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Michael Wilde blames Southampton's administration on Barclays Bank


MICHAEL WILDE has laid a large part of the blame for Southampton Leisure Holdings PLC falling into administration at the door of the club’s bankers Barclays.

The former football board chairman was today standing down as administrators took over the running of the PLC after the business could no longer be classed as a going concern.

The Daily Echo understands that Saints had breached the overdraft limit agreed with Barclays of £4m – but by not much more than £110,000.

See today's paper for more on this story

Read Michael Wilde's exclusive statement only in today's Daily Echo.


Comments(19)

Charlie George's Lawnmower says...
9:24am Thu 2 Apr 09

If the club ends up in the right hands because of Administration, then hopefully, Barclays have actually done the club and it's fans a favour by giving us the only option we had available to rid us of Lowe and Wilde.

This is a very affluent part of the country and there are quite a few rich Saints fans around. Now is their time to help the club.

Step forward Gavyn Davies, Anthony Salz, David Frost, Leon Crouch, Patrick Trant, Rod Bransgrove and anyone else who will put the club first above personal gain or ego.

SFC4EVA says...
9:27am Thu 2 Apr 09

HA. How can he blame the bank? Shows how totally arrogant both him and Lowe are!

Look in the Mirror both of you, in fact i'll include Crouch in this! It is solely down to you three that the company has gone under! Hopefully the accounts will find someone to buy the club....f**k the parent company!

security word
easy-stay lol

St.Yorkie says...
9:27am Thu 2 Apr 09

As someone has posted elsewhere - if all the 200,000 fans on the data base contributed £10 to the cause it would be £2m in the bank! In these times when money is tight - the players should come to the clubs aid as well - after all they have been the drain on club finances for the last 4-seasons, they owe the club something too!

Help The Saints says...
10:02am Thu 2 Apr 09

Speaks volumes for how arrogant and egotistical the Saints board are. The "its not my fault" arguement is very weak Wilde. You and Lowe came back to bolster your ego's and clearly for your own hidden agenda's. You have ruined this club and divided the fans. Why wouldn't you and Lowe help Crouch clear the overdraft? Why couldn't you and Lowe attract investment? You may have money but money can't buy you integrity or honour. See Ya and good ridence

Invidia says...
10:12am Thu 2 Apr 09

LET'S PUT MICHAEL WILDE AND RUPERT LOWE BEHIND US FOREVER AND FANS OF ALL KINDS UNITE TO MOVE OUR FOOTBALL CLUB FOREWARD

ps. I shall definitely renew my season ticket now!!!

UTS says...
10:12am Thu 2 Apr 09

Wilde you are a two faced liar. Where is the £2million you said you would invest ? You and Lowe are 100% responsible for our demise. You incompentence of giving total strangers exec powers merely fuelled the situation.

I dont think you will be very welcome at StMarys this Saturday or Lowe.

Propercynic says...
10:25am Thu 2 Apr 09

NO Wilde, NO! It is NOT the bank's fault but the sheer incompetence of you and that blood-sport loving scumbag Lowe. That God you have both gone! I hope you both rot in hell.

San Marco says...
10:37am Thu 2 Apr 09

Of course I have absolutely no sympathy with Wilde but it is interesting that Barclays sponsor the Premier League. Should they also be the bankers of clubs?? After all I bet they give Ronaldo and friends more than £110,000 per year.

gorf says...
10:44am Thu 2 Apr 09

i've just closed my barclays bank!

Got a barclays account?

move your money!


Steve R says...
11:31am Thu 2 Apr 09

Typical of both Wilde and Lowe, it's always someone elses fault. The fact it was always a matter of when this would happen not if from a long time ago. Football clubs and plc's don't mix.

SFC4EVA says...
11:35am Thu 2 Apr 09

gorf wrote:
i've just closed my barclays bank! Got a barclays account? move your money!
I must admit I closed my Barclays account years ago when I was younger. I went to them as I was having a bit of financal trouble and they offered me no help at all and just kept charging me!

