Colinjb

I really do wonder. His return, to 'protect his investment,' at the rate we are going his investment is write off any way. Is this some kind of obsession to him? To retain control of the club that damaged his reputation? The club that had several thousand people wish ill on him? All instincts I have tell me he is holding on just so he can try to rectify the bad things that have happened, but also that he is incapable of doing so. What will it take to get rid of him for good? I fear he is retaining control for reasons other then business, his smirking expression is not one of a man who sees ill..... just smite.

Unless I win a Euro-millions multi roll over, we're ****ed. Simple as. (And that even assumes Lowe would sell up....)

Losing what? Attendances? League Position? Respect? Football matches? Face? You need to be more specific.

Flowing football in League 1, how does that take you? Route one may be crude, but if utilsed correctly it leaves you with the satisfaction of WINNING.

And some hope for a brighter future.

Personally, Yes.

The missmanagement of the first team and it's managers by Rupert Lowe had nothing to do with it then?

........you're at home watching Soccer saturday.

I would state that he is doing a good job considering our current circumstances.

Instability is the answer! It's so obvious!

Correct. An all in purchase of about 80 pounds personally to go see Saints at the moment isn't worth it. Couldn't give a f**k who the chairman is (they have all been as bad as each other....) I just want my team to show some signs of success for a change.

What was it?

Will the last person to leave St Mary's please turn out the lights. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Oh god, I forgot they have Ian Hume, he always scores against us......

I know the feeling.

What is all this fuss about the OS? It's working fine for me. Either way, COYR!!!!

'It's all Southampton' according to Sky. We'll be caught out by Barnsley's first chance soon enough then.

Saints 12-0 Barnsley. COYR!!!!!!

You'll never field a stable 11, they will break through, shine, then get snapped up by the highest bidder. No hope of the team fully developing, it would be soul destroying.

Quite, financial types are too focused on balance sheets to see the longer term repurcussions of their book balancing. As an Engineer, I hate them.

Not bad for an approximation off the top of my head. I would expect £15000 of sales in terms of programs, merchandise and food anyway offsetting the difference with 5k extra people. To be pedantic, at the rates I described 20833 would need to be the attendance to match using the same assumptions you did in your above calculations. And as a point of note, our average attendance last year was 22,253. Which would (again, using the same assumptions) generate a profit of £25560 compared to a crowd of 15k paying 25 pounds per ticket. Out of curiosity Flyer, do you work in finance?

Indeed, that is why this would have to be done delicately.

Quite. I look at the example of Bradford, who did drastically lower their ticket prices and saw their attendances rise by 1/3 overnight, despite dropping down a league. It is working wonderfully for them, the only difference is the differential between highest attendance and average which has shrunk, but these high attendances only occur in exceptional circumstances (A cup game v Premiership opposition, survival sunday scenario etc.) we need consistent attendances, not try to rely on the occasional 'biggy.' Someone at championship level needs to take this brave step. Hell, imagine the positive publicity it would generate!!!

My thoughts entirely. Any chance to take a look at Anne Hathaway's bare bosom has to be a fantastic opportunity.

Attendances are dwindling, funds are falling. So now is the time to do something drastic. Investment in the first team would not be possible, so what else can be donw to inspire people back into the club? As the title suggests we should reduce tickets prices. £24-26 for a ticket, in the current economic climate is too much. We are a club in near freefall in many ways. Reduce prices to £18 per ticket to get more people through the gates. I would anticipate crowds to boost at least to the level of 20,000 if this occurs, meaning that for an approximate 20% drop in ticket price the crowds would boost by 25%. Now, this would need to be delicately managed but I don't feel that these figures would be unfeasable. And of course, people at the ground don't just buy the tickets, there would be more sales of food and programs too. Season ticket holders? Well, yes they would be miffed, so offer a bonus! Free cup game attendance and merchandise. They would be approximately £3 out of pocket for every game they attend. So a free pint perhaps at every match? That would settle for the offset. In terms of unit costs a pint only costs 50-70p. So The loss to the club wouldn't be as great as the money 'refunded' to the season ticket holder isn't that large an amount to the coffers, but still fair in end terms. I feel this must be done, it is an easily establishable measure and needs to be taken as soon as possible.