um pahars

:facepalm: And in a post that is criticising petty behaviour.

Absolutely, and it should be left up to the individual where they donate their time, services or money. That is their personal choice. But why are we now so concerned with the Ex Saints (it's mission statement, it's fund raising record, it's overhead costs, it's charity reg. no., it's website etc)? I never remember it causing so much uproar in the past, or being accused of being in competition with the Club or its charitable arm (in fact I would argue they should be complimentary). In the past it has gone about it's work without much fuss, working with the Club and various local communities, supporting worthy causes, spreading cheer and leaving a positive association with Saints and the Club's former players. The simple reason is that it has now become a political football being kicked about by people (on here and in the real world) in their attempt to justify someone's actions and to score some cheap points in an increasingly bitter personal struggle. Had the Club continued to allow them to use the Club badge and their association with the Club, then I doubt anyone would have raised an eyebrow. It would have just been happily accepted that the Club and the Ex Saints could work together in a positive manner for all concerned. Instead people seem to be looking to find a hole in their raison detre as a justification to back up what I can only describe as a sorry and petty decision, fuelled IMHO not by any commercial, moral or charitable reasoning, but instead another blow in an increasingly spiteful battle of egos.

Not sure if I'm allowed to post this on here as it involves a departed one (StuRomseySaint, not Markus), but Stu has raised an interesting point on the Ugly Inside. How about renaming the "new and improved" training centre after Markus??????

If you consider asking someone to correct themselves when they have made a completely untrue, potentially damaging and totally unnecessary allegation as head in sand, then I'm happy to be on the beach. First time around I stated I wasn't looking for an argument just pointing out that if you are going to posts such stuff then you need to make sure it is water tight (as it was stated as a fact not an opinion). You've been the one squirming, when you'd have been better off just apologising and leaving it as a ckco up on your part.

You do realise that this is the same type of commercial piracy that we're trying to stamp out ;)

I'm afraid I would have to say you're the one going off on a tangent. My main issue on this thread has been with regards the Ex Saints and the withdrawal of the use of the logo etc and that it is the issue I have been discussing (I'm not even bothered about the Mayflower and other gigs and the Club's refusal to let people attend, after all the punters have shown what they think of them by signing up in their thousands to attend). As per Daren W's thread last night, I find this the more petty of the actions by the Club in this sorry affair. Go and have a look at what the Ex-Saints do, how they have been linked in with the Club in the past, how they have used facilities, how the Club has helped them etc etc etc. All of this now has to stop. Why??? I'm guessing that Cortese has widened his net with regards MLT and Benali and is now punishing anything/anyone associated with them. QED The Ex Saints suffer.

It might get slightly more difficult when people who haven't got a clue start to state that it isn't even a charity on a public message board in order to discredit it and use it in some petty argument. Your initial claims were simply wrong. If you are going to make such a forceful allegation you have a duty to get it right, you didn't. You were right to remove the false claims (I removed your claim when they were quoted in my reply), but you're doing yourself a disservice here in trying to justify yourself. I'm not sure why you're trying to pick an argument and squirm on this one. You'd be better off just accepting you were out of order and move on.

One on each wrist, the wolly one around the neck. I even bought a pair of fingerless wollen Red n White gloves from the Saints Shop at some point (circa 1978) LOL.

The bit underneath shows that it hasn't been updated recently (as with the Charity Commission search, you only saw/found what fitted in with your agenda): The Ex Saints enjoy a close relationship with Southampton FC and have an affiliation agreement with the club. I think it would be fair to say that your posts have been distinctly unhelpful, unecessary and in rather poor taste. Trying to discredit a decent little charity in order to justify/demonstrate your support for the Club in this instance is rather distasteful IMHO.

I think that's what the Charity Commission is there for. If you think there is something that needs investigating, then I suggest you contact them direct, as opposed to joining in with the other insinuations, unsubstantiated claims, fallacies and underhand jibes on here. I do find it incredibly sad that people are prepared to step in to the gutter with insinuations and allegations against a registered charity that has done some great work over the years (probably a damn sight more than some of those having a pop on here). Throw in the fact that many of those involved are/were a part of the wider Saints community and I struggle to understand why people want to discredit such a decent little set up.

In the interests of fairness and balance, I presume you have posted something similar on the Saints Foundation Kenya fund raising trip.

