St. Jason

I don't agree that it was Redknapp's ego mate, its not the done thing is it? A manager lives and dies on his results, he appoints his coaches, he set's out training, he sorts the formation, tactics and he does the team talk, it doesn't work the other way round when your chairman starts appointing your staff. Look at Nott's county, Svenn comes in, macparland leaves, can you see Paul Hart lasting the season now Grant's there?? I'm not a Redkrapp fan, but I couldn't see any top flight experienced manager accepting boardroom meddling. I think it also show's what sort of bloke SCW is by the fact he's now in athletics, hardly had the determination to succeed in football, one knock back and he's off!!!!!!!!!

Exactly correct mate, isn't it lovely to have a united fan base, everyone seems to be focused on the football, no in fighting, no songs about anything or anyone else except for SFC. We'll still get different opinions ref managers, team selection, formations etc. but that's football isn't it? I thought Mellis had a great game against Gillingham yet the Echo marked him down............opinions!!!!!! 4 in row this afternoon............1-3 for the Super Saints...............fingers crossed!

I'm not for one minute suggesting there was any malice in Lowe's running of the club, Lowe's ultimate failure was his arrogance, he was right, all way's right, it didn't matter how wrong he was, he was right. As for SCW, why hasn't another club taken him on if he's got so much to offer? Also after 6 years of owning and managing Gasforth Town, they are not as predicted by Simon Clifford yet in the Premiership! Regardless of what anyone may think of SCW appointment for me it was the timing of said appointments. At a time when Lowe was slashing all the players wages due to the fact we'd been relegated he spends countless £m's and this vision, he should of been spending what money we had on a promotion push, that first year was our best chance of a return. If we'd managed that return then yes, by all means try new things, spend a bit of the sky fortune on a eye gym but not when relegated!

As I've already stated on an earlier post, yes Lowe should be accredited praise for overseeing St. Mary's. He was the man at the top, he sold The Dell, he negotiated the financing and also over saw the move from The Dell to SMS, credit where credit's due, also criticism where that is due. So on balance, I feel there are many more negatives than positives associated with Mr. Lowe's tenure ship, many more!

Lowe's greed my friend, the deal was signed and sealed until Lowe the changed the business plan. Eastliegh had agreed the stadium as long as there was no retail or leisure which would encroach on Eastliegh Town's fragile economy, then Lowe wanted a cinema and retail outlets, the whole plan changed! But as you say, lets move on, lets enjoy the football, enjoy the silence from the boardroom, enjoy that Saturdays are no longer centred on politics and SFC are now our only focus! Also, yes, I am more than happy with SMS, I love the ground and I love that it is still in Southampton City, but as I've said before, I believe that SMS is because of SCC not because of Lowe. So by a strange quirk of fate because of Lowe's greed we lost Stoneham and gained SMS, which I'm happy with!

Fair comments there mate, I too have some of my best memories of SFC under Lowe's tenure but, as you regularly say you need to be balanced in your view. So in balance I loved the FA cup run, loved Bucharest and love St. Mary's but, I hated the manager revolving door, the stupid experiment with SCW & Clifford when we could least afford it, hated constantly being dismissed as a customer (what other plc chairman would call his loyal customers 'the lunatic fringe'. So in balance I am not a Lowe fan, I do however agree with you that's the past and for once in a long long time i'm positive about our club. I'm enjoying the football, excited about the next home game, there is light at the end of the tunnel! The future is bright, the future is red & white ;-)

SOG you are right of course you are right, Lowe was Chairman he should be, to an extent accredited for SMS, but you should also take into consideration why we were moving to SMS and not Stoneham anyway, and also credit Southampton City Council for their massive part played!

No mate, we had a ground ready to go only to loose it because of Lowes greed! Southampton City Council stepped in, without them we'd still be at the Dell, we are where we are because of SCC in spite of Lowe!

Not picking on you or knocking your opinion as all are valid, but what good ideas and what undoubted business skills exactly?? Sir Clive? Eye gym? Wigley? Gray? Saint FM? Saint insurance? Stoneham? Etc. Also if it wasn't for Southampton City Council we'd still be at The Dell!!!!!

I agree Wilde failed but I still feel that Lowe was/is by far worse for SFC than Wilde. I think that the biggest failure of Wilde was believing the promises of investment that people made. There's no way he'd of invested £2m of his own money without a promise of investment from others should he oust Lowe. IMO these people are the real ones that let Wilde and ultimately SFC down, saying that with the business success that Wilde had he was a fool to simply take peoples word of investment while spending what we ultimately didn't have!!

Again some how we still blame the fans for Hoddle not coming back! Hoddle himself has publicly stated that he would of come back if he'd "had 100% support from the board" he knew, we knew that after a few wins fans anger would of subsided!! Also why exactly do you feel it would of been oh so different had Hoddle come back, after all he didn't set the world on fire @ Spurs of Wolves did he?? No relegation clauses???? Are you sure mate!!!!!

Just a quickie Mr. Hopkins. you ask the question "do we really need to have this pointless and boring debate again?" yet you post on the debate. Its a FORUM, you see a thread, it interests you so you read it then post your opinion, if it doesn't interest you, you don't read and you don't post, pretty easy concept really mate!!!!!!!!!!!!! PS. Lowe would come top of the list in my opinion, under his stewardship he lost Stoneham through greed, we were relegated twice, went into admin, which ironically was probably the best thing he ever did for the club as going into admin meant we finally and totally saw the end of lowe!!!! AIMO obviously!

