Rupert Lowe insists that he is the man to rescue ailing Championship club Southampton.
Former chairman may be set for unlikely return
Rupert Lowe insists that he is the man to rescue ailing Championship side Southampton.
The former Saints chairman has formed an unlikely alliance with Michael Wilde, the man who replaced him at the head of the St Mary's boardroom back in the summer of 2006 before walking away from the club himself just eight months later.
Between them the duo hold a 22% stake in the South Coast outfit and are believed to have secured the backing of supporters who hold a further 20%.
They intend to call an Extraordinary General Meeting in an attempt to oust current chairman Leon Crouch and reclaim control of the football club.
A statement released in the
Southern Daily Echo quoted Lowe as saying: "I have grown to love Southampton Football Club and stepped down in June 2006 because I believed it was in the best interests of the club.
"However, I bear no grudges, and although Michael and I have had disagreements in the past, we are now united in our wish to plan a long-term, honest and secure future for Southampton Football Club and the community it serves."
Responsible
Sheffield Wednesday's point against Coventry on Tuesday night saw the Saints slip into the Championship relegation zone, and the return of Lowe is certain to divide opinion among the club's supporters.
Many were quick to blame him for Southampton's exit from the Premier League in 2005 and their subsequent stagnation in the second tier.
However, the club did reach an FA Cup final under his guidance in 2003 and he also oversaw the building of the state-of-the-art St Mary's Stadium.
With the Saints now struggling both on and off the pitch, drastic action is required and a Wilde-Lowe combination may be the ideal partnership to drag the club out of their current predicament.
"I feel let down and disappointed by the performance of a number of people that I was instrumental in bringing into the club some 18 months ago," said Wilde.
"I am prepared to take responsibility for this by working with Rupert and Andrew (Cowen, former managing director) to arrest the club's current deterioration."
Focused
Crouch is yet to set a date for an EGM to take place and insists that for now he remains solely focused on ensuring that the Saints maintain their Championship status.
"We are focused completely on Saturday's big home game against Bristol City and our remaining matches," he said in response to the rumours surrounding his impending exit.
