Poortvliet promises to double his efforts (From Daily Echo)

Dan the Dean wrote:
Excellent. We need more managerial change like a hole in the head. And anyway, we can't afford to buy new players or new management teams. We have to make do. Actually I'm surprised we aren't further in trouble having to play boys as a result of previous boards having spent £54m against £38m income from 06 to 08. Michael, Ken and Leon. A word of thanks to you all. Thanks. Rupert I exonerate. I'f he'd been running the club from 06 to 08, we wouldn't have spent £16m more than we earned. I blame those who were running the club from 06 to 08, not those that weren't.

Dan the Dean wrote:
Excellent. We need more managerial change like a hole in the head. And anyway, we can't afford to buy new players or new management teams. We have to make do. Actually I'm surprised we aren't further in trouble having to play boys as a result of previous boards having spent £54m against £38m income from 06 to 08. Michael, Ken and Leon. A word of thanks to you all. Thanks. Rupert I exonerate. I'f he'd been running the club from 06 to 08, we wouldn't have spent £16m more than we earned. I blame those who were running the club from 06 to 08, not those that weren't.

Dan the Dean wrote:
Excellent. We need more managerial change like a hole in the head. And anyway, we can't afford to buy new players or new management teams. We have to make do. Actually I'm surprised we aren't further in trouble having to play boys as a result of previous boards having spent £54m against £38m income from 06 to 08. Michael, Ken and Leon. A word of thanks to you all. Thanks. Rupert I exonerate. I'f he'd been running the club from 06 to 08, we wouldn't have spent £16m more than we earned. I blame those who were running the club from 06 to 08, not those that weren't.

Dan the Dean wrote:

Excellent.

We need more managerial change like a hole in the head.

And anyway, we can't afford to buy new players or new management teams. We have to make do.

Actually I'm surprised we aren't further in trouble having to play boys as a result of previous boards having spent £54m against £38m income from 06 to 08.

Michael, Ken and Leon.

A word of thanks to you all.

Thanks.

Rupert I exonerate.

I'f he'd been running the club from 06 to 08, we wouldn't have spent £16m more than we earned.

I blame those who were running the club from 06 to 08, not those that weren't.

cpnhaddock wrote:

Dan the Dean wrote: Excellent. We need more managerial change like a hole in the head. And anyway, we can't afford to buy new players or new management teams. We have to make do. Actually I'm surprised we aren't further in trouble having to play boys as a result of previous boards having spent £54m against £38m income from 06 to 08. Michael, Ken and Leon. A word of thanks to you all. Thanks. Rupert I exonerate. I'f he'd been running the club from 06 to 08, we wouldn't have spent £16m more than we earned. I blame those who were running the club from 06 to 08, not those that weren't.

'Dan the Dean' There is no doubt that MICHAEL WILDE AND HIS INSTALLED REGIME made some very very poor decisions... for that they deserve utter contempt! (I have never heard anyone praise Wilde on here - and rightly so) But, to say that the problems are soley due to this is nonsense.... Before Wupert took us down (and up until he was removed.... we had full houses at SMS & also sold around £50m of players whilst at the same time sticking to a rigid (low) wage cap and only spending around £15m on players... plus prem TV money.... Now, I am not a genius nor an accountant but when I look at those figure (which do not include the other revenues from land owned by SFC, the Megastore etc) how is it that we still owe £24m on a £32m stadium 6 years down the line?... what happened to all of that spare money from player trades? what happened to all of the cash? D-I-V-D-E-N-D-S.... + M-A-S-S-I-V-E D-I-R-E-C-T-O-R-S S-A-L-A-R-I-E-S.... + E-X-P-E-R-I-M-E-N-T- A-L M-A-N-A-G-E-R-I-A-L A-P-P-O-I-N-T-M-E-N- T-S.... + M-I-S-M-A-N-A-G-E-D M-O-N-E-Y = L-O-W-E/R-E-L-E-G-A- T-I-O-N = BROWN STUFF. COYR!

Invidia wrote:
I do not believe that any and I mean any self respecting fan can come on here and try to defend or give valid reasons why we should carry on with this farce that we have at SMS

Kate, Andover wrote:

Invidia wrote: I do not believe that any and I mean any self respecting fan can come on here and try to defend or give valid reasons why we should carry on with this farce that we have at SMS

Oh, ok. Let's all take your opinion on board and follow you around like lemmings. Oh hang on - isn't that what JP is doing - Lowe's lap dog? We all have our opinions, one isn't necesarily better or worse than another (and that includes mine), it's just an opinion. However you choose to 'support'the team (either by investing in a season ticket and never missing a game, or boycotting SMS) it's your choice and you're entitled to it. I don't think we should start turning on each other - we're supposed to be united behind the team willing the team to get the points needed for staying up and improving over time. And what exactly are YOU going to do which will make a difference to SFC?? Will we be reading your name in the Echo in months to come as the 'saviour' of SFC?? No, I didn't think so.

disgusted observer wrote:

Kate, Andover wrote:

Invidia wrote: I do not believe that any and I mean any self respecting fan can come on here and try to defend or give valid reasons why we should carry on with this farce that we have at SMS

Oh, ok. Let's all take your opinion on board and follow you around like lemmings. Oh hang on - isn't that what JP is doing - Lowe's lap dog? We all have our opinions, one isn't necesarily better or worse than another (and that includes mine), it's just an opinion. However you choose to 'support'the team (either by investing in a season ticket and never missing a game, or boycotting SMS) it's your choice and you're entitled to it. I don't think we should start turning on each other - we're supposed to be united behind the team willing the team to get the points needed for staying up and improving over time. And what exactly are YOU going to do which will make a difference to SFC?? Will we be reading your name in the Echo in months to come as the 'saviour' of SFC?? No, I didn't think so.

Well said young lady!!

Hercules Grytpype-Thynne wrote:
All those people who come on here trying to defend Lowe are quite clearly plants.

Dan the Dean wrote:
Excellent. We need more managerial change like a hole in the head. And anyway, we can't afford to buy new players or new management teams. We have to make do. Actually I'm surprised we aren't further in trouble having to play boys as a result of previous boards having spent £54m against £38m income from 06 to 08. Michael, Ken and Leon. A word of thanks to you all. Thanks. Rupert I exonerate. I'f he'd been running the club from 06 to 08, we wouldn't have spent £16m more than we earned. I blame those who were running the club from 06 to 08, not those that weren't.

