Jump to content

Protest stage 2: February 21st, meeting at bargate again.


Mr X

Recommended Posts

Three weeks ago, supposedly, we turned down offers for players because they were too low. If we opt for administration now, presumably it is because Barclays are pushing to reduce the overdraft quicker than they previously wanted. But why would we not have grabbed at any offer in January to reduce the overdraft by whatever we could rather than losing players for even less in administration - I doubt we could get more for them come the summer.

 

What has changed? The economy was in a mess in January too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

just got a phone call from bbc. inside out will be there as they are doing a show the south coast football and the situation we are all in. anyone want to do interviews. someone older would look better for this

 

I bet Illingsworth gets in on the act.:rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

just got a phone call from bbc. inside out will be there as they are doing a show the south coast football and the situation we are all in. anyone want to do interviews. someone older would look better for this

 

If they asked me to suggest people who really know what they're talking about, I would suggest Duncan and Weston.

Edited by bridge too far
bad ass grammar
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Based on what I have recently been told I think the club is now only a whisker away from going under and although this liklihood has been speculated upon in depth on this forum, I think the major players have now accepted the inevitable.

 

And that could well mean, in this financial climate, the end of SFC. It is that serious.

 

was not posting misleading info - merely passing on what came from an absolute impeccable source. I have no idea what happens next if we go into the prophesised administration, true, but should that have stopped me posting?

 

 

Duncan - We all have a right to an opinion - we also all have a right to state fact (if brave enough to do so), but we need to be careful not to mix the two in a manner that might be misconstrued. Especially if you claim the knowledge has come from an impeccable source.

 

I consider what you have said above to be a little misleading when you then suggest it will result in "the end of SFC" - there is NO evidence (as you then seem to readily agree) that the end of SFC will happen IF the PLC is dissolved. IMHO.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This news, if true, should not 'shock' anybody, it is clear we were unable to sustain loss of revenue from attendance, however, if Falsehope or any other vulture swoops in post admin I will not see them as the saviours of our club, it will be too little too late and they should be held in the same contempt as some hold Lowe

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I consider what you have said above to be a little misleading when you then suggest it will result in "the end of SFC" - there is NO evidence (as you then seem to readily agree) that the end of SFC will happen IF the PLC is dissolved. IMHO.

 

I'd be interested to hear (from those who hold this particular view) why administration would be an unmitigated disaster. Sure, it would be a horrendous development but not, in my view, one without upside.

 

The club still has major potential, the debt holders on the stadium can only recover their money if the club succeeds as a club, the area surrounding the stadium could bring some big money into play, and Rupert will almost certainly not be allowed to profit from his own utter ineptitude by getting the chance to buy the organization out of administration.

 

I have a lot of respect for most of the people advancing the "unmitigated disaster" argument but I still feel that there are some good people out there waiting for administration to happen - people who want no part of Lowe.

 

I'd like to understand why some of the smarter minds on here see administration (for us, not just administration in general) as a catastrophe without any redeeming features.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Duncan - We all have a right to an opinion - we also all have a right to state fact (if brave enough to do so), but we need to be careful not to mix the two in a manner that might be misconstrued. Especially if you claim the knowledge has come from an impeccable source.

 

I consider what you have said above to be a little misleading when you then suggest it will result in "the end of SFC" - there is NO evidence (as you then seem to readily agree) that the end of SFC will happen IF the PLC is dissolved. IMHO.

 

Sorry, I was discussing my info with someone who knows more about the repercussions of administration and it was his view that this would probably be the end of the club. Perhaps I should not have combined the two bits of info in one post or at least made made it clearer that b does not neccesarily follow a in this case. I understand what you meant now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This news, if true, should not 'shock' anybody, it is clear we were unable to sustain loss of revenue from attendance, however, if Falsehope or any other vulture swoops in post admin I will not see them as the saviours of our club, it will be too little too late and they should be held in the same contempt as some hold Lowe

 

The vultures might do a Stanford, swoop into SMS in a helicopter, carrying a see-through briefcase (uh oh :shock:) full of errr ummmm 10p pieces!

 

Or does that only happen in cricket :smt102

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd be interested to hear (from those who hold this particular view) why administration would be an unmitigated disaster. Sure, it would be a horrendous development but not, in my view, one without upside.

 

The club still has major potential, the debt holders on the stadium can only recover their money if the club succeeds as a club, the area surrounding the stadium could bring some big money into play, and Rupert will almost certainly not be allowed to profit from his own utter ineptitude by getting the chance to buy the organization out of administration.

