If Rupert Lowe thinks he was good for Southampton FC it just goes to show what a massive ego the man has. Its a pity the Echo did not ask him why he took the club in a reverse takeover which is as big an admission that you have no capital to inject into the club **** you can get. Lowe saddled Saints with huge debts ,lending the club could not afford without forever having to sell our best players. I question whether we would have been rlegated had we stayed at The Dell until a suitable backer for the club could be found to take the club further.
Perhaps he could tell us why he vetoed the spending proposals of manager after manager, causing massive instability as one after the other they left unwilling to put up with Lowe's egotiistical autocracy.The last straw was the departure of Strachan, Saints best manager for years who had just taken us to the FA Cup final.
The club now faces years in the wilderness of the Championship and beyond thanks to Mr Lowe.
Frankly I do not know how he dares show his face at St Marys.

as i have said before michael wilde has a f.....g lot of questions to answer.he is a major reason why we find our club in the sh%% its in.

I'm not sure, I think Lowe did a lot of good things for our club. People seem to blame him for things that were out of his control. I.e. Strachan. Walcott. There was many times he could of said oh well lets over spend, but he always had a good business mind. However he's not entirely blameless I admit. Hiring some dodgy Managers during the season we went down and not keeping the press at bay rather than attracting more attention by suing them was a mistake.

Well said Ray, Michael Wilde & co have a lot to answer for.... Rupert Lowe built the Stadium in 14 Months, whilst Guy Asham & co posced around for 10 years, thats a fact. Also, SFC, like most other Clubs, is a PLC, which Rupert Lowe made a good job or running, the only mistakes he (& the Board)made, were, not replacing Strachs with someone as good (though he did want to bring Hoddle back) then panicking & bringing in Redneck, which was the final nail in our Coffin. Toward the end of that Season, when we were relegated, Rupert Lowe did not pick the Players, he, didn't play them out of position, he didn't make silly substitutions & he didn't ask them not to make an effort at trying to stay up. The Manager & the Players did that, all by themselves & I personally, will never forgive any one of them.
The current situation is, that we have a Manager who doesn't know his best Team & sticks with his mates from old, as Arry did, & blames every bad performance on injuries... well, don't other Teams have the same problem...? We have the option of being taken over by an Asset Striping Company, who will surely destroy the Club, or going into Administration, which will lose us 10 points & see the back of Surman, Dyer, Rasiak & anything else worth selling, to get us out of it. So what do we do? climb on Rupert Lowe's back & blame him for what happened 2 years ago? like I said, he along with the board, made 2 mistakes, unfortunately, both were fatal, but let's face it, without the Youth Team investment which was put in place under Lowe's Chair, we wouldn't have had Walcott, Bale, Surman or Dyer and would therefore, probably already be in Administration. So lets look at the current situation & face up to it, after all, Bournemouth is only 30 mins away & will be our rivals next season.

What is he on about....the new stadium was his brainchild!!!!! Saints first put in a proposal for a new stadium years before Rupert had anything to do with the club. Did he help Saints get it built yes......but his brainchild.....just goes to show what an egotistical w***** he really is.

Come back Rupert, all is forgiven...

i think the question we saints have to ask ourselves is would we be any better off now if rupert lowe was still in charge and hadn't been booted out? obviously it goes without saying that he wasn't always popular with the fans, but wether you like what he said in his interview or not at least he's a strong man who stands by his beliefs and says what he thinks. we never heard anything like that from michael wilde or anyone else and we've not heard anything from the people currently in charge. credit for lowe for at least coming out and saying something about the situation.

Spot on Mr Lowe.We were completely hoodwinked by the Wilde Bunch.Can any fan say we are better off now ?

It seems quite a few still do not think Lowe was good for the club and still harp on about him,I missed last nights game due to work but when one has to travel from the other side of Sssex,s I look for ward to seening star players, but will we have any left Jan,if this NEW BOARD do not give the club some cash(if they have any).To see the like of Walcot and maybe Drew I have a ticket already for 5th Feb.Oh to put the clock back and have RL and GH in charge.

Go away Rupert, nothing is forgiven.

Steve wrote:
What is he on about....the new stadium was his brainchild!!!!! Saints first put in a proposal for a new stadium years before Rupert had anything to do with the club. Did he help Saints get it built yes......but his brainchild.....just goes to show what an egotistical w***** he really is.

They've been talking (note the word "talking") about a new stadium for almost as long as I've been alive and I'm over 50. Early 60's there was a lot of talk about, so my dad says, after the cup win there was a lot of talk about it it was Lowe who actually got it done. He had a lot of help from the Council, British Gas, British Rail, the EU and a good few others but, without him, we wouldn't have the new stadium.

Wouldn't this have been the perfect chance for Lowe to say how he would run Saints better than the current mob are? Instead, we just get the usual "poor old me" bleating from Rupert.

I dislike the new board, the execs and non-execs quite a bit, but it's rich for Lowe to sit there, owning so many shares and wanting a big pay-off for them, whilst doing nothing himself to find investment for the club.

We are well rid of Lowe.

Its a fact that we are in a worse situation now than during Rupert's time. You can't blame him for that. The new board have had enough time to turn things round but all they seem to be doing is looking for ways to feather their own nests. They are looking for an investor who is going to provide them with a fat cheque to go away. They are not interested in what is best for the club.
Rupert had his faults but he was no where as inept as this current bunch and the people who put them in charge need to be brought to account.

Saints were considering a stadium 40 years ago,
if anyone around has a memory?.Rupert ,you have brought us the Itchen Stand, the rest is not paid for, The Academy is some brick building on the outskirts of the City.Saints have had a youth structure for years,put the boot in now,the only thing you delivered was Friends Provident and what did they put into the Club?.
If you had cared for the Club where were your major investors?.
All I shall remember from you is a succesion of failed appointments,at managerial and coaching levels,oh! and wasted money, i.e. Delgado,Van Damme,Prutton,contra
cts,pay-offs, etc etc, where do I stop?.
Go away Rupert,I want Duck for Xmas.

Is that R-Sole still around? He should keep his gob shut.All Saint's problems are his fault as he got us relegated.
"I built the stadium" Did you Rupert? I didn't know you were a builder.And I thought you just sorted out the mortgage.**** OFF NOW LOWE!!