Paul TS wrote:

Dan the Dean wrote: Excellent. We need more managerial change like a hole in the head. And anyway, we can't afford to buy new players or new management teams. We have to make do. Actually I'm surprised we aren't further in trouble having to play boys as a result of previous boards having spent £54m against £38m income from 06 to 08. Michael, Ken and Leon. A word of thanks to you all. Thanks. Rupert I exonerate. I'f he'd been running the club from 06 to 08, we wouldn't have spent £16m more than we earned. I blame those who were running the club from 06 to 08, not those that weren't.

This is either a joke, PR attempt, or someone as clueless as Rupert! 1 win at home in 14 and Rupert is happy that Jan is the man for the job and we only need to double our effort's!?? No wonder we are in deep S...!

helltowatch wrote:
Any poorly run business will ultimately fail and this is clearly the case at SFC. Whilst I acknowledge that people including myself adore the club, to continue to spend hard earned cash with zero return is pointless. I for one am not going to hold their hands on the way down and will choose instead to sit back and watch them burn. If this means we are set back a few years so be it. Until we have a new man at the helm nothing is ever going to change.

Fides wrote:
I've still got those Lowe out chants ringing my ears from when we moved to the new stadium, finished 8th and reached the cup final. Fickle or what? I would like to see Lowe go because he is clearly not loved by the fans. Mind you if every Chairman went for that reason we might as well set up a revolving door in boardroom of every club in country. Unfortunately I still see no-one willing to take on the club in his place. And without new investors willing to pay above the current price for the shares Lowe is not going anywhere. Maybe Lawrie would like to put some of the cash he has taken out of the club where his mouth is. No? Oh, I thought not.

Dan the Dean wrote:

Paul TS wrote:

Dan the Dean wrote: Excellent. We need more managerial change like a hole in the head. And anyway, we can't afford to buy new players or new management teams. We have to make do. Actually I'm surprised we aren't further in trouble having to play boys as a result of previous boards having spent £54m against £38m income from 06 to 08. Michael, Ken and Leon. A word of thanks to you all. Thanks. Rupert I exonerate. I'f he'd been running the club from 06 to 08, we wouldn't have spent £16m more than we earned. I blame those who were running the club from 06 to 08, not those that weren't.

This is either a joke, PR attempt, or someone as clueless as Rupert! 1 win at home in 14 and Rupert is happy that Jan is the man for the job and we only need to double our effort's!?? No wonder we are in deep S...!

No joke, still less PR.

Read the accounts, look at the overdraft.

The choices are stark and were from the summer.

£5m overdraft and an overspend of £690,000 PER MONTH.

In fact the only choices were to get rid of expensive players and play cheap ones,risk relegation but thereby avoid adminstration and a points deduction or carry on the way we were, go into administration and get a points deduction.

Which one would you have gone for?

What was your Plan A, Plan B or Plan C given the position we were in, in june 08?

Fides wrote:
I've still got those Lowe out chants ringing my ears from when we moved to the new stadium, finished 8th and reached the cup final. Fickle or what? I would like to see Lowe go because he is clearly not loved by the fans. Mind you if every Chairman went for that reason we might as well set up a revolving door in boardroom of every club in country. Unfortunately I still see no-one willing to take on the club in his place. And without new investors willing to pay above the current price for the shares Lowe is not going anywhere. Maybe Lawrie would like to put some of the cash he has taken out of the club where his mouth is. No? Oh, I thought not.

cpnhaddock wrote:

Dan the Dean wrote:

Paul TS wrote:

Dan the Dean wrote: Excellent. We need more managerial change like a hole in the head. And anyway, we can't afford to buy new players or new management teams. We have to make do. Actually I'm surprised we aren't further in trouble having to play boys as a result of previous boards having spent £54m against £38m income from 06 to 08. Michael, Ken and Leon. A word of thanks to you all. Thanks. Rupert I exonerate. I'f he'd been running the club from 06 to 08, we wouldn't have spent £16m more than we earned. I blame those who were running the club from 06 to 08, not those that weren't.

This is either a joke, PR attempt, or someone as clueless as Rupert! 1 win at home in 14 and Rupert is happy that Jan is the man for the job and we only need to double our effort's!?? No wonder we are in deep S...!

No joke, still less PR. Read the accounts, look at the overdraft. The choices are stark and were from the summer. £5m overdraft and an overspend of £690,000 PER MONTH. In fact the only choices were to get rid of expensive players and play cheap ones,risk relegation but thereby avoid adminstration and a points deduction or carry on the way we were, go into administration and get a points deduction. Which one would you have gone for? What was your Plan A, Plan B or Plan C given the position we were in, in june 08?

so - what you are essentially saying is we could have gone into administration earlier... taken a points hit this season whilst still in the championship or alternatively we could simply prolong the agony, get relegated and then take the negative points hit at the start of next season!.... NICE!!! There are only two people that stand to gain from that and that is Lowe and Wilde!!!... for once the club is in div 1 with lower gates, lower revs, and a 10/17 point hit then they will be able to buy the whole club (lock stock and barrel) for next to nothing... all of the poor individuals that have bought shares will be wiped out... KEEP THAT FAITH!... MY WORD WHAT HORRIBLE LITTLE MEN LOWE AND WILDE ARE. COYR!

Robbie Robertson wrote:
Dan The Dean... As for the payments on the stadium, they would have been on long term morgage. Actually paying £8m off your £32m mortgage after 6 years is very good going. THe Mortgage wasn't £32m though, was it? If you'd read the statements, the debt was supposed to be nearer £17m, after receiving payments for the ground the old Dell stood on, the grant from the football association, advertising rights from Friends P, etc. You are implying that the club was in credit the first time Lowe left. I seriously doubt it. I can find out exactly though, if you like. As has been stated before, a football club is like very few other businesses in the world. It expects to make a loss, as paying for the assets (players) will be more expensive, Especially outside the noiney factory that is the Premiership. The better quality men you get in, the dearer they are. It's a gamble. The fact is that more expensive players cost more, but will hopefully generate better results, bringing in a bigger crowd. Getting further in all competitions. (more prize money to offset teh cost of the players)Playing boys on the cheap gets you nowhere, especially in a physical league like the CCC. argue that one all you like, but sitting 23rd in the table is proof enough of this for most people. If Lowe wasn't aware of this, then he's a bigger fool than I take him for. My wife and son, after much soul searching, have decided that they will not renew their Season Tickets next year. Paying to watch boys play is not worth the money. Love your club or not (and they do) to blindly throw away the cash would be folly. They'll miss going to the matches, but they'll get over it. And they won't feel so sick at handing our hard earned cash over to someone who treats the fans with contempt. Oh, and if Poortvliet is going to work harder from now on, why wasn't he working hard enough up until now? PLaying boys was never going to be the bold step forward that was proclaimed. At least now have the bottle to admit you were wrong....

