August 2009 - The aftermath of relegation and administration

[Mole]

It's looking more likely than not that we'll be relegated this season and IMHO administration is also likely. Some may not agree with the latter, but to disagree with the former is wishful thinking. We are not good enough now and we're in the bottom three, and after the transfer window firesales we'll be in even worse shape to compete at this level.

 

So assuming we are relegated and the club are forced to call in the administrators what are the implications for season 2009/10 and in the medium term (the next 3 years or so)?

[gjphilsaint]

ask Luton Town..

[benjii]

Returning the club to the ownership of those who have some connection with the local community and an understanding of what our core supporters want would be my preference.

 

The Premiership club is gone. The money is gone. The crowds are gone. We might as well have something we can be proud of on a moral level at least.

[St Marco]

if we go into admin the next season and a half will be very difficult with the points deduction. But you can come back, look at Hull.

[Mole]

ask Luton Town..

 

I think i'm right in saying they were punished more severely that the other clubs put into administration for irregularities? Could you be more specific and spell out the punishment we'll receive?

[benjii]

I think i'm right in saying they were punished more severely that the other clubs put into administration for irregularities? Could you be more specific and spell out the punishment we'll receive?

 

It's a 10 point penalty for administration. In either the season you enter it or the next if it occurs later in the season.

 

You can get further deductions for irregularities or for failing to agree a CVA (I think). Quite why the FA insists on agreeing a CVA is anyone's guess.

[Mole]

Returning the club to the ownership of those who have some connection with the local community and an understanding of what our core supporters want would be my preference.

 

The Premiership club is gone. The money is gone. The crowds are gone. We might as well have something we can be proud of on a moral level at least.

 

I can't argue with that sentiment. I'd like to see us lose the immoral PLC status we currently have. Call me old fashioned but i just cannot accept the principle of a sports club being run for the benefit of shareholders. IMO we need to get back to basics and be self sustaining to the benefit of SFC and SFC only.

[SP Saint]

It's looking like Administration is a certainty. It's a sad situation but until it happens and we get rid of Lowe and co this club is not going to rebuild.

 

The sooner the better imo. Then we can at last move forward.

[WheresRory]

It's a 10 point penalty for administration. In either the season you enter it or the next if it occurs later in the season.

 

You can get further deductions for irregularities or for failing to agree a CVA (I think). Quite why the FA insists on agreeing a CVA is anyone's guess.

 

It's the done thing, it's not overly moral to stop one company wipe out all debts and continue trading with a slightly different name. HMRC will never agree to a CVA however as they will get Xp in the pound whereas football creditors will get every penny owed.

[Mole]

It's looking like Administration is a certainty. It's a sad situation but until it happens and we get rid of Lowe and co this club is not going to rebuild.

 

The sooner the better imo. Then we can at last move forward.

 

I've been saying we'll go into administration for a long time. I'm no accountant but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out that a business that loses money month on month is going to go to the wall. Because i accepted the inevitable a long time ago i also hope it happens sooner rather than later so that we can get it out of the way (with all the **** that'll come with it) and hasten the time when we can at last start moving forward.

[Faz]

It's looking like Administration is a certainty. It's a sad situation but until it happens and we get rid of Lowe and co this club is not going to rebuild.

 

The sooner the better imo. Then we can at last move forward.

 

Why is Administration a certainty?

[Mole]

But don't see why the likes of Molyneux, Lancashire, James, Hatch, Gobern, Gillett, Smith, Holmes, McLaggon and Thomson would go.

 

And assuming they stayed they are only non league standard players with a slight chance they'll make the grade. Promising youngster normally don't develop into stars. Just look at our academy - most kids don't make the grade, but we only talk about the sucess stories and they are now becoming a thing of the past at our club.

[benjii]

It's the done thing, it's not overly moral to stop one company wipe out all debts and continue trading with a slightly different name. HMRC will never agree to a CVA however as they will get Xp in the pound whereas football creditors will get every penny owed.

 

In the real world CVAs don't work. Not sure why the FA is fixated with them - especially when it's its own greed and incompetence that partially fosters the financial mess the game is in.

[Mole]

Why is Administration a certainty?

 

Put simply because we are tad pole in a giant pond. If we were at the Dell we could have survived, but St Marys is like a lead weight round our necks and whatever we do we cannot sustain this hungry mothership.

[Dalek2003]

I'm afraid i agree with Stanley, our team would struggle in League 1 IMO.

Our only hope is some private individual bails the club out and pumps in few million.

