Saints chairman Leon Crouch was today facing an anxious wait to see if he can welcome much-needed investment into the club on what could be his final working day as chairman.

Crouch has actively been chasing investment over the past few months and has confirmed this week he is in serious negotiations with an interested party.

Saints are bound by strict PLC rules which mean they are not allowed to make any further comment unless they are able to say something more concrete to the stock exchange.

But the Echo understands the consortium featuring Southampton barrister Jonathan Fulthorpe, John Cousins and former Saints boss Dave Merrington are those most likely to make an offer.

It is believed Crouch was encouraged to call the EGM requisitioned by Rupert Lowe and Michael Wilde for the last possible day it could be held - a week today - on the back of the consortium's hopes they could confirm they had the cash for their deal and make an offer by the end of this week.

In stock exchange terms, that means the close of business today.

Though Wilde and Lowe are still likely to come in next week and oversee negotiations, Crouch will be keen to be the man who brings new investors to the table having been involved in negotiations for some time.

Reports have uggested that the consortium have indeed got the money for a bid in place.

But there was little reaction in the City yesterday with the share price remaining unmoved at 32.5p.

If the bid is not forthcoming, Crouch and the other board members who have been told to go by Lowe and Wilde - chief executive Lee Hoos, Keith Wiseman and Patrick Trant - are expected to stand down at the start of next week rather than drag the club through a painful EGM.

That will mean Lowe and Wilde back in at St Mary's next week.

It is rumoured the consortium are willing to pay 50p a share for the club, which would value it at around £14m.

At that price, Lowe's Southampton Leisure Holdings PLC shares, which he purchased at various prices, would be worth £938,984.

Wilde's would be worth in excess of £1.5m, which is about break even given what he paid for them in 2006.

Crouch, the second largest individual shareholder behind Wilde, would get £1.397m, a loss of £419,134 on what he paid for them.

Andrew Cowen, who could come back onto the PLC board with Wilde and Lowe, would see his holding valued at £236,245.

Trant's holding would be worth £92,500, just under £13,000 more than he paid for them.