benjii

We were in the top 20 clubs in Europe in terms of revenue at one point.

It just doesn't stack up to me. I accept that there is a block vote that Lowe controls that, in reality gives him greater power than a 6% shareholder would have as a result of their own holding. However this can only be done by the continued consent of the other shareholders - I can't believe they would all have wanted to resist an Allen takeover. As to the point about about gaining total control - you only need 75% to effectively obtain total control. SLH PLC is a company with a fragmented shareholding. If PA had done any homework he would know that to sweep in and hoover up 100% of the shares in go would be improbable. If PA was put off by a bit of haggling over the price then: a) he can't have been that bothered in the first place; b) why hasn't he bought a different club in England; c) why didn't he go public and force people's hands? On the point of c) there is no way Lowe and the other cronies could have resisted the swell of public opinion if a hostile offer had been tabled. They would have looked like utter mentalists (even more than usual) and would have been clearly exposed as gravy-train season-ticket holders had this happened. Much more likely that some idiot was taken in by the short-sleeves and tie combo IMO.

The coaching staff clearly are in the firing line, or are your faculties too dimmed to notice? What on earth this has to do with hinting at the Lowe-inverse-class-snobbery argument is anyone's case. YAWN

....

Echo that.

This is arguably the saddest bit: "With its own stadium, training ground, the Academy, a healthy active fanbase and creditors apparently willing to strike resettlement deals, Southampton should have been an attractive investment, but Ranson led SISU to Coventry, saving them from financial meltdown instead."

Does this mean we should all retract our apologies to Alpine afterall?

Good man!

Oh, by the way, I'm no author but I think the plural of "consortium" is "consortia".

Well we signed one from Chelsea so I'm not too sure about that. We defintely did choose to sign a raft of utter ****e though.

Now that's an interesting shout! Does anyone know what Chris Nicholl up to nowadays?

I don't see how there can be any debate. He came. He saw. He failed miserably. Relegation and admin. Great job. If the financial position made this season's digusting wreck inevitable then it's hard to explain this little beauty from Lowe: "We are under no illusion that our progress can be taken for granted and there will, undoubtedly, be some “ups and downs.” Building the foundation was always going to be the hardest part but we have achieved this." Or this one: "Given time and further support from the various interested parties, we are confident that we can resolve the serious challenges that face our Company." But the coup de grace (apart from Musings of Iwelumo) must be this astonishing Corporate Statement: To strive in partnership with all the Club’s stakeholders, to establish and maintain Southampton Football Club as a financially robust business. A business whose principal asset is a stylish and entertaining football team that evokes loyalty, pride and passion on the part of its followers. To work towards A team that is genuinely capable of finishing amongst the top ten clubs within the FA Premier League and reaching the latter stages of the FA and League Cup competitions every season. So, utter failure on all counts then. Do you small band of weirdos get it now?

TBF Bournemnouth are a two-bit outfit of no-hopers. We are Premier League in all but league status. :^o

I don't get the thread title.

Forgot about Gillet - yes, I'd keep him too. Haven't seen enough of Gobern to be honest. I wouldn't advocate jettisoning the likes of him and Paterson, I just haven't seen enough to endorse them. As for Lallana, I'm just not sure. He seems to have trouble kicking the ball.

I don't know about Bournemouth. If they were then I presume they're just stringing Jackson along so he doesn't start gobbing-off on the tele again?!

The other bidders feel inferior as they haven't got Barry and Beckham lined up.

Ok - thanks for clarifying and sorry if the tone of my last post seemed confrontational. Don't forget that the administrators deal with serious corporate players all the time. They will soon see Jackson etc for the non-entities they are. That said, they have a duty to treat any enquiry as credible ab initio even if it is quickly shown to be otherwise. I'm sure it will settle down soon. Anyone put-off by a few shenanigans on matchday needs to look at the bigger picture.

Of the regular first teamers: KD James Holmes DMcG Of the nippers: Mills McLagon

Sorry, FF, what are you taling about? A "bunfight" in the boardroom? Before Lowe left or after? If before, then who gives a toss - he's history. If after, then the only people left in the boardroom are Dave Jones and the new chap - I doubt that's who you're refering to. I think you either need to elaborate or not post this kind of thing as it is largely unintelligible.

Nigel Pearson?

It certainly sounded as though he would jump at the chance if offered it.

on the radio earlier said that he has applied for the Saints Manager job several times over the past 10 years. Apparently he has all the relevant coaching qualifications etc... He also said if he and Merrington had been appointed at Christmas they would definitely have kept us up this year. Now, clearly the second pargraph is pure conjecture but the gist of his interview does reinforce the painfully obvious point that there were numerous cheap alternatives available to Lowe and that appointing a bizare nobody under the apparent instruction of a mysterious "Mr Fixit" was not the only option. Anyone who still thinks our league position has been dictated exclusively by the finances is just plain odd IMO.

On Radio Hampshire they said they had to edit his interview before it was suitable for broadcast. I think he's trying his best, it's just not good enough and people like Wotton and Saga let him down today.

If someone would like to explain how a holder of 6% of the share capital of a small, publically listed company can prevent one of the richest men in the world from getting hold of it then I am all ears.