I heard the Interview Rupert gave on the Radio, and he also moaned about the Daily Echo's Editor, Ian Murray's stance at the time of Rupert resigning.
So its also the Echo fault as well, but you failed to put that in the article!

from how i remember things,

Eastleigh council were opposing the proposed Stoneham lane stadium (the ideal site), and as soon as they backed down Rupert Lowe announced it would have a cinema and shopping complex, so Eastliegh blocked it again

so they ended up building St Mary, as nice as it is, on the old gas works site, and i could be wrong but didnt southampton council give them the ground for next to nothing?
and it also meant he got the old dell ground to for building on for free
and am i right that its his company(s) that built St Marys stadium and the houses on the old Dell and arranged the loans,
so could rupert say how much money he has made out of saints?

My view is that you either judge Rupert Lowe as a man or as a business man. As a man he clearly got up most people's noses and was very unpopular. But as a business man, I feel that he ran Southampton Liesure as a sound business, this is applicable to SFC of course. My personal view is that as a business, for that is what we are, SFC is worse off under the current majority share holders than we were with Mr Lowe. M/s Wilde, Crouch, Trant and their cronnies have not delivered on anything that they promised in their manesfesto, plus they have placed a bunch of highly paid exectutives "in charge" of our club. They remain conspicuous by their silence and it is time to get things sorted. As people I have no specific agenda regarding either Lowe, Wilde, Crouch or Trant etc - I just want my beloved football club sorted out before it is too late.

What ever way you look at things, the club is a lot worse off now than it was when Lowe was running things. The money issues seem a lot lot worse and we could end up just like Coventry.

It was only going to be a matter of time before Lowe got himself back in the media it will be sky sports next, we all know the good and the bad Lowe did for the club, i have never studied the clubs books and accounts but the money over the years just seems to roll out the club and we are still are paying for the SMS, given the fact that clubs turnover was up to 50m ish after fa cup and now down to 24m ish. who ever has been put in charge of the money appears to have f===k=d it up. RL + MW & co may have the money to buy some cheap shares but they are still poor money wise and have no money splash into this club. Money and greed always create problems and the saints have been in that for years. Hereing about all the clubs going into admim in the league it does appear only a matter of time now, unless we win against Hull on sat and then put in a record 5 back to back wins and start filling sms again and get back the saints feeling good again as without it, it will not just be a cold winter but a cold decade.
Come on saints you can beat this s88t........

Rupert is the cause of our problems when Harry took over we were playing the best football in the first division and he just needed a quality stiker.Rupert sold Phillips and failed to buy Clinton Morrison. We had "has been "Fuller who couldn't hit a barn door.Rupert was too cautious and it's cost us

is this the same rup[ert lowe that developed your youth acamemy which is still the only reason you have good players.
and he obviously has passion for the club not just the money as he is still hanging roudn the club to make sure the investors are good

Did Rupert really run Saints as well as he makes out?

When Saints were at their peak under his chairmanship (2002-2003), surely that was the time to invest more into the team to carry it on?

Instead he penny pinched started interferring in who the manager should and shouldn't buy.

We subsequently, lost the best manager the club had since Lawrie (Strachan) and the decline started right there and then.

Everything I hear from Mr Lowe suggests he is waiting for fans and executives to bow down and grovel to him before he decides to stop passively obstructing progress.

The statement that he is "still waiting for documentation" says it all.

Sure, Rupert, I bow down to your cleverness.

So you've done nothing to obstruct the takeover, but it's what you haven't done that's caused the damage.

If you had the thoughts of the club at heart, maybe you'd have actively chased SISU up for that documentation and made a real effort to grill them, not via a 20-page dismissive letter, but in person.

Yes, I understand you feel you haven't got the credit you deserve from the fans and have been treated badly by the board and, in certain cases I agree, but put this aside for the good of the club.

I'm not saying blindly accept the SISU offer, but I'm saying take it on its merits rather than enjoying being the spanner in the works.

In recent times I've seen a lot of people talk about the board trying to spin things in the press.

To be honest, I think you give this lot too much credit – they aren't astute enough to do that properly and can't even communicate with each other.

No. Lowe was always the master of that – basically becoming editor of the web site and craving as much publicity as possible.

That said, it taking Lowe back means he'll let a deal go through in order to proclaim himself the saviour of SFC, then that is a price I'm willing to pay.

He can win his little personal ego crusade if it means he'll do something to help.

The simple fact is that Saints are worse off financially because they were relegated - and who oversaw that? Who's prudence would not allow sufficient funds to keep us in the top flight? If Lowe was still in charge we'd be in Division Two by now.

Trahsis wrote:
Come back Rupert, all is forgiven...

Yes do come back Mr Lowe-Life and finnish what you STARTED,the day Gordon Strachan walked out of SFC.
You took your eye of the ball and l am affraid the football side become secondary.
Instead of concerntrating and funding new players,we had Elton John prancing about on stage.
I suppose this was yet another money-making scheme that went tits up.
You are a farmer and should stick with what you know about farming.
Because take it from me, you knew absolutely nothing about football, and because you knew nothing about football thats why we are in this mess now.
If only you had listen to Strachan,a proper footballing person, l would not be posting this post now.
Your biggest problem is that you have had your **** smacked, but you are not man enough to take it on the chin and get on with your life.
But then with a name like Rupert, one would expect your type to keep stamping their feet and throw all the toys out of the pram.
You are a lingering fart that just will not go away.
GO away and do something that you are good at, and milk the cows, because your breed and football do not mix.

Too many supporters are happy to jump on the nearest available bandwagon. I know we are all fickle, but there is no sinlge person to blame. The truth is it was fans power that ousted Lowe in the first place, and at the time it seemed the best option. Since then it looks a very bad move. We have lost both shrewd business sense (replaced by a cowboy board) and stability in the team ( too many players have left and we are left with loanees). Both are due to the financial instabiity brought about by the CURRENT board. I am looking forward to the AGM in a couple of weeks! To continue to blame Lowe alone is ridiculous, as would be laying the whole blame with the current lot. Also, I support a lot of what Lowe says above. Despite our frustrations in the transfer market, and the lack of team investment, we were a well run club with a better team to now.

