VectisSaint

So it has nothing to do with tactics, players, managers, its all down to the supporters. Rearrange these words and then we will all see where you are coming from: land cuckoo cloud. It matters not a jot whether the crowd gets behind the team, barracks the team, the ground is full or the ground is empty. The basic reason is that our recently departed nice but dim amateur coach could not see that playing one up front at home is a recipe for disaster. It worked away, sometimes, because the other teams in the CCC go out to win at home, and so leave gaps and opportunities to counter attack. Whereas at home, we go out with a one-up-front defensive minded approach and invite the visitors to play. Coupled with our inability to deal with crosses and corners effectively this strategy is the worst possible option. Incidentally it is a fallacy that we are really good away. We have lost as many away as we have at home, only 6 teams have lost more away games, our away goal difference is also worse than at home. When we win away we almost always nick it by 1 goal (Doncaster excepted) but we have also had some heavy defeats on the road.

This was the bit that always annoyed me about the whole affair. Pearson was actually EXACTLY the sort of manager Lowe had always espoused as his favoured way forward (except when he was having tangerine dreams). Young English manager, experienced working with youngsters. Look at NP's CV, it covers his involvement with the England set up at every level up to and including u21. This suggests to me that even the old Blazer Brigade at the FA recognise that this guy knows how to work with young talent. Even if you don't believe he has any other talent then this is a given in my opinion. One day perhaps Lowe will look back and realise what a prize ***** he is for letting go one of the brightest prospects in English league football at the moment, just so he could experiment with the Cloggers. And I didn't even cover the loanees....

Dowie is the one guy who has enough intelligence to say no, even if he was offered the job. Most other managers would bite Lowe's hand off, Iain understands the position, knows how difficult it would be to work with Lowe and wouldn't contemplate it under the present regime IMHO. Maybe one day Dowie will manage Saints, but I doubt very much it will happen while Lowe is around.

Jackanory

Changes nothin, in fact it is even more evidence that Wilde and Lowe have to go. Just means it can be more focused now as there are only 2 primary targets for the protest (1) Wilde and (2) Lowe. I understand that Lowe may not even be at the game, but so what (or Wotte)? Wilde will probably be there and should be quaking in his boots without Lowe around to protect him from the Lunatic Fringe.

Other than the fact that it appears there were only 7 at the meeting does anyone have any news on what actually happened?

Bye Jan, you were nice but dim, unlike your successor who only has one of those qualities apparently.

**** me no, even Wotte is better that Ossie, just.

That was because most of last season we were in a "bid situation" (official SE term, didn't mean we really were) and as such SE rules required all information to go through the SE first. Now we are not the SE couldn't give a toss, after all we won't be one of their customers for much longer.

They took the opportunity to see what it was like to have a game in an empty stadium I guess. And why did we play football yesterday, when we have singularly failed to play football at home all season

No problem, the best way to get rid of Lowe is to spook Wilde, clearly Wilde is already running scared, if he had Lowe there with him, he could hide behind him and imagine he was a man rather than a mouse. Lowe being or not being at the game is totally irrelevant.

Something really odd about all this. (1) Why did the OS say Wotte is in charge for the Norwich game? (2) Why did Wilde make the statement (and not Lowe)? (3) Why does Sky now all of a sudden say its permanent? (4) Why has this happened just as a group of shareholders are holding a meeting at the De Vere (5) Why was Wotte not appointed Head Coach in the first place, after all he was lined up for the job originally but we got Burley instead, and his CV, unlike JP's is actually quite impressive, if he had been Head Coach we would not have been aboe to level the criticism of him being an amateur or out of his depth like we did with JP If I didn't know Lowe and Wilde better, I would perhaps ponder on whether Wilde has actually done this behind Lowe's back, and persuaded JP to stand down. Maybe thats just wishful thinking, hoping that Wilde and Lowe have had the fall out that we have been praying for all season so that Lowe can finally be ousted. Ah well I can dream I suppose. I reckon that someone else will be in place next week, and it wouldn't surprise me at all if it was Hoddle (and as long as he has Gorman to back him I would be happy with this). Could be an interesting few days.

We would be docked points (not necessarily 3) for not being able to fulfill a fixture. The players would not get paid and would be fined 2 weeks wages by SFC which could be used to pay the fine that would also be imposed. We could also be liable for paying any costs incurred for the opposition. Not too good an idea really...

Then don't go to any more games, perhaps its you and adrian that are putting the hex on the boysh

Agreed, Ali Dia clearly had more experience playing football than this guy has as a Director of Football, that was a bit of an insult to Ali (where is he now that his club needs him?). Do you really think that someone experienced as a DoF in any sort of professional football league around the world would not show up in extensive google searches. The google world is far reaching and deep, it is almost impossible to escape its clutches.

I would think it will be 1 or more, though with the current plonker in charge, 1 would probably be the best bet.

What WGS gave us was one of the fittest teams in the PL, and a team that was built around small units of 2 players that complemented each other and helped to make a cohesive whole. Since WGS left we have never had a team of fit players. WGS was average in the transfer market, but one has to remember that all his transfers had the hand of Lowe in them, so who knows what he would have done with a proper chairman working with him. Even though we know now that Niemi wasn't WGS's choice, who is to say that his choice (can't recall the name of the keeper from Croatia I think) wouldn't have turned out even better, after all Niemi's career never really fully recovered after his injury in the Cup Final. However, in my mind WGS is up there with the best, I would give my right arm to have him back now.

Little Bobby Stokes at Wembley in 76, still does it for me. Nothing will ever compare to that moment. In more recent times Kamara v Norwich meant so much on the day, but ultimately did not save us.

Why is it just lowe at fault? Its not, Wilde is as much to blame, for giving Lowe the opportunity to get back in, without Wilde's shareholding Lowe would not be in charge today

Please lets not forget Wilde as well. He is the architect of the problem, and has the means to bring an end to this issue. He is also less stubborn than old rosey cheeks and so should be a more worthwhile target of the protest. So Wilde out, Lowe out and Poortvliet out

Charlton will be doing it more quickly than us. Will they be the first team to be relegated while still receiving parachute payements from the Premier League?

Its bad enough going to watch them play, can you imagine having to watch them train as well

Getting rid of Lowe is vital to avoid administration, not to mention relegation. Lowe staying will ensure both happen as sure as eggs is eggs. The cost of changing personnel is peanuts compared to the cost of relegation/admin

You mean when we finished 6th and lost in the play-off semi-final on penalties. When we had a decent assistant manager who made our mamager look good temporarily. And of course we now have the man as Chairman of the Football Club who ousted Lowe the first time and caused many, if not all of the financial problems (i.e. the ones that Lowe did not cause).

So when the two teams below us have played their 2 and 3 games in hand respectively will his post still be mostly crap. is finishing 3rd in a league of 10 that includes Lewes really acceptable? The results of reserve matches only don't matter when we lose. Winning consistently breeds a winning mentality at whatever level. This was a strong reserve side agains a Division 3 reserve side, we should have won, but we didn't because the pitch was a bit bumpy.