 

I have a lot of respect for most of the people advancing the "unmitigated disaster" argument but I still feel that there are some good people out there waiting for administration to happen - people who want no part of Lowe.

 

I'd like to understand why some of the smarter minds on here see administration (for us, not just administration in general) as a catastrophe without any redeeming features.

 

As someone posted earlier (not sure if on this thread), perhaps those describing it as the end of the world have significant amounts of their savings in SLH shares?

 

I totally agree that it isn't something we should wish for per se but, like yourself, I can see a silver lining or two amongst what is, of course, an undesirable situation in principle.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Two things about administration: timing and buyers

 

1. Timing. If we are going into administration this year it will take place before season ticket renewals. It makes no sense to get money in from ST sales only to then give it to creditors or fritter it away in the meantime - makes no sense to go into admin at all if that were the case. Can anyone say when ST renewals are due?

 

Also, I have said for some time now that we have been putting out a team in anticipation for League 1 next year. Why else play the likes of Goeburn centre mid and continue to play Lancashire at CB when clearly neither of them are ready? We are preparing for the drop, no doubt about it. We would want to go into admin asap and before we are mathematically relegated to avoid having a points deduction in League 1 a la Leeds.

 

2. Buyers. I have no doubt that Lowe and chums would be getting their act together to make a bid. They have the upper hand in knowing when it will happen. However would I want to put my money with Lowe given his lack of success in recent times? I'm not so sure. There will be others looking to bid for us. IMO the only thing that has put people off bidding for us in recent years has been our disparate group of shareholders. Admin would provide a great opportunity for one person or consortium to buy the club without all the hassle and cost of buying shares from such a disparate group.

 

On balance then I will continue to say that Lowe would rather take us down and down again than go into administration. This is based on my common sense view of proceedings rather than what I have heard. However I wouldn’t put it past Lowe and cronies to end up owning the whole club if we did go into administration - but that would surely make him even more unpopular with the fans so why would he do that?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The vultures might do a Stanford, swoop into SMS in a helicopter, carrying a see-through briefcase (uh oh :shock:) full of errr ummmm 10p pieces!

 

Or does that only happen in cricket :smt102

 

Did you say "briefcase" there? I feel an outing for an old favourite photo coming on....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This news, if true, should not 'shock' anybody, it is clear we were unable to sustain loss of revenue from attendance, however, if Falsehope or any other vulture swoops in post admin I will not see them as the saviours of our club, it will be too little too late and they should be held in the same contempt as some hold Lowe

 

Good grief! We have now turned on our new owners even before we know we have anyone who is going to our new owner and before we have seen the back of our current owners. There is no end to this, even if major changes do come it seems we are going to give them a good hiding too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good grief! We have now turned on our new owners even before we know we have anyone who is going to our new owner and before we have seen the back of our current owners. There is no end to this, even if major changes do come it seems we are going to give them a good hiding too.

 

All depends on how big their boat is to be honest.

 

(I've teed up a nice play-on-words there for any ĉockneys watching today's proceedings)

Edited by trousers
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just a reminder

 

Any club going into administration after the fourth Thursday in March will have their 10-point deduction suspended.

 

If the club is relegated the points will be deducted from their tally at the start of next season.

 

If the club stays up the 10 points will be taken off their final total.

 

The club would then go down if the 10-point deduction subsequently resulted in it slipping into a relegation place.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

http://www.dca.gov.uk/constitution/city/citygj.htm#part2

 

Criteria

City status is not, and never has been, a right which can be claimed by a town fulfilling certain conditions. The use of specific criteria could lead to a town claiming city status as of right, which in turn might devalue the honour. All applications are considered on their individual merits.

 

 

Thankyou!

I was obviously talking ******!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd be interested to hear (from those who hold this particular view) why administration would be an unmitigated disaster. Sure, it would be a horrendous development but not, in my view, one without upside.

 

The club still has major potential, the debt holders on the stadium can only recover their money if the club succeeds as a club, the area surrounding the stadium could bring some big money into play, and Rupert will almost certainly not be allowed to profit from his own utter ineptitude by getting the chance to buy the organization out of administration.

 

I have a lot of respect for most of the people advancing the "unmitigated disaster" argument but I still feel that there are some good people out there waiting for administration to happen - people who want no part of Lowe.

 

I'd like to understand why some of the smarter minds on here see administration (for us, not just administration in general) as a catastrophe without any redeeming features.