Why not stop wingeing about the past and let rupert run the club in a prudent and cost effective way, and I feel sure that he is able to get the investment required otherwise he would not be now going public after all this time.

Lets get the facts right !

Saints fans where calling for Lowe to resign way before anyone had heard of Wilde !

Ipswich at home the whole ground stood up telling him to resign for colossal mismanagement that primarily was the reason we where relegated.

The fact that Lowe thinks hes done nothing wrong and blaming others highlights how 'delusional' he is.

To blame the managament team is a farce considered how much he wasted !

He didnt build the stadium that was more or less given to him on a plate by Southampton council !

The academy was a Premiership league requirement !

The selling of players as he puts it is a complete joke. These players more or less wanted to leave because they could get more wages playing in the Premier league ! Baird and Jones handed in a transfer request and Bale wouldnt sign a new contract !

So Mr Lowe can we have the £1million pounds back you wasted on a rugby coach !

or even the £500,000 you and your cronies took out the club as severance pay ?


If Lowe was by some miracle still around it would be exactly the same financially at St Marys. end of

Lowe created our financial downfall through relegation and we now have no tv revenue.

Lowe's 2 shining achievements:

The Academy - put in place to find future to stars TO SELL ON at a profit (otherwise known as the future share dividend pool)

SMS - Built tom increase income (otherwise known as the future share dividend pool)

Maybe you city mates love you Lowlife, but you are hated figure among the fans Mr Lowe, shut your scheming mouth and clear off for good.

Jim wrote: Too many supporters are happy to jump on the nearest available bandwagon. I know we are all fickle, but there is no single person to blame.

Sorry Jim, but if Lowe is willing to claim that he alone built the stadium and academy: "I built the stadium, I built up the academy - that was my brainchild" then he alone should take the blame for our relegation and subsequent debt created in the building of that stadium.

As for him still waiting for SISU to answer his questions, if I was selling my home and someone expressed an interest, but I wanted to know more about the level of their offer, I wouldn't sit around waiting for a month, I'd call them and try to see if it was viable.

Unless of course I wasn't interested in selling in the first place.

Steve wrote:
What is he on about....the new stadium was his brainchild!!!!! Saints first put in a proposal for a new stadium years before Rupert had anything to do with the club. Did he help Saints get it built yes......but his brainchild.....just goes to show what an egotistical w***** he really is.

Steve - this shows what a complete **** you are. Re-read it, the academy was his brainchild, undeniable and irrefutable. Quite obvious what he is saying really but then you typify the anti-Lowe mob. Never let the facts get in the way of a good rant.

If it hadn't been for that we'd be in administration by now.

Neil wrote:

Steve wrote: What is he on about....the new stadium was his brainchild!!!!! Saints first put in a proposal for a new stadium years before Rupert had anything to do with the club. Did he help Saints get it built yes......but his brainchild.....just goes to show what an egotistical w***** he really is.

Steve - this shows what a complete **** you are. Re-read it, the academy was his brainchild, undeniable and irrefutable. Quite obvious what he is saying really but then you typify the anti-Lowe mob. Never let the facts get in the way of a good rant. If it hadn't been for that we'd be in administration by now.

The academy was a premier league requirement !

Nothing to do with lowes brainchild tosh

Lowe cant have it both ways as hes criticising the selling of players when he himself did it with Bridge and Walcott !

Lowe is self centred, pompous and in denial of failure.

lowe wrote:
is this the same rup[ert lowe that developed your youth acamemy which is still the only reason you have good players. and he obviously has passion for the club not just the money as he is still hanging roudn the club to make sure the investors are good

Lets get one thing straight here about this myph that Lowe-Life was the brainchild behind the youth developement at SFC.
The fact remains that SFC managed to stay in the top-flight for nearly thirty years.
And the sole reason for that achievment was because THEY had to produce youngsters, year after year.
Infact the youth were being produced some twenty years before he even became involved with SFC.
He has achieved no more than any previous chairmam, quite the reverse infact.
Because they HAD to sell because of the finance and capacity of the Dell, he had the benifit of the finance and capacity of SMS and still managed to ****-up.
When you sell out every week, like Saints were doing, you do not still expect to be in a position of having to sell your own players, that never changed did it.
As for hanging around to make sure the investment is right, you are spot on.
But to claim this is in the interest of SFC is quite hilarious.
People like Rupert Lowe are only interested in their bank balance,and themselves.
I personally feel quite sorry for him and those who support him, because they have CONVINCED themselves that he has done no wrong.
Must be that upbringing l would imaging!

Rupert Lowe dose have an ego for sure. Though he did run the club as a bussinessman, and finacially very sound. His problem was he run it in a boring way, and never really looked or succeded in finding big investment under his command to take Saints on to the next level! Possible because his job and media ego may be replaced by the bigger fish who would take over with any big investment made.

Michael Wilde is the man who saw that we needed to move up, and tapped into the fans passion and need to dream to be among the big boys and compete. He rode this and made a lot of false promises to gain power. He also installed this idiots to run our club. For this I can not forgive him! Unless he can save the day and bring in a buyer who dose invest soundly, and take this club out of the deep dark depth this current board has taken us!!

Hone is a joke quite frankly, and annoys most fans out there with with his mind games and spin on things when it suits his purpose, which he clearly shows is always in his best interst and not the clubs. To date he has never come out with fighting talk to take this club into better times simply because it should be his job, and hopefully he should care! No, he says nothing most of the time, justifies this behind legal stuff. then all of a sudden, bang he comes out with doom and gloom and only one proposal for a club of the likes of SOUTHAMPTON FC! Hone you and your chums are failing this club we love so badly. Do the only thig you can do for SOUTHAMPTON FC, and resign!
As to those who moan about George Burley, I do agree with some of it, i.e. his tinkering with the team is questionable. But please see that when he moans constantly about players he lost, is simply because he cares!! If you work with the players week in week out, and you talk to the big players into staying with this club, only to told they must be sold to balance the books. That is heart breaking and undermines all he trying to achieve here! Quite simply if any of us lost the quality and quantity of players we have, we would all be angry and hurt by this, and would only think what should be happening result wise if we was able to keep them. He is only letting the hurt keep coming out in the only pofessional way aloud to him in the media, even if it sounds like a scatch record at times, but he is telling the truth and its on record later in years when we look back at how bad this board is. Selling your best players in this finacial enviroment of football, is not the way to get you club on a better finacial footing!You promote a selling club image to other clubs. You need to climb, get the fans to come and willing to part with there hard earn cash to watch quality football, and in return the club should climb on the back of this and reap the rewards!
The board will say it not as simple as this. But frankly it is. They just take gambles and should be looking to making finacial savings and growth elsewhere TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT AND SUCCESS OF THE CLUB ON THE PITCH!

