Rupert Lowe makes football return (From Daily Echo)
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Rupert Lowe makes football return
8:40am Monday 17th December 2012 in Sport
By Wendy Gee
Rupert Lowe makes football return
RUPERT Lowe is back in football – with Northern Premier League strugglers Garforth Town.
The former Saints chairman has bought the West Yorkshire club and reinstated Simon Clifford – who he employed as a Saints coach in 2005 – as manager.
Lowe has also taken control of Clifford’s SOCATOTS and Brazilian Soccer Schools.
A statement from Lowe said: “Simon Clifford has asked me to help him restore the fortunes of SOCATOTS, Brazilian Soccer Schools and Garforth Town. “When Simon approached me I was well aware of the excellence of the coaching programme that he has developed.
“We worked together when I was chairman of Southampton Football Club.
“I had built up the Academy which had produced players such as Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Adam Lallana, Nathan Dyer, along with many others, and Clive Woodward and I identified Simon Clifford as the most exciting coach with the best philosophy for teaching young people to play exciting, attacking, entertaining and, most importantly, winning football.
“He would have helped to hone and improve our very talented young players but, as is often the case in football, we were not able to complete my long-term plan and I was ousted from the club in 2006.”
Lowe added: “What Simon has achieved over the past decade is quite exceptional, but I believe that with the right structure around him there is a great deal more to come.”
Clifford lasted less than two months at Saints in autumn 2005 after being taken to the club by then performance director Sir Clive Woodward, but has maintained a friendship with Lowe.
He said: He’s probably the only public schoolboy I’ve ever really got on with!
“I never liked the way he was forced out of Southampton and always said to him that if we progressed with Garforth, I’d give up the chairmanship so he’d be back in football.
“Now he’s the majority owner and he’s insisted on me being manager again. I think Rupert reckons I need to have some sort of goal to focus on.”
Garforth are currently bottom of the NPL Division One North and Clifford, 42 – whose outspoken views reportedly caused resentment among Saints’ backroom staff – will be assisted by previous boss Vernol Blair as he looks to turn their fortunes around.
“I was a big prediction person before but, whatever I was like before, we all change,” he said.
“All I will promise is to do my best.”
Comments(71)
Shareholder
says...
8:56am Mon 17 Dec 12
scooter75
says...
8:57am Mon 17 Dec 12
Andover Saint
says...
9:04am Mon 17 Dec 12
Clever Dick
says...
9:05am Mon 17 Dec 12
Clever Dick
says...
9:06am Mon 17 Dec 12
mbetts
says...
9:09am Mon 17 Dec 12
And to take credit for bringing through all our best players over the last decade shows what a contemptible **** he really is, he put us minutes from extinction.
Seedhouse the Unrepentant
says...
9:10am Mon 17 Dec 12
worthing_saint
says...
9:21am Mon 17 Dec 12
Has he had enough of shooting ducks or something?
Alicesdad
says...
9:26am Mon 17 Dec 12
spyware
says...
9:31am Mon 17 Dec 12
Pooley
says...
9:31am Mon 17 Dec 12
St Retford
says...
9:37am Mon 17 Dec 12
Seedhouse the Unrepentant
says...
9:38am Mon 17 Dec 12
15.1.13
OSPREYSAINT
says...
9:42am Mon 17 Dec 12
Dover Saint
says...
9:44am Mon 17 Dec 12
St Retford
says...
9:54am Mon 17 Dec 12
Tubbystubb
says...
10:02am Mon 17 Dec 12
Never heard of them before this report, but I feel sorry for them already.
mgthesaint
says...
10:05am Mon 17 Dec 12
tugboat
says...
10:18am Mon 17 Dec 12
I didnt realise that he was responsible for all the academies success for the last decade-but then again in my defence ,nor did anyone else.
Garford -The home of the duck. Where is it anyway ?
costa gaz
says...
10:18am Mon 17 Dec 12
Without these we wouldn't have been able to bounce back to where we are today. (and we would have suffered a similar fate if we hadn't moved from the dell).
