Fitzhugh Fella

Pretty good summary that

Careful don't upset manji

I think Manji would have a heart failure if this was to happen

Trouble is you need more money than a successful business man would have - you have to compete against Arab countries and Chinese billionaires these days. That is of course if you think the premiership is the b all and end all.

I think Southampton FC has done the rounds in terms of owners and ownership. In the old days we had the gentlemen farmers, racehorse trainers and headmasters, a la John Corbett, John Barber, George Reader, Ernest Chaplin, Alan Woodford etc etc who run the club in a fraternal, benevolent way. We then had the slightly more thrusting Guy Askham era which morphed into us becoming a PLC with a lot of unsavoury allegations made re certain directors "trousering" a lot of money at the same time. Whatever, Rupert Lowe was now in charge, he knew next to nothing about football but he had the backing of the city, until it all went wrong with relegation and the board falling out. That opened the way for some rich fans to have a go, in the shape of Mike Wilde and Leon Crouch with the help of Lawrie Mac/Mary Corbett and Pat Trant. Many (inc myself) were pleased that local fans were now running the ship but it soon went pear shaped through naivety and control was taken over by the hard nosed executives who damn near sold us to a hedge fund (now owners of bedevilled Coventry). Lowe came back on his stallion but Barclays were not impressed, pulled the rug from under his feet and we went into administration, at first MLT was going to save us through Pinnacle but there were no funds and we were instead bought by the Liebherr family for a bargain £14m. We could have done a lot worse (and so could he) but following Marcus's death (a blow bigger than we all thought at the time) now it seems they want to sell and the man who has overseen an incredible five years on the pitch Nicola Cortese is also poised to leave having fallen out with the family. So who do we want to buy us? Surely not someone like the clown at Cardiff but, worryingly, that is probably the most likely scenario. Do we want "fans" involved again? I think we only have to look at what happened with Wilde and then look at the growing bickering down the road to see that it is fraught with danger and potential unrest. Plus no real fan has the sort of money needed to fully compete in the Premiership? Do we want to be run by the City and at the beck and call of the bean counters? Done that didn't like it! So who then - the next person is out there, perhaps already sailing up the Solent, but will Southampton FC be the better off? Whatever one thought of Cortese, he had a vision and drove it hard. Is there someone out there who take us further? Or is it an impossible challenge in this day and age. Being a rich person's plaything is my greatest fear.

I knew Manji (who hates the thought of his boat being rocked) would shortly be lured from his cave.

A gentleman in every sense of the word

Now if you had bought a copy of All the Saints you could have read that he is now back in his native country with Sparta Prague

You must have been pie-eyed when you read that as Prutton's partner is Brian O'Neil's daughter

Had a feeling Trousers would be all over this thread like a rash. When ever his darling Tories are found out (yet again) he goes to work big time.

££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££ Just a thought

The Sun is reporting today that Lambert WANTS to leave. I must admit his recent demeanour is of someone who does not look happy. His celebration after scoring yesterday was very muted and I am starting to feel there is some truth in these rumours. Shame as he is on 99 league goals.

We needed him not getting banned in the first place

I agree 100% - now we are almost certainly free from relegation worries why people are more concerned with points rather than the FA Cup is beyond me. Our current position enables us to have a bloody good stab at the Cup (just as it was in 2003) and for fans not to care epitomises the sorry state the game is actually in.

Why are points more important than the Cup, I just don't understand. Unless we were in a relegation position?

Damn good question and one that would be nice if the club answered. Lots of things that aren't pleasant gets swept under the St Marys carpet but god forbid I said so

Are refs there to quip? Just asking.

Clattenburg's job is to referee to the best of his ability not make smart alec remarks to the players. Perhaps if he concentrated on applying the rules fairly and less on being a jack the lad he would be a better ref. I am with the club on this.

The club are tweeting there's no problem

I have been club historian since 1998, inc the time when Wilde was in charge - get your facts right you anonymous little twerp

sotonjoe are you there or have you retired to the jungle?

If you were a Japanese soldier during WW2 you would be one of those found hidden in the jungle some 30 years later still not accepting the war was over while wearing a Rupert Lowe deerstalker hat and a pair of Andrew Cowan underpants. I stand by my earlier remark - you are a sad person, someone who attacks under the cover of anonymity. I would respect your views if you tell me who you are - Duncan@duncanholley.co.uk

How can the Mail still describe their Cup win as stunning I really don't know.

Saints have been very quiet with their stance on this issue

sotonjoe is a very sad person.