Rupert Lowe interview Part 1:

[saintjay77]

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/?page_id=11024

 

not saying anything we didnt already know. Wonder whats in part 2?

[trousers]

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/?page_id=11024

 

not saying anything we didnt already know. Wonder whats in part 2?

 

"Goodbye. It's been nice knowing you" ?

[saintjay77]

"Goodbye. It's been nice knowing you" ?

 

Christmas is for kids so unlikly we will all get that as a pressie

[benjii]

I predict Part 2 will refer to the Academy at some point.

[Andy_Porter]

His academy no doubt.

[Saint_clark]

Out of that list of 6 players sold after he left, 4 definately wanted to leave, and two were offered contracts but refused to sign. I'd say Bale wanted to leave as well.

As for "the list goes on" - does it really? I can't think of any other academy players who left after Lowe was here.

[northam soul]

If our academy is so good and there are players waiting to come in why do we have so many loans and why will we need to get even more loans in January.

Some of the loans we have taken on have been total dross and need to go back in January such as Smith.

Its no good moaning about the sale of jones etc as i am sure you would of not stood in there way as you have just statedand its all very well saying they are now getting a chance but that has been forced upon us its not because they are all worldbeaters.

[JonnyLove]

Out of that list of 6 players sold after he left, 4 definately wanted to leave, and two were offered contracts but refused to sign. I'd say Bale wanted to leave as well.

As for "the list goes on" - does it really? I can't think of any other academy players who left after Lowe was here.

 

All of which left under MW's time as chairman as well

[benjii]

Hard to find anything to disagree with in it. Not that someone else won't though!

 

Don't see what more there is to say really. Maybe part 2 focuses on his favourite meals and films.

 

I agree. It is surpirsingly banal for a Lowe dissemination.

 

Maybe he is learning after all....?

[benjii]

If our academy is so good and there are players waiting to come in why do we have so many loans and why will we need to get even more loans in January.

Some of the loans we have taken on have been total dross and need to go back in January such as Smith.

Its no good moaning about the sale of jones etc as i am sure you would of not stood in there way as you have just statedand its all very well saying they are now getting a chance but that has been forced upon us its not because they are all worldbeaters.

 

Good points.

 

Of our typical starting 11, the academy usually provides about 4 players. If it was a constant stream of players of adequate capability this figure ought presumably to be higher.

[um pahars]

Out of that list of 6 players sold after he left, 4 definately wanted to leave, and two were offered contracts but refused to sign. I'd say Bale wanted to leave as well.

As for "the list goes on" - does it really? I can't think of any other academy players who left after Lowe was here.

 

I didn't understand what he was going on about there.

 

On one hand he's saying if a player wants to leave then there's nothing you can do, and then on the other hand he seems to be moaning that all these players left!!!!!!

 

As you say, three, if not four of those moved for the lure of big wages and the Premiership (and arguably we were happy to bank the wonga for three of them, to stay afloat).

 

(On top of that, I don't really think you can claim Jones was a product of the Academy, as he joined us from W Connection when he was about 20).

[Andy_Porter]

Good points.

 

Of our typical starting 11, the academy usually provides about 4 players. If it was a constant stream of players of adequate capability this figure ought presumably to be higher.

 

I doubt there are many clubs with more than 4 tbh. If you include subs it probably puts the average closer to 6 as well which is really quite good.

[Junior Mullet]

Hard to find anything to disagree with in it. Not that someone else won't though!

 

Don't see what more there is to say really. Maybe part 2 focuses on his favourite meals and films.

 

Should only be a short second piece then, I hear they are bangers and mash and Busty Brenda's Boll0ck Bonanza

[benjii]

I doubt there are many clubs with more than 4 tbh. If you include subs it probably puts the average closer to 6 as well which is really quite good.

 

Exactly.

 

It just confirms the point that the academy is not a foundation on which to build a succesful football club.

 

Now, if every other club goes up the creek financially and has to do the same then it might be a competitive strategy.

[John B]

If our academy is so good and there are players waiting to come in why do we have so many loans and why will we need to get even more loans in January.

Some of the loans we have taken on have been total dross and need to go back in January such as Smith.

Its no good moaning about the sale of jones etc as i am sure you would of not stood in there way as you have just statedand its all very well saying they are now getting a chance but that has been forced upon us its not because they are all worldbeaters.

 

 

I think Smith was loaned because of Holmes' injury.

 

Perhaps if Best Blackstock Cranie Mills had not gone we would not needed Cork Pekhart Robertson and Pearce.