you've all costed me my job

David wrote:
If Rupert Lowe thinks he was good for Southampton FC it just goes to show what a massive ego the man has. Its a pity the Echo did not ask him why he took the club in a reverse takeover which is as big an admission that you have no capital to inject into the club **** you can get. Lowe saddled Saints with huge debts ,lending the club could not afford without forever having to sell our best players. I question whether we would have been rlegated had we stayed at The Dell until a suitable backer for the club could be found to take the club further.
Perhaps he could tell us why he vetoed the spending proposals of manager after manager, causing massive instability as one after the other they left unwilling to put up with Lowe\'s egotiistical autocracy.The last straw was the departure of Strachan, Saints best manager for years who had just taken us to the FA Cup final.
The club now faces years in the wilderness of the Championship and beyond thanks to Mr Lowe.
Frankly I do not know how he dares show his face at St Marys.

The trouble is David, this notion of a private backer riding in to just give money to invest is unreal. Why would anyone invest in the club unless there was something in it for them? If you want a Glazier, an Abramovich or a Gaydermek to buy the club it just becomes a rich man's toy and you and the rest of the fans just become "his" bought fans. How do you think Abramovich regards all those Chelsea fans who pay him to watch club and gaze up at him chanting his name? They are just rabble in the eyes of him and his friends. There is a blind hatred of Lowe for being a businessman, and yes he made bad decisions and deserved to pay the price, but that doesn;t mean to say that everything he says and did is wrong. You have to judge each action and statement individually. In this case I think what he's saying is correct. Ultimately I don;t want to play "my Sugar daddy is bigger than your sugar daddy" - I've got too much pride. I only watch non league football now and I'm richer and happier for it.

Neil wrote:

Steve wrote: What is he on about....the new stadium was his brainchild!!!!! Saints first put in a proposal for a new stadium years before Rupert had anything to do with the club. Did he help Saints get it built yes......but his brainchild.....just goes to show what an egotistical w***** he really is.

Steve - this shows what a complete **** you are. Re-read it, the academy was his brainchild, undeniable and irrefutable. Quite obvious what he is saying really but then you typify the anti-Lowe mob. Never let the facts get in the way of a good rant. If it hadn't been for that we'd be in administration by now.

And Neil, if it was not for the likes of Shearer, the Wallace brothers and all the other players that Saints produced and sold before Lowe-Life came to SFC, THE CLUB WOULD HAVE BEEN IN ADMINISTRATION AT LONG TIME AGO.
Rupert Low-Life had more going for him then any other chairman of this club.
He had all the finance that others before did not have, and he still cocked up.
Therefore giving all the circumstances he is the worst chairman SFC have ever had, and it is showing, right now.

What a joke! Yes the current board are not covering cost Rupert, but then again you still had the luxury of parachute payments. YOU wouldn't be able to cover costs today either!!!

Stadium & Acadamy your brainchild? We all know thats not true.

Selling Walcott out of your hands? Well who chose to showcase him before we could secure a stronger negotiating position? YOU did. And not only that, you didn't learn and went on to showcase other shining stars from the acadamy!!!

Nothing is forgotten. Nothing is forgiven. just because you compare yourself to a poor board does not mean you were any good. It just means you were poor and they are poorer.

Did you know that in the circles and parties that Rupert mixes in, I've heard he still introduces himself as "Chairman of Southampton FC".

Now, is he either:
a) Missing the club and loves it to death
b) Deluded

As a businessman Lowe did a good job. After years and years we did finally get a new ground and St Mary's is a superb stadium. People seem to forget that we were desperate for a new ground after we won the cup in 1976.
The academy has produced players that we have been able to sell for millions. Without that money from Walcott and Bale we'd already be in administration. Whenever we sold a player Lowe seemed to get way over the odds for them ie. Richards to Spurs.

As a football man he was not so clever. Having appionted Sturrock he should of stood by him. Wigley was never up to the job and bringing in Harry was a risk that did not pay off. Like him or loathe him I can't believe we'd be in a worse position if he'd stayed.

David wrote:
Spot on Mr Lowe.We were completely hoodwinked by the Wilde Bunch.Can any fan say we are better off now ?

Yes we are. Lowe has only been interested in using Saints to make money. He didnt know what a football was until he joined Saints. The Academy and the stadium was not for the club, the fans, the players. Its a profit making machine. I never begrudged him and his cronies making upwards of £400K a year from our club whilst we were doing well his dreadful decisions cost us relegation and every problem that comes with it. He should have resigned immediately and I am grateful for the Wilde bunch dethroning this self appointed king of St. Marys. Without an investor, their is no magical solution about from everyone pulling together to recreate the kind of spirit we use to have, before the stadium, academy and Lowe came on the scene

Stay away from myt Club Lowe !

You are resposible for the relegation which has brought us to where we are today.

To blame everyone else apart from yourself highlights you need psyciatric treatment.

Portswood Pete wrote:

Steve wrote: What is he on about....the new stadium was his brainchild!!!!! Saints first put in a proposal for a new stadium years before Rupert had anything to do with the club. Did he help Saints get it built yes......but his brainchild.....just goes to show what an egotistical w***** he really is.

They\\\'ve been talking (note the word \\\"talking\\\") about a new stadium for almost as long as I\\\'ve been alive and I\\\'m over 50. Early 60\\\'s there was a lot of talk about, so my dad says, after the cup win there was a lot of talk about it it was Lowe who actually got it done. He had a lot of help from the Council, British Gas, British Rail, the EU and a good few others but, without him, we wouldn\\\'t have the new stadium.

