Dave Benson Phillips

There's been 3 within a 15 mile radius in the last 2 years, a quick check of Google and I struggle to find another 3 across the country in the last 2 years. And yes, as for murders, we do seem to have more than our fair share in this area too.

Which considering he hasn't recieved a reply off ANYONE in the last 3 weeks, suggests he has spoken to all. And come on, are you honestly saying that he hasn't spoken to David Luker, who let's face it, is the first port of call.

Yep, you've confirmed yourself in the " I'm alright Jack " group, I suspected as much. As for speaking to management... why the fook wouldn't he want to speak to a manager??? When you complain do you do it to little Johhny Bloggs on the front desk?

It says quite clearly that he has been trying to contact the club by phone and email for 3 weeks and has recieved no response. And as for the images, it's pretty fakkin petty of the club to withdraw permission to both the ST and the Echo to use the images on their site/paper... just fakkin childish and petty... which is Cortese all over. What f*cking difference does it make if the Echo or other organisations use it? Seriously.

I am speculating and predicting there won't be an open and uncensored fans forum. Of course I will attempt to go if there is one, there won't be though, that's my prediction. Nothing more, nothing less. Feel free to quote this at the end of September if I am wrong.

And that is from me, someone who hates the Trust and doesn't agree with most of what Nick and the other uber-fans do. BUT he is still a Saints fan and I don't like to see any Saints fan hard done by.

Exactly. So what's actually happening is that, regardless of Cortese's childish little tantrum with them, they continue to be balanced and even take the time to provide positive stories with regards to the club, an example is the way they bigged up season ticket sales. I know out of Cortese and The Echo, which one comes out with their head high and credability in place... it's not Cortese, who acts nothing more than a spoilt child in pretty much everything he does. Revoking peoples season tickets just because they question him. Banning The Echo just because they publish a story already in the public domain. Refusing to answer questions on a number of subjects. Refusing to pay in advance for training ground improvements. There are lots more reasons why Cortese acts like a whinging little girl.

I will simply be happy when Cortese winds his neck in and thinking he can get away with taking Saints fans for granted ( although he is getting away with it with the majority at the moment ) I have no massive desire to see Cortese leave, infact for the first 6 months I thought he was a class act... it seems it has all got a bit much for him now and he has got ahead of himself and thinks he can get away with pretty much anything. If Cortese doesn't wind his neck in, then yes, I would prefer we had a different Chairman. I don't subscribe to the fact we NEED Cortese, I think the negatives outweigh the positives so far in his tenure, certainly in regards to the way he treats supporters.

Apparantly so. If we make Cortese upset he will run back to Switzerland crying and Liebherr will write off his investment in protest and follow him.

Ah, now we have the root of your problem. Allow me... Liebherr is a Billionaire businessman. SFC is not a toy to him, it's an investment, he is here to make money, make no mistake about that, you would be naive to think otherwise. If SFC was a toy then he would make sure that SFC is being run in a much more family/fan friendly way, no booking fees, removal of installment plans, pay and display parking etc. Pricing would not be the most expensive match prices in league etc etc etc... As a result of that, Liebherr is not going to walk away and p!ss money up the wall if Cortese goes, he will find someone else he trusts and continue his investment and get him to the Premiership, where he will milk the profits for a couple of years before selling it on. Even if he does sell earlier, he has to find someone to buy the club. Liebherr might be a billionaire, but that is irrelevent, we are pretty close to living within our means in my opinion, certainly if your take off the initial signings... we don't need a billionaire to do what Liebherr and Cortese are doing, although it's nice to have the security.