 

 

But of course some of the loanees may be better

[John B]

Exactly.

 

It just confirms the point that the academy is not a foundation on which to build a succesful football club.

 

Now, if every other club goes up the creek financially and has to do the same then it might be a competitive strategy.

 

The successful teams of the 1980s were built on home produced talent plus exceptional good players brought in.

 

Hopefully this will happen in the future

[Sheff Saint]

I didn't understand what he was going on about there.

 

On one hand he's saying if a player wants to leave then there's nothing you can do, and then on the other hand he seems to be moaning that all these players left!!!!!!

 

As you say, three, if not four of those moved for the lure of big wages and the Premiership (and arguably we were happy to bank the wonga for three of them, to stay afloat).

 

(On top of that, I don't really think you can claim Jones was a product of the Academy, as he joined us from W Connection when he was about 20).

 

 

I think he was alluding to the fact the young players weren't played under the previous regime so chose to leave.

 

Of course, Baird (eventually) and Jones were regulars so that doesn't seem to add up.

 

And whereas it would be nice if Cranie and Best had stayed, they're not exactly superstars are they. Even Blackstock is only 'alright'

[IronCitySaint]

It certainly is a bit strange to list players like Jones in that article. As someone else pointed out, he was not a product of our academy and he went on strike to get a move to Sunderland. That does rather suggest that he wanted to leave, which surely fits into the good old Lowe philosophy of 'we won't stand in anyones way if they want out.' Some might say that shows a little bit of double standards. We can be fairly certain that the majority of those players he listed did really want to leave. Maybe the exception was Blackstock, but is he really that great?

[Chap in the Chapel]

It's worth reminding everyone at this point that the 'we set up the Academy' line has a caveat attached to it. FA rules made it mandatory for all Premier League clubs to establish them - it was not a visionary planning decision by Lowe et al.

[Junior Mullet]

It certainly is a bit strange to list players like Jones in that article. As someone else pointed out, he was not a product of our academy and he went on strike to get a move to Sunderland. That does rather suggest that he wanted to leave, which surely fits into the good old Lowe philosophy of 'we won't stand in anyones way if they want out.' Some might say that shows a little bit of double standards. We can be fairly certain that the majority of those players he listed did really want to leave. Maybe the exception was Blackstock, but is he really that great?

 

IMO Blackstock is just the sort of penalty box poacher we could do with right now.

[beatlesaint]

The most telling line in that interview and IMHO the crux of the matter is -

 

"as our players play they will get stronger AND THEIR VALUE WILL GROW...."

 

That, in a nutshell, sums up Lowe.

[once_bitterne]

The most telling line in that interview and IMHO the crux of the matter is -

 

"as our players play they will get stronger AND THEIR VALUE WILL GROW...."

 

That, in a nutshell, sums up Lowe.

 

I'm sorry but that is rubbish. Ironically, the present time with our dire, on the brink of admin, financial position is the first time in all of Lowe's years here that he might just have to do what some fans have been accusing him of doing since 1997, selling a player that does not particularly want to go.

 

Previosuly we have had exactly the same situation as any other club, namely that if a bigger club comes in for a player then the player ends up going. It's just the same for any other club, just ask Spurs...

 

So the reason Bridge, Richards, Bale, Walcott and Beattie went was because they all wanted to not because nasty ol Wupes was trying to turn a quick profit.

 

So if we are now forced to sell Surman, Lallana and Davis just to keep from going into admin then we will have to do that and if the some fans hurl abuse at Lowe for doing this then I'm sure he won't lose too much sleep as it's been happening for the best part of a decade....

[Thedelldays]

The most telling line in that interview and IMHO the crux of the matter is -

 

"as our players play they will get stronger AND THEIR VALUE WILL GROW...."

 

That, in a nutshell, sums up Lowe.

and every single other chairman in the world..bar the ones at real madrid, barcalona, chelsea and man utd....

 

is this what the lowe thing has come to....losing your will to use common sense....????????????????????????

[Thedelldays]

It's worth reminding everyone at this point that the 'we set up the Academy' line has a caveat attached to it. FA rules made it mandatory for all Premier League clubs to establish them - it was not a visionary planning decision by Lowe et al.

oh come on....

 

we all know he loved it..put MORE money into it when we went down..pushed people like arry to use it..

 

he ciould have set it up and gave it the bare minimum funding?

 

would that have been better?

[um pahars]

I think he was alluding to the fact the young players weren't played under the previous regime so chose to leave.