Spot on, like you I have supported this club since the 60s,all that time promises of a new stadium. Lowe got it done within 3 years. Without the youth developement and in particular the stadium we would have been relegated years ago,and wouldnt have had a cat in hells chance of going up if we were still at the dell.Its all ifs and maybes, maybe if the fans protest over Hoddle returning had been ignored by Lowe, then perhaps we wouldnt have been relegated!! The fact is those people who protested then over Hoddle returning, and Lowe going should rethink. The fact is that to get back on our feet we either need a "white night" like Allan to come in - unlikely -or a good business brain for the long haul. wether you agree or not, the sisu takeover would end up in asset stripping, so we really need Lowe back in charge, simply because business wise he is streets ahead of the current incumbents, -wilde and the rest. jr

The only thing that Lowe would have done different running the club right now, would to have put ticket prices UP instead of down to try to exploit the loyal Saints fans who want to go every home game.

The thought of dropping prices to try to get more fans in, wouldn't have entered his thinking.

Did moving to St Mary's stop Saints getting relegated?? NO!! Could Strachan have had the exact same transfer budget and results with Saints playing in the Dell?? YES!! The stadium was needed, but look at Pompey, they have flourished whilst being in a tip of a ground. Sky TV money is what makes the real difference to club's income these days.

Andrew Cowen has been more missed at St Mary's then Lowe. It was Cowen who did the vast majority of work behind the scenes (and then watched much of it ruined by Lowe putting his foot in his mouth all the time)

If Rupert Lowe is such a great businessman, why isn't he in a job right now?

If he was such a great chairman/chief exec, why hasn't any other club approached him?

Portswood Pete wrote:

Steve wrote: What is he on about....the new stadium was his brainchild!!!!! Saints first put in a proposal for a new stadium years before Rupert had anything to do with the club. Did he help Saints get it built yes......but his brainchild.....just goes to show what an egotistical w***** he really is.

They've been talking (note the word "talking") about a new stadium for almost as long as I've been alive and I'm over 50. Early 60's there was a lot of talk about, so my dad says, after the cup win there was a lot of talk about it it was Lowe who actually got it done. He had a lot of help from the Council, British Gas, British Rail, the EU and a good few others but, without him, we wouldn't have the new stadium.

We wouldn't have this stadium without him??..maybe not but we also wouldn't be saddled with the current debt. Full stadiums, FA Cup final, Europe (albeit brief) and still we penny pinched and sold our best tallent. No Lowe is not entirely to blame. Crouch and Wilde sold us down the river but if Lowe was here nothing would be different apart from the dictator would have flogged off a lot more of the clubs tallent. Just think the amounts of cash we have paid out to ex managers...dividends
....radio staions etc etc.

The main difference is now we don't have the income Lowe was used to in the premiership. Whilst he is not totally to blame he accounts for ell over 50% of the current problems.

Baz wrote:
What ever way you look at things, the club is a lot worse off now than it was when Lowe was running things. The money issues seem a lot lot worse and we could end up just like Coventry.

Of course it is Baz....self explanatory really. Lowe was in charge albeit but one year in the top flight....that meant....sell out gates (supply and demand / high ticket prices), larger sponsorship deals (prestige of prem league), Sky money. He got us relegated, thus all of the above are not anywhere near those golden amounts in the fizzy league. So now that is why the money situation is worst. As i recall Lowe never put in any of his own hard cash therefore what would he be like in charge now then???? No better, now worst than this bunch. Am i not correct in thinking the fans got Friends Provident removed from the stadium name???....good job too hey, cos as soon as we got relegated Lowes old buddies couldn't jump quick enough.....all he got us was the stadium....oh yes and like previous peolple have stated...debts as a result.

Oi Polloi wrote:
Did you know that in the circles and parties that Rupert mixes in, I've heard he still introduces himself as "Chairman of Southampton FC". Now, is he either: a) Missing the club and loves it to death b) Deluded

Do you honestly believe that you cretin?

My God Lowe has got some Friggin Front.
He got fired koz he ripped off everyone and took the club down!
Crouch etc... Only forced him to go becuase there really was no other solution.
So, remember if they have failed, then don't forget that we would be in the same crap position if Lowe was still in Place. It was a risk worth taking!

Lowe did not get us a stadium, he lost us Stoneham! The only reason people like Gavin Davies will not buy into the club, is becuase they do not want to see a crook like Lowe (and his cronies) make a single penny on the back of their reverse take-over corrupt rip-off deal.
As has been stated before "Administration and Relegation" all though a bitter pill to swallow, will be the best thing that can happen to Saints FC! That way Lowe's shares will be worth Sweet FA, the club will no longer be a PLC and someone with a real love for the club (Like Davies) will come in and buy the club for a Quid, then put the rest of what he would have given Lowe and his Crook mates, directly into the Club.
Ask yourself, why would someone want to come and waste 50mill paying off debts and paying off crooks, when they can get if for Freemans in a few months??????
We will then come back stronger and better!!!

I have read all the comments on here and the best abd most true was 'Paul from Totton'. Rupert Lowe looking after the finances was a credit to our club, as for his football decisions he was a disaster. Don't get me wrong I was standing up chanting 'Lowe out' because at the time I felt he wasn't the right person for the job. None of us have any say in what goes on at this club, we can rant and rave and write messages on here all day long but it will not get the message to the current board. WHAT WE NEED IS THE TRUTH, A LIVE INTERVIEW SO WE CAN ALL HEAR WHAT IS/HAS GONE ON! I will carry on supporting this club till I die, I am fustrated but this will not harm the most important thing in my life and that is being healthy and supporting my family.

Todays share price is 41p (And thats what SISU is offering as well). Will this mean that the major shareholders are going to sell their share?

Dean, the nearest you will get to a "live interview" is going to the AGM on the 21st of December at St Mary's.

HolyLand Saint wrote:
My God Lowe has got some Friggin Front. He got fired koz he ripped off everyone and took the club down! Crouch etc... Only forced him to go becuase there really was no other solution. So, remember if they have failed, then don\'t forget that we would be in the same crap position if Lowe was still in Place. It was a risk worth taking! Lowe did not get us a stadium, he lost us Stoneham! The only reason people like Gavin Davies will not buy into the club, is becuase they do not want to see a crook like Lowe (and his cronies) make a single penny on the back of their reverse take-over corrupt rip-off deal. As has been stated before \"Administration and Relegation\" all though a bitter pill to swallow, will be the best thing that can happen to Saints FC! That way Lowe\'s shares will be worth Sweet FA, the club will no longer be a PLC and someone with a real love for the club (Like Davies) will come in and buy the club for a Quid, then put the rest of what he would have given Lowe and his Crook mates, directly into the Club. Ask yourself, why would someone want to come and waste 50mill paying off debts and paying off crooks, when they can get if for Freemans in a few months?????? We will then come back stronger and better!!!