Dan the Dean wrote:

Paul TS wrote:

Dan the Dean wrote: Excellent. We need more managerial change like a hole in the head. And anyway, we can't afford to buy new players or new management teams. We have to make do. Actually I'm surprised we aren't further in trouble having to play boys as a result of previous boards having spent £54m against £38m income from 06 to 08. Michael, Ken and Leon. A word of thanks to you all. Thanks. Rupert I exonerate. I'f he'd been running the club from 06 to 08, we wouldn't have spent £16m more than we earned. I blame those who were running the club from 06 to 08, not those that weren't.

This is either a joke, PR attempt, or someone as clueless as Rupert! 1 win at home in 14 and Rupert is happy that Jan is the man for the job and we only need to double our effort's!?? No wonder we are in deep S...!

No joke, still less PR. Read the accounts, look at the overdraft. The choices are stark and were from the summer. £5m overdraft and an overspend of £690,000 PER MONTH. In fact the only choices were to get rid of expensive players and play cheap ones,risk relegation but thereby avoid adminstration and a points deduction or carry on the way we were, go into administration and get a points deduction. Which one would you have gone for? What was your Plan A, Plan B or Plan C given the position we were in, in june 08?

Stafford Saint wrote:
Some people are just so determined to be negative. The club is trying to address it's football performance problems - although in minor ways I do concede and I appreciate that some on this forum do want to see a more thorough overhaul at the club. However, what is wrong with taking a couple of days off, irrespective of whether there are not deserved by league position, IF it is intended to reinvigorate the mind. AND what is wrong with a bit of air-clearing, camaraderie, team bonding, refocusing thoughts on a 'new day' now and then. People moan that the club and team does not have 'leaders' and 'experienced heads', well these are the sort of things that you imply you want at the club. If we are honest we all benefit from time off and time spent focusing on tasks ahead and 'geeing-up' tricks now and then in our worlds. A mental slap in one's own face can be good. BUT no to the negative ones on this forum it is always an opportunity for a snide dig at the chairmen, the management and the team, eg the trite 'haven't they been trying so far etc'.

Dan the Dean wrote:

cpnhaddock wrote:

Dan the Dean wrote:

Paul TS wrote:

Dan the Dean wrote: Excellent. We need more managerial change like a hole in the head. And anyway, we can't afford to buy new players or new management teams. We have to make do. Actually I'm surprised we aren't further in trouble having to play boys as a result of previous boards having spent £54m against £38m income from 06 to 08. Michael, Ken and Leon. A word of thanks to you all. Thanks. Rupert I exonerate. I'f he'd been running the club from 06 to 08, we wouldn't have spent £16m more than we earned. I blame those who were running the club from 06 to 08, not those that weren't.

This is either a joke, PR attempt, or someone as clueless as Rupert! 1 win at home in 14 and Rupert is happy that Jan is the man for the job and we only need to double our effort's!?? No wonder we are in deep S...!

No joke, still less PR. Read the accounts, look at the overdraft. The choices are stark and were from the summer. £5m overdraft and an overspend of £690,000 PER MONTH. In fact the only choices were to get rid of expensive players and play cheap ones,risk relegation but thereby avoid adminstration and a points deduction or carry on the way we were, go into administration and get a points deduction. Which one would you have gone for? What was your Plan A, Plan B or Plan C given the position we were in, in june 08?

so - what you are essentially saying is we could have gone into administration earlier... taken a points hit this season whilst still in the championship or alternatively we could simply prolong the agony, get relegated and then take the negative points hit at the start of next season!.... NICE!!! There are only two people that stand to gain from that and that is Lowe and Wilde!!!... for once the club is in div 1 with lower gates, lower revs, and a 10/17 point hit then they will be able to buy the whole club (lock stock and barrel) for next to nothing... all of the poor individuals that have bought shares will be wiped out... KEEP THAT FAITH!... MY WORD WHAT HORRIBLE LITTLE MEN LOWE AND WILDE ARE. COYR!

The answer is yes....we could have gone into administration by last September if the remedial action had not been taken. I asked before and forgive me for asking again, but what would you have actually done given the position at June 08 that was different from what was done?

Robbie Robertson wrote:
Dan the Dean.... You ask what we would have done in June? I'd have kept Pearce. Don't you think that getting rid of him has cost more than he ever asked in wages? I don't have the money to buy a club. I'm not in Football because I'm rich. I'm in it because I love the game. My family love the game, but to carry on as things are going is suicide for SFC. To announce to the press that the manager (Head coach, whatever) is going to try harder from now on is ridiculous. It invites ridicule and abuse from those who ultimately pay his wages. The big voices that were here in June alll said to give the man 10 games to settle in. Then it was 'wait until Christmas'. Now we're nearly into February, and the league table doesn't lie. The division that Lowe is creating by his mere prescence is killing the club. As I said, the current season tickets won't be renewed. We're not the only ones, by a long stretch. We're not jumping on some hysterical bandwagon, just sick of throwing cash at a ridiculous set of ideals. A board that doesn't care, and a manager that isn't up to the job. I follow Scottish Football. I know all about low buget teams. But I also Know about passion from every part of a club.I'm afraid that Saints just don't have that. Don't blame fans for being fed up with being expected to put up with a very substandard but very expensive performance every second saturday. Demand an improvement. As paying fans you should at teh very least expect entertainment. Invidia, many thanks for the comments. It's a shame my typing skills aren't up to much....

miltonarchers wrote:

Dan the Dean wrote:

cpnhaddock wrote:

Dan the Dean wrote:

Paul TS wrote:

Dan the Dean wrote: Excellent. We need more managerial change like a hole in the head. And anyway, we can't afford to buy new players or new management teams. We have to make do. Actually I'm surprised we aren't further in trouble having to play boys as a result of previous boards having spent £54m against £38m income from 06 to 08. Michael, Ken and Leon. A word of thanks to you all. Thanks. Rupert I exonerate. I'f he'd been running the club from 06 to 08, we wouldn't have spent £16m more than we earned. I blame those who were running the club from 06 to 08, not those that weren't.

