derry

Wotte was a smart ass coach who thought that he and his system was the most important ingredient. He failed completely as a manager as he got nowhere near the best out of the players. He didn't do simple, which was to assess the players and play the formation that brought the best out of their combined abilities. The players didn't like or understand how to play the diamond and the lack of width blunted our sttack and left our defensive flanks wide open. The final verdict was relegation brought about by the combined arrogance of three people, Lowe, Portvliet and Wotte who knew better than the rest of football in this country. Good riddance to all of them.

I've stayed at the Royal Cambodian in Phnom Penh, English pub just down the road, Must see: the killing fields and tour of the interrogation centre, it will stay with you for the rest of your life. The market is extensive but loads of beggers. I didn't get to Ankor.

Mike Osman asked me who the financier was last Friday and we talked about it together with Paul one of his brothers on Saturday, Mike doesn't know who it is. I had been given a name but it hasn't been mentioned on this site, Weston has been told by someone who knows TL that that name is not the financier.

If Wotte is manager, season ticket sales will not take off, the results will be mixed because the football will be poor as the players don't like the system and gates will fall. The season will be wasted and Wotte will get fired by Christmas. I think the new owners would be mad to keep him on.

The football we have played in the last three years has been awful. It culminated in Wotte's awful diamond formation. The systems we employed last year played a major part in our relegation. This was down to the two coaches. Wotte is a smart ass coach that doesn't do "simple". What we need is a "manager" first and foremost that believes in keeping it simple. Play a wide 4-4-2 with a high tempo and we will do well. Wotte is not the man to do this.

What has led me to the conclusion of privacy is that Tony Lynham has said that the title is to be vested in him which is pretty unequivocal. I have no problem with somebody not wishing to be exposed to the circus that is the football media. It is possible that the owners name may be given to the authorities, but the money behind equity/hedge funds would not be available so it is possible to avoid publication. If the nominees, MLT, Lynham etc deliver the goods and take the club forward I really couldn't care less if I never knew who owned us provided they continue to support the club. It would be nice but hardly a necessity.

If you are worth £700m, you can use who you like to use your money and nobody would be any the wiser. I know all about the league's so called rules but if somebody of that wealth doesn't want to be known they will find a way. If an equity/hedge fund are suitable owners then hiding one's identity would be no problem.

I talk to Mike Osman on a regular basis. The last time I spoke to him, although he is aware of names being put up, says he hasn't a clue who it is, but just wants to see the club up and running like the rest of us. Whatever you think of him, I have found him and his brothers real people and proper Saints supporters. As for why the financier is staying in the background, I would think he is very aware of the all intrusive nature of the media and intends to stay out of it. I would be surprised if in fact he ever comes forward. It is my view at the moment that the club and assets will be owned by companies, the directors of which will be nominees. The holding company will be owned by another company and that will be registered offshore, such as the Cayman Ialands and the owner will quietly run it through Pinnacle as long as it works.

Did I miss anything?

The bloke made a valid remark. I expect most people feel the same way. This is by no means a done deal yet. The biggest test is going to be paying over an enormous amount of money and that has still to happen. There has to be doubts over any deal connected with the club until they are closed out.

Just like buying a property etc. In the end 21 days might not be enough for the lawyers especially with at least three properties and a number of trading companies. I'll just be happy to see it happen in the end. It certainly makes it easier by not coming on here so much.

Leon Crouch loaned the club a lot of money to keep it going. He is also because of it a major creditor. I wouldn't be at all surprised that the group would want him on the board and that maybe that would lead to him writing off his loans as a quid pro quo. There is no doubt that he is a real supporter of the Saints and I for one would welcome his involvement.

As I said, if an administrator tries to raise funds by selling players the league rules apply but if the administrator insisted all the money was transferred to them then the transfer wouldn't take place. The club is not in administration and is the only member of the league. SLH is being dissolved and will not exist by the time an appeal goes in. The club will be debt free after an injection of £14m and will have a good case. Time will tell, league committees are one thing, legality, the law and QCs are quite another.

Owing money, not being able to settle debts, being allowed to continue to trade by the creditors buying time to sell the club and then being paid is not administration. If the club had been in administration I suspect in law the administrator would have to receive any payments. The administration law would not allow third parties to deduct debts from money paid for the sale of a company asset. In effect the transfer could not have happened if we had been in administration.

The wages were paid, as long as the club becomes debt free without going into administration irrespective of the interpretation put on it by the league there is only the connection to a company that no longer exists. The league's rules apply to clubs in administraton. Pinnacle have taken legal advice, as have the administrators and the club, they are all still sticking to the probability of an appeal. It will be QC's that will consider the validity of the league's ruling. The VOLUNTARY liquidation of the public company, and the settlement of all it's debts without the club going into administration by a £14m injection of cash will give the league a problem.

We don't need a CVA. The debts of a company (SFC) NOT in administration are being settled. The public company will no longer exist.

The club is not in administration. Maybe Clapham Saint would like to clarify the law in relation to administration with money being paid to a third party to circumvent the law. I suspect the league would not be able to have done it if the club was in administration. I can still see the points deduction ditched. SLH is being delisted and dissolved. The assets are being transferred into a holding company, the creditors are being paid, the mortgage paid off, the club debt free, the league can hardly sustain the illegal interpretation of their rules.

So what happens with equity funds. Who gets named there? Either way he looks like he is taking a seat way back. If the plan holds together and he does as publicised, I don't care if his name never came out.

Wait and see, the title is being vested in Tony Lynham, he is being installed as the de facto owner of the title. Nothing ITK here, it's in his letter. The new owner is known to a few, but his wish for anonymity is not being abused. There are about a dozen on here who know the names of the originals and the one left.

The new owner may not wish to be named at all. His employees would run the club and be the public face. I think this is the most likely outcome.

Tim, if it means that much to you, you can get it restored to perfect, It isn't expensive in real terms, don't mess it up with glue. I have sent you a pm.

Quality doesn't have to be expensive, eg. Owen Coyle, Paul Tisdale, Nigel Atkins, proven and motivators.

Along with Chorley, in my experience, three ignorant, loud mouths.

Told Mark Dennis, he quoted it on the brothers/radio hampshire.

When it's all sorted the only figures I want to see are a very wide 4-4-2. If Portvliet and Wotte had used those numbers we would most likely have stayed up despite administration. Get a decent British manager in that isn't too much of a coach but a proper manager.