12:32am Wednesday 5th December 2007
RUPERT Lowe last night blasted Saints' non-executive directors for their role in the situation the club finds itself in.
The former chairman said he did not blame the executives for the "decline" at Saints since he was forced to resign back in June 2006.
But in his first major interview since leaving the club, Lowe said "the (executive) management needs to be debated" and called his ousting by the Michael Wilde regime "an injustice."
Lowe also said he and his former board allies - who still own around a quarter of all the Southampton Leisure Holdings shares - are not obstructing a potential deal with London-based hedge fund Sisu.
He did add, though, that he was still waiting to receive "formal documentation" from Sisu before deciding whether their proposals were worth supporting.
Lowe also defended his own record as Saints chairman, pointing to the building of St Mary's and the strengthening of the academy.
"In my time as chairman we were financially prudent, we made sure we had enough cash to cover our costs and we invested in the academy," said Lowe.
"The long-term planning of the old board has not been continued.
"The management team have not managed the club well.
"I built the stadium, I built up the academy - that was my brainchild.
"I am the last person who wants to see anything happen to the club."
Saints' current financial situation - the club is estimated to be losing around £1m a month - "is not sustainable long term. It has been sustainable so far by selling the club's best players.
"Kenwyne Jones, Gareth Bale and Chris Baird went last summer and there's been others like Martin Cranie and Dexter Blackstock."
Chief executive Jim Hone and operations manager Lee Hoos were the people Wilde placed in charge of the day-to-day running of Saints after Lowe and his No 2 Andrew Cowen resigned.
Lowe added: "The management needs to be debated - I don't blame the current management, they were put in place by Michael Wilde, Leon Crouch, Patrick Trant, Mary Corbett, Lawrie McMenemy.
"They (executive management team) have been let down by the non executive directors. Promises were broken."
Lowe mentioned a "smear campaign" waged against him and also made reference to Wilde's manifesto Planning for Success'.
"There's more untruths in there than any document I've ever read," said Lowe.
Back at St Mary's last night to watch Saints' goalless draw with Sheffield Wednesday, Lowe obviously remains hurt by the events which forced him to quit.
"What happened 18 months ago was an injustice. It has not served the club well," he stated.
"Instead of asking questions of me, you should be asking Michael Wilde why he did not put any money in.
"You should be asking Leon Crouch why he decided to vote for Michael Wilde.
"You should be asking Keith Wiseman, Ian Gordon and Paul Thompson, all people who voted for the current administration.
"All I have done is watched quietly from the sidelines for 18 months.
"My blood pressure has returned to normal and I haven't had people shouting at me.
"But the club has declined in that time. There is a lack of purpose and a lack of common objectives.
"It's not surprising that the football has not been going well."
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