This is either a joke, PR attempt, or someone as clueless as Rupert! 1 win at home in 14 and Rupert is happy that Jan is the man for the job and we only need to double our effort's!?? No wonder we are in deep S...!

No joke, still less PR. Read the accounts, look at the overdraft. The choices are stark and were from the summer. £5m overdraft and an overspend of £690,000 PER MONTH. In fact the only choices were to get rid of expensive players and play cheap ones,risk relegation but thereby avoid adminstration and a points deduction or carry on the way we were, go into administration and get a points deduction. Which one would you have gone for? What was your Plan A, Plan B or Plan C given the position we were in, in june 08?

so - what you are essentially saying is we could have gone into administration earlier... taken a points hit this season whilst still in the championship or alternatively we could simply prolong the agony, get relegated and then take the negative points hit at the start of next season!.... NICE!!! There are only two people that stand to gain from that and that is Lowe and Wilde!!!... for once the club is in div 1 with lower gates, lower revs, and a 10/17 point hit then they will be able to buy the whole club (lock stock and barrel) for next to nothing... all of the poor individuals that have bought shares will be wiped out... KEEP THAT FAITH!... MY WORD WHAT HORRIBLE LITTLE MEN LOWE AND WILDE ARE. COYR!

The answer is yes....we could have gone into administration by last September if the remedial action had not been taken. I asked before and forgive me for asking again, but what would you have actually done given the position at June 08 that was different from what was done?

Dan, you are wasting your breath. Most of the posters on here are dogmatic and blinkered. Focusing all of the blame for the clubs plight onto one man enables them to cope with the situation. The fact he's called Rupert also helps them focus their bigoted rage. In some cases it also helps them come to terms with the fact that they influenced the Board with their no to Hoddle ranting. Once the Board refused to back Lowe it resulted in the managerial chaos that followed. Of course, with hindsight we know that appointing from within didn’t work for SFC, but it can be successful. Personally, I don’t blame one man for the relegation from the prem or the current financial situation. I blame the players, managers and the Board. Now I also blame the pathetic “fans” and their so called boycott, if indeed it really exists. I did notice at the last home game that the chant “Stand up if you want Lowe out” was a dismal failure. The Lowe out mob continually repeats the same rubbish but what they don’t offer is a viable alternative.

UTS wrote:

Fides wrote: I've still got those Lowe out chants ringing my ears from when we moved to the new stadium, finished 8th and reached the cup final. Fickle or what? I would like to see Lowe go because he is clearly not loved by the fans. Mind you if every Chairman went for that reason we might as well set up a revolving door in boardroom of every club in country. Unfortunately I still see no-one willing to take on the club in his place. And without new investors willing to pay above the current price for the shares Lowe is not going anywhere. Maybe Lawrie would like to put some of the cash he has taken out of the club where his mouth is. No? Oh, I thought not.

Obviously your not a saints fan.

Invidia wrote:

miltonarchers wrote:

Dan the Dean wrote:

cpnhaddock wrote:

Dan the Dean wrote:

Paul TS wrote:

Dan the Dean wrote: Excellent. We need more managerial change like a hole in the head. And anyway, we can't afford to buy new players or new management teams. We have to make do. Actually I'm surprised we aren't further in trouble having to play boys as a result of previous boards having spent £54m against £38m income from 06 to 08. Michael, Ken and Leon. A word of thanks to you all. Thanks. Rupert I exonerate. I'f he'd been running the club from 06 to 08, we wouldn't have spent £16m more than we earned. I blame those who were running the club from 06 to 08, not those that weren't.

This is either a joke, PR attempt, or someone as clueless as Rupert! 1 win at home in 14 and Rupert is happy that Jan is the man for the job and we only need to double our effort's!?? No wonder we are in deep S...!

No joke, still less PR. Read the accounts, look at the overdraft. The choices are stark and were from the summer. £5m overdraft and an overspend of £690,000 PER MONTH. In fact the only choices were to get rid of expensive players and play cheap ones,risk relegation but thereby avoid adminstration and a points deduction or carry on the way we were, go into administration and get a points deduction. Which one would you have gone for? What was your Plan A, Plan B or Plan C given the position we were in, in june 08?

so - what you are essentially saying is we could have gone into administration earlier... taken a points hit this season whilst still in the championship or alternatively we could simply prolong the agony, get relegated and then take the negative points hit at the start of next season!.... NICE!!! There are only two people that stand to gain from that and that is Lowe and Wilde!!!... for once the club is in div 1 with lower gates, lower revs, and a 10/17 point hit then they will be able to buy the whole club (lock stock and barrel) for next to nothing... all of the poor individuals that have bought shares will be wiped out... KEEP THAT FAITH!... MY WORD WHAT HORRIBLE LITTLE MEN LOWE AND WILDE ARE. COYR!

The answer is yes....we could have gone into administration by last September if the remedial action had not been taken. I asked before and forgive me for asking again, but what would you have actually done given the position at June 08 that was different from what was done?

Dan, you are wasting your breath. Most of the posters on here are dogmatic and blinkered. Focusing all of the blame for the clubs plight onto one man enables them to cope with the situation. The fact he's called Rupert also helps them focus their bigoted rage. In some cases it also helps them come to terms with the fact that they influenced the Board with their no to Hoddle ranting. Once the Board refused to back Lowe it resulted in the managerial chaos that followed. Of course, with hindsight we know that appointing from within didn’t work for SFC, but it can be successful. Personally, I don’t blame one man for the relegation from the prem or the current financial situation. I blame the players, managers and the Board. Now I also blame the pathetic “fans” and their so called boycott, if indeed it really exists. I did notice at the last home game that the chant “Stand up if you want Lowe out” was a dismal failure. The Lowe out mob continually repeats the same rubbish but what they don’t offer is a viable alternative.

The last paragragh could be levelled at you!!!

