Miltonaggro

Davies can indeed do whatever he likes with his hard earned money, and will. I'm not sure that attending any school within Southampton can result in an individual being labelled a 'toff' - Winchester is the County's only recognised public school and even they let proletarian riff-raff in these days. The point I was making is that his 'outing' as a lifelong Saints fan coincided with a move from merchant banking to the public sector - nothing to do with fashion, lots to do with positiive PR for mass consumption. Furthermore, his vocal backing for Wilde et al. led many long term fans to reasonably believe that he held the club dear, and with that in mind it's reasonable to think he might act positively at the present time. Gavyn may be plotting a takeover or making donations to the club (though he's absent from the prestigious £1000+ club on the official site) as we write, but my money is that he's editing the 'Marseille Mayhem and my years with the Inside Crew' chapter of his biography...

Davies (said to have been a 'fan' whilst at King Edwards in the 70s!) jumped on the prawn sandwich 'soccer' bandwagon in the 1990s in tune with other multi-millionaires and celebs looking for a common touch to their PR portfolio. He has made overtures about his love of SFC several times in the press, which given his immense wealth sticks in the craw somewhat at the present time. Very much a paper tiger...

To be fair Merrington never really had a chance as Saints manager and I feel he was very much a stop-gap at that time, great youth coach though (long before Rupert's groundbreaking 'fame academy') . During his season in charge he had little money and his wife was seriously ill, so to keep us up was an achievement in itself. Dave Armstrong as a player was magnificent and should have won 50 England caps. Both are Red and White through and through but are probably not the answer at present, although preferable to Hertz Van Rental et al. If we went for an ex-player right now I would take Chris Nicholl, with a younger man as his number two (perhaps Le Tiss, Benali, or at a stretch Dodd). All were members of his youth set up, and Chris certainly has unfinished business at SFC...

If it could happen the morale of the players and the city would be sky high for the run in...

The precedent that Luton should look to; and the one that the Football League are very concerned about is Derby County when Burley was manager in 2003. After Derby's 'holding company' entered administration with debts far greater than Saints following relegation, it was found that a number of Directors had acted fraudulently - thus, the 'crime' was far greater than that of Saints and NO points were deducted...

Unfortunately, the Dutch brigade brought in by Lowe and Wilde are chancers; and this filtered down to the senior players very quickly. In any walk of life senior pros can spot the difference between sh*t and shinola within seconds. Pearson during his short tenure garnered respect and stopped the bullsh*t, and like him or loathe him Billy Davies would have done the same, it would have been put up or shut up. The perennial problem is that Rupert Lowe has no understanding of football, or football people, and after a decade it's obvious that he never will. He is a sucker for 'innovative coaches' who promise him that they are able to turn also-rans into world beaters, nags into thoroughbreds - a skill tantamount to suggesting you are able to polish turds. A diminishing handful of fans see him as somehow credible, but as a leader he is less Wellington or Beaverbrook and more a combination of General Melchett and Terry Thomas. In his early years at SFC he was lucky - lucky to have found Askham as intermediary and bully, lucky that his takeover coincided with the rise of the Premiership, lucky to have players who cared, lucky to have fans that were tolerant and realistic, lucky to have a City Council that provided a plan B when his plan A failed, lucky to have had the chance to work with the likes of Strachan. His luck has know evaporated along with the goodwill of something like 90% of the fans. Admitting a mistake now, and appointing a Dowie, Ince, or Curbishley might give Saints a fighting chance to allow him and Wilde to resign with some dignity. Sacking the Edam Cartel and the inevitable attendance increase would pay the salary of a football manager. Whatever happens it wont save Lowe and Wilde...

Bally (dynamo, enough said); Case (the inspiration and mentor of so may good youngsters in Nicholl's side); Williams (grew massively in stature and got capped when made captain). That's some midfield...

Bristol City 2 Southampton 2...

I have it on good authority that Wotte is also partial to Dutch ovens! Coming to an OS near you, soon...

Lowe and Co. out of the picture, some investment, and an experienced 'minder' as his number 2 or DoF, and Matt could be the man! It's that easy...

My sentiments Greenridge; Do you think Wotte counts himself amongst the 'top Dutch coaches' denied by Premier League clubs!? Him and the revolutionary Hans Van Edam at Kaiser Wilheim IVVVV...

Terry Thomas in 'I'm Alright Jack' Insincere scheming spiv...

There is a rumour circulating that Wilde has become embroiled in an amusement arcade turf war with the St Brelades Massive - it's a war zone on the mean streets of Jersey. He has many enemies outside of football! Back on the mainland Hampshire police have taken the death treat very seriously and within 48 hours have narrowed potential authors down to 32,104 suspects...

Golac v WBA, from the Milton Terrace. Breathtaking...

Dear Michael, Happy New Year. Many of us understand that your reasons for extended residence in Jersey are both economic and beneficial to SFC (absolutely nothing to do with chronic bed-wetting or confronting disenfranchised football fans), in that you are scouting for talent on the Island. Given that it took over a century to produce a Le Saux, we can probably hope for promotion to the top prior to the next Ice Age. Please, have the gumption to admit that you were wrong to back the serial spiv Lowe, and act, before it is too late...

With his popularity fading fast, Rupert Lowe adds a new dimension to his existing Boardroom ventriloquist act with the addition of a mail order 'Mrs Wilde' dummy.* *Ebay: HKD$9.99