derry

It's a contribution to saving the club. It probably won't be needed, however in my opinion a football club should invest every penny that comes in, in the team. Anybody that puts money into a football club and wants a secure investment with a return should consider investing somewhere else. The only way to make a small fortune out of a football club apart from being a player/manager is start with a big fortune.

It was the end of the road for Lallana when he was hyped up by Pearce and went with the England U21's. He plays like a little boy lost, good touches, lacks pace, round and round, no end product, no awareness, gets sucked into the middle, no idea about going wide, never drifts outside the last defender to attack the back post, scuffs his shots and his corners are poor. He really needs to go back to basics in the reserves, rebuild his confidence and stop trying to play off the cuff,

That was the first team I looked at but Surman had a mare yesterday, and as it's attack no matter what, I thought bugger it let Schneiderlin hold and everybody else get into the box and get to the byeline.

What I want and what we could afford are a different kettle of fish. Roy keane would sort out a lot of our problems but wouldn't do it without money. If it was a no money job I'd give Nick Holmes a go.

Wotte didn't do too badly until yesterday maybe he's just been lucky to get the three wins on the bounce, precious little since. The team he picked was predictably awful and unbalanced. He should have made two substitutions and changed it after 20 mins and taken Thompson and Lallana off. Again at half time possibly three changes. He didn't do a damn thing, Smith came on at 64mins, BWP at 73mins and Liptak for Thompson at 80mins FFS. At 3-1 down Wotton was still playing as a holding midfielder FFS. It was probably the most incompetent managerial performance from any manager I've seen in 55 years.

A proper 4-4-2, leave the bloody diamond, immobile statue holding midfielder and play some football, Every player playing in his correct position, yes I do know James is a midfielder but he's all we've got at right back. --------------------------Davis -----------James ---Saeijs------Perry---Skacel -----------BWP--Schneiderlin--McGoldrick--Holmes --------------------Saganowski--Euell Subs: Forecast, Surman, Liptak, Smith, Paterson, Yes I know McGoldrick in midfield, Well it hasn't worked with the others has it. Desperate times, desperate remedies. High Tempo go for the win and bugger the consequences because we stand to lose this one anyway.

Phil, I thought there might have been people in arab dress/or middle east people in suits in the directors box today. Would have thought this situation especially the assets at a knockdown price would appeal. Or have I got that wrong. Your our man in the UAE, what's your reading of that situation.

Phil, just maybe they did have the viability together with their own interests at heart. I can't believe that people like Crouch, Salz etc weren't talking to Barclays executives. I also can't believe that Barclays had not reached the same conclusion that virtually everybody else had, unless Lowe was parted from his shares and the company nothing could realistically move forward. Once the bank, lawyers, administrators, potential bidders had identified the 10 point loophole, it was a window to take and try and avoid relegation. Although the management/team are doing their best to bugger up that theory.

He was in the reception at 2.30

Hi Bill, I suppose you are still freezing your nuts off. This was the most incompetent display of team(loose interpretation) management I've ever seen. The team picked was totally unbalanced and the worst of it was most of the players obviously weren't buying into it. There were three areas that caused us awful problems. The right side of Thompson ( the poor kid didn't know where he was playing and was just hanging in there), together with another totally unproductive little boy lost performance in front of him by Lallana in the narrow diamond allowed us to be murdered down that side. Because of that the two centre backs were pulled all over the place. The second area was Wotton playing like a statue in front of the back four with Charlton passing the ball around him and getting at the central defenders. Even when we went 3-1 down he was still playing there. The third area was the two strikers often 50 yds apart, FFS strikers have to play off each other and pretty close at that. We went 1-0 down and were hanging on, after 20 mins Wotte needed to change it. Thompson off, Schneiderlin CM, Lallana off, BWP RM, Wotton to RB and just defend. Keep one sub back just in case. He didn't do it, then at half time he should have done that, changed to 4-4-2, brought Smith on WR and played BWP WL with Surman and Schneiderlin in CM, he did bugger all until the last 20 mins 3 - 1 down and chasing the game with Wotton still holding FFS, the man is an incompetent clown. Our players just aren't playing, no runs, no decoys, no running into space, no width, no getting to the byeline, free kicks devoid of any variation, hopeful corners, shooting abysmal, no real support play, for god's sake what the hell have they been doing all these years of alleged training and coaching. The teamplay bears no resemblance to the way we learnt, and I'm pretty sure maybe only one or two might have got in our sides. What a bloody indictment. It seems only the top teams play like that now and everybody else plays total crap.

