Alain Perrin

Yes. We were dominant over Reading, lacking telegenic clear cut chances as usual but far more of the play, crosses etc. I do not think the highlights reflect the game I saw. Saints were unlucky not to take all three points (no penalty appeal, no McGoldrick hitting the bar either (unless I missed that)). In my opinion, the highlights and the commentator reflect the game they thought they were going to see, not the one that actually happened.

No it must be a deliberate cover up by that nasty man Mr Lowe. My thoughts go to all those involved, including Jordan. Having a death on your conscience is not something he will ever forget. As someone rightly said above, there but for the grace of God.

Stanley is a ****

Nope, I'm thinking "****"

Remind me who got relegated last season you bunch of defeatist numpties

I do believe they were verbatim. For two reasons 1) They appeared from an "independent" source (regardless of what you believe, Journo's won't shirk a good story if it comes their way). 2) If there was so much as a comma out of place there would have been post after post claiming cover up and spin from the PR Plant Paranoia Patrol. Are you suggesting parts of the transcript were inaccurate, misleading or false? If so which? I wasn't there, and understand than a transcript cannot convey the emotion, passion or heat of the moment. That said, viewing this debate without emotion can be very useful and many should try that occasionally. Read the transcript for me and, be honest - how do you think LC came across? Lowe's a pompous *****, but we're talking about viable alternatives here. All I saw (read) from the alternatives was Nero/Rome/Fiddle-like behaviour - a childish hissy fit, and an argument about a 30 year old photo (a photo ffs! We're looking over the abyss and people are arguing about a photo).

Snowballs2, it is not about how many months or who did what, when, for how long. Lowe may drive my Porsche erratically, even dangerously, but Leon got behind the wheel for 5 minutes and thrashed the nuts off it and crashed it into a wall. Sure I want Lewis Hamilton to drive it, but if my options are Lowe and Wilde or Crouch, I'll choose Lowe and Wilde. Fulthorpe, I'm afraid, is still just trying to scrape together the money for petrol!

TBH Morph, you could quite easily replace the Leon with Wilde and you'd have the a post that wouldn't look out of place the first time Lowe was ousted. The "very good and influential" people didn't step up to the plate then, and I don't think they will now. Personally in the Lowe vs Wilde vs Crouch debate I usually offer qualified support for Lowe. That said if someone could step up who could unite the support I'd be over them like a rash. All I want is for Saints to do well and (in the short term) avoid administration. On previous evidence I don't see that potential in Crouch and, if you look at the transcript of the AGM, he came across like a reactionary hothead. I'm less likely to support him than ever. To survive, Saints need cool heads and action (and preferably cash!), not vitriol and emotion. I cannot argue that the strategy that Lowe is responsible for is doing a good job on the pitch, clearly it isn't. That said I'm not sure what can be done (either with the players in the squad) or the manager. As someone who saw Pearson's Waterloo (Sheffield Utd) as well as his capitulation at Hull and at home to Burnley (neither of which were Dunkirk like in defeat), I refuse to accept that he would have done better - differently yes, better no. The big question for me is do we have money to change things sufficiently? I'm as disappointed as the next fan, because although I thought we'd struggle this year, my expectations were raised immeasurably due to the early promise (false dawn) of the early games against Derby and Birmingham - be honest, who didn't think "**** me this might work" after that. I think that is what hurts more than anything. It feels to me that we have been close to cracking it, but it is clearly not there. Sure we could get a hoof ball manager in and play the league that way (but I'd suggest you can't do that with youngsters, and you probably can't do that in half a season). Would I support a change at the top (chairman or manager), yes I would. Do I think it will make much difference, no I don't.

People need to wake up and smell the coffee. If we go into administration we are royally shafted. There's no money in the global economy, people are contracting everywhere. People won't be interested in a failing club with a divided fanbase, no assets over the age of 14 and a bag load of debt. People like Fulthorpe are taking the **** with there "money's almost there" mantra. Tell that to Woolworths, MFI or Zavvi staff - if KPMG can't find buyers for stores with prime retail sites like that, where are they going to find buyers for a stadium next to a gasworks and a load of ropey prostitutes. The only way Saints will survive is by hanging on until the economy picks up, hanging on financially and in the Championship. Just my opinion though.... if you've got £50million to spunk up the wall, be my guest (by the way the fans will hate you after 25 minutes if you haven't bought Ronaldo and delivered 10 wins in a row)

Just goes to show that our players can't keep secrets as well as not being able to keep a lead....

How about cheering on the team FFS!

How about "No Alternative"?

Deluded he may be, saviour he may not be, what is certain is he is trying to solve the mess that is Southampton. You may not agree with what he's doing, how he's doing it or why he's doing it - but he is doing it. That's my problem with the alternatives, all they do is moan about the positioning of photos in the boardroom, stand up and rant at AGM's or post vitriol on messageboards. Build it and they will come. Bring us an alternative (a real one, not an imagined Salz / Davis / ANO) and people will support them. Other than that it is just **** and wind.

