm sure the fans would have harboured no malice towards Hoddle if RL hadn't stoked the fire...... how naive are you?

[saint1977]

Because I'm sure the fans would have harboured no malice towards Hoddle if RL hadn't stoked the fire...... how naive are you?

 

The fans would have had a pop anyway but you have to admit RL stirred it right up knowing how volatile fans can be - he's had plenty of experience - which didn't help in 2004. I think Hurlock has a fair point. I would have had Hoddle back but there's a lot of fans that wouldn't in 2004.

[Rut]

Very early on (perhaps his 1st ever public appearance) Lowe said something like 'and I want to bring back the great times that Jim McCalliog gave this club in 1976'.

 

I wonder if he knows who Bobby Stokes (RIP) is now?

[Rut]

Very early on (perhaps his 1st ever public appearance) Lowe said something like 'and I want to bring back the great times that Jim McCalliog gave this club in 1976'.

 

I wonder if he knows who Bobby Stokes (RIP) is now?

[Mole]

"They still say that I went to a football match for the first time six months before I joined Southampton," he says. "Incorrect. I used to go with friends regularly to watch Ipswich Town, although as a boy I supported West Ham. I played football at the Dragon School in Oxford. And I remember being very keen on my Soccer Stars album. When you bought stuff from the school tuck shop you got the stickers."

[Thedelldays]

Very early on (perhaps his 1st ever public appearance) Lowe said something like 'and I want to bring back the great times that Jim McCalliog gave this club in 1976'.

 

I wonder if he knows who Bobby Stokes (RIP) is now?

to be fair (as if by accident) he almost did

[Professor]

Burley was well received by the fans, but that is irrelivant - it was another poor appointment - it's as simple as that.

Lets get the history right - Burley was a perfectly good appointment, seen as a coup by many, but Wilde undermined the situation when he began his call for an EGM at the beginning of the close season so that Burley was not able to do any team building until August. After that Wilde and his successors failed to manage Burley. With a strong chairman, Burley would have done better. Even so, he was still rated high enough for the SFA to take him.

[Thedelldays]

Lets get the history right - Burley was a perfectly good appointment, seen as a coup by many, but Wilde undermined the situation when he began his call for an EGM at the beginning of the close season so that Burley was not able to do any team building until August. After that Wilde and his successors failed to manage Burley. With a strong chairman, Burley would have done better. Even so, he was still rated high enough for the SFA to take him.

 

 

rated him along with who exactly?

 

they got burnt going down the foreign manager route...so unless jose or a capello would do the job then it was a scottish manager...and how many of those wanted the job..?

 

I believe it was a choice between burley, davies and mark maghee...

[Paul75]

If Lowe had stepped down after the FA Cup final against Arsenal, Best manager and squad for years New ground, European football, would the opinion of him now be different?

[Thedelldays]

If Lowe had stepped down after the FA Cup final against Arsenal, Best manager and squad for years New ground, European football, would the opinion of him now be different?

I would say so....leaving like that..on a high so to speak

[L1Minus10]

If Lowe had stepped down after the FA Cup final against Arsenal, Best manager and squad for years New ground, European football, would the opinion of him now be different?

 

Good question. If he'd left then, the opinion of him would be much higher.

 

He maybe should have realised that he couldn't take us any further and left and found someone who maybe could take us further. However, in his arrogance he thought he could take us further by selling our best player and ****ing off the best manager we've had for years.

[Gordon Mockles]

Lets get the history right - Burley was a perfectly good appointment, seen as a coup by many, but Wilde undermined the situation when he began his call for an EGM at the beginning of the close season so that Burley was not able to do any team building until August. After that Wilde and his successors failed to manage Burley. With a strong chairman, Burley would have done better. Even so, he was still rated high enough for the SFA to take him.

 

WOW! Was that mantra written down by Rupert for you? "With a strong chairman..." Errrr, would you go on to suggest a name, RUPERT perhaps??

 

LMAO You Lowe supporting cult *checks for typo* are priceless. I hope your time wasted purporting this Lowe-based nonsense is worth it. Words very much used by Lowe if memory serves me correct. What a coincidence...

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2310250/Lowe-slams-Saints-board-for-%27failure%27.html

 

"They have mismanaged George Burley..." WHAT? Much like the strong, inspirational management that kept Harry at the club so long?!

 

"weak management"

 

What a ridiculous post. About as sensible as a Scooby, Firefighter, Somedunce, BuctoomanyTim or an Alain Perrin comment...puerile and pointless.