[glkdcdes]

It's looking more likely than not that we'll be relegated this season and IMHO administration is also likely. Some may not agree with the latter, but to disagree with the former is wishful thinking. We are not good enough now and we're in the bottom three, and after the transfer window firesales we'll be in even worse shape to compete at this level.

 

So assuming we are relegated and the club are forced to call in the administrators what are the implications for season 2009/10 and in the medium term (the next 3 years or so)?

 

Totally agree.

 

The biggest problem is Lowe in the short term. Having made another fundamental **** up in removing Pearson and his total football Dutch experiment, i dont see that anything can change. His arrogance will not allow him to correct his error and he will be more than capable of hiding behind the smokescreen of previous regime errors and financal restraints.

 

Therefor without the likely hood of any financal input or Lowe doing us a favour and going it is not even a debate as to if we will be relegated. Unfortunately it is inevitable.

 

As far as what will be our outlook in the next three years, look at say Leeds or even nottingham forest. I dont expect us to return soon. If we do go into administration the only positive to come out of this is it is our best chance of getting the cancerous Lowe out of our club for good.

 

From then it will be a hard slog and all we can do is hope that who ever buys us has more ability and competence than our prevous [say 7 years] encumbants have had.

 

The other inevitable fact is myself and many thousand other fans will still support our team so unfortunately i only see a good few years of bad news and struggle. Depressing isnt it. Someone, HELP.

[Puddings and Monkeys]

I've been saying we'll go into administration for a long time. I'm no accountant but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out that a business that loses money month on month is going to go to the wall. Because i accepted the inevitable a long time ago i also hope it happens sooner rather than later so that we can get it out of the way (with all the **** that'll come with it) and hasten the time when we can at last start moving forward.

 

Why will we go into administration? Companies are forced into admin by their creditors - our biggest creditors are Barclays bank and Norwich Union; we are up to date with VAT/PAYE etc. The two major creditors seem to have bought into the current regime as they have stemmed the losses; why would they push the club into admin when all they will then get is 10p in the £ (or less) of what they are owed? Doesn't make sense; like you I'm no accountant but unlike you, I'm not a boring, miserable doom merchant who seems to want us to go into admin in any case.

[SP Saint]

I've been saying we'll go into administration for a long time. I'm no accountant but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out that a business that loses money month on month is going to go to the wall. Because i accepted the inevitable a long time ago i also hope it happens sooner rather than later so that we can get it out of the way (with all the **** that'll come with it) and hasten the time when we can at last start moving forward.

 

Yup and I disagreed with you in the past in the vain hope that JP might just do the business (although I'd have preferred Pearson or Billy Davies any day of the week.)

 

My guess is that the bank are happy to take the extra income from today's match and whatever they can get from player sales this month and then the shutters will come down.

 

I can see no financial reason for them to continue to back us when we continue to lose money week by week and clearly there is no chance of the situation changing in the near future.

[Mole]

Yup and I disagreed with you in the past in the vain hope that JP might just do the business (although I'd have preferred Pearson or Billy Davies any day of the week.)

 

My guess is that the bank are happy to take the extra income from today's match and whatever they can get from player sales this month and then the shutters will come down.

 

I can see no financial reason for them to continue to back us when we continue to lose money week by week and clearly there is no chance of the situation changing in the near future.

 

I've said all along we should have got Billy Davies in. That said big Nigel Pearson turned out to be very similar in terms of being an imposing character - a natural leader. I was initially against Perason as i was blinded by wanting Davies but i'll admit i was wrong to doubt Leon and Lawries choice.

 

Lowe however loves to be the "big i am" so Portvliet was perfect for him.

[Dalek2003]

I've said all along we should have got Billy Davies in. That said big Nigel Pearson turned out to be very similar in terms of being an imposing character - a natural leader. I was initially against Perason as i was blinded by wanting Davies but i'll admit i was wrong to doubt Leon and Lawries choice.

 

Lowe however loves to be the "big i am" so Portvliet was perfect for him.

 

 

Heard Billy Davies on 5 live today. He sounded chirpy confident and enthuisiastic. Straight talking and no nonsense and with clarity.

I can see why he wins in the dressing room and i can see why people want to play for him.

Here is a man with that unique factor.. presence aka Shankly, Clough, Fiergie, WGS

I reckon Forest will be pushing for promotion next year.

