itchen

It's probably not Harry Redknapp. But can we be sure?

Soory to start a new thread. But is this significant? http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/forum/showpost.php?p=340370&postcount=1457

Was there somebody else named on South Today? I only caught the end of the item but they showed a diagram which I think had MLT, Tony Lynam and some other bloke whose name I've forgotten. Anybody else see it?

June Tabor? Fine traditional singer but I've never heard her do any Lloyd-Webber.

Austrian correspondent splutters in inarticulate rage shock.

Now if they're docking pints as well, that's serious.

That can't be right. I understand that his father thinks our modern stadium is "absolutely ghastly". We'd have to have a redesign with Georgian porticos around the reception area and an organic, waste-water disposal system. Mind you, the food and beer would improve but those Duchy Originals are a bit pricey.

It would take an army of cryptographers weeks to discern any meaning in the Football League statement. How this leaves the deal is not clear. Whether or not this shows that Pinnacle is lacking either funds or business acumen is certainly not clear so I'm not sure why we have one or two "Chicken Littles" running around screeching that the sky is falling in. My assumption is that Pinnacle are reviewing what the League has said (which is surely more than is in the public statement) and deciding whether or not their investment will make sense financially. Whoever the money person is may or may not want to make a profit but they sure as Hell won't want to throw away more than necessary. The fact that the deal hasn't been concluded is frustrating and annoying. However, like almost everybody posting here, I have no idea of what is really going on the scenes and so I'll stay away from the more hysterical reactions. Not least because whatever I do or think will make not a jot of difference to the eventual outcome. So relax. One way or another the club will be sold to someone and will compete in League One next season. Or it won't. Unless you have a few million to spare, there's nothing you can do about it so why start taking sides and falling out with each other?

Oh, do let it go. I can't speak for Benjii but I am almost totally sure that Lowe has nothing to do with any bid. I only say "almost" because I have not seen any of the bids and I suppose, if he's totally lost his mind, he could be linked to one of them. But it does seem hugely unlikely that Lowe, who has lost a great deal of money* and been subjected to no end of abuse, would want anything more to do with Saints. *Yes, his losses may only have been "on paper" if you believe that he never invested any personal finance but a few years ago his shares were worth £x and now they're worth nothing. Of course, if I'm wrong and we see Lowe back in the Chairman's seat then I will bow down to your superior forecasting skills and total mastery of the full stop. But, even if you prove to be right, there is absolutely nothing that you or I can do about it.

Could we have +10 as one of the options please? Ta.

I think that's partly the problem. Leeds effectively used administration to avoid paying debts to third parties while Bates effectively stayed in control of the club. Our situation is that administration clearly didn't provide us any advantage last season (we were relegated). It may give us an advantage in future seasons if we go forward with no debt but I'm not sure whether that is covered by the League's rules. But the people running the club in future are unconnected with the previous plc. Our situation is not the smae as Leeds although we may end up being treated as though it is.

Not really criticising as it's clear I don't have any facts. But I am surprised that what appears to be a deal breaker has only just been discovered. Hence I asked is this a game of brinkmanship to see who backs down first?

But, to be fair to Mawhinney and co (which goes against the grain), Pinnacle perhaps should have found out the League's take on what they were offering. We don't know for sure that it's the points deduction, it may be some other aspect of the deal. All that surprises me is that the problem seems to have emerged so late in the process. Surely someone must have been looking into this. Is it just a case of who blinks first?

Friday. It always is.

Dear God. We don't even know for sure we'll have a club to support next season (though it's looking more likely). We don't know who the new owner will be or what our resources will be. And we have no real information about who the manager might be. Yet we are already saying who it shouldn't be. Unbelievable.

Were they a 3 piece?

The Guardian's Fiver email and column has this plate-spinning take on it: http://football.guardian.co.uk/fiver/0,,415657,00.html

So there's a rumour on here that Keegan will be manager. Echo pick it up and add a couple of blurry photos. Sky pick it up from the Echo. Someone spots it on Sky and posts it on here. And round the circle goes again. Hope it's true though ;-)

I was going to get a lift with Claus but I guess that's off now.

Can't see it happening. But, if it did, I'd be delighted. I'd even buy a season ticket (which would probably mean I would have seen more games than KK come the end of the season).

Sorry. Isn't that what this forum is for? If we ever did get taken over by the likes of Paul Allen, signed the best players in the world and won the Champions League every year, we'd still have people on here moaning about the pies being too hot.

Just to show that these things take time even if your purchaser represents a consortium of UAE businessmen: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/jun/10/portsmouth-takeover-sulamain-al-fahim (For those who can't be bothered to follow the link it just says that the Pompey takeover will run until next month at least.)

You may have been implying it, I suppose. I certainly didn't infer it though. :-)

And what does it say? That work is proceeding to tie up the deal. I don't expect a daily running commentary from the club or Pinnacle. I'm as impatient for it all to be finshed as the next person but I'd rather that the lawyers and accountants just got on with their jobs.

Is it their record of fraud and criminality (outclasses anything achieved by Westminster MPs of any party) that attracts you or their shameless milking of EU allowances without actually doing anything to earn them?