thefuriousb

Thanks to St Marco, Um Pahars & Chapel End Charlie for killing a thread which yesterday boarders greatly appreciated - many of whom seemed to take great heart and encouragement from it when politics seem to always engulf and suffocate our club. It would be nice if you could for once say something positive and leave it at that rather than then let your urge to always decry the club consume you.

Agreed. So what are you all waiting for?? :-)

I was in attendance too. Ladysaint's summary gives a real good tatse of the evening. Both Jan and Mark came across very well. Mark even nailed one question about whether we should play 4-4-2 at home, esp as its what the kids are brought up on, as advocated by Case, Armstrong & Dennis on the radio. He defended their desire to play (a variant) of 4-3-3, and asked Lloyd to confirm exactly how they have been brought up to play (answer: 4-3-3!!). Also asked what formation did we play last year, and how did we play? The guffaws and "****ing awful" responses were answer enough! :-) One thing to add on Jack Cork is that Chelsea do not see him having a future there. Also got the impression that Jack is loving it here.... so fingers crossed. Jan also commented on the Reading game, saying that he was almost moved to tears not just with the performance, but also with the response of the 4000 that travelled up. I spoke to Jan after. He said that any "over-play", one pass too many is not something he has expressly told them to do. Its just that the lads are enjoying playing. Its just their enthusiasm. He said that opposition managers were genuinely encouraging and full of praise for our play. He spoke particularly about McCarthy, Coleman & Martinez. I briefly mentioned Morgan as he spoke of Llalan & Drew, and he agreed that the kid sure could pass a football. I got the feeling he rates him very very highly. Briefly spoke to Dean Gorre too...Asked him if there was a chance we could get his son on loan from Man U but he was not sure Fergie was prepared to take him out from under wraps just yet. He would try though as he felt the experience would benefit his development :-) In summary, I hope people get up off the sofa and get themselves back down to SMS and support the team. Jan and the guys don't need the politics. They just want to play and do us proud. Thats what all those there and all saints fans want. The spirit of Southampton, IMO, is living on in the team at present, its among us fans where we need it to rise up again. I think a "COYR" is called for!!

If you read many a comment on the echo site or on here, those that no longer attend preface what they are about to say by stating.."I'm a loyal supporter and /or I bleed red and white" It was a genuine question to those that are not attending, but with a little joshing thrown in

Yet you find your own constitute a sensible rational post?

I guess it is very difficult to "see anything from JP and the boys" if you haven't seen us play. I can say I have been thoroughly entertained with the way we have tried to play "football", even the defeats on sky to QPR and Cov. May be I am just more of a perpetual optimist than even many of my close friends would believe?

...but currently are not attending home matches: If the club said that it would not sell any of the "crown jewells" (Surman, Lallana, Morgan) if they were able to offload the high earners from the wage bill (Stern, Rasiak, Saga, Euell, Rudi & Dyer, would you return to the club and support the current crop of youngsters (who for me personally have rekindled my optimism after last season's disappointments)? This season is the most important in the club's history IMO. We, as supporters, can play our part in ensuring we survive/stay up etc I am aware that the question I raise is hypothetical and by no means is it entirely plausible that the board could make such a commitment if the banks are pulling the strings. However, it would show that the club is what matters in all of this - thats from both sides (the board and the fans).

The problem I have here is that you have bemoaning our reliance on them all season - now there is the threat of their sale this upsets/angers you too? Those of us that have encouraged them from the start should be the ones with more "right" to feel aggrieved" Otherwise, I share the concern

Having just stated the need to keep Lallana...... £5m?!?!?! That is in the "too tempting to turn down/silly money" territory. May even be able to do a loan until the end of the season deal? This scenario is a bit of a dilemma - heart or the head?

It must be a very very cold day as I have to agree with you for once. Though that is probably explained more by the fact that you didn't let your feelings over Lowe totally take over. It is more important that we lose Rudi, Saga, Rasiak & Stern - too a lesser degree Euell as I would hope we could keep him. Have to do all we can to keep Drew, Lallana and Schneiderlein until the end of the season. Must keep Kelvin too!!