[EastleighSoulBoy]

I've said all along we should have got Billy Davies in. That said big Nigel Pearson turned out to be very similar in terms of being an imposing character - a natural leader. I was initially against Perason as i was blinded by wanting Davies but i'll admit i was wrong to doubt Leon and Lawries choice.

 

Lowe however loves to be the "big i am" so Portvliet was perfect for him.

 

I think Lowe will have to be dragged, screaming from SMS. With the marks from his fingernails all the way along Britannia Rd. I have already accepted relegation (I'll be shocked to survive) but although administration may be close I really am fearful of the carrion crows and vultures, waiting in the wings to pick over our bones and get total control on the cheap.

[Mole]

Heard Billy Davies on 5 live today. He sounded chirpy confident and enthuisiastic. Straight talking and no nonsense and with clarity.

I can see why he wins in the dressing room and i can see why people want to play for him.

Here is a man with that unique factor.. presence aka Shankly, Clough, Fiergie, WGS

I reckon Forest will be pushing for promotion next year.

 

And the picture you paint of a good manager (which is correct) is also why Hoddle burnt out so quickly. At Swindon and Saints Hoddle relied on his reputation as a great player - and it worked. But at Spurs and Wolves he flopped because his past was no longer a big factor with players who hadn't worshipped him and they saw him for what he was - a boring self centred control freak with no personality. To understand Hoddle as a person you just have to look back to when he was at Chelsea and tried to sign Le Tissier. Le Tissier stayed loyal and because of that Hoddle did not pick him for England. This is a fact because this is the kind of person Hoddle is. This is why Hoddle would not have been any good if he had been given a second spell at Saints.

[Dalek2003]

And the picture you paint of a good manager (which is correct) is also why Hoddle burnt out so quickly. At Swindon and Saints Hoddle relied on his reputation as a great player - and it worked. But at Spurs and Wolves he flopped because his past was no longer a big factor with players who hadn't worshipped him and they saw him for what he was - a boring self centred control freak with no personality. To understand Hoddle as a person you just have to look back to when he was at Chelsea and tried to sign Le Tissier. Le Tissier stayed loyal and because of that Hoddle did not pick him for England. This is a fact because this is the kind of person Hoddle is. This is why Hoddle would not have been any good if he had been given a second spell at Saints.

 

 

Very contentious !

Anyway, why bring Hoddle into the argument ?

[buctootim]

The most interesting thing said at the AGM was Lowes apology for the late date - due to the time taken to get agreement with Saints creditors. No-one else seems to have picked up on this.

 

That fact that club and creditors have recently agreed to some form of plan indicates administration isnt imminent. What the terms of that agreement are will dictate what the future brings. Anyone care to guess? IMO it will contain some provision for holding on to players in Jan and splashing a little cash in order to try to preserve CCC status.

[Micky]

The most interesting thing said at the AGM was Lowes apology for the late date - due to the time taken to get agreement with Saints creditors. No-one else seems to have picked up on this.

 

That fact that club and creditors have recently agreed to some form of plan indicates administration isnt imminent. What the terms of that agreement are will dictate what the future brings. Anyone care to guess? IMO it will contain some provision for holding on to players in Jan and splashing a little cash in order to try to preserve CCC status.

 

Interesting theory - makes a change from the normal D & G merchants - I hope you are correct.

[S4INT]

My view is that we wont be going into administration though our cost cutting measure that mean we will avoid this will probably result in our relegation.

I think the plan is to make ourselves financially stable to an extend with not getting relegated being a bonus. We will then rebuild from League 1.

At the moment I don't care about much apart from the team putting the effort in, as long as I'm seeing that (which I have in my last two games: Reading and Man U) then I am happy. I don't really see much alternative, but people are so willing to criticise without a solution...useful.

Why would we be signing any players at all: Molenyeux(sp?), Schneiderlin etc. if we were about to go into administration? Doesn't really make sense.

As I've said, probably league 1 and stability then hoping to rebuild with players growing in experience every match. Not getting relegated will be a bonus and as long as I see the players caring and putting effort in then I'm happy.

[Mole]

I think the plan is to make ourselves financially stable to an extend with not getting relegated being a bonus. We will then rebuild from League 1.

 

Lowes Year 2 Plan

 

the plan is to make ourselves financially stable to an extent with not getting relegated being a bonus. We will then rebuild from League 2.

 

Lowes Year 3 Plan

 

the plan is to make ourselves financially stable to an extent with not getting relegated being a bonus. We will then rebuild from the conference.