Still wouldn't want him within a million miles of Saints again though.
Dickosfc
says...
10:24am Mon 17 Dec 12
Clever Dick
says...
10:31am Mon 17 Dec 12
costa gaz wrote:U r right there. If he'd stuck to the business side of things and left the footie to those who actually know something about it maybe he wouldn't have become a laughing stock.
Was responsible for getting us St Mary's, a superb stadium, after 30 years of false promises by others and one of the best academy's in the land.
Without these we wouldn't have been able to bounce back to where we are today. (and we would have suffered a similar fate if we hadn't moved from the dell).
Still wouldn't want him within a million miles of Saints again though.
OSPREYSAINT
says...
10:32am Mon 17 Dec 12
Confucious
says...
10:56am Mon 17 Dec 12
tugboat wrote:Good job it's not the home of the turkey. For them, getting this news would be like sitting on a pile of Paxo listening to Christmas carols.
Sent a shiver down my spine,but we have to see the opportunity here,Thats one pre season friendly sorted and what about the chance to send our academy players to Garforth to get first team experience ? after all we owe wupert for it.
I didnt realise that he was responsible for all the academies success for the last decade-but then again in my defence ,nor did anyone else.
Garford -The home of the duck. Where is it anyway ?
rocketone
says...
11:09am Mon 17 Dec 12
Made a lot of claims about what he did for Saints and the dates look right.
Loads of people attached to the club at the time called him a likeable toff.
Nobody at the moment is saying anything like as nice about Cortese.
Is he a future monster?
I am fully behind the club and support it 100%, does that make me foolishly blind?
Rupert was a tw4t, we all knew that then, we all know that now. For a while though, we had some good times as well!
Best of luck to him and I hope he has learnt lessons from his experience with us.
Clifford was intensely disliked by virtually everybody who had any contact with him, do not see that changing. Bighead! Who done nothing to be bigheaded about !
insane saint
says...
11:18am Mon 17 Dec 12
now back to the here and now,
3 points on the table for Saturday.
we need to stick together and act as one we are the true red and white stripes.
we need to send the fake imitation back up north the same as Newcastle with nowt and rise up the league.
WE ARE SOUTHAMPTON THE PRIDE OF THE SOUTH
RED ARMY
COYR
miltonarcher
says...
11:22am Mon 17 Dec 12
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Jesus_02
says...
11:22am Mon 17 Dec 12
rocketone wrote:Goes to show that, being good with the media and being likeable achieves nothing.
Very dodgy ground Rupert. Made a lot of claims about what he did for Saints and the dates look right. Loads of people attached to the club at the time called him a likeable toff. Nobody at the moment is saying anything like as nice about Cortese. Is he a future monster? I am fully behind the club and support it 100%, does that make me foolishly blind? Rupert was a tw4t, we all knew that then, we all know that now. For a while though, we had some good times as well! Best of luck to him and I hope he has learnt lessons from his experience with us. Clifford was intensely disliked by virtually everybody who had any contact with him, do not see that changing. Bighead! Who done nothing to be bigheaded about !
Cortese is not a future monster he just a monster. At the moment he is our monster. As far as im concerned that ok by me
Beer Monster
says...
11:23am Mon 17 Dec 12
saintbobby
says...
11:24am Mon 17 Dec 12
Clever Dick wrote:These are fair comments. He did get Saints out of The Dell, but as mentioned then it went all pear shaped. But some appreciation for the development of the marvellous St. Mary's is due to him.
costa gaz wrote:U r right there. If he'd stuck to the business side of things and left the footie to those who actually know something about it maybe he wouldn't have become a laughing stock.
Was responsible for getting us St Mary's, a superb stadium, after 30 years of false promises by others and one of the best academy's in the land.
Without these we wouldn't have been able to bounce back to where we are today. (and we would have suffered a similar fate if we hadn't moved from the dell).
Still wouldn't want him within a million miles of Saints again though.
Stroppy_gramps
says...