Your big day is coming you Turkey. Where are the banner towing aeroplanes demanding resignations now. Ruport Lowe's money did not go on them. Wilde got what he wanted and we now have the football we deserve for allowing him.

Magnus wrote:
Todays share price is 41p (And thats what SISU is offering as well). Will this mean that the major shareholders are going to sell their share?

No, because as Lowe has said they don't know enough about the deal to let it go through.

Rupert Lowe and his team were really business people and would not have let the club be run by people who just follow their own interest and the financial ruin of the club. The non executives have no shares at the club at all. They lack of the big experience and results in the meantime Rupert lacked of football knowledge he came with a football stadium and academy who have given to us golden and nice football memories...(EUFA, CUP, PREMIER, Good football...) so in a weight scale all goes on Lowe's side as a good business just failing on the football side between 2004 and 2006 which can happen to giants such as Manchester or Milan. I would prefer to have a health club than a bloody almost ruined club in this league or premier. The financial report showed we are not as bad as the Directors announced.... to force the SISU takeover.

By not recognizing Lowe did a decent job just failing at the end as the only part he failed since he joined Southampton is lying to oneself. Let's be honest.... Hone or Lowe? In 18 months I have just seen lies, personal interests and failure as the main motor of the way of running the club through this Executive Management. Anyway there is a big change happening in January-February and that will clean all what the new Directors have done wrong. Their time is near .

HELP, DAVE HAS GOT THE COMPUTER DISK AND THERE IS NOTHING THE RUSSIANS CAN DO ABT IT!!!!! IF WE ACT QUICKLY WE CAN PROBABLY SAVE STEVEN FORM THE WRATH OF PETER WHO IS ON THE WAR PATH. LETS SPEAK WITH GEOFF HE KNOWS THE WHOLE IN THE WALL IS PACKED WITH NEWSPAPER AND STONES

Richard1630 wrote:

HolyLand Saint wrote:
My God Lowe has got some Friggin Front. He got fired koz he ripped off everyone and took the club down! Crouch etc... Only forced him to go becuase there really was no other solution. So, remember if they have failed, then don\'t forget that we would be in the same crap position if Lowe was still in Place. It was a risk worth taking! Lowe did not get us a stadium, he lost us Stoneham! The only reason people like Gavin Davies will not buy into the club, is becuase they do not want to see a crook like Lowe (and his cronies) make a single penny on the back of their reverse take-over corrupt rip-off deal. As has been stated before \"Administration and Relegation\" all though a bitter pill to swallow, will be the best thing that can happen to Saints FC! That way Lowe\'s shares will be worth Sweet FA, the club will no longer be a PLC and someone with a real love for the club (Like Davies) will come in and buy the club for a Quid, then put the rest of what he would have given Lowe and his Crook mates, directly into the Club. Ask yourself, why would someone want to come and waste 50mill paying off debts and paying off crooks, when they can get if for Freemans in a few months?????? We will then come back stronger and better!!!

Your big day is coming you Turkey. Where are the banner towing aeroplanes demanding resignations now. Ruport Lowe's money did not go on them. Wilde got what he wanted and we now have the football we deserve for allowing him.

Well said Richard. The fickle anti-Lowe brigade wanted Lowe out/Wilde in, and now we're paying the price. One word from Lowe that this wasn't the right move for the club, and the anti-Lowe brigade start frothing at the mouth, waving their pitch forks and demanding a hanging.

At least Lowe has the courage to speak out. Where is Wilde?!

You're having a laugh Lowe. Listen to the tripe coming out of your fat egotistical mouth. You of all people cannot be critical of the current board for selling our best players to stay afloat. You did the very same thing! You brag about the stadium and the academy - not a single mention about the first team and the fact that we were relegated because you were too clever balancing the books to invest in the first team. Wake up, the club is judged by the success of the team fist and foremost. Thanks to you we have the nicest half empty stadium in the Championship. Still, the Pies are great, don't forget to take the credit for that too. Genius!

Richard1630 wrote:

HolyLand Saint wrote: My God Lowe has got some Friggin Front. He got fired koz he ripped off everyone and took the club down! Crouch etc... Only forced him to go becuase there really was no other solution. So, remember if they have failed, then don\'t forget that we would be in the same crap position if Lowe was still in Place. It was a risk worth taking! Lowe did not get us a stadium, he lost us Stoneham! The only reason people like Gavin Davies will not buy into the club, is becuase they do not want to see a crook like Lowe (and his cronies) make a single penny on the back of their reverse take-over corrupt rip-off deal. As has been stated before \"Administration and Relegation\" all though a bitter pill to swallow, will be the best thing that can happen to Saints FC! That way Lowe\'s shares will be worth Sweet FA, the club will no longer be a PLC and someone with a real love for the club (Like Davies) will come in and buy the club for a Quid, then put the rest of what he would have given Lowe and his Crook mates, directly into the Club. Ask yourself, why would someone want to come and waste 50mill paying off debts and paying off crooks, when they can get if for Freemans in a few months?????? We will then come back stronger and better!!!

Your big day is coming you Turkey. Where are the banner towing aeroplanes demanding resignations now. Ruport Lowe's money did not go on them. Wilde got what he wanted and we now have the football we deserve for allowing him.

Whatt utter rubbish !

fans wanted lowe to resign way before anyone had heard of Wilde !

Why couldnt the failed chairman do that and the idiot askham who brought him sort the mess out ?

The football we are seeing Richard is totally down to relegation and all our best players wanting to play in the Premiership ! That will continue with Dyer and Surman.

the team for Sat should be Davis Ifil-Davies-Bennett- Skacel Safri Hammill Surman John-Rasiak-Saganows
ki
Subs: Bialkowski, Mettomo, Viafara, BWP, Powell (is he fit yet?)

