The club’s holding company has gone into receivership. The club attempted to structure the holding company to shield the club from the effects of such a decision, legally isolating the club from the issue of the debts of the holding company. This, it will be argued, precludes the statutory 10-pt. penalty being applied by the League.
Given that they are only 3 pts. clear of the drop zone at this point, that is certain to rankle some of the others in danger of saying hello to League One.
In addition, the whole thing may end up being moot. According to the assigned receivers, the whole enterprise is in danger of having to be shut down entirely, rather than restructured. And the danger is apparently dire, given that only three home dates remain, and after the last one, there is no income stream on the horizon until August. Meanwhile, there are massive debts still to be serviced. If someone can’t be enticed to step up and purchase the club, it may disappear.
Southampton Leisure Holdings has been placed in administration.
SHL is the parent company of Southampton Football Club, which is now up for sale. Normally, a club entering administration suffers a 10 point deduction. (Such a measure at this stage of the season will surely condemn SFC to the barren wastes of Coca Cola League One next season.) The administrators are arguing that the 10 point penalty should not be applied to SFC because it is the parent company with the problem and not the club itself.
The Football League is to discuss the matter at its board meeting on 7 April.
Southampton F.C.'s parent company, Southampton Leisure Holdings, went into administration this week with chairman Rupert Lowe resigning. The effect of this on Southampton F.C. is unclear at the moment, but it’s safe to say it’s not good news. Relevant BBC link.
ETA: as usual, beaten to the punch by quicker and better answers!
I think chowder speaks the truth (breaking the habit of a lifetime :)). Bristol City and Bristol Rovers are bitter rivals, but no fan of the one would wish the other into oblivion (well, probably a few would, maybe the same ones that turn up for the fight not the football).
And as a Man U fan, I certainly wouldn’t want Man City to disappear - those six points come in really handy every season.
I speak as a Brighton fan (so my understanding of what constitutes football is blurry at best ) and I don’t want to see Southampton go… I had an uncle who ran a pub there when I was a kid and we saw some good games at the Dell…
Today is terrible for the bottom three. They’ve all skated to losses, while of the six teams above them, three have won, two drawn and only Sunderland have lost. That puts just Sunderland within one win’s reach of Newcastle. West Brom are already resigned to the drop, but today’s matches make it look nearly inevitable for Boro, too.
Might come down to a Tyneside clash for the final relegation spot, then. Could be a classic run-in…
An 85th minute goal to take us to within 2 points of 1st place and to keep us 5 points in front of 3rd. Can this really be happening? It’s a good thing Man U aren’t playing today…
By proxy; mostly because a friend is nearly heartbroken. He just returned from today’s match and isn’t in the best of moods, poor kid.
I, OTOH, am pretty fucking ecstatic. 92 minutes of crossbars, side posts, netting, and missed sitters…only to decide I don’t dislike Benayoun as much as I thought I did.
I had the misfortune of just watching the RS go life and death with Fulham on Sultana, as my FiL is a red and is up visiting. I actually feel sorry for Liverpool fans having to watch Dirk Kuyt (the best defensive striker in the prem) - every second touch is a 50/50. I was getting aggravated watching him my ownself. Good on wee Yossi for finding the old bag of onions, that might stay Raffa’s decision to stick him in the Anfield Ladies first eleven - the lad’s got the physique of a consumptive Victorian chimmney sweep.
Bobby Zamora is probaby the worst striker I have seen play this season, the poor lad couldn’t pass water. I include Big Colin Nish in that assessment, who I saw in fulll flight at Hibernian v Aberdeen last week. Even Big Colin would be ashamed of the performance that Zamora put in today, embarrassing stuff. Is there a poorer striker at work in the top division?
We’ll see how Man U get on against the Villa tomorow. I predict a steadying of the ship from the Deans, but not enough to get anything out of the game.
Deservedly came back to 2-2. The goal was just out of the blue really. Villa should feel hard done by but they sat back and let United at them. Also, this was a patched up United.
That said, there is still something not quite right about this United team.
Jo won’t do anything at City, chowder. He’s got great potential, could turn into a class player, but he’s a project. He’s had some shocking games away from home for us which Moyes is probably happy to take on the chin, Jo’s only 21 and needs time to adjust. There’s no patience at City anymore for developing players, so I think he will be sold in the close season. Hopefully to us if we can afford it.
I think you’re right up to a point, but only in comparison to the fabulously consistent teams of 93/94, 95/96, and 98/99. I may be wrong, but I feel each of those had a more consistent starting line-up overall than this season, where Rooney, Ferdinand, and Vidic have all been out injured or suspended for significant periods. I’m certainly not complaining about this, all teams suffer it to a greater or lesser extent - and I think Man U have coped with it better than most because they have a young, talented (and expensive) squad, which is why they are top of the league. It just hsn’t been that smooth.
) and I don’t want to see Southampton go… I had an uncle who ran a pub there when I was a kid and we saw some good games at the Dell…