 

Burley has to shoulder a great deal of the blame for our current demise, along with Rupert and Wilde. Burley was a p*ss poor appointment (despite what many felt at the time), play offs or not. The squad he squandered, the neglect he showed many of the youth (as well as seniors), the drinking, the training, the demotivation emanating from his total lack of competency in managing his squad, his characterless, inane behaviour and lack of consistency in squad selection and tactical decisions, his general neglect and lack of comms with the players, his weak will and the questionable transfer activity and subsequent player wages as a result - I'm sure it wasn't entirely down to Hone and co and other alleged activities (Makin, Saga, esq.)...he totally f*cked our club up. For the team and money spent, Burley was a complete disgrace and failure. The SFA have obviously been drink training at Margeritas too if they thought his appointment a wise one. We were lucky they came in. I bet they're regretting it now though and I see George hasn't lost his canny knack of inspiring his players...eh Kriss Boyd?! I wonder if any Saints players departed surreptitious under Burley?! hmmmm???

 

You have to question the motives of individuals that continue to support a man that has delivered such glaringly bad times to Southampton FC?! How can they trust or defend a man like Lowe who constantly (and consistently) goes back on his words ("I have no intention at coming back to Southampton FC")

 

He's lied and deceived from day one, and continues to do so until our club rots to nothing.

 

Oh, despite it being supposition, Burley and Saints would have still failed under Lowe. Burley would have still been sh*t, just sacked quicker and some incapable replacement appointed in true Lowe style.

[sadoldgit]

Most sensible thing on this thread, Frank.

 

Agreed.

[sadoldgit]

WOW! Was that mantra written down by Rupert for you? "With a strong chairman..." Errrr, would you go on to suggest a name, RUPERT perhaps??

 

LMAO You Lowe supporting cult *checks for typo* are priceless. I hope your time wasted purporting this Lowe-based nonsense is worth it. Words very much used by Lowe if memory serves me correct. What a coincidence...

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2310250/Lowe-slams-Saints-board-for-%27failure%27.html

 

"They have mismanaged George Burley..." WHAT? Much like the strong, inspirational management that kept Harry at the club so long?!

 

"weak management"

 

I am not saying that Burley did not have his faults, but like him or not he did manage to get us into the play off in his only full season and would have made Cardiff it it wasn't for a couple of crap penalties. Hardly the stuff or unmitigated failure.

 

He then lost three of his better players for the next season. Hardly an ideal situation from which to build another promotion push.

 

To blame him for what is going on now is plain nonsense. We have had three sets of managers since he went, and when he went we were still a couple of wins away from the play offs.

 

The reason we are where we are is because we have no money.

[slickmick]

Can't believe people still defend Burley.

[sadoldgit]

Can't believe people still defend Burley.

 

I can't believe that people stil attack him. He had a decent win per games ratio and we have had far worse managers.

 

Did you ever see Burley give Mandaric a thumbs up after a drubbing at Portsmouth?

 

The last decent season we had for years was under Burley. Why slate him for that?

 

It was like the Birmingham fans slating Bruce when they were top of the table.

[Give it to Ron]

[QUOte

I am not saying that Burley did not have his faults, but like him or not he did manage to get us into the play off in his only full season and would have made Cardiff it it wasn't for a couple of crap penalties. Hardly the stuff or unmitigated failure.

 

He then lost three of his better players for the next season. Hardly an ideal situation from which to build another promotion push.

 

To blame him for what is going on now is plain nonsense. We have had three sets of managers since he went, and when he went we were still a couple of wins away from the play offs.

 

The reason we are where we are is because we have no money.

 

I can't quite make out whether you are on a wind up of posters or are serious as you keep missing most peoples point about Burley.

Burley had such a good squad of players that we should not of needed to get to the play offs - we should of been automatic.

Had we not wasted the whole pre-season ignoring our main frailty which was the centre of defence(something nearly every manager bar Pearson has done)

coupled with actually showing some interest and understanding what a substitute is for then perhaps some of us would hold Burley in higher regard.

Do you remember Watford at home 2-0 down with 20 minutes to go and bringing on sub 3 minutes left?

What about the game we were 0-0 and Saga in injury time?

[slickmick]

I can't believe that people stil attack him. He had a decent win per games ratio and we have had far worse managers.

 

Did you ever see Burley give Mandaric a thumbs up after a drubbing at Portsmouth?