11:27am Mon 17 Dec 12
Now if you don't mind we're a bit busy in the Premier League. It's been great catching up on history although nobody is quite sure how you managed to personally produce all that talent when you had a football club to run. Obviously some of us feel differently about how those players developed.
Feel free to remain north of the Thames Rupert.
promised land
says...
11:59am Mon 17 Dec 12
Fan Tastic
says...
12:08pm Mon 17 Dec 12
Fan Tastic
says...
12:09pm Mon 17 Dec 12
mbetts
says...
12:20pm Mon 17 Dec 12
promised land wrote:And again when they meet in the league in a couple of seasons time
I'm sure the skates will have the opportunity to cross paths with Rupert when they draw Garforth Town in the FA Vase ?
OSPREYSAINT
says...
12:28pm Mon 17 Dec 12
miltonarcher wrote:Why did Hoddle leave?
We were 7th in the prem under Lowe and Hoddle, then following Hoddles departure it all went pear shaped. BUT, if Hoddle had been allowed to come back who knows...............
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Dave Jones had done the donkey work for the side that he inherited, he should have done better with the Tottenham side that he ran off to manage, but didn't. I have never wanted to see him come back.
Southampton Dominance
says...
12:34pm Mon 17 Dec 12
Seedhouse the Unrepentant wrote:Oh I get it! How frightfully witty! Oscar Wilde meets Forest Gump! You poor little thing!
You may all mock but when Garforth win the Champions League with a team of tots, well we'll see who's laughing then!
15.1.13
dly397
says...
12:51pm Mon 17 Dec 12
St Retford wrote:...and we're just about to launch our new radio station - Radio Ga Garforth - which, if my previous efforts are anything to go by, should do quite well."
Next year's Garforth AGM: "OK, yes, maybe I was rash to try and float us on the stock exchange and maybe I shouldn't have sold everyone over the age of 17, but I've got letters from the chairmen of team like Peckfield, Swillington and Grimston who say that, actually, our football has been really nice to watch and for a while they thought we might actually score against them, and that's all that really matters..."
SO50 Saint
says...
12:56pm Mon 17 Dec 12
Lord Duckhunter II
says...
1:11pm Mon 17 Dec 12
We built it, now you fill it. Unlike our fishy friends, we filled it in the lower leagues and fully expect Lord Lowe's stadium to be expanded in the near future !!
Stafford Saint
says...
1:21pm Mon 17 Dec 12
Being a chairman is a precarious position. Whilst the going is good, things will probably be ok.
Long may things be ok for Cortese.
st1halo
says...
1:32pm Mon 17 Dec 12
OSPREYSAINT wrote:Me neither, he didn't achieve anything with anyone else,he was atw@t!
miltonarcher wrote:Why did Hoddle leave?
We were 7th in the prem under Lowe and Hoddle, then following Hoddles departure it all went pear shaped. BUT, if Hoddle had been allowed to come back who knows...............
....................
....................
....................
....................
........
Dave Jones had done the donkey work for the side that he inherited, he should have done better with the Tottenham side that he ran off to manage, but didn't. I have never wanted to see him come back.
STID
st1halo
says...
1:41pm Mon 17 Dec 12
saintbobby wrote:I don't accept these comments at all! The stadium would have had to come, it was just during his tenure which I hasten to add, made him a personal fortune at our club's expense!
Clever Dick wrote:These are fair comments. He did get Saints out of The Dell, but as mentioned then it went all pear shaped. But some appreciation for the development of the marvellous St. Mary's is due to him.
costa gaz wrote:U r right there. If he'd stuck to the business side of things and left the footie to those who actually know something about it maybe he wouldn't have become a laughing stock.
Was responsible for getting us St Mary's, a superb stadium, after 30 years of false promises by others and one of the best academy's in the land.
Without these we wouldn't have been able to bounce back to where we are today. (and we would have suffered a similar fate if we hadn't moved from the dell).
Still wouldn't want him within a million miles of Saints again though.
