Oh. My. Goodness.
So the Rupert Lowe/Michael Wilde EGM battle for control of Southampton Football Club rolls into its next phase, with the current board saying they'll stay and fight, and preparing to name a date for the meeting at which Rupert and his cronies could very well be voted out as board members, to be replaced by Wilde and his team. And how Rupert's team are fighting. Not content with leaning heavily on the normally semi-independent Graham Hiley on the Saints Official Website, he has now hired a PR company to go 'under cover' and post pro-Lowe propaganda on the SaintsForever fan site.
The problem is, they've been found out. A Telegraph article yesterday revealed that Rupert had hired PR 'expert' Shimon Cohen, and stated: "in the past, Cohen has made effective use of fans' websites to get his message across". This set SaintsForever regulars on the edge of their seats. Had they been duped before? Would Cohen and his company "The PR Office" now be attempting to infiltrate SaintsForever? Were notable pro-Lowe posters such as 'Jonah' actually plants from Rupert's side of the fence.
Later on yesterday, a thread titled "Face it, Lowe is staying!" appeared, started by a new poster named 'undercoversaint'. Immediately the regulars jumped on it as potential 'PR Office' stuff, including 'Saint Joe' who called it a "pathetic attempt" (which it was). Could such a highly-paid PR firm be quite this blatant and crude?
The answer is yes. This morning, at 12.27am, SaintsForever owner and organiser Keith posted the results of some investigation he and the board moderators had conducted into 'undercoversaint' and a few other suspicious-looking posters. All users leave a little trail behind them, called an IP address, which can be traced: I've done this a few times with posters on messageboards I've run. Normally it traces back to an Internet Service Provider, like Nildram or BT or whoever (or Bulldog, about whom we speak quietly) - this is because when you're at home, you connect up to one of their computers, which is then connected to the internet itself. However, companies such as 'The PR Office' tend to have their own servers, or at least static IP addresses linked to their domain names, and yes indeedy, the 'whois' trace threw up the details of Shimon Cohen and his little company. They hadn't even had the brains to use an internet cafe or a dial-up account. And they were caught red-handed.
The fallout on SaintsForever this morning is quite entertaining, and is very strongly pushing the opinion even further anti-Rupert. Quite how he can even contemplate staying after trying such a trick as this is beyond me, but it seems to be the death-rattle of Rupert's reign more than anything else. Whether the press will pick up on this, I don't know - won't be until tomorrow at the earliest I'd have thought - but I thought it was worth flagging it up here for those who don't know about it. Hard to believe it's actually true: who can imagine Dan McCauley doing this with Plymouth Argyle? Rupert is a businessman, and has had some eccentric moments in the past, but this is the strangest, the funniest, the most damning.
And soon he'll be gone.
Addendum: At 9.24 Keith reported that he's already been contacted about this by both national and local press. Maybe something will come of this...
Friday, May 26, 2006
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
23 May 2006: Highlights
Short post to provide a link to the little highlights package I put together for Gloria and I to walk in to at the 'Service of Blessing' on Saturday. I've extended it slightly so that it now includes photos from the blessing ceremony too...
Three versions (Windows Media format for now):
Three versions (Windows Media format for now):
- Superfast broadband (768 kbps)
- Broadband connection (350 kbps)
- Dial-up connection (38 kpbs)
Maybe more to follow later... certainly I'm keen to get some higher-res photos up soon. This thing was made using Windows Movie Maker, which was a life-saver on Saturday morning when we needed to get something made in five minutes, but even the high-bandwidth version seriously loses photo sharpness.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
16 May 2006: Extraordinary
OK, I admit it, the work and newly-married life is taking precedence over blogging at the moment. But still, hard to let this one pass off unnoticed...
Yesterday at around 4pm, Michael Wilde called an Extraordinary General Meeting of Southampton Leisure Holdings plc, the parent company of Southampton Football Club. The meeting has one item on the agenda: a vote to remove Rupert Lowe, Andrew Cowan and the three other directors from the board and to replace them with five others, including Wilde himself. As part of this process, there would be a slight restructuring of the board, in particular a clear separation in the roles of Chairman and Chief Executive.