Friarscliff says...
1:04pm Thu 2 Apr 09

Why is it the bank that always gets the blame in these situations?
I think Barclays were good to continue supporting the club at the beginning of the season and you can hardly claim that things have been well managed since. Why should the bank and it's shareholders risk more money when the club shareholders and directors are not prepared to contribute themselves? Why has it not been possible to find another purchaser for the club - I'm sure the present directors would have been happy to sell? Have the fans really helped by boycotting the club resulting in a loss of badly needed income?
I have been supporting and until recent years, watching the Saints since the late 1940's and will be very sorry to see the club fold.
At the end of the day however, football is only an entertainment business and there are many other firms and business's that are vital to the economy and merit support.
I sincerely hope the club can continue and stay in the Championship but don't blame the bank when the shareholders, directors, fans and prospective investors have turned away from helping.

scotsaint says...
2:12pm Thu 2 Apr 09

Friarscliff wrote:
Why is it the bank that always gets the blame in these situations? I think Barclays were good to continue supporting the club at the beginning of the season and you can hardly claim that things have been well managed since. Why should the bank and it's shareholders risk more money when the club shareholders and directors are not prepared to contribute themselves? Why has it not been possible to find another purchaser for the club - I'm sure the present directors would have been happy to sell? Have the fans really helped by boycotting the club resulting in a loss of badly needed income? I have been supporting and until recent years, watching the Saints since the late 1940's and will be very sorry to see the club fold. At the end of the day however, football is only an entertainment business and there are many other firms and business's that are vital to the economy and merit support. I sincerely hope the club can continue and stay in the Championship but don't blame the bank when the shareholders, directors, fans and prospective investors have turned away from helping.
Exactly. Let me understand this. The shareholders seem to be saying that this situation came about because barclays refused to increase the overdraft by £110k, yet they were not prepared to put the money in themselves. Upside for barclays if it worked - they get their money back. Upside for the shareholders if it worked - they keep control for no cost. Nice deal if you can get it but please dont insult us by blaming the recession. Bankers may have a lot to answer for but not on this occasion. This is all about years of bad management and i suspect no bank would have supported such a weak management team

offix says...
3:14pm Thu 2 Apr 09

Typical. It's never your fault is it, traitor!

Not your fault that you appointed those charlatans like Hone and Hoos.

Not your fault that you betrayed all the fans and brought back Ru**rt.

Not your fault that the Dutch experiment got implemented.

Not your fault that the overdraft was exceeded (again)?
What a weasel you are.

Ryan Mckinlay says...
4:07pm Thu 2 Apr 09

San Marco wrote:
Of course I have absolutely no sympathy with Wilde but it is interesting that Barclays sponsor the Premier League. Should they also be the bankers of clubs?? After all I bet they give Ronaldo and friends more than £110,000 per year.
yes because people are interested in the premier league, even your own fans dont want to attend to watch your 2nd rate team! now lowes gone what other excuse will they find!

Brownowl says...
7:51pm Thu 2 Apr 09

Irrespective of the failures in the running of the Club - and there have been many - and if it is true that Barclays have pulled the plug due to a £100K overspend on the agreed overdraft do you think for the slighest second that Barclays would do the same to a Club like Newcastle and face the wrath of the Toon army? I think not!

SF76 says...
11:05pm Thu 2 Apr 09

No Michael Wilde.

YOU are to blame as much as Lowe, if not more so.


Saint says...
11:15pm Thu 2 Apr 09

SFC4EVA wrote:
gorf wrote: i've just closed my barclays bank! Got a barclays account? move your money!
I must admit I closed my Barclays account years ago when I was younger. I went to them as I was having a bit of financal trouble and they offered me no help at all and just kept charging me!
Snap! Barclays are a bunch of w#####s.

But bottom line is Wilde, Lowe, Richardson and Askham are to blame!

Hopefully now a properly run board will take over the club finaces and take this great club in the right direction.

Baybrit says...
2:36pm Fri 3 Apr 09

"It's not my fault". He sounds just like a Wall Street banker. He and the majestically unpleasant Rupert Lowe take arrogance and incompetence to a new level and then run crying to Mummy when it all goes wrong.


Michael Wilde Michael Wilde

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