He p1ssed away our long top flight record with a lack of investment and sold the jewels that the academy brought forth whilst lining his own pockets and then left us to pick up the pieces.
To me, he is the anti-christ, and I personally wont forgive him.
STID
lowe esteem
says...
1:42pm Mon 17 Dec 12
tugboat wrote:Leeds, tha'knows...'appen i've sent warnin' t'locals, they've already had a past-it Brazilian and Gazza turn out for 'em. Is that the same Simon Clifford who should have won England the World Cup by now? I was wondering where Del and Rodney would turn up, expect they've sent a message out for Uncle Albert (aka Sir Clive) too?
Sent a shiver down my spine,but we have to see the opportunity here,Thats one pre season friendly sorted and what about the chance to send our academy players to Garforth to get first team experience ? after all we owe wupert for it.
I didnt realise that he was responsible for all the academies success for the last decade-but then again in my defence ,nor did anyone else.
Garford -The home of the duck. Where is it anyway ?
This time next year...........
Don't get me started on Duckman claiming credit for the only two things he ever bowed to fan pressure on...St Mary's and the youth system.
St Retford
says...
1:42pm Mon 17 Dec 12
Stafford Saint wrote:Only a Grade A tw@t could possibly object to Cortese. Unless you're some sort of sadist who prefers Prenton Park to Anfield then you have to say we've struck gold with our chairman. I wouldn't swap him for anyone.
Never again will Saints have an "outsider to football" running things: alienating former players; not getting along with the press; charging for ticket purchases and car parking; altering the season ticket instalments ...! OK I'm being provocative!
Being a chairman is a precarious position. Whilst the going is good, things will probably be ok.
Long may things be ok for Cortese.
st1halo
says...
1:46pm Mon 17 Dec 12
SO50 Saint wrote:The Dennis brothers were absolutely awesome on there, missed them when it ended!
Aah the Saint I used to enjoy that station whilst I was away at University. The Friday night phone in was usually pretty decent
STID
st1halo
says...
1:47pm Mon 17 Dec 12
St Retford wrote:That!
Stafford Saint wrote:Only a Grade A tw@t could possibly object to Cortese. Unless you're some sort of sadist who prefers Prenton Park to Anfield then you have to say we've struck gold with our chairman. I wouldn't swap him for anyone.
Never again will Saints have an "outsider to football" running things: alienating former players; not getting along with the press; charging for ticket purchases and car parking; altering the season ticket instalments ...! OK I'm being provocative!
Being a chairman is a precarious position. Whilst the going is good, things will probably be ok.
Long may things be ok for Cortese.
Dpercsfc
says...
1:56pm Mon 17 Dec 12
This is the same guy who's at Garforth Town right? This is the guy you're bragging about identifying? So anyway, how is Sir Clive's switch to football working out for him these days?
SO50 Saint
says...
1:58pm Mon 17 Dec 12
1:46pm Mon 17 Dec 12
SO50 Saint wrote:
Aah the Saint I used to enjoy that station whilst I was away at University. The Friday night phone in was usually pretty decent
The Dennis brothers were absolutely awesome on there, missed them when it ended!
STID”
Didn't they also used to have Flash Gordon Watson help them aswell and Nicky Banger if I remember correctly. To be honest I think it was Stewart Dennis who went on to become the pitch announcer he was shocking but not as bad as the present one.
st1halo
says...
2:27pm Mon 17 Dec 12
SO50 Saint wrote:You may be right 50, Mark Dennis was saying what he liked and constantly being reprimanded. He wasn't happy with the management and said so and didn't give a sh1t who knew it. As I recall Ossie went on there and made some comments that were anti-establishment at the time, and the anti-christ banned him, sadly a little while later he died.
st1halo says...
1:46pm Mon 17 Dec 12
SO50 Saint wrote:
Aah the Saint I used to enjoy that station whilst I was away at University. The Friday night phone in was usually pretty decent
The Dennis brothers were absolutely awesome on there, missed them when it ended!