RedRover wrote:
Whatever your point of view as to what should or shouldn't happen, or who should go or stay, it is now quite likely that it is just too late to effect any changes that will save the club from it's current predicament. The cumulative effect of years of under-investment in the playing staff, started at a time when we COULD afford decent players, has reached a point where all we really have is a make do team that just allows us to participate in the game. A team that is just making up the numbers. Unless the fabled "big investor" comes in (by next week?), our fate is probably sealed. I certainly don't feel that it is in our own hands at the moment. I don't think Rupert is in control either, just along for the ride now, though he certainly was in charge with his policies in play when it all started to go wrong. I don't lay any blame on the team for the place we are now, they're just the fall guys for Lowes failed policies.

miltonarchers wrote:

Invidia wrote:

miltonarchers wrote:

Dan the Dean wrote:

cpnhaddock wrote:

Dan the Dean wrote:

Paul TS wrote:

Dan the Dean wrote: Excellent. We need more managerial change like a hole in the head. And anyway, we can't afford to buy new players or new management teams. We have to make do. Actually I'm surprised we aren't further in trouble having to play boys as a result of previous boards having spent £54m against £38m income from 06 to 08. Michael, Ken and Leon. A word of thanks to you all. Thanks. Rupert I exonerate. I'f he'd been running the club from 06 to 08, we wouldn't have spent £16m more than we earned. I blame those who were running the club from 06 to 08, not those that weren't.

This is either a joke, PR attempt, or someone as clueless as Rupert! 1 win at home in 14 and Rupert is happy that Jan is the man for the job and we only need to double our effort's!?? No wonder we are in deep S...!

No joke, still less PR. Read the accounts, look at the overdraft. The choices are stark and were from the summer. £5m overdraft and an overspend of £690,000 PER MONTH. In fact the only choices were to get rid of expensive players and play cheap ones,risk relegation but thereby avoid adminstration and a points deduction or carry on the way we were, go into administration and get a points deduction. Which one would you have gone for? What was your Plan A, Plan B or Plan C given the position we were in, in june 08?

so - what you are essentially saying is we could have gone into administration earlier... taken a points hit this season whilst still in the championship or alternatively we could simply prolong the agony, get relegated and then take the negative points hit at the start of next season!.... NICE!!! There are only two people that stand to gain from that and that is Lowe and Wilde!!!... for once the club is in div 1 with lower gates, lower revs, and a 10/17 point hit then they will be able to buy the whole club (lock stock and barrel) for next to nothing... all of the poor individuals that have bought shares will be wiped out... KEEP THAT FAITH!... MY WORD WHAT HORRIBLE LITTLE MEN LOWE AND WILDE ARE. COYR!

The answer is yes....we could have gone into administration by last September if the remedial action had not been taken. I asked before and forgive me for asking again, but what would you have actually done given the position at June 08 that was different from what was done?

Dan, you are wasting your breath. Most of the posters on here are dogmatic and blinkered. Focusing all of the blame for the clubs plight onto one man enables them to cope with the situation. The fact he's called Rupert also helps them focus their bigoted rage. In some cases it also helps them come to terms with the fact that they influenced the Board with their no to Hoddle ranting. Once the Board refused to back Lowe it resulted in the managerial chaos that followed. Of course, with hindsight we know that appointing from within didn’t work for SFC, but it can be successful. Personally, I don’t blame one man for the relegation from the prem or the current financial situation. I blame the players, managers and the Board. Now I also blame the pathetic “fans” and their so called boycott, if indeed it really exists. I did notice at the last home game that the chant “Stand up if you want Lowe out” was a dismal failure. The Lowe out mob continually repeats the same rubbish but what they don’t offer is a viable alternative.

The last paragragh could be levelled at you!!!

Not sure what you mean, but, my viable alternative would be for a knight in shining armour on a white charger to gallop up to SMS and dump a billion trillion ££££££s into the club. We would then get promoted and win the world cup beating Brazil 5 nil in the final. However, in the meantime I will continue to support my club because to support is to sustain. COYR

RedRover wrote:
TIMJIM, of course no-one can tell you who will replace Lowe, but it's obvious that unless someone does the the club is going to continue on its downward trajectory. The man seems to me to simply not have the wit or the will to turn things around, though it's probably too late if he did. Unfortunately for the Saints, it would appear there is little or no kudos to be had for commercial concerns by being associated with SFC, hence no approaches (though I did hear a good rumour (probably malicious!) last year that an arab group showed interest but were put off by Lowes insistence that he be made life president of the club. How we laughed). If a takeover does happen it will probably have to be a rich fan of the club, if there is one.

miltonarchers wrote:

Invidia wrote:

miltonarchers wrote:

Dan the Dean wrote:

cpnhaddock wrote:

Dan the Dean wrote:

Paul TS wrote:

Dan the Dean wrote: Excellent. We need more managerial change like a hole in the head. And anyway, we can't afford to buy new players or new management teams. We have to make do. Actually I'm surprised we aren't further in trouble having to play boys as a result of previous boards having spent £54m against £38m income from 06 to 08. Michael, Ken and Leon. A word of thanks to you all. Thanks. Rupert I exonerate. I'f he'd been running the club from 06 to 08, we wouldn't have spent £16m more than we earned. I blame those who were running the club from 06 to 08, not those that weren't.

This is either a joke, PR attempt, or someone as clueless as Rupert! 1 win at home in 14 and Rupert is happy that Jan is the man for the job and we only need to double our effort's!?? No wonder we are in deep S...!

No joke, still less PR. Read the accounts, look at the overdraft. The choices are stark and were from the summer. £5m overdraft and an overspend of £690,000 PER MONTH. In fact the only choices were to get rid of expensive players and play cheap ones,risk relegation but thereby avoid adminstration and a points deduction or carry on the way we were, go into administration and get a points deduction. Which one would you have gone for? What was your Plan A, Plan B or Plan C given the position we were in, in june 08?

so - what you are essentially saying is we could have gone into administration earlier... taken a points hit this season whilst still in the championship or alternatively we could simply prolong the agony, get relegated and then take the negative points hit at the start of next season!.... NICE!!! There are only two people that stand to gain from that and that is Lowe and Wilde!!!... for once the club is in div 1 with lower gates, lower revs, and a 10/17 point hit then they will be able to buy the whole club (lock stock and barrel) for next to nothing... all of the poor individuals that have bought shares will be wiped out... KEEP THAT FAITH!... MY WORD WHAT HORRIBLE LITTLE MEN LOWE AND WILDE ARE. COYR!

The answer is yes....we could have gone into administration by last September if the remedial action had not been taken. I asked before and forgive me for asking again, but what would you have actually done given the position at June 08 that was different from what was done?

