The Rover

Looks like a spoof website to me - it's certainly no very professional looking as I'm sure The Farmer would agree. Can't even spell correspondence FFS. Perhaps Long Life Milk did the write-ups. This Lynam chap looks like a John Nada to me.

Just looking at Staplewood on Google maps. Do SLH own everything between Staplewood Lane and Twigg's Lane? You could get a lot of houses on there and it's right next to Marchwood, so presumably not too many planning problems. It can't be that difficult to find a suitable training ground for a Div 3 club. Maybe it's not Jacksons Farm that is interesting the hovering vultures?

Of course if Crouch had heeded your advice and "butted out" as you so nicely put it, the club wouldn't exist at all any more. It's thanks to his recent donations that the club has survived. No doubt you'll have a smart arse reply to that as well.

For the less bright amongst us, the above seems to link Quentin Murray Hubbard with Beck Hubbard and hence with the property developer in Guernsey. Maybe our man is not all that successful.

I've done a check of marriage records and found that Quinten M Hubbard married Rebecca (won't mention surname here) in South Warwickshire 2000. This fits in Quinten's wife being Becky the hockey lady.

:smt117

Yes - last season was disastrous & most of the older ones have since left, so this year is made up of younger players brought through the youth teams. We had a bit of a dodgy spell recently but are back on track and are aiming for a second place spot which isn't bad for a new and young team. The team have also made it through to the League Cup Final v Havant and Waterlooville on 17th May. TT's reports on Saints in the Colonies always makes good reading. http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/southamptonsaintslgfc/?

LOL Off topic but just back from Saints Ladies match in Milton Keynes, a double header won both, 3-2 and 6-0 & daughter got two. Thought it might be of interest as you were involved on arranging sponsorship for them a while back.

I'm sorry he didn't take you on as a client Steve but you mustn't let it warp your judgement.

Yes I feel much the same. It's devastating to think that the team has sunk to such depths. I'm really not looking forward to next season, especially with the idiots that run the league handicapping us before the first KO.

For the sake of accuracy this is what was said: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/southampton/8014811.stm Not at all clever and I imagine Mark Fry has told him so. On the other hand Leon seems to be single-handedly keeping the company afloat at present by paying electricity bills etc so let's not be too harsh on him. He also said elsewhere that the players have already been paid in full this month. The players' role in this really p1sses me off. They are the ones that underperformed on the pitch. They are also the people attached to the club with the most money. If they collectively paid back half of their monthly pay packet I'm sure the club would easily survive until a sale goes through. I've got no time for any of them that haven't helped the club in this way.

Yes - not the result we wanted but I tend to agree. Lowe tried to be too clever by half. Unfortunately Leon just shot us in the foot by suggesting that SLH was only set up to avoid us getting a points penalty (which I'm sure isn't true): http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/southampton/8014811.stm

It's a pity really because it's only a few days since GM was getting all touchy feely and saying that we're all in this together. I didn't think it would last somehow. I believe he said his company once went into Administration and now of course he's an expert. If he ever had a lobotomy I don't doubt he'd come out of surgery knowing more about it than a brain surgeon. He's just that kind of guy.

And I used to think you were harsh on The Trust!

Ignore The Saints (Fantasy) Trust would be a good start. This is part of their proposed business plan: 1. Southampton United? There's a lot of tradition in that name. 2. Majority of former shareholders invested as supporters rather than for financial gain. I don't think so. 3. Council buy stadium and lease it back to club at peppercorn rent. I can just see the local electorate going for that. It gets worse if you read the whole plan: http://www.saintstrust.co.uk/news.php?id=287 As well as running a club they feel the need as well as I would have though running a successful football club would have been enough of a plan to start with but hey no, we're going into politics too.

and this is The Saints Trust blueprint for the future: The Business Plan will contain the following key elements: 1. Electronic Transaction System The introduction of a swipe card season ticket system providing the means for season ticket holders to obtain refunds on matches not attended, with the same promotional discounts offered by the club on specific match days. This will also provide significant marketing benefits for the club to develop, in particular with association with supporting transport partners. 2. Supporters Social Club The conversion of the Mike Channon Suite into a social club for season ticket members open seven days a week throughout the year - as well as match days, in order to fully utilise the revenue earning potential stadium and to provide the social forum for regular supporters. 3. Corporate governance by the FA It will seek to reduce the monopoly power of the Football Association in regard to its failure to regulate the board room structures of professional football league clubs according to the guidelines of the Higgs Report on corporate governance, their power over the terms and conditions of players contracts and their power over the pricing and marketing strategies and tactics of individual clubs. 4. Players Contracts It will seek to change the status of the trade unions representing contract football players and managers to a trade association, and introduce as salaried terms and conditions of employment (not salary levels) for its players as other employees and introduce a business based employee representation structure in regard to negotiation and consultation procedures. 5. Environmental Impact In the interests of progressing the Stern Report’s call for long term corporate governance policies to reduce carbon emissions, it will seek to incorporate in its long term business plan to develop new mainland and possibly water borne links to the stadium in consultation with transport operators and local authority bodies. It will also negotiate special discount terms for season ticket holders with transport operators (including domestic airlines) to encourage motorists to use public transport. http://www.saintstrust.co.uk/news.php?id=287 Can't think why no-one takes them seriously.

Who is Cheese Amy apart from the bringer of strange dreams???

Sitting up all alone in the bedsit at 1 am again Somedunce? You seem to think you have a choice in the matter. Whoever comes up with the best deal becomes the lucky owner of a loss making company. I'd suggest that beggars can't be choosers.

I may be wrong here but aren't they funded by the FA? Do they actually need more money?

I would think there is almost bound to be a game of poker going on. Everyone knows you don't bid on eBay until the last possible minute. It's not that different. I can't help but think that Leon is in there somewhere too.

I did wonder.

Yup - well done Nigel Pearson. I hope you go on to bigger and better things. The last game last season will live in my memory for a long time to come. As others have said, letting him go is surely Lowe's crowning ****-up.

Photo of dried up source:

And of course you think Mr Fry should tell you everything regardless whether it breaks any confidences and jeopardises everything that he's working towards. Do you really not understand how business negotiations work? It really isn't a very grown up or helpful comment is it? As far as I can see, you just like to whinge for the sake of it.