Well, that really must have taken you by surprise. IMHO of course:)

I wish I was. The team needs the same treatment as that poor bloody horse I backed today. Anyway it sounds as though there was a decent meeting today and the next few days should tell. I had a chat with a senior manager today and filled him in on what we are trying to do, he was with the people concerned and like everyone else of course is hoping for the best. After all it's his job on the line. Whilst I am devastated by the abysmal performance I am hoping things will be resolved pretty quickly. I did see one of the principal players Anthony Salz in the reception so I have a pretty good idea what is happening. Apart from the incompetent team selection and the unbelievable failure to change things around after 20 mins then again at half time,the team looked like they were walking to the gallows. Nothing can happen quickly, I am waiting for a response from a lawyer who has offered to help regarding setting up a trust or community company. The administrator wants us to be a fallback in the event of there being no suitable buyer. I have a lot of helpers but as yet not a lot we can do. It makes sense to combine with the Save our Saints provided they have a cast iron trust or means of absolutely protecting any money paid in with no access until used or returned. I think Leon Crouch's initiative is great for the here and now and can be paid to the club but we can't do that. Every penny has to be protected, it is not our money.

It's not an investment, there is no return and it is much too early to talk of discount benefits etc.

I do a lot of puzzles, and you've confirmed my suspicions. I must say I hope it succeeds, it would be really the best outcome possible. IMHO of course;).

I understand where you are coming from but in the end maybe it was Barclays getting rid of the impediment. I can't think that they haven't had some sort of contact with at least one of the bids and had a pretty shrewd idea where this may end up. If and it's an iffy if, the league don't have legal grounds for a points deduction and again a big if the team pulls it's collective finger out, this could turn out to be the start of a new era.

Thanks for that, I am just about to talk to a lawyer and will get him to look at that as well as a trust.

I know how you feel, I hope we don't need them but in the event we have to be able to collect the money and they are the only way.

Janet, Ron has given me your contact details and any help will be gratefully accepted. I will be in direct touch as soon as I see where we are going.

Ron I don't think you have a confliction problem. For one thing you don't divulge confidential information and more importantly what we are doing isn't competing with any bid and unless others see it differently, is purely a fall back position to try and save the club or as others have said to me and I agree, a way of assisting a worthwhile and credible bidder and there is, in the event of a possible shortfall. I would be interested in feedback regarding my last remark because it does move the goalposts somewhat and would need careful thought. I am hopeful that a credible offer that needs no help will be agreed and we can then stand down. I have heard back from Paris Smith and Randall who have put me in touch with someone else who I haven't managed to talk to yet and therefore don't quite know where it will take us.

The reason I favoured Barclays was simple. They would see the money coming into a trust account and realise that there were assets available and imminent and be less likely to pull the plug on the club accounts.

I've been made aware of two substantial bidders of which I hope at least one is acceptable. Independently in todays echo. 19 contacts 2 serious.

The infrastructure and legal framework has to be in place or there is nowhere to collect the money if needed. Leaping in and firing all the publicity up whilst having no infrastructure in place is asking for chaos and the collapse of any momentum, when people ask where and how do I pay the money and have no means to pay cheque/transfer/credit/debit. More importantly who has access and how secure is the account. In any event we need to know whether there are credible and viable bids for the club. The Administrator has agreed to keep me updated.

There is no point in having multiple organisations. There is only one aim, save the club from extinction. To that end all initiatives should be drawn together into one appeal/trust/effort. The way forward is working together or really facing multiple failures. But any initiative has to have a sound basis and be trusted by those who pledge.

The simple fact is that we have better than £1/2m already pledged, Myself, Weston and Duncan Holley are meeting tomorrow, there are already confidential contacts with other interested parties, as long as this doesn't turn into a buggers muddle, it has the approval of the administrator who wants us to continue and provided we don't end up with a load of half baked initiatives, it could back things up in the event of no bid or an underfunded credible bid. Either way I don't want to see the club collapse, and see the ideal solution a credible accepted bid.

To tell the truth , that's how I feel but doing nothing isn't an option I can live with.