 

The last decent season we had for years was under Burley. Why slate him for that?

 

It was like the Birmingham fans slating Bruce when they were top of the table.

 

 

Have done this to death with Nickh.

I could go on, but its done and dusted now. He's Scotlands problem now, not ours.

Lets just say we have different opinions on how well he did with £7m to spend.

[slickmick]

WOW! Was that mantra written down by Rupert for you? "With a strong chairman..." Errrr, would you go on to suggest a name, RUPERT perhaps??

 

LMAO You Lowe supporting cult *checks for typo* are priceless. I hope your time wasted purporting this Lowe-based nonsense is worth it. Words very much used by Lowe if memory serves me correct. What a coincidence...

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2310250/Lowe-slams-Saints-board-for-%27failure%27.html

 

"They have mismanaged George Burley..." WHAT? Much like the strong, inspirational management that kept Harry at the club so long?!

 

"weak management"

 

I am not saying that Burley did not have his faults, but like him or not he did manage to get us into the play off in his only full season and would have made Cardiff it it wasn't for a couple of crap penalties. Hardly the stuff or unmitigated failure.

 

He then lost three of his better players for the next season. Hardly an ideal situation from which to build another promotion push.

 

To blame him for what is going on now is plain nonsense. We have had three sets of managers since he went, and when he went we were still a couple of wins away from the play offs.

 

The reason we are where we are is because we have no money.

 

 

So with money we wouldn't be where we are ? Would a fairly average team + £7m to spend help ?

Teams like Bristol City, Cardiff ect would be considered serious title contenders if they were given £7m to spend at the start of the season.

[Thedelldays]

I am loving watching burley undo all the good work smith and mcleish have done at scotland...

 

 

brilliant

[Scudamore]

So it's Lowe's fault that the fans don't like Hoddle now is it?

 

F::ck me i've heard it all now...

[saint1977]

So it's Lowe's fault that the fans don't like Hoddle now is it?

 

F::ck me i've heard it all now...

 

No, that is incorrect, please read what people are actually posting before you jump on a particular political bandwagon. People are pointing out quite rightly that Lowe stirred up existing anger from fans in 2001 with his "North London Yobbos" tirade which we as fans supported Rupert on. Personally, I had no problem with Hoddle returning in 2004 but there was significant hypocracy for certain posters on here to blame a lunatic fringe for Hoddle not coming back and trying to blame fans for the BOARD's decision. Hoddle didn't come back because the board didn't agree with Rupert, rightly or wrongly although the fans had an influence on boardroom opinion at that time. Rupert does have to take some responsibility for stirring up the bad feeling with Spurs.

 

There were many good things from Lowe 1997-2003 and I'm happy to give praise for those and was at the time. Likewise he had an appalling track-record 2004-6 and is no great shakes second time round IMO. If he produces a masterstroke, I'll happily acknowledge that. No ideology from me.

[Scudamore]

Ah the old "please go back and reread" I don't need to. I just read it ten minutes ago. Seems pretty clear what's being implied. And i don't think it's a good point at all.

 

I think Rupert was well within his rights to be pretty p:ssed off with that whole situation. And i don't think he "stirred up" any feelings that weren't there in the first place for the majority of fans already.

 

Hoddle not only chose to leave us at a pretty sh:tty time in the season but then thought he could just come back and ride rough shod over us and take our best players.

 

My only reason for not being too upset when he left was the fact that like Redknapp he obviously never really had a feel for the club. Always talking about the club as a seperate entity...never "we" or "us" but instead "they" etc. But we've all gone over all this ground countless times...some are willing to forgive...some are not. Personally i can't stand Hoddle and wouldn't want the smug tw::t anywhere near this club again.

 

If you were perfectly happy for Hoddle to leave at the time then i'd have to say that's a very mature attitude you've taken there. But you certainly weren't in the majority.

 

As always Lowe would appear to be damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. Any other chairman coming out and standing up for his club would normally be seen as a good thing but not here. I felt so sorry for Levy when he came out and complained about nasty Man United and there bully boy tactics regards Berbatov...when they obviously do exactly the same sort of things themselves time and time again. Hypocrisy in football? Difficult to believe...

 

Oh and just so you know i don't have a desire to be on any political bandwagon...but like others do like to point out when people are talking what i believe to be utter sh:te...