Probably just conincidence etc but have just seen Rupert Lowe with Michael Spencer (head of ICAP) and a private equity dude having lunch together in Jermyn Street...maybe a meeting of old friends but judging by the seriousness of the conversation they were having, maybe Lowe is looking to get some finance to buy back into Saints....

your lucky that i'm still not your manager because i would put you in the non league and then go back to pompey

So Rupert Lowe-Life now suddenly appears from no-where and suprise,suprise, he suddenly states that he is not obstructing any take-over bid made by SISU.
And he is merely waiting for documantation.
Giving the share price is now going to be lower than the amount that was being offered, he is now starting to panic and now wants to play ball.
In other words he has burnt his fingers twice now.
He got greedy when the American offered 60p a share, who promptly told him to sling his hook,because of his greed,and he obviously has not learned from his original mistake.
The problem with Lowe-Life is that he thinks he is some big business-man,when infact those who have money hate him for who he is.
Your just a farmer Lowe,and it shows.

he never helped our club anyway, all he wanted was money, he didn't give a **** how saints were proggessing, he just cared if his pocket was filled with money, thats why people never paid for a ticket, because he's got all the cash.

I have always suspected that Rupert Lowe was arrogance on two legs, and this article has confirmed it. Not only that, but he allows himself to wallow in self delusion.

To suggest that he was the man responsible for “building the stadium” is grossly inaccurate. He may have been involved in the planning stages and with the mortgage arrangement but he put nothing financial into the building.
We have had a youth system that is now called the academy for years.
What I find most galling is that he has no apology to make for the years of mismanagement that he oversaw and had hands on experience of. In this I include getting too involved in the team building, choosing and signing players (Delgado and Chala are two £6m examples). How many managers and assistants came and went, with good pay-offs because of him? How much real investment went into the club from his pocket? How did he act strategically after the cup final of 2003 to take the team on?
I am not saying that the present lot have got it right, far from it. However, that does not give the pompous Rupert Lowe the right to suggest that he was the good guy who got bad mouthed in the entire calamity that has been SFC for too long.

Finally, a note to the editor. If you must put his picture in the paper, please find one that does not have that supercilious, smug grin all over the face. He has done nothing to warrant that look!

Spin! Long live spin! Lowe no longer has credibility. Somebody please buy him out of our club.

If just half the people above believe even a tenth of a tenth of the ani-Rupert tripe that has been posted here, we don't really deserve to be supporting a good football club.
Of course he made mistakes - do any of the sheep above know anybody in a position of responsibility in any football club that hasn't? - but I'd say he is looking near infallable compared to the current administration.
If anyone's got a better idea than bringing Rupert back, a sensible one that is, I'd like to read it.
Carter, Leitch, you clueless morons, that means you especially - and no conferring with David Bick.

PEOPLE SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT LOWE KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING? AS IF THEY THINK THEY KNOW WHAT HE ACUALLY DID.THEN Y DONT THEY TELL US WHEN HE S H I T S

harry redknapp wrote:
your lucky that i'm still not your manager because i would put you in the non league and then go back to pompey

Your lucky that you are out on bail arry.
I would have thought that you would be slightly more worried about your future,rathan than the future of SFC.
Still you have created history by being the only WITNESS who has their home raided,DNA taking fingerprints taking.
Some witness?
GOODBYE.

Captain Swing wrote:
If just half the people above believe even a tenth of a tenth of the ani-Rupert tripe that has been posted here, we don't really deserve to be supporting a good football club. Of course he made mistakes - do any of the sheep above know anybody in a position of responsibility in any football club that hasn't? - but I'd say he is looking near infallable compared to the current administration. If anyone's got a better idea than bringing Rupert back, a sensible one that is, I'd like to read it. Carter, Leitch, you clueless morons, that means you especially - and no conferring with David Bick.

You say Lowe is "near infallable" in comparison to the current board. What great logic. I guess Saddam was a decent bloke after all... compared to Hitler!

Make no mistake. Just because the current board are rubbish does not make Rupes great. Lets not forget, he couldn't run the club successfully either!

And as for believing a tenth of the tenth, etc, I wonder how much of the stuff on here in favour of Rupes is being posted by PR companies employed by him. Weren't there red faces all round the Lowe camp when they got caught using those tactics before?

Harry I'll be back round your house if your not careful. This time with my dogs who will eat you ALIVE!

Southampton look at your own problems. I am a supporter of Championship Football but I still enjoy the occasional Premier League game In Hampshire. Enjoy good football in the south!

Captain Swing wrote:
If just half the people above believe even a tenth of a tenth of the ani-Rupert tripe that has been posted here, we don't really deserve to be supporting a good football club. Of course he made mistakes - do any of the sheep above know anybody in a position of responsibility in any football club that hasn't? - but I'd say he is looking near infallable compared to the current administration. If anyone's got a better idea than bringing Rupert back, a sensible one that is, I'd like to read it. Carter, Leitch, you clueless morons, that means you especially - and no conferring with David Bick.

The ramblings of a Judas Saints fan.

Whatever, we need a figure head on the board who better than Rupert, he has the motivation, ie if we go down the pan so does his shares, at the moment we are a headless chicken!!

quote

sawthelight wrote:
Whatever, we need a figure head on the board who better than Rupert, he has the motivation, ie if we go down the pan so does his shares, at the moment we are a headless chicken!!

quote

is that so he can get more money and we can suffer

princey boy wrote:

harry redknapp wrote: your lucky that i'm still not your manager because i would put you in the non league and then go back to pompey

Your lucky that you are out on bail arry. I would have thought that you would be slightly more worried about your future,rathan than the future of SFC. Still you have created history by being the only WITNESS who has their home raided,DNA taking fingerprints taking. Some witness? GOODBYE.

you know nothing about football, so **** off

he should'nt show up his face at st marys stadium, never mind owe our club, can someone please buy him out of my club

sawthelight wrote:
Whatever, we need a figure head on the board who better than Rupert, he has the motivation, ie if we go down the pan so does his shares, at the moment we are a headless chicken!!

quote

A figure head is someone to look up to. From what one of the players told me, very few of the staff, players or management team at St Marys ever looked up to him. Rupert was a terrible figure head then. What makes you think he will make a better one now?

