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Missing £15m target meant Plan B failed

IN the final part of the Daily Echo’s ‘Saints – The Untold Series’ series looking at the last six years at St Mary’s, here we take a look at the much talked about Plan B, whose failure to be fully implemented helped increase the club’s financial misery.

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How to save £3m in wages

SAINTS saved around £3m on their salary bill by releasing, selling or loaning out ten players in the summer of 2008.

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Were execs right all along?

A CONTROVERSIAL Stock Market announcement was made by Saints’ executive directors in early November 2007.

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Saints run on ‘faith and hope’ three years ago

IT was the supposed dawn of a new era, but it quickly turned into a nightmare for Saints. Michael Wilde’s regime created a feelgood factor after ousting Rupert Lowe in the summer of 2006, but off the field the honeymoon period didn’t last long.

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Proposals that could have saved Saints

FORMER Saints chairman Leon Crouch today tells the Daily Echo how he twice offered Rupert Lowe and Michael Wilde the opportunity to help save the club – certainly from administration and possibly from relegation to the third division. Crouch reveals his proposals that were turned down.

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Board had bank's backing

BARLCAYS Bank “supported” Leon Crouch writing a cheque for £600,000 to pay off the former executive directors – even though it was money the club didn’t have.

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Crouch had two British managers lined up for Saints

LEON Crouch had two former Premiership managers lined up to take charge of Saints had he returned to power last October.

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Why SISU’s offer 'should have been accepted'

AFTER Rupert Lowe, Michael Wilde and Leon Crouch had asked for more information on the SISU offer before deciding whether to accept it, Saints’ financial advisors sent the trio of major shareholders a letter outlining whey they should support SISU. That letter is reprinted here.

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Saints directors: Ranson told SISU proposal will succeed

RAY Ranson has informed former Saints directors that he was told the majority shareholders would almost certainly agree to SISU’s takeover plans.

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Board discussions on the SISU takeover

FORMER Saints director Keith Wiseman has revealed “a significant majority” of Rupert Lowe’s board wanted to bring Glenn Hoddle back to the club in 2004.

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The £40m SISU takeover that could have saved Saints

THE FULL proposal put to Saints by SISU when they launched their takeover bod for the club in 2007

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Wotte’s take on relegation, administration ... and why he wants to stay!

Such has been the nature of Saints’ season a chat with the manager about where it’s all gone wrong over the past nine months takes nearly two hours.

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Wotte wishes shareholders got along

MARK Wotte has told the Daily Echo it would have been “excellent” if the club’s former majority shareholders had got on.

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Mark Wotte optimistic for the future of Southampton FC

MARK Wotte believes Saints have a bright future.

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Bank denied me loanee striker ...

MARK Wotte has revealed that money was so tight at Saints he was unable to sign the imposing striker he so desperately needed to give his side a chance of survival.

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Barclays’ huge profits will only rile Lowe & Co

THE company who helped send Southampton Leisure Holdings PLC into administration has announced a massive profit.

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Supremos poles apart financially

3:38pm Thursday 7th May 2009

THERE is a major financial difference between the two men who were at the helm when Saints’ six-year slide ended in administration last month.

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Mark Fry’s got the easiest job of selling the club ...

3:35pm Thursday 7th May 2009

MICHAEL Wilde has branded as “nonsense” the claims that Saints would have been bought ages ago but for the major shareholders.

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Kelvin prepared to wait on Saints future

3:23pm Thursday 7th May 2009

Kelvin Davis has told Saints he will wait until the last possible day to allow the club to offer him a contract to stay at St Mary’s.

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Players commit to League One battle

3:27pm Thursday 7th May 2009

Mark Wotte has been given a resounding vow of commitment by his squad for next season’s League One campaign – but the club have released Rudi Skacel and Ryan Smith.

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Wilde: Biggest Saints regret was listening to the experts

3:30pm Thursday 7th May 2009

MICHAEL Wilde has revealed his biggest regret since getting involved at Saints – and it’s not staging a sensational U-turn to bring Rupert Lowe back to power.

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What Saints managers were paid

3:15pm Thursday 7th May 2009

JAN Poortvliet was brought in to take charge of Saints on around £60,000 a year, the Daily Echo can reveal.

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Sir Clive was catalyst for Lowe board split

3:03pm Thursday 7th May 2009

IT wasn’t Saints’ relegation from the Premiership that was the defining moment in splitting Rupert Lowe’s board the first time around.

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Board majority wanted Hoddle

2:01pm Thursday 7th May 2009

FORMER Saints director Keith Wiseman has revealed “a significant majority” of Rupert Lowe’s board wanted to bring Glenn Hoddle back to the club in 2004.

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Wilde: Administration was ‘almost inevitable’

1:53pm Thursday 7th May 2009

THE man who started the game of boardroom musical chairs at St Mary’s admits administration was “almost inevitable” the moment Saints were relegated from the Premiership in 2005.

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