Bill, just look at the world economics at this time. Just look at the number of building projects in Southampton being pulled at this time. Just look at the lack of investors whilst Lowe was not in charge (forget his cabel, if they had held influence he would not have been ousted in the first place - Wilde let him back in). Just look at the position we are in the league and with Administraton will certainly come relegation. Look at the Bournemouth evening Echo on line to see the problems AFC Bournemouth continue to have.

 

Then ask yourself, would you be prepared to invest millions when you have already seen your own investment take a major hit due to world issues?

Edited by Weston Saint
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd be interested to hear (from those who hold this particular view) why administration would be an unmitigated disaster. Sure, it would be a horrendous development but not, in my view, one without upside.

 

The club still has major potential, the debt holders on the stadium can only recover their money if the club succeeds as a club, the area surrounding the stadium could bring some big money into play, and Rupert will almost certainly not be allowed to profit from his own utter ineptitude by getting the chance to buy the organization out of administration.

 

I have a lot of respect for most of the people advancing the "unmitigated disaster" argument but I still feel that there are some good people out there waiting for administration to happen - people who want no part of Lowe.

 

I'd like to understand why some of the smarter minds on here see administration (for us, not just administration in general) as a catastrophe without any redeeming features.

 

 

I just worry based on history. Show me a club that has entered administraion (since the 10 point penalty rule was introduced) and is now better off than it was then. What evidence have we got that we would fare any different to them?

 

Plus, in the current climate, will someone buy the club? What if that person is Lowe and he owns more of the club than now?

 

I think people that see Administration as the bottoming out of the problems and the end of an era are mis-guided.

 

We should be focusing how we could get quick fixes before admin. Roll our sleeves up, get marching, get Lowe out, get a decent manager in and get 20k crowds at St Mary's. They would all help avoid admin.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Same as the swansea game hopefully.

 

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=47421484101&ref=ts

 

This will be more effective than marching away from the ground imo.

 

Who's up for it?

 

I dont necessarily agree with the idea of marching / protesting on this issue, but if you're going to do it seems to me you shouldnt do the same thing twice. If you want press coverage there has to be a new angle everytime. You need a gimmick or fresh apporach to keep up any momentum.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I certainly don't see Administration as the magic wand that will solve all of our problems, but conversely I don't see it as the end of the Club either.

 

Certainly the end of Southampton Leisure Holdings PLC, but there will always be a Southampton Football Club. The existing Ltd Co. wasn't formed in 1885 and just because we may have to change the ownership again means nothing if the heart of the Club is still there.

 

I'm sure it won't be pretty the other side of Administration and I'm sure it will be hard work (probably for many years), but I refuse to accept that administration will be the death of my Southampton Football Club.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On a slight tangent, Branfoot kept us in the top league so he was not as bad some people make him out.

 

He's certainly not as bad as Poortvliet.

 

If some good came out of Poortvliet's tenure, it's that the Branfoot household raised a cheer that he might not be deemed our worst manager anymore!!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He's certainly not as bad as Poortvliet.

 

If some good came out of Poortvliet's tenure, it's that the Branfoot household raised a cheer that he might not be deemed our worst manager anymore!!!!

 

 

I suppose its called 'perspective'.

If I remember the Branfoot style of play was when football in a general sense was going through a very cynical phase.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unfortunately I have to be careful because I don't want to drop anyone in it.

 

Based on what I have recently been told I think the club is now only a whisker away from going under and although this liklihood has been speculated upon in depth on this forum, I think the major players have now accepted the inevitable.

 

And that could well mean, in this financial climate, the end of SFC. It is that serious. And please don't let anyone believe that the club would once again arise from the ashes of administration because, in the present climate the chances of us emulating Leeds or even P*mpey are remote. Hope that is spelt out less theatrically for you?

 

So not much point us all arguing about the merits of Lowe, Crouch and Wilde any more.

 

Sounds like your source has an agenda to me (most people that close to what's going on have their own interests/motives).

 

There is no reason why admin would mean the end of SFC.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unfortunately I have to be careful because I don't want to drop anyone in it.

 

Based on what I have recently been told I think the club is now only a whisker away from going under and although this liklihood has been speculated upon in depth on this forum, I think the major players have now accepted the inevitable.

 

And that could well mean, in this financial climate, the end of SFC. It is that serious. And please don't let anyone believe that the club would once again arise from the ashes of administration because, in the present climate the chances of us emulating Leeds or even P*mpey are remote. Hope that is spelt out less theatrically for you?

 

So not much point us all arguing about the merits of Lowe, Crouch and Wilde any more.

 

Thanks, D.

