trousers

I know of one person who is 'on the database' but isn't a Saints supporter, per se.

Exactly. More transparancy would have let to (a little) more respect IMO. It's being kept in the dark (up until now) that has caused much of the angst and resentment.

IMO, we can't lay the lion's share of the blame at Lowe for what has transpired THIS year. It sounds like he was effectively under Barclay's orders to strip costs to the bone, which he did only for the Bank to move the goalposts again. As for PREVIOUS years, well that's another matter....

Point of curiosity....in the Talksport interview Lowe reveals that our Account Manager at Barclays is a Saints fan! Ever so slightly ironic and/or amusing in a gallows kinda way

I know he's a smooth talker but listening to that TalkSport interview, and if you cut through the smug veneer, I sympathize with some of what Lowe says, especially about the Bank pulling the rug.

"Richard Fry, a Saints Fan, was our Account Manager at Barclays" Fat lot of good that did us then....

In a statement to Sky News Barclays said: “Southampton Leisure Holdings needed to significantly increase match attendance, sell players and raise further investment. "These objectives were not met by previous management, but we believe these aims are reasonable and will work closely with all parties concerned to help achieve them.” http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Business/Randall-Southampton-FC-Former-Chairman-Blames-Management-And-Bank-For-Clubs-Financial-Woes/Article/200904115257792?lid=ARTICLE_15257792_RandallSouthamptonFCFormerChairmanBlamesManagementAndBankForClubsFinancialWoes Welcome to planet Banking everyone

Suck plums?

Ok. Where do I sign?

In a statement to Sky News Barclays said: “Southampton Leisure Holdings needed to significantly increase match attendance, sell players and raise further investment. "These objectives were not met by previous management, but we believe these aims are reasonable and will work closely with all parties concerned to help achieve them.” Erm....someone help me out here....Barclays expected a football club (sorry, it's parent company) to significantly increase match attendance AND sell players. Even a simpleton like me can see the dichotomy of that statement. Good grief, one of the main reasons attendances dropped was because of poor performances resulting from having to offload some of our best players. It's a good job the world's economies aren't dependant on bankers maintaining a grip on financial reality....doh... I would venture Lowe has a point when it comes to his banking observations.

Monkey tennis

I'm sure I read that the Administrators were seeking a £15m "minimum investment" figure somewhere on t'internet. Will have a trawl.

Wolves 2 Saints 3

Absolutely. If the Football League revisit their own reasons for introducing the rules in this area in the first place then Southampton Football Club is "not guilty". Indeed, the PLC thing is a red herring at the end of the day IMO. If the Football League somehow find us guilty then they are actually shooting down the very reason why they invented the 'financial prudence' rules in the first place. As our governing body, they should be publicly supporting our plight to highlight why their rules were introduced rather than defaulting to a vindictive "we'll get the buggers" position. Aren't governing bodies there to support the clubs in their leagues rather than bring them down? If I can't pay my mortgage due to losing my job then I should be treated differently to not being able to pay my mortgage due to blowing my wages on gambling, drinking, etc. Come on Football League. Look at WHY you introduced the law in the first place rather than persuing the futile exercise of fine-toothcombign the small print. You're missing the point!!!

If all 31 suitors have £15m each (which they must have to pass 'Go') then how about they all join forces and thus plough c.£0.5 billion into the club? In the words of the meerkat: "Simples"

This is the nail-on-head comment for me from Samuel's piece: The ten-point deductions are draconian and unpopular anyway. In times of recession, when many clubs are struggling despite trying to be prudent, they seem horribly unfair. The Football League came up with the flawed points penalty system at a time where money was no object and it was felt necessary to somehow cap 'caution-to-the-wind' expenditure on players' fees and wages. As someone pointed out on another thread yesterday, our financial downfall has come about not because of extravagant player acquisitions but through an "investment" in bricks and mortar (SMS) that has inadvertantly gone pear shaped due to our relegation and the credit crunch is varying measures. In other words, the League's rules penalise clubs in 'genuine' financial difficulty and not just the clubs that the rule was introduced for in the first place. It's a sad reflection of the law making in this country which is always designed to deal with the lowest common demoninator but ends up affecting everyone due to the lazy, wide brush strokes used by law makers. The law is an ass.

I'd better hit the sack then.....said the bishop to the actress... cheers

Haven't we reached a point here whereby having too many suitors could actually delay the process long enough for us to miss a deadline? Or indeed the administrator could inadvertantly miss the best deal by not being able to see the wood for the trees and/or wheat for the chaff? Slightly concerned of Hampshire.

Cheers. Any idea what time he's due on? Show kicks off at 6am

Fair dos.....might be something to reconsider in due course though, as there are plenty of those sites that attract the lion's share of many clubs' fans. I think my 'pass' criteria would be based on popularity and usage rather than the type of site per se. Just my opinion, not a criticism. Cheers

Fare point

Now take the second free kick (FFS)....

Ibuleve....effect pain relief for all Saints fans

http://www.southampton.gov.uk/thecouncil/elections/ Timetable for Elections There are no scheduled City Council Elections for 2009. The next scheduled City Council Elections will be Thursday 6th May 2010. There is a European Parlimentary Election on Thursday 4th June 2009.