Lowe out as English Southampton chairman

Rupert Lowe stepped down as Southampton chairman only three days before an emergency general meeting called by major shareholder Michael Wilde, who now heads the group that will take charge.

Lowe, who has been at the helm of the south coast club for almost 10 years, has seen 11 managers during his reign and he was blamed by many supporters for the club's relegation in 2005, after 27 years in the top flight.

Players such as Peter Crouch, James Beattie, Antti Niemi and, most recently, Theo Walcott, have all been sold while the decision to appoint Harry Redknapp as manager only days after his departure from archrival Portsmouth did not go down well in some quarters.

Redknapp's acrimonious exit stirred more anger while many supporters were against the appointment of former England rugby coach Sir Clive Woodward as director of football.

A statement issued to the Stock Exchange read: "Rupert Lowe, Andrew Cowen, Guy Askham, Michael Richards and David Windsor Clive have resigned from the board of the company with immediate effect.

"Ken Dulieu, Michael Wilde, Jim Hone, Lee Hoos, Patrick Trant and Leon Crouch have been appointed as directors of the company with immediate effect."

Wilde recently bought up a near 25 percent stake in the club's parent company, Southampton Leisure Holdings, and will front the new board which will replace Lowe and his fellow directors.

Trant, a director at Hampshire County Cricket Club, former Celtic and Fulham chief executive Hone, American Hoos, second-largest shareholder Crouch and local businessman Dulieu, will form part of the new board alongside Wilde.

Wilde confirmed his backing for current Southampton boss George Burley. The future of Woodward is not as clear, however, after Wilde claimed he would lose his title of director of football.

Lowe has been mounting a charm offensive in recent weeks with Burley, Woodward and captain Claus Lundekvam all publicly supporting him.

But the decision of Crouch to side with Wilde prompted Lowe to stand down rather than face what appeared to be inevitable defeat in Monday's EGM, which obviously has now been cancelled.

In announcing his appointment as the new chairman in a statement to the Stock Exchange, Wilde said: "Clearly we have a great deal to do, particularly in the pre-season period. We have set out how we mean to manage this great club in an open and accessible way.

"We will commence an immediate review of each aspect of the business and will be speaking urgently to George Burley to establish the resources he needs in both the short and medium term.

"This will be an exciting time for everyone involved with the club. We look forward with immense anticipation to the challenges we face and to working with our new colleagues throughout the business."

Lowe claimed his decision to step aside was in the best interests of the club.

"In view of the voting positions established since the announcement of the EGM on the June 5, we have come to the reluctant conclusion that it is in the best interests of the company to stand down," he said.

"We have had 10 interesting years at the club and leave behind us the legacy of a modern stadium. We would like to thank everyone at the club for their hard work over this period and for those who have backed us with their votes over the last few weeks.

"The interests of the company and the club come first, hence our action today. We wish George Burley and the team good fortune in their hunt for promotion and (academy boss) George Prost another successful year with the Saints."

Source: euFootball.BIZ © Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved.