David Dein

[Give it to Ron]

We often see here the comment "who else is there apart from Rupert" well it looks like David Dein is free now Arsenal have a new CE.

I know we have no money but wouldn't it be great if for the good of the club all major shareholders could come together and dip in there pockets and also with Ruperts 2 days a week money appoint someone who knows what they are doing and acceptable to everyone?

The stayaways would be able to see that there is now someone who is running the club correctly for a change.

Pie in the sky idea I know but not something that could not be achieved if the 3 major shareholders buried the hatchet and not in each others backs for once.

[NickG]

also a figure head that no-one on here would ***** about (thinking about I am sure they would!).

 

Can't see us paying him and sure he will get better offers

[once_bitterne]

I'm sorry but I don't see how this in any way would approve us, baring maybe bringing back the handful of fans that do stay away because of Lowe.

 

Given you great strategy, the 3 main shareholders dip into their pockets and pay for an Expensive chief executive. Great! And then what?

 

Are you hoping that Dein is such a football expert that he would unearth the next Theo Walcott or Gareth Bale. (oh hang on, Lowe re-vitalised our academy that found the originals...)

 

We would still have no money to spend on players.

 

We would still have to cut costs drastically so all the Lowe bashers who would be dancing in the streets if Dein did come in would change their tune pretty quickly when they see that Dein, being a sensible businessman, would also have to see Surman, Lalanna, etc.

 

If our 3 shareholders were too dip into their pockets they would be far better off paying for a decent player than yet another paid executive.....

 

If any rational person looked at the situation at our club they would see that on his return Lowe has done pretty much the best job he could have given the situation. We have cut costs, sold some players where possible and shifted the high earners that could not be sold out on loan. At the same time we are playing some good football (far better to watch than Burley's overpaid stiffs from last season) and have every chance of not getting relegated which will be a pretty good situation given that evey player we had was up for sale in the Summer.

 

The only decision that can be questioned was replacing Pearson with JP and to be honest it is a flip of coin to which of the two is the better manager. JP has done well to take a team made up of youth team and reserve players from last year and have them be competative in the very tough CCC and Pearson is doing well to have Leicester top (though it will be viewed as a failure that will no doubt cost him his job if he doesn't take them up.)

 

We are past the point of it being worthwhile tying to aportion blame for the financial situation of the club, the fact is that we were in a terrible financial position in the Summer and I've been happy at what the new/old baord has done to sort this out and still give us a good chance of staying up.

 

So if we can avoid administration and relegation this season and be able to build for next season then this will be enough to keep me happy without the need for paying a 6 figure salary to see Dein and his perma-tan in the directors box when we will be totally unable to bring anything new to the table....

[NickG]

David Armstrong was saying on radio as I came home from game that he actually feels sorry for Lowe at the moment as he is keeping the club in existence but will be criticised for selling players, and that any other chairman would do the same.

 

He was asked if chairman came into the changing rooms before games when he played, he said it was the normal thing for a quick visit. Another over reaction on here by people who don't know what goes on at a professional club!

[NickG]

also a figure head that no-one on here would ***** about (thinking about I am sure they would!).

 

Can't see us paying him and sure he will get better offers

 

can't believe that ***** is that bad a word!

[once_bitterne]

David Armstrong was saying on radio as I came home from game that he actually feels sorry for Lowe at the moment as he is keeping the club in existence but will be criticised for selling players, and that any other chairman would do the same.

 

He was asked if chairman came into the changing rooms before games when he played, he said it was the normal thing for a quick visit. Another over reaction on here by people who don't know what goes on at a professional club!

 

Exactly. Lowe has played it by the book since returning, any Chief Exec that wanted the club to avoid admin would be doing exactly the same as Lowe is. The only questionable decision was letting Pearson and go and given the players he has JP has done a decent job and I'm yet to be convinced that Pearson is actually any great shakes as manager.

 

Given by far the majority of the 'lost' fans this season are down to results then given the players would be largely of the same skill level no matter who was chairman, then the crowds we would get would be pretty much identical to what they are now even if we had the most popular chairman in the history of football.

[saintjay77]

Cant see what good it will do paying for Dein to come in. I doubt it would even mean the back of Lowe as he would still have his shares and just wait in the wings till he gets another go at it all again.