 

Lowes Year 3 Plan

 

the plan is to make ourselves financially stable to an extent with not getting relegated being a bonus. We will then merge with Eastleigh.

[buctootim]

I think the plan is to make ourselves financially stable to an extend with not getting relegated being a bonus. We will then rebuild from League 1.

 

As a club our fixed costs are quite high - the mortgage and business rates on SMS particularly. IMO Barclays and Norwich Union / Aviva are likely to take the pragmatic view that they are more likely to get their money back long term if we continue in the higher revenue CCC. We would have little chance of servicing the debts in League 1 so it would be in their long term interests to advance us a little more cash for this season in an effort to avoid the drop.

[Greenridge]

As a club our fixed costs are quite high - the mortgage and business rates on SMS particularly. IMO Barclays and Norwich Union / Aviva are likely to take the pragmatic view that they are more likely to get their money back long term if we continue in the higher revenue CCC. We would have little chance of servicing the debts in League 1 so it would be in their long term interests to advance us a little more cash for this season in an effort to avoid the drop.

 

Agree entirely which makes RL's decision making that is threatening our very survival in the CCC even more perplexing. Why risk it with short termism risky cost-cutting?

[buctootim]

Agree entirely which makes RL's decision making that is threatening our very survival in the CCC even more perplexing. Why risk it with short termism risky cost-cutting?

 

I'd guess both the board and the bank now realise the tap was shut off too much in the first half of this season. Lets hope its turned back on a little for January.

[teamsaint]

The most interesting thing said at the AGM was Lowes apology for the late date - due to the time taken to get agreement with Saints creditors. No-one else seems to have picked up on this.

 

That fact that club and creditors have recently agreed to some form of plan indicates administration isnt imminent. What the terms of that agreement are will dictate what the future brings. Anyone care to guess? IMO it will contain some provision for holding on to players in Jan and splashing a little cash in order to try to preserve CCC status.

 

I'm also pretty sure that Lowe said somewhere that the bond holders (norwich Union) were supporting the club, implying that some sort of payment holiday/deferred payment plan has been drawn up.Anyone else spot this? haven't seen it discussed elsewhere.

 

It has to be said that even in the unsentimental world of banking it makes little sense for Norwich union or Barclays to take action to take us into the disaster of administration.

[The Rover]

In view of Fitzhugh Fellas excellent post which suggests that Administration will happen as soon as this month perhaps we should be discussing the aftermath?

 

http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/forum/showpost.php?p=158472&postcount=79

 

I wonder if Leon Crouch will buy the club from the Administrators to help ensure our survival.

 

If so who will replace Jan P? It's a pity Nigel Pearson and Billy Davies aren't still available.

[Morph]

It's looking more likely than not that we'll be relegated this season and IMHO administration is also likely.

 

And the Daily Telegraph now seems to agree with you Stanley

 

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/samgreen/blog/2009/01/07/grim_reaper_stalks_southampton_in_2009

 

So do I for what it's worth.

 

Regards

 

 

Morph

[trousers]

In view of Fitzhugh Fellas excellent post which suggests that Administration will happen as soon as this month perhaps we should be discussing the aftermath?

 

Maybe Glenn Hoddle's football academy will acquire the 'rights' to the 'Southampton Football Club' name and re-establish the club in the British Gas (Southern) Division 2 league as a 'finishing school' for his academy?

[trousers]

And the Daily Telegraph now seems to agree with you Stanley

 

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/samgreen/blog/2009/01/07/grim_reaper_stalks_southampton_in_2009

 

So do I for what it's worth.

 

Regards

 

 

Morph

Grim Reaper stalks Southampton in 2009

 

Posted By: Sam Green at Jan 7, 2009 at 22:26:00 [General]

New year, new anxieties for many football fans. And among those teetering on the verge of despair must be followers of Southampton.

The Saints are rivalling Charlton for the title of most distressing fall from apparent Premier League comfort. Chairmen at places like Blackburn, Middlesbrough and Portsmouth must break into a cold sweat when they consider such rapid changes of status.

And there appears to be little relief on the horizon at Southampton. The latest AGM resembled a playground squabble over who blew the money.

Jack Cork, the on-loan Chelsea defender and arguably their best player during the first half of the season, jumped ship to Watford, Stern John has been sent to Bristol City because Southampton cannot afford his wages, Rudi Skacel wants out and 10 more players could be off in the summer when their contracts expire.

In the current climate, one can hardly imagine the club's two brightest young things, Adam Lallana and Andrew Surman, sticking around long term.