But Ex Saints does. It's not actually that difficult. Before you Libelled a good cause, you should have gone out of your way to make sure what you were claiming was true. The onus is on you to get it right. Apart from the following on the Ex Saints (www.exsaints.co.uk ) homepage: Southampton FC Old Boys Association Welcome to the website of the Southampton FC Old Boys Association which is a registered charity.

As per my post above (#428 ), I'm not suggesting ex players/managers etc should get freebies. HTH

Go here: http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/ Tyoe in Ex Saints in the green box "SEARCH FOR A CHARITY", and you get: http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/SHOWCHARITY/RegisterOfCharities/SearchMatchList.aspx Two seconds!!! not trying to win an argument, not trying to embarrass you, just pointing out that if you're going to make such an allegation, then you really do need to make sure your claim is watertight. In this case it wasn't and you could potentially have caused this charity all sorts of problems including a serious lack of credibility.

Don't think for one minute I'm excusing some of the behaviour exhibited by some of these "legends", I'm not and the problem is that this bickering has now got out of hand with each side happy to keep adding fuel to the fire. I wish it had never come to this, but now it has got to this stage, someone (or everyone) has to compromise if there is to be any chance of a reconcilliation.

It took me two seconds to go to the Charity Commission's website and get their reg. number. If you're going to post (incorrectly) on here (on a public site) that they are not a charity, then you have to be pretty sure that what you're posting is correct. Dress it up all you want (and list as many excuses as you can find), but if you're going to make such allegations, then you have to be pretty sure about what you are posting. In this case you simply didn't.

With all due respect, if you're going to make such a scurrilous claim (stating something, as opposed to offering an opinion) then you need to be rather sure about the facts you're stating. The onus is on you to get it right.

Let's make it clear, I'm not arguing that anyone receives freebies, I'm merely suggesting that the Club should be doing all they can to harnass the goodwill and positive vibes that may come from working with those who have represented the Club in the past. I merely see it as a great opportunity for both sides to benefit from such an agreement, as opposed to both sides suffering from this falling out. Unsusbstantiated claims could probably be called opinion and Football is a game all about opinions. I think you have to be somewhat thick skinned to be in the business and certainly not going around getting all upset and petty when someone gives an opinion on the Club. But finally these analogies that a football club is a normal business are just risisble and display a somewhat nonsensical and simplistic viewpoint.

How many business events have you been to where Julie, the now retired check out girl, and Brian, the retired delivery man, are wheeled out in front of the current customer base to be met by widespread applause and cheers and then asked questions on their days at "Tescos" and invited to give the audience some insights on the current way the company operates???? These analaogies with "normal" businesses spectacularly miss the point about what a football club is about and its link with its supporters.

Indeed he has and I have recently dug out my mid 70's plain Red n White number (also have a matching Yellow n Blue one as well). Had a little look at the 1976 silk number I still have , but sadly it's really faded and I'm not sure those ones are back in fashion (yet).

With a swimming pool like that and the retractable doors on to a patio, I reckon they should use it as a summer holiday camp and let people pitch a tent up on some of the Youth Team pitches. It would certainly beat Holland's Wood or Roundhill!!! But seriously, looks and sounds impressive, so well done to all involved. Would like to get a tour up there when it's finished (note to Club - any chance of arranging tours around the new Staplewood at some point???).

Indeed they are, and in a world where mud sticks, people should be very wary of besmirching a decent little organisation that is only on their radar due a to a personal spat between Cortese and MLT/Benali. The insinuations and innuendos are unhelpful and unwelcome.

As with Buctootim yesterday, it is rather easy to make glib accusations on here that have no basis in fact. Nuffield Health, like the Ex Saints are a non profit making charity.

The Ex Saints is an official charity registered with The Charity Commission (reg no. 1122431). HTH.

As someone else pointed out, I have to say I find your analogy rather ridiculous and totally out of touch with what a football club is all about. It is more than a business or a workplace. As my mate pointed out on Saturday, why would 1,500 hardy souls travel to watch a game on a Saturday evening when they could have watched it at home??? I have no problem with it being run like a business in the modern era, but a part of what makes a football club so special is the emotional link it has with its supporters and community. A club should be doing all it can to engender that link and turn it in to a benefit for both the supporters and the Club itself. IMHO a part of that should be a positive relationship between the club and its former "heroes/legends" (although I accept that relationship has to work both ways).