Dan, you are wasting your breath. Most of the posters on here are dogmatic and blinkered. Focusing all of the blame for the clubs plight onto one man enables them to cope with the situation. The fact he's called Rupert also helps them focus their bigoted rage. In some cases it also helps them come to terms with the fact that they influenced the Board with their no to Hoddle ranting. Once the Board refused to back Lowe it resulted in the managerial chaos that followed. Of course, with hindsight we know that appointing from within didn’t work for SFC, but it can be successful. Personally, I don’t blame one man for the relegation from the prem or the current financial situation. I blame the players, managers and the Board. Now I also blame the pathetic “fans” and their so called boycott, if indeed it really exists. I did notice at the last home game that the chant “Stand up if you want Lowe out” was a dismal failure. The Lowe out mob continually repeats the same rubbish but what they don’t offer is a viable alternative.

The last paragragh could be levelled at you!!!

Not sure what you mean, but, my viable alternative would be for a knight in shining armour on a white charger to gallop up to SMS and dump a billion trillion ££££££s into the club. We would then get promoted and win the world cup beating Brazil 5 nil in the final. However, in the meantime I will continue to support my club because to support is to sustain. COYR

Kate, Andover wrote:

RedRover wrote: TIMJIM, of course no-one can tell you who will replace Lowe, but it's obvious that unless someone does the the club is going to continue on its downward trajectory. The man seems to me to simply not have the wit or the will to turn things around, though it's probably too late if he did. Unfortunately for the Saints, it would appear there is little or no kudos to be had for commercial concerns by being associated with SFC, hence no approaches (though I did hear a good rumour (probably malicious!) last year that an arab group showed interest but were put off by Lowes insistence that he be made life president of the club. How we laughed). If a takeover does happen it will probably have to be a rich fan of the club, if there is one.

Hasn't Lucy Pinder got a few quid that she could spare?! :-)

miltonarchers wrote:

Dan the Dean wrote:

cpnhaddock wrote:

Dan the Dean wrote:

Paul TS wrote:

Dan the Dean wrote: Excellent. We need more managerial change like a hole in the head. And anyway, we can't afford to buy new players or new management teams. We have to make do. Actually I'm surprised we aren't further in trouble having to play boys as a result of previous boards having spent £54m against £38m income from 06 to 08. Michael, Ken and Leon. A word of thanks to you all. Thanks. Rupert I exonerate. I'f he'd been running the club from 06 to 08, we wouldn't have spent £16m more than we earned. I blame those who were running the club from 06 to 08, not those that weren't.

This is either a joke, PR attempt, or someone as clueless as Rupert! 1 win at home in 14 and Rupert is happy that Jan is the man for the job and we only need to double our effort's!?? No wonder we are in deep S...!

No joke, still less PR. Read the accounts, look at the overdraft. The choices are stark and were from the summer. £5m overdraft and an overspend of £690,000 PER MONTH. In fact the only choices were to get rid of expensive players and play cheap ones,risk relegation but thereby avoid adminstration and a points deduction or carry on the way we were, go into administration and get a points deduction. Which one would you have gone for? What was your Plan A, Plan B or Plan C given the position we were in, in june 08?

so - what you are essentially saying is we could have gone into administration earlier... taken a points hit this season whilst still in the championship or alternatively we could simply prolong the agony, get relegated and then take the negative points hit at the start of next season!.... NICE!!! There are only two people that stand to gain from that and that is Lowe and Wilde!!!... for once the club is in div 1 with lower gates, lower revs, and a 10/17 point hit then they will be able to buy the whole club (lock stock and barrel) for next to nothing... all of the poor individuals that have bought shares will be wiped out... KEEP THAT FAITH!... MY WORD WHAT HORRIBLE LITTLE MEN LOWE AND WILDE ARE. COYR!

The answer is yes....we could have gone into administration by last September if the remedial action had not been taken. I asked before and forgive me for asking again, but what would you have actually done given the position at June 08 that was different from what was done?

Dan, you are wasting your breath. Most of the posters on here are dogmatic and blinkered. Focusing all of the blame for the clubs plight onto one man enables them to cope with the situation. The fact he's called Rupert also helps them focus their bigoted rage. In some cases it also helps them come to terms with the fact that they influenced the Board with their no to Hoddle ranting. Once the Board refused to back Lowe it resulted in the managerial chaos that followed. Of course, with hindsight we know that appointing from within didn’t work for SFC, but it can be successful. Personally, I don’t blame one man for the relegation from the prem or the current financial situation. I blame the players, managers and the Board. Now I also blame the pathetic “fans” and their so called boycott, if indeed it really exists. I did notice at the last home game that the chant “Stand up if you want Lowe out” was a dismal failure. The Lowe out mob continually repeats the same rubbish but what they don’t offer is a viable alternative.

Dan the Dean wrote:
Excellent. We need more managerial change like a hole in the head. And anyway, we can't afford to buy new players or new management teams. We have to make do. Actually I'm surprised we aren't further in trouble having to play boys as a result of previous boards having spent £54m against £38m income from 06 to 08. Michael, Ken and Leon. A word of thanks to you all. Thanks. Rupert I exonerate. I'f he'd been running the club from 06 to 08, we wouldn't have spent £16m more than we earned. I blame those who were running the club from 06 to 08, not those that weren't.

loweout@hotmail.co.u
k wrote:

Dan the Dean wrote: Excellent. We need more managerial change like a hole in the head. And anyway, we can't afford to buy new players or new management teams. We have to make do. Actually I'm surprised we aren't further in trouble having to play boys as a result of previous boards having spent £54m against £38m income from 06 to 08. Michael, Ken and Leon. A word of thanks to you all. Thanks. Rupert I exonerate. I'f he'd been running the club from 06 to 08, we wouldn't have spent £16m more than we earned. I blame those who were running the club from 06 to 08, not those that weren't.