Avoiding administration and relegation this season would be akin to winning the Champions League for a team in Southampton's perilous position.

 

The amount of national coverage this is now getting would tend to back up the suggestion that the end is nearer than some might think/believe/hope....

[Charlie Wayman]

When you read that the prem clubs have a combined debt of £1.8 Billion and Barclay's are not that likely to renew their Title sponsorship, you wonedr if Lowe is just making a mountain out of a mole hill over our measly £4.9m loss?

 

The SMS is mortgaged like your house and mine so why would it be called in anytime soon as along as the monthly payments are met?

 

Perhaps I smell something putrid in the scary stories that are being fed us most of the time by the Lowe Propoganda machine?

 

Keep it bubbling Andrew and they won't find me out.... ?

[The Rover]

When you read that the prem clubs have a combined debt of £1.8 Billion and Barclay's are not that likely to renew their Title sponsorship, you wonedr if Lowe is just making a mountain out of a mole hill over our measly £4.9m loss?

 

The SMS is mortgaged like your house and mine so why would it be called in anytime soon as along as the monthly payments are met?

 

Perhaps I smell something putrid in the scary stories that are being fed us most of the time by the Lowe Propoganda machine?

 

Keep it bubbling Andrew and they won't find me out.... ?

 

The club's debt is growing larger every month, not helped by below break even attendance figures. Barclays have not given the club an unlimited overdraft.

 

Sooner or later the club won't have the funds to pay salaries or the VAT and PAYE that is owed to the tax man. When that happens, either the directors call in the Administrators as the club will be insolvent or HM Revenue will do it for them.

[tulip]

the only way to avoid administration is for lowe to stand down,then we appoint a proper championship manager i.e an ince or dowie type of manager.the crowds will then go into 20,000 plus,which in turn would keep the wolf from the door.with lowe at the helm it is costing us 5-6,000 on the gate each week.if he can't see that he's more blinkered than i thought.

[1976_Child]

Firstly, although it doesn't look good, relegation is not a certainty. We are only just over half way through the season. But I'll admit, the omens are not good.

 

I totally agree that if we go down then administration is all but certain. We'll lose another 5K of attendance and get even less sponsorship and TV money. Any player with even a modest price tag will be sold. However, if it means we can finally shake off the odious status of being owned by a corrupt PLC, whose allegiance is to the shareholders and not the club then I would be over the moon. Someone said above that sports clubs should not be owned by PLCs and he is spot on. I am not a customer of SFC I am a loyal member of a club. I'm sh!te at playing football so I don't get involved on the pitch, but I do my bit. Clubs - football or other - are primarily about community; human solidarity if you will where the membership are self-supporting. Sporting clubs are also about celebrating achievement and pushing the boundary of physical action. This is the complete antithesis of what a PLC is. The single, core value of a PLC is to make profit. While clubs have to be run with sound financial competency (which has been sorely lacking at SFC in recent times) and with good stewardship the primary concern of a club is not to make money.

 

So if the fact that we end up in administration and FINALLY see the backs of the money grubbing parasites who are currently choking the life out of SFC then I will be most happy.

[alpine_saint]

I remember not that long ago anyone who mentioned the "A" word was shot down in flames, abused and laughed at.

 

How tragic that it is now being discussed like a Universal Truth...:-(

[Fowllyd]

I remember not that long ago anyone who mentioned the "A" word was shot down in flames, abused and laughed at.

 

How tragic that it is now being discussed like a Universal Truth...:-(

 

Not quite. Plenty of people have discussed administration as a possibility, for the simple reason that it is one. I can't say I've seen anybody discussing administration being abused, but then I haven't read every post on every thread.

 

It's certainly true that those people who seem to view administration as something to be welcomed have come in for a fair bit of stick though. Rightly so, in my view.

[Mole]

It's certainly true that those people who seem to view administration as something to be welcomed have come in for a fair bit of stick though. Rightly so, in my view.

 

I've long welcomed administration and took stick but it's water off a ducks back to me. My feeling is, and always has been, that it's inevitable so you have to look at the positives and the positives are;

 

1. the sooner it happens the better - as we can then get the show on the road instead of slowly dieing.

 

2. Lowes shares will become worthless and WE WILL BE RID OF HIM*.

 

*Lowe isn't like Ken Bates who was the largest creditor at Leeds. Lowe doesn't have a pot to **** in in comparison with Ken Bates. Leon Crouch on the other hand could well be waiting to pick up the pieces....