[Frank's cousin]

No sensible person ever has an issue with fans criticising Lowe for the ****-ups he has made or his attitude towards the fans at times.... I just think that too often there are 'falsehoods' declared as facts that spread like wild fire and are too easily lapped up as they provide extra nails for the coffin. Thats what I dont like as I dont think its helpful to have a downer on everything, when there are some good ideas that with the right tweaks and balance should be beneficial to SFC. Just becauise Lowe does not seem to listen to additional expert advice on some things.... which would have fine tuned good but flawed ideas into good and workable, does not make the ideas itself bad..... coupled with ****** such as the perennial 'where has all the money gone' (Read the audited accounts and its shows quite clearly that it goes on player wages and bonuses FFS - with the implication being the other old lie 'in lowes back pocket' - Jeez) or bolox that Lowe deliberately sold Bridge and thus was determined to **** off Strachan etc and it just gets some folks back up.

 

That's why some of us can be considered 'apologists' - no other reason really, and certainly no agenda, I just feel IMHO that there are some good ideas that could and should have worked, but were often stifled in their execution by one of the following:

 

1. Lowes inabilty to maybe listen to fine tune and make the concepts more appropriate and workable within the culture of the game - his arogance if you like

2. Media and thus fan ridicule - because he is 'not a football man'

3. Timing

4. Money

 

I have not included luck or lack of it as successful implementation or lack of it should never be down to luck.

[saint1977]

No sensible person ever has an issue with fans criticising Lowe for the ****-ups he has made or his attitude towards the fans at times.... I just think that too often there are 'falsehoods' declared as facts that spread like wild fire and are too easily lapped up as they provide extra nails for the coffin. Thats what I dont like as I dont think its helpful to have a downer on everything, when there are some good ideas that with the right tweaks and balance should be beneficial to SFC. Just becauise Lowe does not seem to listen to additional expert advice on some things.... which would have fine tuned good but flawed ideas into good and workable, does not make the ideas itself bad..... coupled with ****** such as the perennial 'where has all the money gone' (Read the audited accounts and its shows quite clearly that it goes on player wages and bonuses FFS - with the implication being the other old lie 'in lowes back pocket' - Jeez) or bolox that Lowe deliberately sold Bridge and thus was determined to **** off Strachan etc and it just gets some folks back up.

 

That's why some of us can be considered 'apologists' - no other reason really, and certainly no agenda, I just feel IMHO that there are some good ideas that could and should have worked, but were often stifled in their execution by one of the following:

 

1. Lowes inabilty to maybe listen to fine tune and make the concepts more appropriate and workable within the culture of the game - his arogance if you like

2. Media and thus fan ridicule - because he is 'not a football man'

3. Timing

4. Money

 

I have not included luck or lack of it as successful implementation or lack of it should never be down to luck.

 

Good post FC and Scudamore - wasn't getting at you personally mate. I don't agree with the "where's the money gone?" stuff - Lowe was a good CEO 1997-2003 and earned his bonuses, likewise simple mis-management is where the money went 2004-6. He is a straight businessman if nothing else. Askham is a different matter, as is Wiseman but I won't go there, there's been enough dredging up on here of late.

 

Likewise, many of the criticisms of the board haven't been directed by any agenda, despite accusations of class bias etc from certain posters. Wilde using S4E as a political tool really widened fans' divisions, you can see that from the sharp debates between Jonah, GM, Fitzhugh and others. Keith was mugged by Wilde and I don't think any of us should take any pleasure from that or the PR plants which then came in response. I just want to watch a Saints team trying it's best and the club having a go, we all get enough politics Monday-Friday. Lowe is only a small part of this jigsaw, he is a front for Askham and now Wilde, what we should be asking is what is the strategy from behind him to get the club out of this mess?

 

The above reasons plus as you've outlined some misunderstandings are why there's so much irrational posting and blatant re-writing of history on here. It's these two things that I react to, there's enough of it in the world already.

[Sundance Beast]

Thanks a lot Sundance. A new week starts with a realy good laugh at Sundance Beast!!

 

ITN means In That Number. The title of the booik is taken from a song which Saints fans sing. Didn't you recognise it? Perhaps you have not supported Saints for long enough to recognise it. Or doesn't Rupert let you sing in the free seats that he gives you??

 

By the way Sundance. Did you ever find out what Justin Fashanu is up to these days??

