dune

Did you report it? It would not surprise me.

Just bought the sun at had to laugh at photo of "Clotese".

I wonder if they'll go to Nick Illingsworth for his views on it as he is someone the journos approach and I wonder if he'll mention about his season ticket. I can just envisage how a story could be made out of that. Of course it'd be a non story under usual circumstances, but the press are now on a mission so they'll be looking for any mud to sling at SFC that paints the picture of Cortese that they want to paint.

The most idiotic part of NC's decision is that he has been shown up to all Saints fans. Yes there have been discussions about Cortese's past mistakes on here, but by and large they have escaped the radar of the bulk of the fanbase. By taking on fleet street he has unleashed a demon and although we are not a club anyone outside of Southampton is interested in expect a steady and sustained drip of negative publicity on a regular basis. Journo's thrive on things like this and they'll enjoy the challenge of rattling Cortese into making another gaffe. It's like a fox hunt, it's not about the killing - it's about the chase.

Is that for real? if so lol and where did you see it?

As far as i'm aware SFC have granted this website a dataco licence from the time of Mike Wilde. It'd be foolish of NC to take this licence back at some point but I wouldn't be surprised if he did.

Steve will you be banning fans from posting youtube clips from home games to cover your arse?

Cortese won't like that. It'll be interesting to see whether Cortese makes another error of judgement and makes an issue out of it and extends the ban to club photographers in future. This story is going to run and run until Cortese backs down.

Does he?

This looks like it could have been taken from the stand where the Plymouth fans were sitting. http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/sport/SUMMERS-TIMES-RIGHT-ARGYLE/article-2503868- If it was I expect the stewards are going to be told to step up their searches in future.

Celtic are still a massive club with a massive fanbase. The press wouldn't be bullied by them so they certainly won't be bullied by a little club like us.

Just a fleeting mention in express and the mail too.

Celtic did it and the press printed blank photos and they are a massive British club.

OK when were they unbanned?

And don't forget that all journalists mix in the same bars and rivalry between the papers is just a front. They'll stick together when it comes to SFC and Cortese and I predict we will see a sustained campaign of negative press. Cortese won't win this battle.

It would be worrying if any chairman of any organisation didn't listen to advice. I wouldn't know if NC is like this or not and would hope that his gaffes are because he doesn't have the people there to offer the advice.

Naturally any ex baord members with Socialist leanings would be unsuitable.

I'm pleased we are in agreement on the point that NC Cortese does need assistance and he does need to listen to other people that know better than him.

The company he wanted to market the Official photos have pulled out of the deal because it would lead to them being ostracised by fleet street and it's looking certain that the press are going to stick together and not buy any photos - how is this going to help the club become self sustaining especially given the fact that the press pack are now enemies of SFC? It's a just another example of Cortese's poor judegement.

Precisely. 99% of posters on here would surely recognise that confronting the british press is not a good idea and yet NC has now banned the Echo and more foolishly taken on fleet street. I don't think he really understands how things work in this country.

I don't know enough about the many ex board members to say who could offer something and who should be left in retirement, but itd be foolish to say that all the ex board members could offer nothing to the club today. I just feel that there must be some wise heads with good links locally and nationally that could come in and repair some of the mess Nicola has created.

Maybe NC would do ok at AC Milan because they are a big club with a big think tank behind the scenes. If kept on a short leash i'm sure NC could offer them a lot, but at SFC he is all powerful and frankly he seems to be struggling on his own.

I don't have a problem with evolution and change, but in a business such as football if you're going to "break the mould" you have to do it in such a way that you take others along with you. NC is untouchable in many fans eyes, but slowly but surely he is losing support. NC is confronting the press and now they are the clubs enemies he is going to find that every change he makes or suggests is scrutinised by them.

Not Rupert Lowe or Call me Mike or Crouch, but there must've been some old heads with some wisdom to impart.

We are in a worse position than we were 4 months ago, but this thread is primarily about NC's PR gaffes.