To get the changes through, Wilde needs to get a straight majority of the votes cast during the meeting. He has access to around 25% of the shares himself, and other stated anti-Lowe shareholders (Leon Crouch, Sarwan Singh and the Saints Trust fans body) can take that figure up to around 40%. Lowe, Lowe's family and the directors facing removal control around 25% of the vote. The remaining 35% are held by businesses and small investors unaffiliated to either group. So it may come down to the number of non-aligned shareholders who show up to the meeting, or it may be that Lowe capitulates and leaves before the EGM happens. At the moment, though, it looks like Lowe is staying for the fight, and so far the official site are claiming nothing much other than saying Lowe doesn't think the shareholders will go for Wilde's proposals. With the figures as they currently are, it certainly could be close.
Still, the clock is ticking. The board have to call the EGM within 21 days and the meeting itself must take place within 28 days after it is called. That could take us almost to next season, but at least we now have a maximum life-span for the current board. If Lowe loses, the fans celebrate; if he wins, it shows a level of support previously unknown. Either way, the club will tidy itself up and move on with the chosen board having a clear mandate from the shareholders, which is a good thing. But surely Wilde would not have taken this step without first doing the maths and checking he'd win. And if he's right...
Hm. Why do I smell another 'Rupert Lowe Confidential' coming on?
Yesterday at around 4pm, Michael Wilde called an Extraordinary General Meeting of Southampton Leisure Holdings plc, the parent company of Southampton Football Club. The meeting has one item on the agenda: a vote to remove Rupert Lowe, Andrew Cowan and the three other directors from the board and to replace them with five others, including Wilde himself. As part of this process, there would be a slight restructuring of the board, in particular a clear separation in the roles of Chairman and Chief Executive.
To get the changes through, Wilde needs to get a straight majority of the votes cast during the meeting. He has access to around 25% of the shares himself, and other stated anti-Lowe shareholders (Leon Crouch, Sarwan Singh and the Saints Trust fans body) can take that figure up to around 40%. Lowe, Lowe's family and the directors facing removal control around 25% of the vote. The remaining 35% are held by businesses and small investors unaffiliated to either group. So it may come down to the number of non-aligned shareholders who show up to the meeting, or it may be that Lowe capitulates and leaves before the EGM happens. At the moment, though, it looks like Lowe is staying for the fight, and so far the official site are claiming nothing much other than saying Lowe doesn't think the shareholders will go for Wilde's proposals. With the figures as they currently are, it certainly could be close.
Still, the clock is ticking. The board have to call the EGM within 21 days and the meeting itself must take place within 28 days after it is called. That could take us almost to next season, but at least we now have a maximum life-span for the current board. If Lowe loses, the fans celebrate; if he wins, it shows a level of support previously unknown. Either way, the club will tidy itself up and move on with the chosen board having a clear mandate from the shareholders, which is a good thing. But surely Wilde would not have taken this step without first doing the maths and checking he'd win. And if he's right...
Hm. Why do I smell another 'Rupert Lowe Confidential' coming on?
Thursday, April 27, 2006
27 April 2006: Knees
Those who've seen the official London Marathon website will see I finished, and in a dreadful time of a little under six hours. Those looking closer at the split times will notice that of the 42km of the race, easily my quickest section was between 20 - 30 kms, which doesn't quite make sense. Those who've seen me since will know my knees aren't at all right, and therein lies the story...
So it was a unique day overall. Kevin's knee was damaged entering the race (as were both of mine, it happens, but Kevin knew about his). We comfortably ran the first 8 miles or so, give or take a toilet break (where we were overtaken by a Dalek), before Kev's knee gave out. I walked with him to Tower Bridge and the halfway point, at which point he said he'd have to walk the rest of the way, so I ran off ahead, attempting to catch up with the 1966 England Football Team (I don't think it was really them) and the giant green centipede (twenty people in there, you'll know what I mean if you saw it). Felt great between 13 and 20 miles, burning people up, only stopping briefly for a chat with Southampton FC mascot 'Sammy Saint' about how Rupert Lowe's days are numbered. A really enjoyable hour, and a good split time that would have seen me break 4 hours had I been running at that speed from the start.