That's a myth. 30 people (tops, and I suspect 25) x 2 nights @ £150 pp/night = £9000. Where do you get £30K from???

Glad to see this forum is a hot bed of ideas on how to improve things....

I don't disagree that division will destroy this club. Where it falls down is it is yet another rant that is big on vitriol, short on ideas (i.e. none). Getting "Lowe out" is like Iraq, a fine moral principle, but you better have an idea what you are going to do when Saddam is toppled. My opinion is we've played our last hand. There's no money in the cookie jar to pay for a new manager or new players. We'll either die a slow lingering death in the Championship or, by some miracle, survive to fight another day. What no-one can dispute (even Lowe) is that the current performances/results aren't acceptable. We should at least unite on that.

Nope. No doubting his talent but he hardly made the most of it. People dress up his staying with Saints as loyalty. Personally I saw it as the comfortable and easy option. Fine, his decision and our benefit - I just think his talent deserved more. He was more interested in pies than success which I think was a pity for anyone who loves football. Cross MLT with say a Frank Lampard (for his alleged workrate and dedication) and you'd have a player who would have rivalled Pele or Best in my opinion. As it was you had a player who was mercurial but lazy.

Personally I'd: - Drop Lallana, because he typifies our too pretty, no product style. - Tell whoever plays on the right to stay on the right (that Ryan Smith, if he's fit, would be a viable choice, even James who I don't rate at RB). - Play a defense of Skacel, Perry, Pearce, Cork - Play a midfield of Holmes, Surman, Euell, James/Smith - Play McGoldrick in behind BWP. This would be played 4-5-1, as now. I think the 4-4-2 argument is ********. I'd also have them practice shooting for 3 days solid, not 35 yard shooting as we see in the warm up (woeful by the way 19 shots today, 5 on target, 3 goals), but 15 / 20 yd shooting. Make them realise that every shot counts. After that I don't know.

Not in a million years. Le Tiss was an unmotivated player blessed with more talent in his left toe than most FIFA Players of the Season. That lack of drive would make him an awful manager.

Please if you feel the urge to turn this into a Lowe Out / JP to go thread then go elsewhere... You're Jan P, you've just been embarrassed at home 0-2 by (former European Champions ) Nottingham Forest. The next game looms, what do you change and how? You can't resign, bring in new players, magically fix injured ones or get rid of Rupert. You are where JP is now. I ask because, having watched today's debacle, there was so much wrong I'm not sure what can be done to fix it (and having seen him interviewed post match I'm not sure he knows either).

MTV generation solution to debt, declare bankruptcy / administration. We've spent the money, built up the debt and now need to suck it up and take the pain. Administration is an immoral step.

I can't support the dross seen today, no-one could, but I don't agree with your post. We played some (equally) shocking football under Pearson (Hull away, Burnley at home). That said if we had an option to change JP then we should consider it. I don't think Lowe will because a) we've got no money (for payoffs, new manager or associated players) b) it is Lowe's strategy and he'll stick by it. Ironic though that being 'trigger happy' is a stick often used to beat Lowe and when you want him to.....

To be honest calling someone a "PR Plant" because they hold a different opinion is just a playground taunt. People, regardless of their opinions, should be welcomed to this board if it is not to become a redundant backwater. Lowe's attempt to manipulate the SaintsForever forum backfired big time, but if you honestly believe that Wilde / Crouch et al. didn't use internet forums either through making best buddies with Keith Legg or getting Roger the office boy to do it, you're deluding yourself. I don't know, but I doubt Lowe is doing the same now. Several reasons: 1) This board isn't the opinion shaper it once was. 2) There's no immediate threat to his leadership 3) Once bitten, twice shy etc. And, for what it is worth, I agree with most of what Village Saint was saying. This year has been a struggle under difficult financial circumstances, but there have been flashes of brilliance amongst the mediocrity. Personally I still believe that the experiment can work.

It was a bull**** poll, not worthy of any analysis. A poll that was posted (and I can't remember which) at either 2-0 down or after we'd lost. Either way it would be skewed. If you'd been asked the same question immediately following the Reading result would it have been different? Anyway, enough of the poll analysis I quoted Corky above because I don't get one thing. Lowe has (as the Lowe out gang constantly remind) an insignificant share holding (circa 6%), so in what way does that make him the chief beneficiary of dividends and buybacks? I do agree with Corky's point about 12 months though. The guy has had one transfer window with not a lot of cash (the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away). My opinion is that this season, given the resources, has shown promise without the results. Hopefully it can come together in 2009 and we can better last seasons finish. Maybe then, with the finances a bit more under control, we could try to move up the league next year.

Calderwood is from Swindon and an ex-player, paper talk 2+2=5