 

What could Dein do that is so much better than what is being done anyway? We still dont have the money to drastically change things and we would still have to sell players to keep us in business.

 

Or would the 25 stay away because Lowe is here non-supporters come back and save us with there extra revenue?

[Give it to Ron]

What would he bring here?

Fresh ideas, new broom, new contacts, he is also used to running a club that uses an academy although on a far greater scale than ours.

The 3 will not dip into the pocket for players as we know there is too much bad blood between them and would you trust them to spend it wisely but Dein could be the 'Kissinger' that re-unites this club that is so in need of the kiss of life.

I agree OB Lowe has done what most wanted by keeping a quieter lower profile but he is still the divisive figure that drives the wedge between fans.

I did not say that it would be the end of Lowe but he would not be the front man that he is now.

[Master Bates]

Block 42, Row G, seat at the end of the aisle was a Paul Allen look a like.

[CB Fry]

Exactly. Lowe has played it by the book since returning, any Chief Exec that wanted the club to avoid admin would be doing exactly the same as Lowe is. The only questionable decision was letting Pearson and go and given the players he has JP has done a decent job and I'm yet to be convinced that Pearson is actually any great shakes as manager.

 

Given by far the majority of the 'lost' fans this season are down to results then given the players would be largely of the same skill level no matter who was chairman, then the crowds we would get would be pretty much identical to what they are now even if we had the most popular chairman in the history of football.

 

 

Absolutely correct, although the Pearson decision was less "questionable" and more pig headedly stupid IMO.

 

Can anyone picture any other club on earth where a change of chairman would stick 5,000 regulars on the home gate?

 

But there are genuine breathing human beings that think this is the case for Southampton. Mental.

 

I don't want Lowe here any longer, but his departure in itself is not going to bring fans flooding back, or even make us play any better. It just removes the comfortable excuse for lots of fans not currently going because we are a bit rubbish and not in the Premier League any more (which is a perfectly valid reason not to go, BTW).

[NickG]

agree

[saintjay77]

Absolutely correct, although the Pearson decision was less "questionable" and more pig headedly stupid IMO.

 

Can anyone picture any other club on earth where a change of chairman would stick 5,000 regulars on the home gate?

 

But there are genuine breathing human beings that think this is the case for Southampton. Mental.

 

I don't want Lowe here any longer, but his departure in itself is not going to bring fans flooding back, or even make us play any better. It just removes the comfortable excuse for lots of fans not currently going because we are a bit rubbish and not in the Premier League any more (which is a perfectly valid reason not to go, BTW).

 

I was about to disagree with you then but realised I had the wrong end of the stick. If there was a change at the top it might spark a flood of fans for a few weeks but as soon as its realised that whats happening with money/transfers/playing is no different than before the numbers would again go down.

 

I dont even think a 20 million investment would bring that many fans back if it didnt also bring us into the mix of the playoffs.

 

Only thing IMO that will fill SMS will be a serious go at promotion.

[Frank's cousin]

One thing I just dont get.... We constantly hear the line that Lowe is 'divisive, that he is a parasite, and ruining the club etc and that fans will continue to stay away etc..... but surely Lowe can only be 'divisive' if we let him be? When you think about it we have a board that is in position because it has the majority shareholding endorsement - rightly or wrongly, these guys own enough shares to keep them in their positions. Now against that there is feck all we can do - surer we can protest, we can get all angry and shake our fist, we can sing anti Lowe songs etc.... but what does it do? Again, another two bit group with just enough spare cash to blow ....might... by enough shares and jump into bed with Crouch to mount a challenge, but all we will get is more of the same turmoil and merry-go-round.

 

What we need is cohesion - and that does ultimately start with the fans - we MUST NOT LET lowe and his crownies be a divisive force, like I said it only is if we let it. There is simply no rationale reason for staying away because of Lowe and Wilde. Sure, staying away because you dont like watching defeats, or kids or are skint etc is everyones choice, but stayinga way because of Lowe is letting him be divisive and more importantly does not help the club during its hour of greatest need.

 

I know its a chicken and egg situation and a moral dilemma - afterall we dont want players sold, but if we cant as a buisness demonstrate sufficient income through the gates then the banks will dictate the realisation of the assets. Now, I know some will be offended by this (really not sure why) but there are some that give the 'impression' that they want more fans to stay away as this will break Lowe - admin will force him out etc. Which might happen .... but at what cost to the fortunes of the club? Relegation is one thing, relegation with debts and administration could see us years in turmoil with no guarrantee of who or what picks up the club.