 

Hello Tame, glad I got your week of to a good start and hopefully put a smile on your face. It made me smile as well and hopefully its still a decent human trait to be able laugh at yourself once in a while even though I doubt a few on here can admit to being able to do just that. The Fashanu joke is a good one and yes and I did forget he had died but remembered as soon as you mentioned it but unlike some others I don't have room in my head to have an encylcopedic knowledge of every ex-footballer alive or dead. I have trouble remembering my wedding anniversary let alone the time Fash put a rope around neck although I guess its equally symbolic. Still please keep reminding me of it every other time you reply to me as it still makes me laugh.

 

With regards to dear old Duncan somewhere in the more dustier recesses of my brain I was under what now appears to be the misapprehension that he was a professsional journalist. (Unlike Daren Wheeler who comes across as an unusual breed of hooligan who was learned to write) . Therefore, when I saw ITN, I naturally thought that he was referring to his day job but obviously not. I suspect to even the most ardent Saints fans the acronym ITN would automatically make you think about ITV news as oppose to some coffee table tome for which a tree had to die in the rainforest. Easy though how things can get taken out of context if people don't listen to both sides of the argument.

 

Still catching up with events at the AGM whilst i was away on holiday. The Echo's report on the spat between the board and the audience was quite funny and you have to say Lowe managed the abuse quite deftly and it was messrs. Crouch, McMenemy, Lowe, Corbett and Holley who made themselves look quite frankly a bit ridiculous and actually very funny if it wasn't for the fact these people are the ones who are advocating change. None of them had anything different to say or was I the only one who noticed that.

 

Personally, I prefer those who want to run/change our club not to rely on their spouses to fight their own personal agendas but I suppose had lovable and loyal lawrie not sold his shares he could have attended the meeting in his own right. As for Crouch being told by Lowe to 'sit down and behave yourself Leon', or words to that effect it sounded like Lowe had to revert to the role of a calm and collected school teacher. His response to Holley's diatribe was priceless and what else could he say. Cleverer individuals would have removed ther own personal agendas and kept the questions challenging and impersonal and Lowe might not have so easily breezed through a sitcom of an AGM thanks to those in the audience. If it means any of those protaganists will never darken the corridors of power at SMS again they long may Lowe reign.

 

In the meantime I remain supportive of change but only if it is beneficial to the club and not simply to satisfy the desire of those with some form on unbalanaced persoanl agenda or unjustified hated of Lowe. I am not interested in personalities, background, race, 'football man status', hobbies, class or upbringing to name just a few. I am only interested in having the best person available to do the job who is strong and man enough to have the courage of their own convictions that they are doing the best for the club and to stick their head above the parapet and get on with it, without the use of fan friendly rhetoric to smokescreen what is really going on. He is running the club better than anyone else has since he left and Salz or anyone else would not be able to do anything differently in the current local and global climate.

 

It is the fans perception and prejudice towards Lowe that is dividing the fan base to a degree not his ability to run the club and if we analyse the performance of the buffoons in the audience at the AGM and there one track path to oblivion we should be grateful he is in control for the time being.

 

Glad I made your day although worrying that's two senior moments I've had this week and apologies for filling my response with a load of stuff perhaps not relevent to you but on 3 posts a day you need to use every opportunity and to allow the occassional post to wind up the lunatic fringe aka imo Daren Wheeler. Chomp away DW afterall you are the Beautiful South. god forbid!

[saint1977]

Sundance is like an un-PC joke - I know that I shouldn't find his posts funny as they can be pretty offensive but I just can't help reading them and giggling. Whoever Sundance is certainly has a way with words.

 

By the way I do think he goes too far on the stuff with Darren and cancer though which isn't funny and the post on Duncan's thread is a bit much. The other posters that I find really funny are:

 

- Alpine - great one liners

- Scooby

- GM in a more academic way

- 70s Mike & Toomer - they get straight to the point!

- MB and Johnny FP

- Stanley

 

The photo thread was one of the funniest ever, going back to Saintsworld.

Edited 13 January, 2009 by saint1977

[Gemmel]

Cleverer individuals would have removed ther own personal agendas quote]

 

sundance, your forever going on about personal agenda's against lowe, but quite cleary run your own against Duncan and Daren, to the point where you dont even read what is written by them, you just mouth off and not for the first time, made yourself look a right arsse in the process. For the record you were the only person on the forum who made that mistake.

 

For whats its worth i doubt very much if you are a Saints fan, just some internet troll, trying to fill the void of your empty life. But please please keep posting, in these dark days, us Saintsfans need some thing to laugh at and whilst you keep making these incredible gaffs, that is currently now and for the foreseeable future ..... YOU. Keep up the good work. LMFAO.