Since kicking off about the installment plan, various people have made me aware about their own personal experiences of Cortese, although many don't want to put their head above the parapit. Yes the Installment Plan or lack of it has massively p!ssed me off. Why? Because it put me in a situation of sort my kids birthdays out and fix the car or buy a season ticket, naturally the kids came first, so as a direct result of their action I am without a season ticket for the first time since I moved back to the area. If their reasons were true about high administrative costs then I would of course accept this, but the club have deliberately and blatantly lied to me and other fans. I know this because I have personally spokent to both companies who administrate the installment plan and have all the figures. People can say I am wrong, blah blah blah, the fact is I am the only one who has done the research and who has the figures to prove the club wrong, yet they ignored me for 17 days, and after relentless bugging of them, they sent me a letter basically just telling me to shut up. Then since then, there have been numerous stories on here of disregard for fans and taking supporters for granted, as well as cost rises all over the show, some people may accept this, but people would do well to remember we are still in League 1! People have also emailed me with stories and I am also in the loop with some of the goings on internally, although there is limited amounts I can say otherwise I have no doubt I will have a solicitors letter landing on my doorstep. All in all, I am positive for this season, although I think we might go up the hard way through the play-offs. But I am very worried and the clubs complete lack of respect for the supporters.

I know it's a business and always has been... but to maximise business you rely on keeping a feelgood factor and making sure the club is part of the community. If you try and exclude the community and the fans to the extent they don't feel part of the club, then their loyalty will weaken and they will find other ways to spend their money.

So have I. And I am sure Southampton FC will realise they need The Echo more than The Echo need them. The Echo only have to come online to find some news to print, they can buy pictures of freelancers and still interview players or re-hash others. What the Echo can do is sway the feeling of the majority of fans through their storys away from the uber-fan bubble of this forum.

LMFAO You are something else. You post " He's not been banned FFS!!! " Then tell someone else not to speculate! Funny. The FACT that we can discuss is that he has had his season ticket revoked. Agreed? So let's discuss that. However much I disagree with the Trust, I think it's wrong and another example of how Cortese sees the fans and takes them for granted.

Fans Forums before have been open, questions have not been pre-censored... people stick their hand in the air and ask a question. I can't see that happening this time. Will be amusing if it does though.

Exactly, that's the problem. Is the club now being run soley as a business with no consideration to its supporters? It certainly seems that way. Even when you take some of the gestures that the club have done ( no sponsor, 125 year kit, offering to steward extra allocation at Wembley ) etc, it is clear to see that the decisions where commercial and ones which the club would MAKE money on, as opposed to losing it. The long term will be that the football fans will walk away, some may might not come back. These fans will be replaced by Corporate clients, which is all very well when you are in the Premiership, but when you drop down again, that's when things start going wrong and the core fans you used to rely on have found something else to do on a Saturday afternoon.

He has been refused a season ticket. We know that, 100% FACT He may or may not have been banned completely, we don't know that.

Are they? Really? Can you give me some examples of negative press and anti-NC... I have just been looking through their archives and can't find much, and if you could find one slightly negative story, I could find a dozen positive ones.

You are a bit fick... I have replied to this several times. I had 15 peoples Season Tickets for Wembley. Bought 30 tickets. You are talking about the P*mpey FA Cup game, where we managed to get extra tickets. Hardly an issue, as everyone who wanted a ticket, got one. Of course round and round we go when you don't listen the first time, or second, or third. Time you went on ignore, your obsession Jamie is disturbing, seriously.

They are a newspaper. Seriously, how many newspapers around the land DON'T print speculation? I remember people slating the Echo for printing a story about Dickson almost a month before he signed... them same people didn't put their hands up when it turned out to be true. I reckon The Echo will take the gloves off if they are banned from SMS again this year, and you might start to see stories similar to the views I have posted on here. I am sure you all can't wait for that. :-) And as for the Echo being anti-Cortese, they are not, that's just what you decide to look at them as.

Exactly, not sure why he is commenting on this subject when he states he couldn't give a fook about anyone getting banned. About the most blatant post showing " I'm alright Jack " attitude on here.

The Echo print good AND bad news. The OS not only print good news, but present alot of it as propeganda. I know which one I think is more balanced.

Err.... I said I would LOVE it if they did, but I don't think they will. Of course I want them to communicate with fans, but don't think they will as there is far too many awkward questions that could be addressed to Cortese.

There you go.