Then it all went wrong. 21 miles came along and my knees stopped working.
Ten years ago I had physio on a cycling-related knee problem - my kneecap was slightly out of place and the joint wasn't 100% as a result of this. But no problems for ten happy years... until I reached 21 miles. Suddenly - and it was sudden, quite shockingly so - both my legs stopped bending at the knee. Within five minutes I couldn't run - in fact I could barely walk. Leg muscles were fine, and I didn't feel too tired - my training had been good enough - but suddenly the only way on was to walk moving my legs from the hips, penguin-style. Five and a half miles of waddling through the pouring rain later, I turned the corner and reached the finish line. Relief? Not really - I still had to walk to the bag reclaim and then the 'repatriation' area too, a good half mile or more. Then walking to the tube, walking home... not pleasant.
But hey, I did it. I won't be able to do it again - the knees simply aren't up to it - but it's done and hopefully Oasis will be recipients of a good chunk of money. If you haven't sponsored me yet it's not too late - the JustGiving site remains open until mid-June - and if you have sponsored me, thank you very much! Paper-based sponsorship stuff I'll be collecting soon... be warned!
In other news I'm now married, and Gloria's marriage visa for the UK came through very quickly so she's here with me. Honeymoon was great apart from having to do Elton John 'Stars in their Eyes' in front of 2,500 people on board our cruise ship (when will I learn not to do karaoke?). And so it's back to life at this AKTing lark, closing out the write-up and the final few experiments, putting the car through it's always-expensive MOT and trying to figure out how much the university should be paying me for teaching...
It's life. And we're back.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
28 March 2006: Onwards
An update on numerous issues relating to this blog seems a good idea:
Iraqi blogger Riverbend (see my blog from last May for more details) is up for the Samuel Johnson prize for non-fiction. Good for her! One of the more interesting and readable blogs, Riverbend's was also one of the blogs I found harder to extrakt from, due apparently to a wider-than-average vocabulary. Sadly, Ahmed didn't make the shortlist. And his is my favrouite blog, too.
Harry's move to Pompey was nicely swept under the carpet earlier in the year but today on SaintsForever, Steve Grant (a board moderator, no less) made the following statement:
He [Harry Redknapp] shares ownership of a racehorse with a Spurs director. The same Spurs director who made s**tloads of money on the betting for Redknapp to become manager of Pompey last year.
Interesting, if potentially libelous. What's your source, Steve?
Elsewhere, marathon fever grips Southampton as Kevin and I continue our relentless training drive towards April 23. Well, actually we've just done a bit of running (Kevin a bit less than me due to a dodgy knee last week) - last week the long run was 17 miles, this week it will be 21. After that the 'taper' begins - easing back the training. A wise professor named Dave Cliff told me this morning "the only thing you can do in training in the final two weeks is injure yourself". Sounds like permission to slob out and eat doughnuts to me. Remember, you too can be part of the 2006 London Marathon: sponsor me by clicking here and look out for my dodgy shorts...
Photo: Matthew Evans
And finally, yes, this week there's a bunch of us off to Texas to see me get married. Gloria has insisted I don't wear the shorts to the wedding. I'm thinking of wearing them underneath the tuxedo trousers. Just don't tell her, ok?
Happy Holidays!
Iraqi blogger Riverbend (see my blog from last May for more details) is up for the Samuel Johnson prize for non-fiction. Good for her! One of the more interesting and readable blogs, Riverbend's was also one of the blogs I found harder to extrakt from, due apparently to a wider-than-average vocabulary. Sadly, Ahmed didn't make the shortlist. And his is my favrouite blog, too.