"many" - yes. "always" - no. There were about 2500 tickets that were available for each home game after STs and away allocation was deducted. I got tickets to all the games I wanted to before becoming a ST holder. Not once did I not get a ticket because it was a sell out

Yes - that is correct. The hardcore is about 15000, possibly less. Depending on results you will get roughly another 8000 to come more regularly, with a few more on the back of promotion. The latter will be those that took advantage of the increased capacity at SMS when it opened. As these are not attending when life is tough, then I believe I am right to exclude them from the "hardcore". So not including the "fairweather" supporters rather supports my contention, not undermine it. I re-iterate, attendances at the Dell were broadly the same, and you could get a ticket for any game you wanted. I did.

Okay Horatio. I did not make accuse LC solely of mis-management, i merely pointed out that all 3 were implicit in the financial mess. It should not have taken the very real threat of administration for the decisions to live within our means to finally be made. I don't care who made them. I care they were not made sooner. That is negligent IMO

I hope you are right should Lowe & Wilde be ousted. I have really enjoyed the brand of football we have (tried to) play this season. I think there has been much to be heartened and encouraged about so far this season. No more of the over paid, under achievements of last year please

Attendances are broadly in line with those at the Dell, and we are now in our 4th season in the CCC. The Dell was never sold out for every game played in the league (premiership at that) or cup. When I was not a season ticket holder, I never had a problem getting a ticket for a game. Our "hard core fan base" is and always has been approx 15000 The falling number of customers is attributable more to those that came to SMS to see premiership football and/or coupled to, a drop in disposable income.

We were headed into administration under his stewardship too. Our expenditure over income has been running at approx £1.5m for much of the last 18 months, if not longer. Perhaps he should have shown a little more concern a year ago and address the haemorrhaging then, not let the club continue to slip into a coma. Reducing our costs so that we operate within our income stream is what we should be aiming to do. I'm not saying Lowe and Wilde are the answer, but they are also not the sole reason for our current plight.

You may not know this, however it is now "this" season. We are also playing attractive, refreshing football, a style that should be applauded and supported (for want of a less pertinant turn of phrase). You may be more than pleasantly surprised this Saturday.

Then you won't be pleased to read that goiing into administration will only serve to strengthen Lowe & Wilde's hold on the club. Going into administration will also seal the fate of players like Stern, Rusi, Euell, Thomas, surman, Lallana and Davis. We have already seen that many are refusing to go. Will more come back given the above results of administration?

Oh god, no. Then I won't be the only person that is always right. I'm quite happy being more "supa dupa". I'm also happy I renewed early bird as I'm enjoying the refreshing attitude of many of the young players we are now having to rely on. It beats being frustrated at the end of 90 minutes with the performances of a great number of the so-called experienced, quality players we fielded throughout the far more successful campaign last season. It is going to be hard, but I am convinced that if we stay in the CCC this season, then next year we can go from strength to strength, and we won't be so concerned about having to make cuts, cuts and more cuts. I would hope more can see the promise and potential and get behind the team. More of them seem to care, so why is it fewer of us do, esp as many bleed "red and white"?

We were hardly world-beaters for much of the preceding 20 years, but I didn't see many fnas stay away when we were playing Man U, Aresnal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs, Everton, Villa, Newcastle every year. Also, if the "fans" only return off the back of success, then I am sure the players will be very grateful of the support and they won't question at all where it was when it was more accutely needed. All these years I have been having a go at plastic mancs, and all along it seems we have just as many.

I thought the crowds were staying away because of Lowe, not McGoldrick? If it was only about scoring goals then why not sign Torres? We can offer Liverpool payment off the back of 100,000 home attendances that would suddenly ensue.

Part of me wishes you had not started this thread, but seeing as I and NickH have had our faith rewarded and opinions vindicated, I'd like to make it known that I was right on KD as well :-)

So why is your right to comment valid, where Jan's are not? And I'd also point out that all the "...." also make you look.....silly

I am waiting......