 

Of course, Baird (eventually) and Jones were regulars so that doesn't seem to add up.

 

And whereas it would be nice if Cranie and Best had stayed, they're not exactly superstars are they. Even Blackstock is only 'alright'

 

If that was his point then:

 

a) Bale, Baird & Jones were regulars and left, as Lowe himself acknowledges, because they wanted to go on and play at a higher level (for more wonga).

 

So why include them in his little story?

 

b) Who was the manager that never played the others (and who appointed that manager)?

 

c) Blackstock left a month or so after Lowe was deposed, so who were the players blocking Blacksotck prior to that point?

 

They were Rasiak, Fuller, Jones, Madsen, all brought in whilst who was CEO?

 

d) So we're probably left talking about Best, who IMHO is nothing special (I think even DMG has been more prolific this season and I dont really rate him), and Cranie who has hardly set the world alight.

 

So, I still don't know what Lowe was trying to get at!!!!!!!!!

[Wopper]

Lowes started to shout his mouth off again. Watch the fans come flocking back.

[CB Fry]

It's worth reminding everyone at this point that the 'we set up the Academy' line has a caveat attached to it. FA rules made it mandatory for all Premier League clubs to establish them - it was not a visionary planning decision by Lowe et al.

 

 

It's always worth reminding everyone that he could have set up a bare minimum academy just to satisfy the mandatory requirement. He didn't.

 

Lowe was an academy obsessive, often to the clubs detriment, and I think definitely to the clubs detriment at the moment. We are relying far to much on home grown kids at the moment, and Lowe's vision is pie in the sky - we'll never have a full team of own grown kids delivering long term success.

 

But the problem with Lowe whingers is they have to winge from all directions at everything whether its true or not.

 

Whinge at Lowe for the things he really has f u cked up, whinge at him for the disasterous decisions taken in the relegation season, the chaos in our first season down, the fact he clung on too long, and the fact he came back and removed a manager we were united behind. Moan about the fact he is still here and we all wish he wasn't.

 

Moan about that - there's plenty to go on.

 

But moaning about this stupid idea that "he only set the academy up because the FA said so" is just pathetic. Moan about the real fuc k ups - you don't need to make more stuff up to moan about, it just makes you look really silly.

[lordswoodsaints]

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/?page_id=11024

 

not saying anything we didnt already know. Wonder whats in part 2?

 

sequel's are always sh1te.

 

but this will be the trailer for it.

 

(in a deep african/american voice).....

 

IT WAS A TIME OF WAR,IT WAS A TIME OF UPHEAVAL,IT WAS A TIME OF DARKNESS......

BUT OUT OF THE SHADOWS OF DESTRUCTION CAME A HERO,A MAN WHO WOULD BRING LIGHT TO THE WORLD AND DRIVE THE DARK BRINGERS BACK TO THE DEPTHS OF HELL....................THAT MAN WAS LOWE, THE DESTROYER OF DARKNESS,A DUCKHUNTER WHO WAS BORN TO BE KING.

coming to a football club near you.

[Legod Third Coming]

Exactly.

 

It just confirms the point that the academy is not a foundation on which to build a succesful football club.

 

Now, if every other club goes up the creek financially and has to do the same then it might be a competitive strategy.

 

But this is the reality. Look at Watford and Charlton - the two clubs most comparable to us. Pretty soon we will be the only model in town - and people call Rupert myopic...

 

He might have had this model thrust upon him, but the truth is "growing your own" is the only option left to a club without a benefactor - and those are now rarer than rocking horse dung...

[Legod Third Coming]

sequel's are always sh1te.

 

but this will be the trailer for it.

 

(in a deep african/american voice).....

 

IT WAS A TIME OF WAR,IT WAS A TIME OF UPHEAVAL,IT WAS A TIME OF DARKNESS......

BUT OUT OF THE SHADOWS OF DESTRUCTION CAME A HERO,A MAN WHO WOULD BRING LIGHT TO THE WORLD AND DRIVE THE DARK BRINGERS BACK TO THE DEPTHS OF HELL....................THAT MAN WAS LOWE, THE DESTROYER OF DARKNESS,A DUCKHUNTER WHO WAS BORN TO BE KING.

coming to a football club near you.

 

I'll have two pints of that... and then sleep until the recession is over!!

[um pahars]

It's always worth reminding everyone that he could have set up a bare minimum academy just to satisfy the mandatory requirement. He didn't.