Dan, you must be a friend, family member, employee of Lowe or a Skate. Which is it? You seem to be air brushing out history, very much like Lowe does. You exonerate Lowe? You are winding fans up with that statement. We are in this position because of relegation under Lowes reign. He confessed to knowing nothing about football when he joined us in 1997, yet has on the 4th attempt, created a structure where he calls all the shots financially including the players signed by the club, so he can control expenditure. Lowe has a track record of making poor decisions (some good) which ultimately ripped the spirit of Southampton out of the dressing room and got us relegated. Lowes last managerial appointment (Burley) shares alot of blame for signing a load of over priced, over paid, lethargic players, which the Lowe appointed financial director Dave Jones sactioned. The then board backed Burley, and it failed. You have to back the managers judgement, that is what you appoint and pay them for. I have no doubt we would have spent as much if Lowe was in charge the last 2 years, but we were a whisker away from promotion. The gamble failed. This year was always going to be about rebuilding the finances and creating a new team, but Lowe isnt interested in getting us promoted. He just wants to asset strip to protect his investment. I agree that we would have had to cut our cloth according to our finances this year, but Lowe gets blame for appointing JP over Pearson this year. JP has no reputation as a manager, not even in Holland. He is a cheap puppet. An experienced manager or decent British coach like Pearson, knowing what was required in this league would have blended the talented youth we have with experienced strong players. Also, any saving made appointing JP and Wotte surely has been lost by appointing Dean Gore now! Lowe has told JP that he can only play the youngsters and has rid the squad of all useful experienced players. Here we are today, 2nd from bottom, 1 win in 14 at home and the club losing money every week because of Lowes involvement and lack of success. If Lowe was to resign immediately, I believe 5,000 additional fans would celebrate by attending the next game. Fans have been treated like fools by Lowe, and this is the pay back, falling attendances and protests against the management. Lowe out, JP out, Dave Jones out, Wilde Out.

RedRover wrote:

Kate, Andover wrote:

RedRover wrote: TIMJIM, of course no-one can tell you who will replace Lowe, but it's obvious that unless someone does the the club is going to continue on its downward trajectory. The man seems to me to simply not have the wit or the will to turn things around, though it's probably too late if he did. Unfortunately for the Saints, it would appear there is little or no kudos to be had for commercial concerns by being associated with SFC, hence no approaches (though I did hear a good rumour (probably malicious!) last year that an arab group showed interest but were put off by Lowes insistence that he be made life president of the club. How we laughed). If a takeover does happen it will probably have to be a rich fan of the club, if there is one.

Hasn't Lucy Pinder got a few quid that she could spare?! :-)

Please Kate, I'm trying to concentrate on football matters. But still, if Lucy wants to contact me to organise a whip round......!

Kate, Andover wrote:

RedRover wrote: TIMJIM, of course no-one can tell you who will replace Lowe, but it's obvious that unless someone does the the club is going to continue on its downward trajectory. The man seems to me to simply not have the wit or the will to turn things around, though it's probably too late if he did. Unfortunately for the Saints, it would appear there is little or no kudos to be had for commercial concerns by being associated with SFC, hence no approaches (though I did hear a good rumour (probably malicious!) last year that an arab group showed interest but were put off by Lowes insistence that he be made life president of the club. How we laughed). If a takeover does happen it will probably have to be a rich fan of the club, if there is one.

Hasn't Lucy Pinder got a few quid that she could spare?! :-)

tappmic wrote:
I was looking forward to a good sacking yesterday, but wasn't surprised by the outcome. I am now resigned to Division 1 football and potentially administration. There seems to be a lot of hope on some buyer being found to get rid of Lowe. So why can't the fans buy the club off him. Suggest £4-5 million to buy club, plus another £5-10 million to get us back on a sound footing. If we can £1000 from 10,000 supporters that is £10 million. Similar schemes have been looked at by Liverpool fans (obviously we are not that big), but smaller clubs have also gone for this, see weblinks below. At least it is a positive step forward

Liverpool buy out
http://www.sportingl

ife.com/football/new

s/story_get.cgi?STOR

Y_NAME=soccer/08/01/

31/SOCCER_Liverpool.

html&TEAMHD=socc
er

Clyde buy out
http://www.telegraph

.co.uk/sport/footbal

l/2375017/Clyde-fan-

buy-out-puts-SPL-on-

alert.html

tappmic wrote:
I was looking forward to a good sacking yesterday, but wasn't surprised by the outcome. I am now resigned to Division 1 football and potentially administration. There seems to be a lot of hope on some buyer being found to get rid of Lowe. So why can't the fans buy the club off him. Suggest £4-5 million to buy club, plus another £5-10 million to get us back on a sound footing. If we can £1000 from 10,000 supporters that is £10 million. Similar schemes have been looked at by Liverpool fans (obviously we are not that big), but smaller clubs have also gone for this, see weblinks below. At least it is a positive step forward Liverpool buy out http://www.sportingl ife.com/football/new s/story_get.cgi?STOR Y_NAME=soccer/08/01/ 31/SOCCER_Liverpool. html&TEAMHD=socc
er Clyde buy out http://www.telegraph .co.uk/sport/footbal l/2375017/Clyde-fan- buy-out-puts-SPL-on- alert.html

Paul TS wrote:

Dan the Dean wrote:

Paul TS wrote:

Dan the Dean wrote: Excellent. We need more managerial change like a hole in the head. And anyway, we can't afford to buy new players or new management teams. We have to make do. Actually I'm surprised we aren't further in trouble having to play boys as a result of previous boards having spent £54m against £38m income from 06 to 08. Michael, Ken and Leon. A word of thanks to you all. Thanks. Rupert I exonerate. I'f he'd been running the club from 06 to 08, we wouldn't have spent £16m more than we earned. I blame those who were running the club from 06 to 08, not those that weren't.

This is either a joke, PR attempt, or someone as clueless as Rupert! 1 win at home in 14 and Rupert is happy that Jan is the man for the job and we only need to double our effort's!?? No wonder we are in deep S...!

No joke, still less PR. Read the accounts, look at the overdraft. The choices are stark and were from the summer. £5m overdraft and an overspend of £690,000 PER MONTH. In fact the only choices were to get rid of expensive players and play cheap ones,risk relegation but thereby avoid adminstration and a points deduction or carry on the way we were, go into administration and get a points deduction. Which one would you have gone for? What was your Plan A, Plan B or Plan C given the position we were in, in june 08?

