Greenridge

Now that was funny Poor old Sundance / Flashman / Firefighter bless him(s)

Half term?

I don't always agree with your line of thinking but on this occasion I have to say that you have stated a very balanced view on the situation we face. I would however say that I think everyone (who is sane) understands the financial situation the club faces and are no longer under any illusion. It's interesting that the likes of yourself and CB Fry and others, who come across as staunch Lowe supporters, now seem to be seeing the situation in a different light. There are only a handful of posters now who seem to think Lowe is the way forward for the club and atleast two of them are trolls! Whether you are pro, anti or ambivalent towards Lowe there is one thing that seems for certain and that is we will always be a divided Club and fanbase. Can we go forwards with that? I sincerely doubt it. Your last sentence is the crux of the matter though. We saw false dawns from Wilde and Co and that didn't help us one bit. There has to be some kind of viable alternative put in place before Lowe goes......

CBF I'm not sure if you've been drowning your sorrows or whether it's tongue in cheek or you're just as fed up as the majority?

''....but perhaps we will look at the formation....'' Going to a basic 4-4-2 would at least give a more solid structure that the players understand and matches up to the opposition formation in most cases. It will also give much needed protection for the full backs and in particular young James who is having a torrid time.

Anyone know how to get tea off a keyboard!

An interesting thread to revisit in view of recent events....

If we are to believe what we are being told about the financial situation then relegation is surely the last thing we need. Alongside selling all remaining assets (including the team) and the points deduction we would suffer even further penalties through reduced crowds and income. Survival this season is almost more important to the club than relegation was from the premiership. Somehow we need to adopt a short term strategy to maintain our CCC status and that means keeping players that could make the difference between staying up and relegation. I'm sure even the banks would understand that policy as it gives their investment a better chance of remaining solvent.

Doesn't the emergency loan window shut at the end of October? If so I don't think it will be Lallana unless it's a firm committment to purchase him in January. I think he's our most saleable asset right now, he really has the potential to go a long way in this game but I somehow doubt it will be with SFC. Purely on a salary basis - which is clearly the club strategy right now - then you would imagine it's the likes of Skacel, Euell, Davis and BWP. Problem seems to be finding someone prepared to pay their wages to the level we did.

and with it almost certain administration (allegedly) and minus 15 points or more. That's marvellous, just marvellous. Great strategy.

Such a surprise to see you take this angle on things. No not really. It's not this decision in isolation that is further demoralising a fractured and punch-drunk fanbase but the collective decisions of the last few months. Yes, please do bang out the financial situation again but there are economies and false economies. If the net effect of these decisions is Div 1 then administration has to be a significant reality and that could spell the end of SFC as we know it. If we survive in the CCC then it will be proven to have been the right strategy, only time will tell but day by day the odds are being stacked against us.

Your posts suggest otherwise. I look forward to an appendum of your pearl of wisdom that was 'Are the Realists.....' Anyway, back to the thread...

and why are you continually and predictably anti-Crouch?

Quality post.

Very well put DD although I think it goes deeper than that in that I get the impression people are falling out of love with football in general. The greed, the money, the wages and lifestyle of very average players is at a level that many can no longer accept, especially in the current global economic climate. And remember most of this stems from that prat Graham Kelly who sold our beloved game down the swanny with the television rights deal. No longer does money stay within the domestic game that for so long was the saviour of lower league clubs. It's a sad state of affairs all round.

I've never felt so lucky. Lottery numbers for me tomorrow. It's yet another myopic false economy from the club. Save a few £k's at possibly the expense of CCC survival? I'm not referring to this one transfer alone but the collective decisions in recent months. Virtually every club outside of top echelons of the Premierhship are trading at a loss - some more than others. Last person out please switch off the lights as it seems a very distinct possibility that relegation would inevitably bring administration. The continuing demise of our belovd club is very sad indeed.

Another false economy of the joke that has become Southampton Football Club.

The stats would support the feeling that we're missing Morgan. Still his club colleague from Strasbourg is fit and training with the first team and he's quoted as saying... 'The manager has said he's curious to see what I can do for the team...' So am I but I'd like to think JP would know what he can offer?!

I couldn't agree more. It will be a combination of events, both on and off the field, that get the crowds returning en masse.

First we had that wise old owl SunnyD claiming the current problems beset by the club were due to the fans, now we have claims from the same camp that fans are stopping other fans going by being negative. You couldn't make it up. I don't believe for a minute that there is one single over-riding factor that is determining our low attendance levels, it is a combination of many aspects that have been widely discussed on the forum and are all influential. These same points affect virtually every club in the land with the exception of the fractured fan base due to the boardroom shenanigans. Seems most people believe this accounting for around 3,000 upwards of 'missing' supporters. If these were to return we'd be at a level more in-line with our current status of CCC incumbence.

I think it's probably an archive photo but admittedly not the best one to chose in the circumstances.

I added it to the end of the thread and your post happened to be the last and most relevant of the slanging but it was aimed at the 'thread' and not a single individual. Not sure what the 'mates' reference is but I won't be drawn into this deteriorating thread further. Enjoy.

Thanks for the update Navyred - always appreciated. I was a little concerned when you referred to 'MW' jumping off his seat as I thought our Football Chairman was cutting further costs by running the reserves but then I twigged! How did the lad Smith from Leicester do? You didn't seem to mention him so I'm guessing he was quiet? And lastly, your point regarding the senior pro's is one that most of us can't seem to understand. They may well be off but you would think keeping them match fit and at the same time adding a balance of experience to the younger lads would be in the Clubs interest but it doesn't seem that way. Good win though and let's hope for continued development of the guys you've mentioned as they're more than likely to get their chance in the New Year.

Petty arguing makes the forum such a draw :smt084. Try PM or get a room.

Indeed it is and when the results return in a consistant manner then so will many of the missing supporters. You cannot force people to part with their money if they don't feel they are getting value for their pound and name-calling won't make any difference either other than to alienate them further. SFC is not unique in that the numbers have dwindled as the team dropped out of the premiership and performances have deteriorated. It's a fact of life, like it or not. Where SFC is unique is the hugely fractured fanbase due to the governing personel however I would be very surprised if more than 3, perhaps 4,000 are boycotting due to Lowe's incumbence.