STID”
Didn't they also used to have Flash Gordon Watson help them aswell and Nicky Banger if I remember correctly. To be honest I think it was Stewart Dennis who went on to become the pitch announcer he was shocking but not as bad as the present one.
The banter was hysterical though, could have listened to those two all day!!
STID
SO50 Saint
says...
2:33pm Mon 17 Dec 12
Littleton-Saint
says...
2:40pm Mon 17 Dec 12
CB FRY LIVES
says...
2:48pm Mon 17 Dec 12
sarfhamton
says...
4:04pm Mon 17 Dec 12
"Swing Lowe, Swing Rupert Lowe, swing him from the Itchen Bridge!"
tugboat
says...
5:00pm Mon 17 Dec 12
lowe esteem wrote:Thats it then, its all crystal clear-thanks.
tugboat wrote:Leeds, tha'knows...'appen i've sent warnin' t'locals, they've already had a past-it Brazilian and Gazza turn out for 'em. Is that the same Simon Clifford who should have won England the World Cup by now? I was wondering where Del and Rodney would turn up, expect they've sent a message out for Uncle Albert (aka Sir Clive) too?
Sent a shiver down my spine,but we have to see the opportunity here,Thats one pre season friendly sorted and what about the chance to send our academy players to Garforth to get first team experience ? after all we owe wupert for it.
I didnt realise that he was responsible for all the academies success for the last decade-but then again in my defence ,nor did anyone else.
Garford -The home of the duck. Where is it anyway ?
This time next year...........
Don't get me started on Duckman claiming credit for the only two things he ever bowed to fan pressure on...St Mary's and the youth system.
Dear old Rupert seems like a "shoe in".
God help Garforth.For you I will now pray.
Ok not PC praying,(appartently
)but I,ll try nonetheless.
You are about to embark on a trip to the darkside,garlic and stakes at the ready,may your god be beside you.
ShakeyWiffles
says...
5:19pm Mon 17 Dec 12
warrens 76
says...
5:30pm Mon 17 Dec 12
Tye-Dye pt2
says...
5:48pm Mon 17 Dec 12
OTIH!!!!
Jameski
says...
5:50pm Mon 17 Dec 12
St Retford wrote:So Matt le Tissier, Lawrie McMenemy and Francis Benali are all grade A ****?
Stafford Saint wrote:Only a Grade A tw@t could possibly object to Cortese. Unless you're some sort of sadist who prefers Prenton Park to Anfield then you have to say we've struck gold with our chairman. I wouldn't swap him for anyone.
Never again will Saints have an "outsider to football" running things: alienating former players; not getting along with the press; charging for ticket purchases and car parking; altering the season ticket instalments ...! OK I'm being provocative!
Being a chairman is a precarious position. Whilst the going is good, things will probably be ok.
Long may things be ok for Cortese.
LeTissiersEarLobe
says...
5:56pm Mon 17 Dec 12
warrens 76
says...
6:00pm Mon 17 Dec 12
LeTissiersEarLobe wrote:"Cheese"¨
Nob
Optimist
says...
7:02pm Mon 17 Dec 12
There is a very key developmental stage between the ages of 5-10 where most of our fine motor skills are developed. Programs like soccertots are excellent at highlighting this stage of coaching, stressing the need for positive reinforcement and a stable, welcoming learning environment. But of course it is not the only one & Simon is not the only coach in the world to adopt this philosophy, just an early adopter.
And Rupert... where you went wrong was in appointing yes men like Gray & Wigley, both highly skilled coaches but terrible strategists & man-managers. Three managers in a season = relegation = added financial burden = administration.
and FYI for any Cortese haters, apparently he pays for his own ticket too. No-one is safe from the chairman who stole freebies, not even himself.
Clever Dick
says...
7:44pm Mon 17 Dec 12
Littleton-Saint wrote:Come on now. Rupee would never waste a fiver on something that's not worth tuppence. He's gone to a much bigger club than Skuntsmouth!