Harry's move to Pompey was nicely swept under the carpet earlier in the year but today on SaintsForever, Steve Grant (a board moderator, no less) made the following statement:
He [Harry Redknapp] shares ownership of a racehorse with a Spurs director. The same Spurs director who made s**tloads of money on the betting for Redknapp to become manager of Pompey last year.
Interesting, if potentially libelous. What's your source, Steve?
Elsewhere, marathon fever grips Southampton as Kevin and I continue our relentless training drive towards April 23. Well, actually we've just done a bit of running (Kevin a bit less than me due to a dodgy knee last week) - last week the long run was 17 miles, this week it will be 21. After that the 'taper' begins - easing back the training. A wise professor named Dave Cliff told me this morning "the only thing you can do in training in the final two weeks is injure yourself". Sounds like permission to slob out and eat doughnuts to me. Remember, you too can be part of the 2006 London Marathon: sponsor me by clicking here and look out for my dodgy shorts...
Photo: Matthew Evans
And finally, yes, this week there's a bunch of us off to Texas to see me get married. Gloria has insisted I don't wear the shorts to the wedding. I'm thinking of wearing them underneath the tuxedo trousers. Just don't tell her, ok?
Happy Holidays!
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
14 March 2006: Hastings
Did the Hastings Half-Marathon on Sunday.
An interesting experience: running up and down hills and along the sea front with about five thousand other people of varying running abilities. Kevin and I were pleased with the time of around 2 hours 10 mins, although I have to say I did sprint off at the end and finish a minute faster. Full results from the Hastings Half-Marathon website results page: note that although I appear as finishing in 2h12m, it took about 3 mins to get under the barrier at the beginning.
All that was supposed to have been taken into account by the electronic timing. On the back of our running numbers was a small electronic chip with a wire running around the edge of the paper, presumably some kind of mini transmitter aerial to tell the system when we started and finished. Seems it only told them when we finished, but that's ok, I can do the maths to figure it out.
One thing I was looking out for and never did see was something described in point seven of the race guidelines, published in the official programme. I've scanned it in so you can see I wasn't making it up.
I looked and looked but never saw a single marshal(l) with a hand-held badger. They did have little scanners for reading our chips, so perhaps that's what they meant. Still, it was greatly disappointing, particularly as Dr Chip reports the ability to make you see badgers by simply by testing your implants.
I don't know, maybe I got it wrong. Maybe we were supposed to implant the chips into our heads, and when the marshalls came along at the end to scan us, they would turn their dials.. slowly.. slowly.. slowly.. and suddenly all I can see is...
An interesting experience: running up and down hills and along the sea front with about five thousand other people of varying running abilities. Kevin and I were pleased with the time of around 2 hours 10 mins, although I have to say I did sprint off at the end and finish a minute faster. Full results from the Hastings Half-Marathon website results page: note that although I appear as finishing in 2h12m, it took about 3 mins to get under the barrier at the beginning.
All that was supposed to have been taken into account by the electronic timing. On the back of our running numbers was a small electronic chip with a wire running around the edge of the paper, presumably some kind of mini transmitter aerial to tell the system when we started and finished. Seems it only told them when we finished, but that's ok, I can do the maths to figure it out.
One thing I was looking out for and never did see was something described in point seven of the race guidelines, published in the official programme. I've scanned it in so you can see I wasn't making it up.
I looked and looked but never saw a single marshal(l) with a hand-held badger. They did have little scanners for reading our chips, so perhaps that's what they meant. Still, it was greatly disappointing, particularly as Dr Chip reports the ability to make you see badgers by simply by testing your implants.
I don't know, maybe I got it wrong. Maybe we were supposed to implant the chips into our heads, and when the marshalls came along at the end to scan us, they would turn their dials.. slowly.. slowly.. slowly.. and suddenly all I can see is...
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
7 March 2006: Sale
It's true, and I can hardly believe it.
The story is this: on the Plymouth Argyle supporter's website (Pasoti), a person going by the name 'Saturday Service' last Monday posted a message stating that Plymouth Argyle were going to buy their ground, Home Park, from Plymouth City Council, who have owned the ground for a hundred-and-some years. The figure was to be in the region of £2.7 million and the details were to be announced towards the end of the week.
