Fitzhugh Fella

I think too few of you noticed this message when it was posted this morning - I know doggface and he is well informed in this instance.

It goes back to the late 1890s when Spurs and Saints were fighting it out to be acknowledged as the best club south of Birmingham. For a while it was Saints as we won the Southern League (then a rival to the Football League) three times in a row (1896-9) and then in 1900 became the first non Football League team to reach the FA Cup Final. Unfortunately Spurs reached the Final the next year and won it. Bitter rivalry ensued for quite a few years with Saints regaining the upperhand in the Southern League but Spurs gained Football League status before us and from then on in never really looked back.

Chaired the infamous Runnymede meeting between Crouch, Wilde and Lowe. A bit of a "middle man" who supplied/fitted a lot of the IT systems at SMS. A friend of Cowen and Lowe.

Cup Final - lost (rather pathetically as it turned out) Europe - qualified as losers followed by half-hearted participation which led to elimination at the first hurdle. highest Prem finish, big wow there - we finished 2nd in the old 1st. So he "signed" two players you liked - firstly he should never have been "signing" players and what about the duds - there were plenty more of those. But you don't ever dwell there do you Bern? Probably because you never bother to watch live football at SMS. So even as this club teeters on the edge of the precipice tonight there are still ferkin King Canute idiots like you prepared to defend the delusional idiot that put us there. Rupert Lowe was/is a walking disaster area. Nick Leeson/WH Ireland/Saints you name it, wherever you look there is discord, unhappiness, rancour and poor judgement. He is the single biggest reason we are looking at this club ceasing to exist and still people from like you, who can't be bothered to get off your arse and actually witness the decline first hand, defend him as if he is the mesiah. Quite frankly you and him deserve each other. Come back and pontificate when you have actually watched a few matches and put a few bob into the coffers. I sound angry Bern. Yeah damn right. For the last 6 weeks it has been gut wrenching to know the club I still support (thats actively by the way) are fighting for survival. Every night I go to bed thinking will I wake up with a club still to support. I guess you wake up thinking how can I wind up a few people with yet another pro Lowe post. When the club dies the blood will be well and truly on your hands and all those other "head in the sand" merchants who thought it was just a "blip". Now go back to your armchair.

a few things right, many things wrong. showing his face at Forest was not a bright move, but finally proved to me the guy was completely barking. I simply cannot believe that here we all are literally on the eve of destruction (cue Barry McGuire) and some bright spark decides to start a "three things Rupert did right thread".

Didn't realise he was a declared bankrupt. The more I watch this interview the more I think I have stumbled on the pilot episode for The Office!

No - ?

To be fair Stanley - he didn't tell me to eff off. Just called me an arsehole 100 times. Plenty no doubt agree with him

Good point

Lets give Nick a break - sometimes when you are told something and told it in confidence it is easier to stay quiet. He at least has tried to say something without stretching his confidentiality issues and now everyone gives him a hard time. He is actually trying to do everyone a favour but he can't go the whole way. Cut him some slack peeps.

It is alarming I agree but he wasn't very good coming for crosses.

Probably just as well

I think you will find Rupert actually dines out on the "I was the man who appointed Nick Leeson to Barings" story. Thinks it is a bit of a hoot by all accounts - I was told this by someone who has heard the whole tale from the horse's mouth. Perhaps Rupert has a sense of irony after all? Don't know if Barings think it is that funny though

Cracking

The first time I watched it last year I laughed - now I squirmed.

Be fair - we hadn't had an anti Lowe thread for at least 36 hours.

Trouble is Eurosaint - if i gave you all hope I could be branded as one of those horrible ITKers. I think there is a better than 50% chance because - at least one bid has gone in, we know that much. I think Fry is fishing for more and thereby lies the danger. Do you pull your net in with one small fish in it or do you leave it out hoping a bigger fish swims in while accepting the possibility the small fish may swim out beforehand. Am sounding a bit Cantona-ish now so I will shut up

No, Not at all! I was invited to pass on the story and hey it passes the time while waiting for Godot. I wish Lowe no harm and success in what he does next. He is gone - there is no point thinking any other way. I don't think he ever meant the club harm and I think he thought he was doing what he thought was best for the club. I would not go out of my way to avoid him and would say hello if our paths ever crossed. We would probably be having a row within seconds however. But he got it wrong big time and seemed he couldn't learn from his mistakes. I always thought and said he would. I think he probably did refer to us as peasants but at the end of the day to give him the benefit of the doubt it was probably more playful than nasty. However if he was still here you bettcha I would be spinning it the other way

Could never understand why he wrote it in French! Does Mark Fry speak French?

Not a fan of Samuel Beckett but as the days pass without any smoke coming out of the Vatican chimney (or Mark Fry's office), I am increasingly reminded of his (that's Beckett's not Fry's) most famous play "Waiting for Godot" where 2 tramps (or were they peasants) are waiting by a roadside for someone called Godot who never shows. The play is totally based on their conversations while waiting for someone they both admit while waiting they don't really know, but they hope will be able to deliver them from theirselves. Does Godot ever show? Of course not!

hasn't he what?

Does Rupert do irony? Would he be using the expression tongue in cheek?

Need something to take our minds of this interminable wait - its like waiting to see if the judge is about to put his black hat on.

This morning I recieved this e mail from someone not prone to gossip and hitherto quite open minded about Lowe. I make no comment other than many of you may not believe the story - sadly I do.This is the e mail - Speaking to an old friend last night. His neighbour related an incident that happened quite recently. The neighbours son was in London when someone barged past him without apology. He turned round and realised it was Lowe and called him by name. Lowe looked round in shock and said "how do you know who I am?" the neighbours son explained he was from Southampton. After further discussion Lowe said "get back to those peasants in Southampton" Thought you might like the story. You can put it up on TSW if you like. It confirms what you have said before about Lowe.