What a shame. I thought Lowe might make a £5.00 bid for Skintmuff. Guess he still might do that and set up a new Skate Academy as a feeder for Garforth!!
florida saint
says...
8:24pm Mon 17 Dec 12
SPIKEISLANDTRADER
says...
8:49pm Mon 17 Dec 12
Shareholder wrote:How LOWE can you go !!
Glad they've both reached their natural level!
SOLENTDRIFTER
says...
6:18am Tue 18 Dec 12
lowemustgo
says...
11:10am Tue 18 Dec 12
Sunny Saint
says...
2:28pm Tue 18 Dec 12
costa gaz wrote:WRONG!!!
Was responsible for getting us St Mary's, a superb stadium, after 30 years of false promises by others and one of the best academy's in the land.
Without these we wouldn't have been able to bounce back to where we are today. (and we would have suffered a similar fate if we hadn't moved from the dell).
Still wouldn't want him within a million miles of Saints again though.
He was the w@nker that lost us Stoneham. It was Southampton City Council that stepped in and got us St Mary's. Lowe just got the mortgage, which even though that was not difficult on the back of the Dell land. However, him and that tw@t Cowan got us the crappiest mortgage deal available, and came a Natts Pube away from defaulting on the payments and getting the bank to foreclose on us.
The guy is nothing but a crook!!!!
Sunny Saint
says...
2:29pm Tue 18 Dec 12
saintbobby wrote:WRONG!!!
Clever Dick wrote:These are fair comments. He did get Saints out of The Dell, but as mentioned then it went all pear shaped. But some appreciation for the development of the marvellous St. Mary's is due to him.
costa gaz wrote:U r right there. If he'd stuck to the business side of things and left the footie to those who actually know something about it maybe he wouldn't have become a laughing stock.
Was responsible for getting us St Mary's, a superb stadium, after 30 years of false promises by others and one of the best academy's in the land.
Without these we wouldn't have been able to bounce back to where we are today. (and we would have suffered a similar fate if we hadn't moved from the dell).
Still wouldn't want him within a million miles of Saints again though.
He was the w@nker that lost us Stoneham. It was Southampton City Council that stepped in and got us St Mary's. Lowe just got the mortgage, which even though that was not difficult on the back of the Dell land. However, him and that tw@t Cowan got us the crappiest mortgage deal available, and came a Natts Pube away from defaulting on the payments and getting the bank to foreclose on us.
The guy is nothing but a crook!!!!
Spudsaint
says...
8:36pm Tue 18 Dec 12
Sunny Saint wrote:Well said. Don't be conned. The tw@t was not responsible for our excellent Academy, which long pre-dated his regime, and thankfully has survived the complete chaos born of his arrogance. His role in delivering SMS is also over estimated. If he'd invested as much of his own cash in the team rather than in self publicity then we would never have ended up in the mess we did.
saintbobby wrote:WRONG!!!
Clever Dick wrote:These are fair comments. He did get Saints out of The Dell, but as mentioned then it went all pear shaped. But some appreciation for the development of the marvellous St. Mary's is due to him.
costa gaz wrote:U r right there. If he'd stuck to the business side of things and left the footie to those who actually know something about it maybe he wouldn't have become a laughing stock.
Was responsible for getting us St Mary's, a superb stadium, after 30 years of false promises by others and one of the best academy's in the land.
Without these we wouldn't have been able to bounce back to where we are today. (and we would have suffered a similar fate if we hadn't moved from the dell).
Still wouldn't want him within a million miles of Saints again though.
He was the w@nker that lost us Stoneham. It was Southampton City Council that stepped in and got us St Mary's. Lowe just got the mortgage, which even though that was not difficult on the back of the Dell land. However, him and that tw@t Cowan got us the crappiest mortgage deal available, and came a Natts Pube away from defaulting on the payments and getting the bank to foreclose on us.
The guy is nothing but a crook!!!!
mbetts says...
8:45am Mon 17 Dec 12
JOKE!!!!
FOAD!!!!