The week ended with no announcement, but a growing Pasoti thread that split (as usual) between those who backed the original posters and those who didn't (is it me, or are all internet messageboards exactly the same?). Several people were keen to point out that 'Saturday Service' had only registered for Pasoti some three weeks before and didn't carry the authority of longer term posters such as Mr Newell, Mr Hinches or Mr McRae. However, numerous people backed the story up from varying (always un-nameable) sources, and thus the story carried on a little longer than the normal "Sturrock sacked and about to return to Argyle" or "The real reason Nathan Lowndes left" threads. *cough*.
Then this morning, this happened. And the chairman said this.
If you can't get to those links (not sure how the login system works on the official Argyle site, and it's not been reported anywhere else as I write this), the gist of the story is this: Plymouth City Council have agreed to sell the freehold of Home Park to Plymouth Argyle for a figure of £2.7 million. This not only frees up the club from its rent obligation to the council (not that they paid a lot of rent), but more importantly gives the club an asset against which to borrow money to fund the completion of the 'New Stadium' - phase two of New Home Park, which involves demolishing the Mayflower and Grandstand blocks, and replacing them with brand new two-tier stands, making Home Park all-seater and finally completing the project begun some five years ago. Final deal is still to go through (surely it couldn't fall through now...) but it all looks hopeful.
Of course, the big question on Pasoti this morning is not when this will happen, or whether the deal includes the car parks and surrounding grounds, or even if the only reason the council sold the ground was because they need £2.7 million to keep council tax down (the City Council also today released news of a 5% rise in council tax for the coming year). The question is: who is 'Saturday Service'? He/she hasn't posted since Tuesday (after being roundly roasted by the usual cynics) so the question is, as Frank so eloquently asked this morning, "how did you guys know?"
The story is this: on the Plymouth Argyle supporter's website (Pasoti), a person going by the name 'Saturday Service' last Monday posted a message stating that Plymouth Argyle were going to buy their ground, Home Park, from Plymouth City Council, who have owned the ground for a hundred-and-some years. The figure was to be in the region of £2.7 million and the details were to be announced towards the end of the week.
The week ended with no announcement, but a growing Pasoti thread that split (as usual) between those who backed the original posters and those who didn't (is it me, or are all internet messageboards exactly the same?). Several people were keen to point out that 'Saturday Service' had only registered for Pasoti some three weeks before and didn't carry the authority of longer term posters such as Mr Newell, Mr Hinches or Mr McRae. However, numerous people backed the story up from varying (always un-nameable) sources, and thus the story carried on a little longer than the normal "Sturrock sacked and about to return to Argyle" or "The real reason Nathan Lowndes left" threads. *cough*.
Then this morning, this happened. And the chairman said this.
If you can't get to those links (not sure how the login system works on the official Argyle site, and it's not been reported anywhere else as I write this), the gist of the story is this: Plymouth City Council have agreed to sell the freehold of Home Park to Plymouth Argyle for a figure of £2.7 million. This not only frees up the club from its rent obligation to the council (not that they paid a lot of rent), but more importantly gives the club an asset against which to borrow money to fund the completion of the 'New Stadium' - phase two of New Home Park, which involves demolishing the Mayflower and Grandstand blocks, and replacing them with brand new two-tier stands, making Home Park all-seater and finally completing the project begun some five years ago. Final deal is still to go through (surely it couldn't fall through now...) but it all looks hopeful.
Of course, the big question on Pasoti this morning is not when this will happen, or whether the deal includes the car parks and surrounding grounds, or even if the only reason the council sold the ground was because they need £2.7 million to keep council tax down (the City Council also today released news of a 5% rise in council tax for the coming year). The question is: who is 'Saturday Service'? He/she hasn't posted since Tuesday (after being roundly roasted by the usual cynics) so the question is, as Frank so eloquently asked this morning, "how did you guys know?"
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