A DEFIANT Rupert Lowe is resisting calls to stand down as Saints chairman, declaring: "I am not a quitter."

Mr Lowe has come under fire from supporters following Saints' relegation from the Premiership on Sunday which ended 27 years in English football's top-flight.

He has presided over eight different managers in less than nine years at the helm, including three in the past season, but yesterday stressed the need for stability, saying he wants Harry Redknapp to continue as manager.

"I am here still and I do not intend to quit on a low note," he said.

"We have to work out what did go wrong and put it right. It is not done by quitting or walking out. It is very easy to quit. I have never quit in my life and I'm not about to start now.

"I know that apportioning blame is an important part of any moving on. I obviously have to take some blame. I'm chairman of the club."

Mr Lowe said he would willingly stand down if a major investor was to come forward.

"I have always said that if any third party wants to inject the right level of funding into the club then I will step down as chairman. No one has done so to date."

The financial implications of relegation means the loss of £20m.

Mr Lowe said the club was structured to absorb much of the financial pain, but he could not guarantee against redundancies for some of the non-playing staff at St Mary's.

The chairman described it as "a tragedy for everyone associated with the club, fans, staff and city" and said it was the low point of his time in football.

"I'm as upset at what happened as all our supporters are and I am intent on putting it right," he said.

"I don't think any of us have slept very well for quite a while really.

"I think we are all shell-shocked. But we don't back away from facing up and talking about it. We haven't backed away from any situation and we are not about to start now."

Championship Lowe-down from Rupert - see pages 2 & 3 of today's Daily Echo.