Different faces, but directors' noises are still the same

Saints Trust vice chairman Brian Bennett has written a personal view regarding the events of the past 12 months.

His comments are his personal views and not necessarily the view of the Trust.

So here we are, a year on from the departure of Rupert Lowe and the supposed dawn of a new age, with new directors and a new board.

The question we must ask and answer now is how much has actually changed in that year.

Unfortunately it appears not as much has changed, as we would have hoped.

The faces may be different but at times the noises coming out of St Mary's sound much the same as they always did.

Overall it has to be said that most things are no better now then they were a year ago, or even two years ago.

The biggest difference is perhaps that we no longer have a parachute payment to rely on.

At that means as a club we lack the financial resources to bring about the necessary changes on and off the pitch.

The one shining light at the end of the tunnel when we were relegated was our much vaunted youth team and academy.

Two years on its shining lights, Walcott, Blackstock, Best, Bale, Cranie, Mills, Folly, Griffit, Richards, Condesso, Sparv, Critchell, Rudd, have been sold off, neglected or allowed to leave for a pittance.

I am sure that I am not the only one that thought the promise of our youth was the one thing that was going to take us back to the promised land of the Premiership.

Only Surman, pictured right, seems to have made the transition to first team regular.

It raises the question what is the point of an academy if its promising graduates are sold off or cast away rather than played in a first team, which after all has under performed for most of the season.

The team's performances were often as lacklustre in 2006/07 as for the most part of the previous season, if not quite equal to the relegation performances in ineptitude.

Team selections have also been confusing at times.

Having spent the best part of £7 million last summer, a play-off place was the very least we expected this season.

We got it, but only just.

However, when compared to the team that finished the previous season with 6 wins out of 7 it suggests we simply threw good money after bad to build a team that was no better and probably a bit worse.

Despite their much heralded football first philosophy and commitment to a supporter director in the annual report and manifesto', the new senior executives show no real commitment to either engaging with supporters or involving supporters in the decision making process at St Mary's.

Indeed, it seems that most of the time there is no more openness or honesty when it comes to dealing with the fans, the real resource of any football club, than under their illustrious predecessors.

There is still far too much hiding behind financial regulations as an excuse for not being more open and honest.

It also seems there is still a great deal of infighting at higher management level and board level for the club to be successful in any league.

And yet again we face a period of upheaval and instability and perhaps another wasted summer, due to the rumoured takeover.

Right now I would say come back Michael Wilde, as most of us really believed that you would be good for this club.

Other than that, our best hope for the change we need would seem to be a takeover.

It seems it will take something that dramatic to guarantee the club a good, long-term future in the Premier League.

As a Saints fan I have asked myself many times can things get any worse and unfortunately the answer is more often than not yes' and then it does.

For example, this week with the departure of Martin Cranie for Portsmouth and a year on from Rupert Lowe's departure the answer to that question yet again seems to be a resounding yes'.

One thing is certain and that is actions speak louder than words, although words are far better than silence.

The time has come for the board, the management and the players to engage with the supporters and deliver both on and off the pitch before it is too late.