clawsfour

Oh F............

Just close your eyes and listen. The script almost completely reflects my view of the half time scores in Championship today. Let's home for better in the next 45 minutes.

Grayling handbagged by Livingstone

As my regular readers will know, I'm not a great fan of Ken Livingstone.

However he has probably delivered a knockout blow to Tory Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling on a Newsnight discussion about the inadvertent leak of sensitive information by the Assistant Commissioner, and head of counter terrorism, Bob Quick.

It is a joy to watch. So get to iPlayer and watch it again (as soon as it appears there). And someone with more technical know-how than me put it on YouTube so everyone can see it.

The killing blow was leaving Grayling spluttering and unable to answer the charge that only Al-Quaida would be happy with his position on the the leak. 

This isn't cheap jibes about second home allowances. This went to the heart of who do you trust to run the country.

Future Home Secretary? Not any more.

Let's shoot their fox

I'm not against cruel and barbaric activities per se.

I would be a hypocrite to say if the lives of family, friends, or anyone really were threatened I'd call for Amnesty International rather than Jack Bauer. Watching Saints play at home has only been good for the soul. Probably. And sometimes the natural world, red in tooth and claw, seems close to the mark - leopard seals tossing penguins, cats playing with mice and so on.

But it takes the Conservatives to suggest a return to the both pointless and barbaric activity of hunting to exhaustion and butchery wild animals. For blood lust pleasure alone.

The Labour manifesto of 92 had some sanctimonious stuff in it about the nature of a country's people being judged by the way they treat their animals. It was poorly expressed but at its heart, correct.

The media is begining slowly but surely to take an interest in what the Tories stand for. In the last few days, three things of note. Confirmatipn of a tax-give-away to the richest 3,000 people in the country. A clampdown on pay for nurses, doctors and police. And barbarism returniing to the country.

The Conservatives remain the nasty party. It's time to shoot their fox once and for all.

The faith wobbles. A bit.

Well that was just dire.

On all fronts. 2-3 home defeat to the worst team in the Championship. Oh no. Hang on. That's us now.

There was a carnavel atmosphere. The hated (not by me) Rupert Lowe was mo more. Nearly a full ground. The sun shining and three points for the taking.

A pity that the players decided not to turn up. Charlton weren't great but miles better than us. Once again the fans favourite Andre Surman was an utter disgrace.

As I am afraid were some of the fans. The only time the fans have shown any - any - support for either of the managers we have had this season was when Mark Wotte got involved in a punch-up with the Charlton boss.

And fans started booing fans when some decided to leave early. You could hardly blame them. They hadn't been to a game all season (because of the dreaded Lowe) and probably thought they were supposed to be entertained.

Still today is the first time I've felt relegation is more than a possibilty. But I started supporting the Saints in the third division so it will be interesting to see how it has changed. No idea how we fund the stadium though.

Hope the fans who drove us into receivership by staying away all season are pleased with themselves. I don't imagine they will be there next year.

But I will. Southampton 'til I die.

Just keep the faith

It's no joke at Southampton

The fact that Alan Shearer has taken over as boss of Newcastle has slightly detracted from the main story of the day - the fact that his former club, Southampton, are on the brink of administration.

Actually it's likely to be the parent company, Southampton Leisure Holdings, where the shares have already been suspended which goes into administration. And thanks to a large loophole in the League rules, also exploited by Derby County, the team will miss out on having a 10 point deduction.

So, the wish of many of the stay away fans may come to pass. But as I have been arguing on other forums, their Nemesis, Chairman Rupert Lowe, may not be deposed that easily.

Should administration come to the parent company, the administrator won't be phoning a saints fan to ask what to do next. Whoever he or she is, they will have little duty of care to shareholders, the creditors or the staff. And no duty of care at all to the fans, supporters, people who once saw a game in 1976, protesters, true supporters, won't set foot inside the ground til Lowe goes fans, people who have a warm feeling about having a football club in the city even if they never go.

So I think the likely scenario is:

Administration; followed by Rupert Lowe buys the company back for a fiver; no points deduction; club unencumbered by debt; sometime next year inward investment; bye bye Lowe; promotion play offs; premiership; cup winners; quarter finals of EUFA Cup; top two finish; win Champions League.

OK OK some of that may be wishful thinking.

Happy Birthday Minimum Wage

And that's no April Fool.