Dan, With about 10,000 fans @ £20 + per head staying away every home game and further lost revenue from other spin offs at St Mary's through these absentees, it doesn't take much of a genius to see that we would probably have covered this shortfall, or very close to it if we, as fans, had something worth watching! Remember we sold out for the last game of last season and the majority of people I know and have since spoken to, thought that Pearson was the man for the job. Lowe comes back, has to make his own mark and takes a short term cash flow fix by appointing a totally out of his depth and in-experienced cheap manager. Our current league position and results this season really say it all! Lowe is making both too many demands regarding his and the major shareholders shares in terms of value/price in the current economic climate, thats probably one of the many reasons we havent attracted a buyer/s! I know of several ex-season ticket holders who have lost heart with this club since Lowe returned and will not renew whilst he is here, the same also goes for fans who purchase/d on a game by game basis. There are clubs in the championship and below that still have full, or near full capacity crowds at their matches and Saints should, could and would be the same if we had:- a) A Chairman who listened and respected the fans views b) Was a true Saint supporter C) A Manager who could make decisions that changed a game if needed D)Possibly a few older and established known old heads on the pitch, as we indeed used to attract!. I don't know if you live in Southampton? but every person I speak to down here is extremely depressed and p,,,,ed off with what Mr Lowe has done to this once great family club of ours! As for turning up at a 30 minute meeting and not speaking to the manager/coach direct, but to the TEAM!!?? A man who had never even seen a football match six months before he became our chairman the first time around! It only adds insult to injury and makes me completely gob-smacked.

NZsaint wrote:
In Germany I believe that the majority of Stadiums are owned by the local councils (also here in NZ); this would be an interesting proposition for SFC. If the club is important to the City if Southampton why not lobby the council to buy up the debt of the Stadium and lease it back to SFC? The Council would own the Stadium / traing facilities / land etc.. but the SFC would still have all other revenue strands ect.. available to it, at hopefully a reduced cost than the current mortgage repayments. Obviously there would need to be some restrictions on buldozing the sites etc!! So lets say $20M with 1/2M Tax payers, would be $40 inc. 4 a year, that's less than a $1 a week... Anyone want to do do the "real" sums i.e. Dan the Dean???

NZsaint wrote:
Ahh Invidia, such wise words! Unlike alot of stuff that is posted on this site it was a rational idea; just looking at the 2008 figures financial liabilities were $23.1M - this might be more than the stadium mortgage etc.. - but why do you scoff?? Please explain. I have just spent some time going through the reports on the investors part of the club web-site and through ALL the last four reports (incl. the interim report) there is a STARK / REAL/ REPEATED warning from ALL the Chairman. Let's see who reads it and picks up on it..... Oh yeah did some more "analysis"; Pearson in his 16 games in charge had a 3W 7D 6L record @ 16Pts with a -8 GD, for the last 16 games PL has a 3W 5D 8L record @ 14 points with a -11 GD. So that's 2 pts and three goals..... There is reference in the reports to a 40 game benchmark (for some reason!!): 05/06 46pts 19th 06/07 63pts 7th 07/08 43pts 20th 08/09 - who knows but....is it 26pts from 26 games - therefore a pt/game so worst case extrapolation would be 40pts from 40 games... and that with ALL that has happened. Lets hope that it is better than this - obviously - starting with a result v. Norwich, who have appointed Bryan Gunn - what's his experience then?? Happy hunting the reports... Look forward to reading your take of them... COYR.

Swede-Saint wrote:
You have lost the fans Jan - its time to go home and time for Saints to get manager in that can motivate the players !

st saint wrote:
bring back lawrie mc! he is needed at the club. rupert jus face it u r not wanted here. take yr dutch tw*ts with u. its all gone wrong since you 1st took charge. in the words of graeme souness 'these are not football people' go back to gloucstershire with your rifle and leave our club alone.

COYR
KEEP THE FAITH

S Pance wrote:

st saint wrote: bring back lawrie mc! he is needed at the club. rupert jus face it u r not wanted here. take yr dutch tw*ts with u. its all gone wrong since you 1st took charge. in the words of graeme souness 'these are not football people' go back to gloucstershire with your rifle and leave our club alone. COYR KEEP THE FAITH

Stop your wingeing, fool. The club must first and foremost be run as a BUSINESS. If it is not, it WILL fail.The club MUST make a profit to survive. A basic business lesson for you: No profit=No chance of success=no club. Profit=Further investment=Better players=success. It's simple! Even thick people should be able to understand this..

S Pance wrote:

st saint wrote: bring back lawrie mc! he is needed at the club. rupert jus face it u r not wanted here. take yr dutch tw*ts with u. its all gone wrong since you 1st took charge. in the words of graeme souness 'these are not football people' go back to gloucstershire with your rifle and leave our club alone. COYR KEEP THE FAITH

Stop your wingeing, fool. The club must first and foremost be run as a BUSINESS. If it is not, it WILL fail.The club MUST make a profit to survive. A basic business lesson for you: No profit=No chance of success=no club. Profit=Further investment=Better players=success. It's simple! Even thick people should be able to understand this..

S Pance wrote:

st saint wrote: bring back lawrie mc! he is needed at the club. rupert jus face it u r not wanted here. take yr dutch tw*ts with u. its all gone wrong since you 1st took charge. in the words of graeme souness 'these are not football people' go back to gloucstershire with your rifle and leave our club alone. COYR KEEP THE FAITH

Stop your wingeing, fool. The club must first and foremost be run as a BUSINESS. If it is not, it WILL fail.The club MUST make a profit to survive. A basic business lesson for you: No profit=No chance of success=no club. Profit=Further investment=Better players=success. It's simple! Even thick people should be able to understand this..

S Pance wrote:

st saint wrote: bring back lawrie mc! he is needed at the club. rupert jus face it u r not wanted here. take yr dutch tw*ts with u. its all gone wrong since you 1st took charge. in the words of graeme souness 'these are not football people' go back to gloucstershire with your rifle and leave our club alone. COYR KEEP THE FAITH

Stop your wingeing, fool. The club must first and foremost be run as a BUSINESS. If it is not, it WILL fail.The club MUST make a profit to survive. A basic business lesson for you: No profit=No chance of success=no club. Profit=Further investment=Better players=success. It's simple! Even thick people should be able to understand this..

NZsaint wrote:
In Germany I believe that the majority of Stadiums are owned by the local councils (also here in NZ); this would be an interesting proposition for SFC. If the club is important to the City if Southampton why not lobby the council to buy up the debt of the Stadium and lease it back to SFC? The Council would own the Stadium / traing facilities / land etc.. but the SFC would still have all other revenue strands ect.. available to it, at hopefully a reduced cost than the current mortgage repayments. Obviously there would need to be some restrictions on buldozing the sites etc!! So lets say $20M with 1/2M Tax payers, would be $40 inc. 4 a year, that's less than a $1 a week... Anyone want to do do the "real" sums i.e. Dan the Dean???