[Sundance Beast]

Cleverer individuals would have removed ther own personal agendas quote]

 

sundance, your forever going on about personal agenda's against lowe, but quite cleary run your own against Duncan and Daren, to the point where you dont even read what is written by them, you just mouth off and not for the first time, made yourself look a right arsse in the process. For the record you were the only person on the forum who made that mistake.

 

For whats its worth i doubt very much if you are a Saints fan, just some internet troll, trying to fill the void of your empty life. But please please keep posting, in these dark days, us Saintsfans need some thing to laugh at and whilst you keep making these incredible gaffs, that is currently now and for the foreseeable future ..... YOU. Keep up the good work. LMFAO.

 

Your welcome and I suspect not many read Duncan's posts these days as they are stuck in the 1970's, football has moved on for better or worse but Duncan doesn't appear o have noticed that.

 

For the record to the previous post I have made no comment about DW's mother other than our original exchange of views and it is he who continues to bring it up. I will say this though that cancer affects 1 in 3 of us so I suspect there are a few hundred on here silently and bravely suffering as a result of the illness be it themselves or close family members. Most though don't choose to use their own personal tradegies as a stick to beat the club with. Tragic though DW situation is it does not mean I don't have a right to my opinion and be able to give it without his continual resorts to veiled threats of violence and about being able to find me with today's technology and 'talk' to me face to face. Maybe one day Daren and perhaps you can kill two birds with one stone because some people are living with personal tradegies so acute that a bit like our football club they get by one day at a time.

 

Thats my 3 posts out of my system for the day.

[Tamesaint]

Hello Tame, glad I got your week of to a good start and hopefully put a smile on your face. It made me smile as well and hopefully its still a decent human trait to be able laugh at yourself once in a while even though I doubt a few on here can admit to being able to do just that. The Fashanu joke is a good one and yes and I did forget he had died but remembered as soon as you mentioned it but unlike some others I don't have room in my head to have an encylcopedic knowledge of every ex-footballer alive or dead. I have trouble remembering my wedding anniversary let alone the time Fash put a rope around neck although I guess its equally symbolic. Still please keep reminding me of it every other time you reply to me as it still makes me laugh.

 

With regards to dear old Duncan somewhere in the more dustier recesses of my brain I was under what now appears to be the misapprehension that he was a professsional journalist. (Unlike Daren Wheeler who comes across as an unusual breed of hooligan who was learned to write) . Therefore, when I saw ITN, I naturally thought that he was referring to his day job but obviously not. I suspect to even the most ardent Saints fans the acronym ITN would automatically make you think about ITV news as oppose to some coffee table tome for which a tree had to die in the rainforest. Easy though how things can get taken out of context if people don't listen to both sides of the argument.

 

Still catching up with events at the AGM whilst i was away on holiday. The Echo's report on the spat between the board and the audience was quite funny and you have to say Lowe managed the abuse quite deftly and it was messrs. Crouch, McMenemy, Lowe, Corbett and Holley who made themselves look quite frankly a bit ridiculous and actually very funny if it wasn't for the fact these people are the ones who are advocating change. None of them had anything different to say or was I the only one who noticed that.

 

Personally, I prefer those who want to run/change our club not to rely on their spouses to fight their own personal agendas but I suppose had lovable and loyal lawrie not sold his shares he could have attended the meeting in his own right. As for Crouch being told by Lowe to 'sit down and behave yourself Leon', or words to that effect it sounded like Lowe had to revert to the role of a calm and collected school teacher. His response to Holley's diatribe was priceless and what else could he say. Cleverer individuals would have removed ther own personal agendas and kept the questions challenging and impersonal and Lowe might not have so easily breezed through a sitcom of an AGM thanks to those in the audience. If it means any of those protaganists will never darken the corridors of power at SMS again they long may Lowe reign.

 

In the meantime I remain supportive of change but only if it is beneficial to the club and not simply to satisfy the desire of those with some form on unbalanaced persoanl agenda or unjustified hated of Lowe. I am not interested in personalities, background, race, 'football man status', hobbies, class or upbringing to name just a few. I am only interested in having the best person available to do the job who is strong and man enough to have the courage of their own convictions that they are doing the best for the club and to stick their head above the parapet and get on with it, without the use of fan friendly rhetoric to smokescreen what is really going on. He is running the club better than anyone else has since he left and Salz or anyone else would not be able to do anything differently in the current local and global climate.