 

Lowe was an academy obsessive, often to the clubs detriment, and I think definitely to the clubs detriment at the moment. We are relying far to much on home grown kids at the moment, and Lowe's vision is pie in the sky - we'll never have a full team of own grown kids delivering long term success.

 

But the problem with Lowe whingers is they have to winge from all directions at everything whether its true or not.

 

Whinge at Lowe for the things he really has f u cked up, whinge at him for the disasterous decisions taken in the relegation season, the chaos in our first season down, the fact he clung on too long, and the fact he came back and removed a manager we were united behind. Moan about the fact he is still here and we all wish he wasn't.

 

Moan about that - there's plenty to go on.

 

But moaning about this stupid idea that "he only set the academy up because the FA said so" is just pathetic. Moan about the real fuc k ups - you don't need to make more stuff up to moan about, it just makes you look really silly.

 

You're spot on with what you say there C B Fry, but I think most of the vitriol is actually aimed at Lowe's claim that it was his idea to have an Academy and the way that he continues to portray it as his vision.

 

I think that it is that arrogance and ignorance of the past that ****3es people off more than anything else.

[Chap in the Chapel]

It's always worth reminding everyone that he could have set up a bare minimum academy just to satisfy the mandatory requirement. He didn't.

 

Lowe was an academy obsessive, often to the clubs detriment, and I think definitely to the clubs detriment at the moment. We are relying far to much on home grown kids at the moment, and Lowe's vision is pie in the sky - we'll never have a full team of own grown kids delivering long term success.

 

But the problem with Lowe whingers is they have to winge from all directions at everything whether its true or not.

 

Whinge at Lowe for the things he really has f u cked up, whinge at him for the disasterous decisions taken in the relegation season, the chaos in our first season down, the fact he clung on too long, and the fact he came back and removed a manager we were united behind. Moan about the fact he is still here and we all wish he wasn't.

 

Moan about that - there's plenty to go on.

 

But moaning about this stupid idea that "he only set the academy up because the FA said so" is just pathetic. Moan about the real fuc k ups - you don't need to make more stuff up to moan about, it just makes you look really silly.

 

Who's complaining? I'm simply pointing out a fact. The '1997 was year zero' approach to the club's history has always annoyed me though - there's a lengthy list of the young players SFC produced prior to that, although prior to 1998 we were admittedly in a fallow period.

[BARCELONASAINT]

The most telling line in that interview and IMHO the crux of the matter is -

 

"as our players play they will get stronger AND THEIR VALUE WILL GROW...."

 

That, in a nutshell, sums up Lowe.

 

And that in a nutshell sums up why i hardly ever bother posting on this site anymore.

Posters that live in a dream world and are only content to find the bad in whatever comes out of ST MARYS.

 

Of course he wants our players value to grow, as would any other chairman of a football club that does not have some rich benefactor. How in gods earth do you expect a club like Southampton to survive.

Almost every club in the land outside maybe 6 clubs IS A SELLING CLUB.

[Bon Call Night]

If that was his point then:

 

a) Bale, Baird & Jones were regulars and left, as Lowe himself acknowledges, because they wanted to go on and play at a higher level (for more wonga).

 

So why include them in his little story?

 

b) Who was the manager that never played the others (and who appointed that manager)?

 

c) Blackstock left a month or so after Lowe was deposed, so who were the players blocking Blacksotck prior to that point?

 

They were Rasiak, Fuller, Jones, Madsen, all brought in whilst who was CEO?

 

d) So we're probably left talking about Best, who IMHO is nothing special (I think even DMG has been more prolific this season and I dont really rate him), and Cranie who has hardly set the world alight.

 

So, I still don't know what Lowe was trying to get at!!!!!!!!!

 

This is the lamest excuse I keep hearing. Yes Lowe appointed the manager, but in another post you accuse him of tampering in team affairs which way do you want it?

 

Who are you blaming now for relegation? The manager for picking the wrong team, or the Chairman who is not supposed to interfere.

 

Some of the younger players he alludes to were not good enough then and some who have moved on are not good enough now. Out of all those mentioned Jones was proabably the biggest prospect.

 

The point about our academy is we could have the bare minimum like Portsmouth and a couple of others in the Premier League but we have invested in it and had we have still been in the Premiership would have given us some £15m to re-invest. I am sure that whether in the Premier League or not we cannot stave off the likes of Chelsea, Spurs etc. Maybe Jones would have stayed as I do not rate Sunderland as being that much better than us, however they have a capability of paying higher wages still.

