Rupert Lowe

Rupert Lowe is the current Chairman of Southampton F.C., a UK football club. He also sits on the F.A.'s Executive Board as a non-executive director.

Related Topics:
Southampton F.C. - Football - F.A.

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Lowe is an unusual chairman for a football club to have, as he had no previous knowledge of football, in fact he plays hockey in his spare time, and had practically no links with the city of Southampton. But in the mid-1990s, the Saints board were looking to float the club on the Stock Market, a long and costly procedure. So instead they attempted a 'reverse takeover', they needed to find a company that had already floated and take it over while effectively being taken over themselves. Lowe's Secure Retirements, old peoples homes, was a perfect prospect and he became chairman.

Related Topics:
Southampton - 1990s - Stock Market - Reverse takeover

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This complicated and at times farcical state of affairs left the fans, the media and even the club staff completely bemused as to who was in charge.

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Many fans were furious when it was revealed in the media that the outgoing board had issued old stock to themselves before the takeover and the departing Chairman, Guy Askham was reported to have made millions in one day.

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Fans groups were initially undecided about Lowe, he brought with him vast business expertise, a vital trait for any chairman of a football club but he also knew hardly anything about the game, a severe setback for a man in charge of arguably the biggest football club in Hampshire.

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Graeme Souness, Manager and Lawrie McMenemy, Director of Football left the club citing 'difficulties' with the new owners, it came as a huge shock to many fans and to the local press who regarded McMenemy as 'Mr. Southampton'. However, since then Lowe has done much to improve his image in the eyes of Saints fans and the media with the move to St. Mary's going well and the successful policy of selling players to clubs for over-the-top prices. Dean Richards for £8 million and Kevin Davies for £7 million are good examples, especially considering Davies was bought back by Southampton shortly afterward for a much smaller fee, and they also gained James Beattie from this transaction, who enjoyed great form at Southampton, and later joined Everton for £6 million). For this, Lowe's financial astuteness is not to be underestimated to the on going success of Southampton F.C.

Related Topics:
Graeme Souness - Lawrie McMenemy - St. Mary's - Dean Richards - Kevin Davies - James Beattie - Everton

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Lowe stood for election as the Referendum Party candidate for Cotswold to Parliament in the UK General Election, 1997.

Related Topics:
Referendum Party - Cotswold - Parliament - UK General Election, 1997

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On 23 August 2004, manager Paul Sturrock parted company with the club by 'mutual consent' after a supposedly poor run of form (6 wins in 13 games). Steve Wigley was made manager of the club, however he could not pull Southampton out of their poor run, and he parted company in November of the same year. He was replaced, to much furore, by former Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp, but despite some success, he could not stop the Saints from being relegated to the Championship in 2005.

Related Topics:
23 August - 2004 - Paul Sturrock - Steve Wigley - Portsmouth - Harry Redknapp

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Since the relegation, many Southampton supporters have been calling for Rupert Lowe's head, and his future with Southampton F.C. remains to be seen.

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