 

It is the fans perception and prejudice towards Lowe that is dividing the fan base to a degree not his ability to run the club and if we analyse the performance of the buffoons in the audience at the AGM and there one track path to oblivion we should be grateful he is in control for the time being.

 

Glad I made your day although worrying that's two senior moments I've had this week and apologies for filling my response with a load of stuff perhaps not relevent to you but on 3 posts a day you need to use every opportunity and to allow the occassional post to wind up the lunatic fringe aka imo Daren Wheeler. Chomp away DW afterall you are the Beautiful South. god forbid!

 

 

Hi Sundance.

 

What I find most interesting about you is that you claim to be a football fan and a follower of Southampton but you know what, I don't think you are.

 

A true Southampton fan would know that when Duncan Holley talks about writing ITN he is not talking about the news channel. Most Saints fans of your vintage (you admit to senior moments) would remember that one of our ex players hanged himself. After all it does not , thank god, happen to many of them.

 

Any Southampton fan of your age would not see McMenemy in the same light as you. The man who got us into our highest ever league position, the man who won us the FA Cup and under whom European football became a habit would not be so vilified by a proper Saints fan. Tell me - did you support anybody in the '76 Cup Final ?

 

I don't think you are a Southampton fan. I think that you are just a fan of Lowe. You are so desperate to support his viewpoint that you have become a joke. Its good to know that you are able to laugh at yourself. Rest assured most of this forum also laughs at you.

 

Cheers

 

Tamesaint

[SaintRobbie]

Apparently, very little, you even seem unaware you have lost the plot.

 

ITN news writer uses Stanley as a credible and unbiased source. I suppose you'll be trying to spin a positive report on the Israeli's indefensible action of shelling a house full of innocent civilians by saying something like 'well in a warzone they were stupid to follow the advice of the enemy.'

 

Extreme? Maybe, but no doubt you get the point. I'm not entirely sure what you are trying to achieve DH but clearly taking Stanley as a point of reference and congratulating him for his material is extreme, divisory and provocative for this club's real supporters. Shame on you.

 

[ooohTerryHurlock]

Because I'm sure the fans would have harboured no malice towards Hoddle if RL hadn't stoked the fire...... how naive are you?

 

Mr Perrin I believe the only person who is naive would be RL himself. If the initial situation had been managed with some skill the fans would n't have been an issue - the fans enjoyed Hoddle being here - so if he had gone in a decent way the door would have been open - have you not heard of the saying ... don't burn your bridges.... Lowe Burnt his own with the 'north london yobbo' comments... the man (RL) is today, what he was ten years ago.... completely out of his depth as the chairman of a football club. All the years I have supported this club I know that we appreciate good propper football and that is what Hoddle gave us - so why would the fans not want him back. It came down to as ever the way the situation was managed - as ever Rupert made a complete sows cu?t of it. End of! I lost my naievety about the same time as my virginity - somewhere around 16.... I guess you are still waiting?

[Tamesaint]

 

Your welcome and I suspect not many read Duncan's posts these days as they are stuck in the 1970's, football has moved on for better or worse but Duncan doesn't appear o have noticed that.

 

 

And Sundance shoots himself in the foot yet again!!!! :-) :-)

 

"Not many read Duncan's posts these days" .... oh no???? 36 hours ago he started a post remembering the old times and it is already into its fourth page.

 

Just admiit it Sundance you know nothing about what makes a football fan tick. You know nothing about what being a Saints fan means. That is because you supprt Lowe - you do not support Saints. My dog is a bigger Saints fan than you .. and he has a Saints dog lead to prove it!!

Edited 14 January, 2009 by Tamesaint

[Fowllyd]

 

And Sundance shoots himself in the foot yet again!!!! :-) :-)

 

"Not many read Duncan's posts these days" .... oh no???? 36 hours ago he started a post remembering the old times and it is already into its fourth page.

 

Just admiit it Sundance you know nothing about what makes a football fan tick. You know nothing about what being a Saints fan means. That is because you supprt Lowe - you do not support Saints. My dog is a bigger Saints fan than you .. and he has a Saints dog lead to prove it!!

 

I think you'll find that Sundance has a Radley School dog lead...

[sadoldgit]

 

And Sundance shoots himself in the foot yet again!!!! :-) :-)

 

"Not many read Duncan's posts these days" .... oh no???? 36 hours ago he started a post remembering the old times and it is already into its fourth page.