 

I honestly believe that our best chance of getting oput of this mess is ignoring the boardroom. Forget about them, let them feck themselves, a refusal to let them dictate how we SUPPORT our club. Attend in numbers, get teh gate up, make SMS a difficult place for visiting fans, DONT GIVE THE BOARD a convenient EXCUSE FOR SELLING THE BEST TALENT. Support JP and the kids - If we can just hold on and keep this side together, there is a real chance they will be amongst the top next season - and ultimately if you want rid of Lowe and Wilde, a CCC side which is no longer losing money and in with a promotion shout is more likely to attrract a significant investor than one in admin or lingering in the relegation places due to ever increasing debt forcing player sales - surely we can all see the logic in that?

 

Again, I make no apologies for this maybe insulting some, but is Lowe being at the club not really a convenient excuse to staying away because quite simply there is no appetite for the quality of the 'entertainment' ? Funnily enough I have no problem if anyone wants to stay away because they dont think its worth the money, but staying away because of Lowe, is ultimately contributing to the crap we are in, whatever the principles behind it.

 

I would say this: come in droves, fill the ground, get the bank off our backs, dont give LOwe the excuse for players sales, get us up the table, and we suddenly become a far better proposaition as a potential premiership club for an investment that CAN make a significant difference and grant the change of ownership so many desire.

[Scummer]

In order for us to survive long term, the club need to make some serious efforts to get fans coming back to matches.

 

Otherwise, sales in January are just a sticking plaster over a gaping wound.

[John B]

In order for us to survive long term, the club need to make some serious efforts to get fans coming back to matches.

 

Otherwise, sales in January are just a sticking plaster over a gaping wound.

 

Surely if the team performs better the crowds will increase

[Scummer]

Surely if the team performs better the crowds will increase

 

No offence, but that exactly the 'sit back and wait' approach that the club have been employing so far. It doesn't seem to be working does it.

[NickG]

there are quite a lot of realistic balanced posters on here recently who look beyond personalities and personal dislike

[John B]

No offence, but that exactly the 'sit back and wait' approach that the club have been employing so far. It doesn't seem to be working does it.

 

I think there is a lot of work being carried out to improve the way that the team is playing and yes I think overall it is getting better.

 

I dont think people are sitting back at SFC loans are coming in from time to time and younger players are being given experience either here or like White with other clubs.

 

If you are not happy with progress what else should be done?

[Scummer]

I think there is a lot of work being carried out to improve the way that the team is playing and yes I think overall it is getting better.

 

I dont think people are sitting back at SFC loans are coming in from time to time and younger players are being given experience either here or like White with other clubs.

 

If you are not happy with progress what else should be done?

 

I mean it's not working in the sense that crowds are pitiful. You are probably right when you say that improved performances will cause increased crowds. But what happens if we don't get improved performances?

 

Being a table-topping team isn't the only way of getting decent crowds to come and watch you. Other clubs manage it. But there is a sense of apathy surrounding Southampton. As far as I can see, little or no effort is being put into making people 'want' to go and watch Saints.

[John B]

I mean it's not working in the sense that crowds are pitiful. You are probably right when you say that improved performances will cause increased crowds. But what happens if we don't get improved performances?

 

Being a table-topping team isn't the only way of getting decent crowds to come and watch you. Other clubs manage it. But there is a sense of apathy surrounding Southampton. As far as I can see, little or no effort is being put into making people 'want' to go and watch Saints.

 

Yes I agree what you are saying.

 

We only seem to have the expectation of failure not success although last night I thought we may win

[Saint Billy]

Without raking all the Lowe stuff up once again, there are stay away fans because of Lowe, but it is not because of what he is doing now necessarily, it is more to do with what he has done in the past.

 

Love him or hate him, Lowe’s involvement is divisive because he will never win over the majority of the fanbase and whilst he is the figurehead the fans will never unite.

 

The scenario is like having to re-marry your first wife who you divorced a couple of years ago and you were glad to see the back of her.

 

As they use to say on Soccer AM, “It will never last!”.

[Fan The Flames]

What about Richard North

[team-saint]

thaksin shinawatra?