 

I am all for having a debate but please stop the silly snipes.

[um pahars]

This is the lamest excuse I keep hearing. Yes Lowe appointed the manager, .

 

For the period when Blackstock couldn't get a look in, the manager was Burley and the CEO was Lowe (that was what I meant by that line, in that it was his appointment being overseen by him who was stifling this boy's future, i.e. it didn't happen in the two years that he was away!).

 

Therefore I see absolutely no relevance for Blackstock being used in his little tirade given he appointed that manager and he was overseeing the Club in his dual role of CEO and Chairman.

Edited 5 December, 2008 by um pahars

[CB Fry]

Who's complaining? I'm simply pointing out a fact. The '1997 was year zero' approach to the club's history has always annoyed me though - there's a lengthy list of the young players SFC produced prior to that, although prior to 1998 we were admittedly in a fallow period.

 

Funnily enough I get ****ed off about the year zero thing as well, mainly from people that make out that pre 1997 Southampton FC was some cup winning, european mega club that "went into decline the minute Lowe walked in the door" as opposed to a club that fought in last ditch relegation battles in four of the preceeding five seasons and were in a relegation battle only in two of the following eight seasons (one of which we of course lost).

 

 

You're spot on with what you say there C B Fry, but I think most of the vitriol is actually aimed at Lowe's claim that it was his idea to have an Academy and the way that he continues to portray it as his vision.

 

I think that it is that arrogance and ignorance of the past that ****3es people off more than anything else.

 

 

That is definitely true.

 

Now, though, no one can deny the club is living his "unique vision" now, though. And gawd help us all......

 

 

 

But one other thing, I am prepared to accept Lowe does not want to sell these youngsters as some are claiming (and moaning about left right and centre even though it hasn't actually happened yet).

 

This "vision" thing is not about selling the lot of them after six months, not least because it won't actually return much value.

 

Not saying the likes of Surman won't go, but it won't be because Lowe wants to sell them just to **** the fans off as some wonderful people on the forum genuinely believe.....

[AndyNorthernSaints]

Was Lowe here when Walcott left after coming through the academy system?

He certainly was here when Wayne Bridge was sold soon after the cup final after coming through the youth system here so it's a bit hypocritical of him to criticise young players leaving when he was not here.

[um pahars]

But one other thing, I am prepared to accept Lowe does not want to sell these youngsters as some are claiming

 

I also agree, because in selling these players so quickly it totally undermines his vision of having a young, strong team competing for the play offs. He also knows that if it does happen, then he will lose the little goodwill there is towards him out there.

 

He wants this Club to succeed (because he will then benefit both financially and ego wise), and so he would love to keep as many of these players together as possible and hopefully get us promoted.

 

This is actually one of the problems with his philosophy, because the minute any player shows some promise they will be snapped up by those with the mega bucks and we effectively go back to square one.

[Fowllyd]

I also agree, because in selling these players so quickly it totally undermines his vision of having a young, strong team competing for the play offs. He also knows that if it does happen, then he will lose the little goodwill there is towards him out there.

 

He wants this Club to succeed (because he will then benefit both financially and ego wise), and so he would love to keep as many of these players together as possible and hopefully get us promoted.

This is actually one of the problems with his philosophy, because the minute any player shows some promise they will be snapped up by those with the mega bucks and we effectively go back to square one.

 

In amongst all the blather about Lowe from all quarters, I rather think you've got it spot on there.

[NickG]

And that in a nutshell sums up why i hardly ever bother posting on this site anymore.

Posters that live in a dream world and are only content to find the bad in whatever comes out of ST MARYS.

 

Of course he wants our players value to grow, as would any other chairman of a football club that does not have some rich benefactor. How in gods earth do you expect a club like Southampton to survive.

Almost every club in the land outside maybe 6 clubs IS A SELLING CLUB.

 

agree, there is some bizarre criticism thrown at the club when you look at the players who left spurs, or even Arsenal - players head to the biggest club they can, did we manage to keep Shearer, Danny Wallace, Neil Ruddock etc when they wanted to leave.

People were moaning on here the other day that he was cashing in too early on players and should wait for their value to rise and now he says that!

[saintjay77]

The most telling line in that interview and IMHO the crux of the matter is -

 

"as our players play they will get stronger AND THEIR VALUE WILL GROW...."

 

That, in a nutshell, sums up Lowe.