 

Just admiit it Sundance you know nothing about what makes a football fan tick. You know nothing about what being a Saints fan means. That is because you supprt Lowe - you do not support Saints. My dog is a bigger Saints fan than you .. and he has a Saints dog lead to prove it!!

 

Yeah nostalgia is great but to be fair it doesn't pay the bills in 2009.

The glory days are well behind us and the trouble with this site is that somehow it thinks that we are owed success and a decent living now.

 

People need to grow up and look at the real world as it is now, not 30 years ago

 

It is not just SFC that are down in the dumps. Others like Norwich and Charlton are suffering too.

 

This is reality. Not fantasy. Not the past. Of course people want to remeber and wallow in ther good times, trouble with small clubs like us we don't have much to wallow in.

 

Apart from the mid 80's and a brief spell under Strachan we have been cannon fodder.

 

As my old sparing partner (Alpine) would say, deal with it.

[um pahars]

Apart from the mid 80's and a brief spell under Strachan we have been cannon fodder.

 

If we've been cannon fodder, then I feel sorry for the other 77 teams that, on average, have finsihed below us over the last 40 years.

 

From 1965 to 2005 which would probably cover the vast majority of posters on this board, our average league position was 15th.

 

That means that 77 teams have performed worse than us over a sustained period. What's the next terminology for teams below cannon fodder?

 

It's all relative and whilst we may have struggled at times in the top flight during that period, many teams would have given their proverbial right arms to swap with us.

 

15th out of 92 doesn't win you many medals, but I think it's far from cannon fodder.

[Daren W]

 

Your welcome and I suspect not many read Duncan's posts these days as they are stuck in the 1970's, football has moved on for better or worse but Duncan doesn't appear o have noticed that.

 

For the record to the previous post I have made no comment about DW's mother other than our original exchange of views and it is he who continues to bring it up. I will say this though that cancer affects 1 in 3 of us so I suspect there are a few hundred on here silently and bravely suffering as a result of the illness be it themselves or close family members. Most though don't choose to use their own personal tradegies as a stick to beat the club with. Tragic though DW situation is it does not mean I don't have a right to my opinion and be able to give it without his continual resorts to veiled threats of violence and about being able to find me with today's technology and 'talk' to me face to face. Maybe one day Daren and perhaps you can kill two birds with one stone because some people are living with personal tradegies so acute that a bit like our football club they get by one day at a time.

 

Thats my 3 posts out of my system for the day.

 

Now for that alone you re a ****ing liar...

The only, only person who drags that up is you, every single ****ing time. Check my posts, check your posts, and you'll see that it's you who drags my personal circumstances up, every single ****ing time you mention me. Believe you me, the very last thing I want to talk about is cancer but it appears you cannot talk about Saints without snide comments about me or my personal circumstances.

 

The point you continually ignore is the very fact that the club just couldn't be arsed to reply to a very civil, very reasonable request to help raise money for charity. They couldn't be arsed to arranged a ****ing shirt signing for a lady who we all thought wouldn't see the new year in.

 

Three weeks after ignoring two requests for help (not money) and a single request for ten minutes of the club's time and get a shirt signed for a woman with a terminal disease, I finally got a letter from the club.

 

A season ticket renewal form.

 

"well Mr Wheeler, we can't be arsed to help you raise money for cancer research and we can't be arsed be take and pen and get a shirt signed but is there any chance you can pay for all your games in advance this year???"

 

You can guess my reply.

 

My decision was mine and my absolute right to pay how I see fit and was posted on a thread in which people were asked if they were renewing their season tickets or not. It would appear in your sad and ridiculous world I'm not allowed my view without constant barracking or verbal bullying or out and out blantant lies.

 

Cut and paste the above as I really, really, can't be arsed to reply to the blatant ****ing lies and provocation you post week after week.

 

And as the "veiled threats of violence" is that your stock reply when I accuse you of being an abject coward? No threats, you could bring as many friends as you want to, to as as populated and safe a venue as you could name to ensure the bad man doesn't hurt you.

 

I just wanted to see you be insulting, derogitory and brave when the person is in front of you as opposed to behind a pc screen miles away in complete cotton wool wrapped safety.

 

But despite requests and warnings you just couldn't resist one last snipe...

 

With that one post you've just gone too damn far...

 

So consider this, as you're probably still lurking as opposed to posting now...

 

I'm not going to rest until I've met you face to face. When I do find out who you are and where you live...

 

I'm going to ****ing well batter you...

 

Enjoy...