The whole of Southampton is needed to help Save Our Saints (From This is Hampshire)

The whole of Southampton is needed to help Save Our Saints

6:10pm Friday 3rd April 2009

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SUPPORT your Saints to support your city.

That’s the message from people across Southampton who have picked up the Daily Echo’s call to Save Our Saints by filling every seat in St Mary’s Stadium.

From the classroom to the corridors of power, people from all over the city have pledged their support to help Southampton Football Club survive its darkest days as parent company Southampton Leisure Holdings PLC has been placed in administration.

By going down to St Mary’s for tomorrow’s crunch game against Charlton, fans can play their part in helping the team survive relegation and the threat of financial collapse before the end of the season.

The crucial sixpointer is one of just three home games left this season and if the club is to stand any chance of making it into next season every seat will have to be filled in every match.

Southampton MP John Denham pledges his support to the Save Our Saints campaign

Yesterday Saints players were determined to carry on their duties on the training pitch and in the community as midfielder Jake Thomson visited youngsters at St Monica Infant School in Southampton to talk about life as a footballer and how to stay healthy.

Last night Saints fans also came together with city leaders on the steps of the Civic Centre to show their support for the club and urge people to take advantage of slashed ticket prices for tomorrow’s clash.

Deputy council leader Councillor Royston Smith pledged the council’s support with advertising across the city to promote the club.

“If we all rally behind Saints in their hour of need we may yet save them from administration and certain relegation and start the process of getting the club back where it should be – in the Premiership,” he said.

Southampton MPs John Denham and Alan Whitehead have also backed the call for people to fill St Mary’s and are urging people not to forget the importance of the club to the city.

“The club is one of the things that brings life to the city and gives it a reputation and status outside Southampton,” said Mr Denham “We have got to survive these next few weeks and also help get the club back to where they were a few years ago in the Premier League.

“I am a season ticket holder and have recently had talks with the club and it is clear they desperately need a cash injection.”

Alan Whitehead added: “The club really is essential to the city. I have just had a knee operation after playing football for too many years but I will be at St Mary’s on Saturday no matter what it takes.

“Even if they have to carry me in on a stretcher I will be there to show my support and hope everyone who can get there will do the same.”

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Your Say YourHampshire

F Fan, Winchester says...
9:29pm Fri 3 Apr 09

I welcome the fact that St Yorkie is coming tomorrow, notwithstanding the fact that I have argued all year on this site that those like him who campaigned for people to boycott St Mary’s until Lowe and Wilde were forced out were wrong – and recent events have not changed my mind.

I posted in response to St Yorkie’s repeated calls for a boycott on 27.8.09 as follows:

“Wrong thinking Yorkie. The attendance will have no effect whatsoever on Lowe's salary. What it will do is largely determine the success of the team. Think about it. Every 1,000 fewer fans = £500,000 or so loss of income over the season = £500,000 less to spend on players = more players must be sold and/or good players not brought in. The banks now by and large determine how much money is available to be spent on the team … By all means have a go at Lowe - but don't delude yourself that the stayaways are hurting him - they are hurting the team. “

No regrets there. I’m glad to see Lowe and Wilde gone but the stayaway fans share the responsibility for where we are now – as the Administrator made clear yesterday. Of course, the boycotters are actually very happy to accept responsibility as they have on this site over the last 72 hours – this is what they wanted, administration and Lowe and Wilde gone. They have got it. They have also, along with all the ex-directors, brought the club to the bring of extension. It’s a big gamble.

IF we avoid the points deduction and IF we avoid relegation and IF the club survives and IF Lowe and Wilde don’t buy it back for a song and IF we kick on from there, then I will gladly say that UTS/Yorkie etc were right all along and I and others like me were wrong – and buy them both a pint before the first game of the new era next year.

IF.

It’s a nonsense to say that the big crowd tomorrow is down to stayaways returning – the large crowds at Notts Forest and Man U prove that. What it is is a repeat of what happened on the last day of last season – people will turn out when it gets desperate. The pity is that they leave it too late. Saints have a very weak fan base. We needed big crowds all season and if we had more loyal supporters we wouldn’t be in this mess now.

And a mess it is. Lowe and Wilde would probably have gone for a reasonable offer – the Administrator said that the poor crowds were a factor in scaring investors away. It is entirely possible that they will now to try and get back in to salvage their money. We shall see.

Nonetheless, Invidia is right – we can put all that behind us for now and get down to SMS and do that little single but important thing individual that fans can do – turn up, pay your money and support the team.

I welcome the fact that St Yorkie is coming tomorrow, notwithstanding the fact that I have argued all year on this site that those like him who campaigned for people to boycott St Mary’s until Lowe and Wilde were forced out were wrong – and recent events have not changed my mind. I posted in response to St Yorkie’s repeated calls for a boycott on 27.8.09 as follows: “Wrong thinking Yorkie. The attendance will have no effect whatsoever on Lowe's salary. What it will do is largely determine the success of the team. Think about it. Every 1,000 fewer fans = £500,000 or so loss of income over the season = £500,000 less to spend on players = more players must be sold and/or good players not brought in. The banks now by and large determine how much money is available to be spent on the team … By all means have a go at Lowe - but don't delude yourself that the stayaways are hurting him - they are hurting the team. “ No regrets there. I’m glad to see Lowe and Wilde gone but the stayaway fans share the responsibility for where we are now – as the Administrator made clear yesterday. Of course, the boycotters are actually very happy to accept responsibility as they have on this site over the last 72 hours – this is what they wanted, administration and Lowe and Wilde gone. They have got it. They have also, along with all the ex-directors, brought the club to the bring of extension. It’s a big gamble. IF we avoid the points deduction and IF we avoid relegation and IF the club survives and IF Lowe and Wilde don’t buy it back for a song and IF we kick on from there, then I will gladly say that UTS/Yorkie etc were right all along and I and others like me were wrong – and buy them both a pint before the first game of the new era next year. IF. It’s a nonsense to say that the big crowd tomorrow is down to stayaways returning – the large crowds at Notts Forest and Man U prove that. What it is is a repeat of what happened on the last day of last season – people will turn out when it gets desperate. The pity is that they leave it too late. Saints have a very weak fan base. We needed big crowds all season and if we had more loyal supporters we wouldn’t be in this mess now. And a mess it is. Lowe and Wilde would probably have gone for a reasonable offer – the Administrator said that the poor crowds were a factor in scaring investors away. It is entirely possible that they will now to try and get back in to salvage their money. We shall see. Nonetheless, Invidia is right – we can put all that behind us for now and get down to SMS and do that little single but important thing individual that fans can do – turn up, pay your money and support the team.