 

Of course the other option would be to spend loads of cash on the acadamy players then watch them leave the club for nothing or very little to continue there carreers elsewhere. Best, Cranie and Blackstock, may have not done that great since they left us but there progression with us may have taken a hit when they were not being played.

 

The idea now seems to be in the 1st team ASAP and make there mistakes and learn there lessons on the fly. Somewhere in between not being played and being thrown in seems to be the area we should have been aiming for and if that could have been done we may have kept hold of these players and they may have been better for it.

 

How good would Lallana, Theo or Bale be now had they not made the break into the 1st team?

[Professor]

I didn't understand what he was going on about there.

 

On one hand he's saying if a player wants to leave then there's nothing you can do, and then on the other hand he seems to be moaning that all these players left!!!!!!

 

As you say, three, if not four of those moved for the lure of big wages and the Premiership (and arguably we were happy to bank the wonga for three of them, to stay afloat).

 

(On top of that, I don't really think you can claim Jones was a product of the Academy, as he joined us from W Connection when he was about 20).

 

You need to look at what he is saying without applying a closed mind attitude, then it will become clearer. You cannot stop a player leaving if he is determined, but you can try to discourage them with prospects of things improving here if they stay. At the time those players left we had a manager who was losing respect (Burley) and a board that was failing to manage the club effectively. Different, and better management, and not necessarily Lowe, but better than what we had, could have made players want to stay.

[um pahars]

At the time those players left we had a manager who was losing respect (Burley).

 

At the time Blackstock left, Burley had been in situ something like 6 months.

 

For Baird, Bale, Best, Jones & Cranie they left after the manager had been in situ for 18 months. They also left just after we had been in the play offs and had come pretty close to gaining promotion.

 

At that point Burley's stock was pretty good.

 

and a board that was failing to manage the club effectively. Different, and better management, and not necessarily Lowe, but better than what we had, could have made players want to stay.

 

Blackstock left a month into the new management, after being snubbed under Burley and Lowe. Lowe's last act was to sign a striker in Rasiak ensuring he was further down the pecking order.

 

Four of the others then left after we reached the play offs, moving on to Premiership teams for significantly more wages than they were on down here.

 

Those players left to earn more wages and to ply their trade in the top flight (or at least attempt to).

 

Those two factors were the deciding reasons for the moving on, not the fairy stories you're trying to push.

 

Lowe himself admits you can't keep a player against his will, which makes his claims (and yours) rather strange!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Amesbury Saint]

the article was somewhat dull.

[Professor]

Lowe himself admits you can't keep a player against his will, which makes his claims (and yours) rather strange!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lowe is not saying that you have to let a player go as soon as he expresses an interest in moving. The Barry situation at AV is a case in point. Players are under contract and there are steps, both carrot and stick that can be used to try to influence a player to do what you would wish him to do. Only if that is not successful does a club ultimately have to accept that trying to hang on to an unwilling employee is not likely to be in the club's best interest. The world is not black and white but is far more complex, which may be why Lowe's article proved not to be understandable to someone just looking to find something in it to complain about.

[Red and White Army]

The world is not black and white but is far more complex, which may be why Lowe's article proved not to be understandable to someone just looking to find something in it to complain about.

 

No no, um pahar's views are not influenced by him constantly viewing everything through a Crouch pillowbiter prism..... it must be true - he said so himself!

[St Landrew]

It's hard to take major issue with any of the points Lowe raises. One would only be nit-picking. But how about this one..? What if all the players want to leave Rupert..? What if they're all so good, because they've come out of our superb academy, and have been recognised by clubs as such, that the offers are too good to turn down..? What then..?

 

It's a perfectly fair question. And the answer is... we don't have an answer. If any more than 4 or 5 leave then the whole experiment goes off the rails, and then the up and coming good players will REALLY want to leave. You can't exclusively rely on loyalty, and an endless stream of nurtured talent.

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

Did we not start the season with the stated aim of achieving promotion ? - I note with interest this has now changed to the rather vague "taking the club forward in the long term" . Unfortunately in the long term we're all dead and I'm sure I can speak for many Saints fans in there 40's or 50's when I say that we would prefer to see some improvement before we start collecting our old age pensions .

[washsaint]

Are you telling me Charlie that you believe this season is not better than last season? I can't believe you're saying that!

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

We're more or less where we were last season as far as I can see - except we're failing with a much more economical team that is . When I think about it that is some sort of progress I suppose but I'm struggling to get very enthusiastic about it .

If we beat Sheffield Wednesday later today I might cheer up a bit , it's quite literally been months since I've seen SFC win a football match .