Why do you think the motivation of a shareholding makes enough difference? It doesn't. Ability plays by far the biggest part. He had more than 10 years to prove he had it, and failed to do so.

"They searched the house and took a computer away that I bought my wife two years ago - I think she learnt to turn it on four weeks ago."
into police who raided my home during a 'football corruption' investigation. its not **** fair

come on all SAINTS FANS time now to put everything behind and start looking for investors seriously and i think thats only way forward now for us. i dont live in southampton and forgive me for comments if annoyed u. all i know MR WILDE pressed realy hard to oust MR LOWE last year until call for EGM but his ambitions last for till january 2007 only. he should at least looked for better investors for the club.its not too late if the major shareholders LOWE/WILDE/CROUCH go out and look for investors seriously if BIRMINGHAM/IPSWICH AND ETC can attract investors than SOUTHAMPTON FC surely thousand times better in everyting so i believe supporters should press these guys day n night to get out n get the investors we need otherwise agm is on the 21dec2007 show your power. one thing for sure our beloved SOUTHAMPTON FC will lose thousands of foreign supporters if we dont sort this mess out quickly believe me.

i'm coming back to play for the team on saturday

harry redknapp wrote:
\"They searched the house and took a computer away that I bought my wife two years ago - I think she learnt to turn it on four weeks ago.\" into police who raided my home during a \'football corruption\' investigation. its not **** fair

none of us care. so please go away. BY THE WAY, WHY DIDNT THEY TAKE U AWAY? THEN WE WOULD HAVE LESS PROBLEMS AT THIS SITE

Lowe is not widely liked and relegation was down to him as we did not have funds to spend.

Saints were on the slide from Christmas 2003 when we they were fourth in the Premiership The team was was losing its way during early 2004 not winning many matches and with the injury to Svennson we were obvious candidates for relegation in August 2004.

Obviously the only way out was to spend but where was the money to come from.

CHELVAM SAINTS FOREVER wrote:

harry redknapp wrote: \\\"They searched the house and took a computer away that I bought my wife two years ago - I think she learnt to turn it on four weeks ago.\\\" into police who raided my home during a \\\'football corruption\\\' investigation. its not **** fair

none of us care. so please go away. BY THE WAY, WHY DIDNT THEY TAKE U AWAY? THEN WE WOULD HAVE LESS PROBLEMS AT THIS SITE

I'M STAYING ON THIS SITE FOREVER SO WHY DONT YOU GET OFF THIS SITE ****

do you realy know that this site is only for true SAINTS FANS n not twag like you using harry redknap n pompey words.better get away before THE SAINTS FAN chew you up.never seen thick skin like u in my life because so many SAINTS FANS told u to get away from this site but u r reall y a thick skinned puppy from da wooden stadium

Hoddle back,Lowe back, end of story.

CHELVAM SAINTS FOREVER wrote:
do you realy know that this site is only for true SAINTS FANS n not twag like you using harry redknap n pompey words.better get away before THE SAINTS FAN chew you up.never seen thick skin like u in my life because so many SAINTS FANS told u to get away from this site but u r reall y a thick skinned puppy from da wooden stadium

DO YOU KNOW WHERE I LIVE

May I suggest someone calls Paul Allen and tell him to help us?

Or just accept SISUs offer because surely it cant be worse than it is now.
And Lowe....well, you started well, then started getting worried when Strachan had his missus to take care of. Why dont you just go back to dreamland.

I AM A 7 FOOT 7 TALL MAN AND I KNOW WHERE YOU ALL LIVE

David Crook wrote:
Hoddle back,Lowe back, end of story.

and end of SFC

harry redknapp wrote:

princey boy wrote:

harry redknapp wrote: your lucky that i'm still not your manager because i would put you in the non league and then go back to pompey

Your lucky that you are out on bail arry. I would have thought that you would be slightly more worried about your future,rathan than the future of SFC. Still you have created history by being the only WITNESS who has their home raided,DNA taking fingerprints taking. Some witness? GOODBYE.

you know nothing about football, so **** off

A bit touchy aint we arry!
Everyone is waiting for you to full flat on ya twitchy face, dont think it will be long now.
Surely they are going to make an example of you.
See you have learned how to use a computer then?
DONT HAVE NIGHTMARES.

Lowe Hater wrote:

David Crook wrote: Hoddle back,Lowe back, end of story.

and end of SFC

You mad hater,
I can see why people like you have made this club in the position it is in right now,you looser.

sawthelight wrote:
Whatever, we need a figure head on the board who better than Rupert, he has the motivation, ie if we go down the pan so does his shares, at the moment we are a headless chicken!!

quote

What can I say,a Saints supporter that talks
sense.
Thank you,
Sawthelight.

Lowe Hater wrote:

Captain Swing wrote: If just half the people above believe even a tenth of a tenth of the ani-Rupert tripe that has been posted here, we don't really deserve to be supporting a good football club. Of course he made mistakes - do any of the sheep above know anybody in a position of responsibility in any football club that hasn't? - but I'd say he is looking near infallable compared to the current administration. If anyone's got a better idea than bringing Rupert back, a sensible one that is, I'd like to read it. Carter, Leitch, you clueless morons, that means you especially - and no conferring with David Bick.

The ramblings of a Judas Saints fan.

Which "Lowe Hater" are you? Carter? Leitch or David Bick?
Or some idiot Sheep doing it for free?

Judas "Rambling" Saintsfan wrote:

Lowe Hater wrote:

Captain Swing wrote: If just half the people above believe even a tenth of a tenth of the ani-Rupert tripe that has been posted here, we don't really deserve to be supporting a good football club. Of course he made mistakes - do any of the sheep above know anybody in a position of responsibility in any football club that hasn't? - but I'd say he is looking near infallable compared to the current administration. If anyone's got a better idea than bringing Rupert back, a sensible one that is, I'd like to read it. Carter, Leitch, you clueless morons, that means you especially - and no conferring with David Bick.

The ramblings of a Judas Saints fan.

Which "Lowe Hater" are you? Carter? Leitch or David Bick? Or some idiot Sheep doing it for free?

Try loyal fan who saw a wrongun ten years ago and like many was proved right.

Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!

SFC4EVA wrote:
Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!Come back Lowe!

are you mad?