We spoke about this last night on the drive home and............we all agreed that we are in a better positions now than we've been for a long time. That might sound a strange thing to say but now we're here we are solid, no more Lowe, SCW, no Crouch (thought he did well for us when in need) we have a good manager, a good progressive team, no debt a solid owner and chairman. They are going to make mistakes (no matchday tickets in the Itchen) but hopefully they will listen to their customers and learn and we can all move forward together, united!! The Future is Red & White!!!

I agree with what your saying, we've all been here a million times, a great away win followed by an extremely disappointing home defeat, but I feel that bit quoted above is the important part of your thread. There is an awfully long way to go and as such lets get optimistic for a change. I love hearing players, fans and managers saying 'we're on the brink - lets keep this run going - lets get to Wembley - the play off's are still possible' yes we could fall flat on our faces but i'd much rather that as opposed to the usual low expectations we've had! the future is bright, the future is red and white!

No dell days, yet again you miss the point, the whole point, again! It's about after purchasing 2 season tickets I am told after 4 games into the season that my friends, family, guests and colleagues are no longer permitted to buy tickets to sit next/near me and enjoy a beer at half time together, that's all, nothing more, nothing less, that's the thread, bit I'm sure you'll ignore all that and go back to your own agenda!!!!

Then I would personally welcome only season tickets in The Northam as the Northam has by far the worst supporters for satnding during the game. In real terms you have about 20 blokes standing in the Itchen, the back 3 rows where as sometimes the whole Northam is standing. Lets be fair and honest ay, if it's simply to stop standing then start at the heart! Note, do we really want to stop standing anyway?? I went to Southend last night, no stewards on the turnstile as the ticket was scanned, got to the entrance of the stand and was greeted by a steward saying 'just find a seat anywhere mate' we promptly moved 3/4's up the 'stand' and stood FOR THE WHOLE GAME, never once being asked to sit and guess what??? No one was injured and there was no riot! We are after all all adults and as a 38 year old man I've been standing up for 37 years without hurting myself once (we there was that one time after my mates stag night when I tripped in my ape outfit) I can stand, sit, walk and run all by myself, I can even rub my head and belly at the same time ;-)

Just have faith............after going to last nights game we left the ground commenting that this team can only get stronger. Not entirely sure but it looked like we played 4-5-1 with Llanna in the whole, no room for Saga, Connolly, Holmes or Mills, think we'll play 4-4-2 at home with Connolly playing of Lambert. Can really see light at the end of the tunnel, finally. Like I've said time and again to the doubters, wait, give Pardew time and he will deliver! Don't get me wrong I know one swallow doesn't make a summer, but on the flip side one wobble doesn't make an jelly. The future is bright, the future is red & white :-)

Give him a chance mate, he was out for a season with cruciate just when he was on the verge of the first team back in the championship. Don't forget mate, we are now league 1, teams want to loan in players that are going to make them better, not many CCC teams look down, would rather look for Premiership players not getting a game. I'm sure he'll make it for Saints and that Pardew is just sending him out to get first team action and to build up confidence, BSS is probably a better place to that rather than our reserves, oaimo

Don't really see why it'd be an issue mate really, by the time all the away fans are loaded on the coaches, the driver checks and counts that everyone that came are back on the majority of home fans are nicely tucked up in a nice warm pub. The coaches then simply leave the Ind Est, turn left then left again at the roundabout past the stadium and up Britannia Road, simple, all gone, no flashpoint as fans merge by the steps in Britannia road, no need to close the north car park, everyone's happy ;-)

Not getting personal, I just don't get your post :- "You go to the ground because the club allow you. You do not have an inherent right To lose in the first place" Tour making post after post yet not answering anyone's question. Is it right for the club to sell me 2no. season tickets then 4 games into the season be told that I can no longer have the same access to purchasing tickets for friends as the rest of ground?? Thats my only gripe, is that right??

Are you even a Saints fan DD?? I get your argumentative, I get your lonely and old and the only conversation you have is on here, but I don't get your post!!!! I realise your trying to be clever, but ffs mooosh, be clever, answer my point, answer anyone's point!!

Mooosh, if you actually care to read what people are saying you'd get it. No one is saying don't move them we are saying don't move us! More to the point what I am saying is don't sell me a season ticket then take away my right to purchase additional tickets 4 games into the season!

Excellent shout mate, I've said exactly the same in an earlier post, it would be ideal in my opinion. I think the Northam fans would stay where they are as bonds, routines and friends have all been made. You could then probably have a good reason to re-close the Kingsland corner pushing those fans into the Northam thus creating a genuine 'Kop' home end. Family stand and Itchen South can be moved into the Chaple making both ends behind the goals full! Note, you are right about Britannia road, its a flash point every week, moving the away fans to the Kingsland South would segregate easily!

Why are you so argumentative Mr. Delldays, I've explained why I'm upset about the policy, I'm a season ticket holder for the Itchen North which I've had since the Stadium opened, all I'm asking for are the same rights as any other season ticket holder in the stadium. It's great that Mr. Luker has done a U turn and is allowing us season ticket holders to purchase seats next to us but I still do not understand the restrictions anyway. Ps. I don't really call this whinging, I'm not complaining that the coffee is to cold, pie's are too hot, beer is flat or the seats are too hard, all I was/am looking for was the same right as any other fan/customer!!!