 

Sorry for the aggression, but I just think the whole lunatic asylum has gone beyond the traditional ITK nudge-nudges and wink-winks...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From little acorns big oaks grow.

Know what you are saying Stu (and there WAS over a 1000 there) but the message the march sent to me was, while there is a will there is a way.

 

Agree 100% with that Duncan. Good luck to everyone on Saturday.

 

 

If there were 6 people and a dog on it they'd be reflecting the views of almost every Saints fan who isnt marching for reasons various.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unfortunately I have to be careful because I don't want to drop anyone in it.

 

Based on what I have recently been told I think the club is now only a whisker away from going under and although this liklihood has been speculated upon in depth on this forum, I think the major players have now accepted the inevitable.

 

And that could well mean, in this financial climate, the end of SFC. It is that serious. And please don't let anyone believe that the club would once again arise from the ashes of administration because, in the present climate the chances of us emulating Leeds or even P*mpey are remote. Hope that is spelt out less theatrically for you?

 

So not much point us all arguing about the merits of Lowe, Crouch and Wilde any more.

 

If that is true - personally I think it is certainly a possibility - when are we all going to get off our arses and find a buyer rather than rolling over for Rupert's inevitable final act?

 

Isnt it about time we at least tried to sell this club. Because I see no evidence yet, from fans 'leaders', fans, old players, board members etc etc.

 

WE NEED TO GET OUT THERE AND GET ON EVERY MEDIA OUTLET TO SELL THIS CLUB.

 

Rolling over and dieing is not an option.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Folks, thanks for the perspectives.

 

Ron, Sheff Saint and others, I fully agree with you that the state of the economy really magnifies the challenge of Administration.

 

However, my point was that Administration, in and of itself, is not necessarily a death knell at all. As the saying goes, out of adversity cometh opportunity.

 

Notwithstanding "the lack of investors whilst Lowe was not in charge" (good point, Ron) I think there are people out there ready, willing, able and even keen to pick the bargains out of the rubbish heap - whether they be retail chains or airlines or football clubs. I also think that we're a very good candidate because of the unfulfilled potential.

 

So, as a natural-born optimist, I'm going to cling to the view that 'death' through Administration (with a good prospect of re-birth under new ownership) will turn out to be far, far better than the lingering death and constant humiliation we currently face. (But then I favoured the SISU deal and they haven't exactly set Coventry alight, have they? :rolleyes:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

perhaps someone could start a thread asking what everyone is going to do to the help the club once we go into admin and Lowe has gone.

 

Quite simple, everyone get back into the stadium, fill it up again so the club once again becomes a profitable business and attracts the best calibre of investors.

 

Show any potential investors that fans have not been at games because of Lowe, and no other reason.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The vultures might do a Stanford, swoop into SMS in a helicopter, carrying a see-through briefcase (uh oh :shock:) full of errr ummmm 10p pieces!

 

Or does that only happen in cricket :smt102

 

I love the idea of rupert arriving by helicopter at SMS waving a see through briefcase.

 

Am I the only one to see the similarity between Alan "look at me I am saving English cricket" Stanford and Rupert "look at me I am saving Southampton football Club" Lowe. They even share a facial similarity.

 

:-) :-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love the idea of rupert arriving by helicopter at SMS waving a see through briefcase.

 

Am I the only one to see the similarity between Alan "look at me I am saving English cricket" Stanford and Rupert "look at me I am saving Southampton football Club" Lowe. They even share a facial similarity.

 

:-) :-)

 

The briefcase would be as see-through as his integrity - empty.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quite simple, everyone get back into the stadium, fill it up again so the club once again becomes a profitable business and attracts the best calibre of investors.

 

Show any potential investors that fans have not been at games because of Lowe, and no other reason.

 

but will we? I hope we do. But that involves all on here turning up and bringing their friends.

 

Irrespective of the quality of football everybody has to do their bit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And Ron - I gather the end could well be nigh, from what a little birdie told me today.

Am I correct in saying the next board meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday, which would be 3 weeks after the last one?

 

was it late due to Lowe being away?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, as a natural-born optimist, I'm going to cling to the view that 'death' through Administration (with a good prospect of re-birth under new ownership) will turn out to be far, far better than the lingering death and constant humiliation we currently face.

 

Amen

Link to comment
Share on other sites

so brover, apart from a new 32k seater stadium, a state of the art training ground, a thriving youth academy that has produced enough talent to keep the club afloat through these hard times, and stadium catering that is the envy of the modern world, what has Rupert Lowe ever done for us!

 

Destroyed us.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...