[rpb]

the crowds will then go into 20,000 plus,

 

I doubt that very much.

[Village Saint]

Totally agree.

 

The biggest problem is Lowe in the short term. Having made another fundamental **** up in removing Pearson and his total football Dutch experiment, i dont see that anything can change. His arrogance will not allow him to correct his error and he will be more than capable of hiding behind the smokescreen of previous regime errors and financal restraints.

 

Therefor without the likely hood of any financal input or Lowe doing us a favour and going it is not even a debate as to if we will be relegated. Unfortunately it is inevitable.

 

As far as what will be our outlook in the next three years, look at say Leeds or even nottingham forest. I dont expect us to return soon. If we do go into administration the only positive to come out of this is it is our best chance of getting the cancerous Lowe out of our club for good.

 

From then it will be a hard slog and all we can do is hope that who ever buys us has more ability and competence than our prevous [say 7 years] encumbants have had.

 

The other inevitable fact is myself and many thousand other fans will still support our team so unfortunately i only see a good few years of bad news and struggle. Depressing isnt it. Someone, HELP.

 

You really have no grasp on reality have you? To spell it out very slowly for you this club is in a mess because of indulgences like employing Pearson and allowing him to pay salaries that were too high for the income we receive (though to be fair he was far from the worse culprit on this one). Yes Rupert is a c£$t but actually his Dutch experiement is the only way we could survive and have some hope. As it is the playoffs do now look beyond us but I would certainly expect with the extra experience they have gained, the current squad (hopefully minus Skacel and Ewell) should do better in the second half of the season and pull clear some time before the final weeks.

[graymalkin33]

It's looking more likely than not that we'll be relegated this season and IMHO administration is also likely. Some may not agree with the latter, but to disagree with the former is wishful thinking. We are not good enough now and we're in the bottom three, and after the transfer window firesales we'll be in even worse shape to compete at this level.

 

So assuming we are relegated and the club are forced to call in the administrators what are the implications for season 2009/10 and in the medium term (the next 3 years or so)?

 

When we dont go down. Then in Augst 2009 remind Stan how stupid he is and maybe laugh and put it all down to the medication.

 

Infact can it be made a sticky?

[Mole]

When we dont go down. Then in Augst 2009 remind Stan how stupid he is and maybe laugh and put it all down to the medication.

 

Infact can it be made a sticky?

 

I'll let you into a little secret. I get stick for my views and have done for donkeys, but i'm usually proved right in the long run.

[um pahars]

this club is in a mess because of indulgences like employing Pearson and allowing him to pay salaries that were too high for the income we receive

 

:rolleyes::rolleyes:

 

And just when I thought it couldn't get any funnier around here.

[SP Saint]

As it is the playoffs do now look beyond us but I would certainly expect with the extra experience they have gained, the current squad (hopefully minus Skacel and Ewell) should do better in the second half of the season and pull clear some time before the final weeks.

 

Have to say I prefer this one UP. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

[Greenridge]

You really have no grasp on reality have you? To spell it out very slowly for you this club is in a mess because of indulgences like employing Pearson and allowing him to pay salaries that were too high for the income we receive (though to be fair he was far from the worse culprit on this one). Yes Rupert is a c£$t but actually his Dutch experiement is the only way we could survive and have some hope. As it is the playoffs do now look beyond us but I would certainly expect with the extra experience they have gained, the current squad (hopefully minus Skacel and Ewell) should do better in the second half of the season and pull clear some time before the final weeks.

 

I hope this is a typo or this post may rank as being the most ridiculous one ever to make it onto these pages

[Fowllyd]

I've long welcomed administration and took stick but it's water off a ducks back to me. My feeling is, and always has been, that it's inevitable so you have to look at the positives and the positives are;

 

1. the sooner it happens the better - as we can then get the show on the road instead of slowly dieing.

 

2. Lowes shares will become worthless and WE WILL BE RID OF HIM*.

 

*Lowe isn't like Ken Bates who was the largest creditor at Leeds. Lowe doesn't have a pot to **** in in comparison with Ken Bates. Leon Crouch on the other hand could well be waiting to pick up the pieces....

 

You cling to the second point in particular and have done in many posts, but surely you must realise that there are no guarantees that we will be rid of Lowe. We might, we might not. We simply don't know. But I do find it astonishing that anybody can regard the process of administration as something slightly unpleasant and best got out of the way quickly, rather like having a filling. From what I know I'd say it's something best avoided if remotely possible - rather like root canal surgery without anaesthetic.