FORMER SAINTS chairman Leon Crouch has hit back at criticisms from the men who replaced him in power.

Crouch insists he had come up with a plan that was supported by Barclays Bank and that crowds would have stayed at over 20,000 this season had Nigel Pearson been kept on.

Rupert Lowe and Michael Wilde returned to power at Crouch and his board’s expense back in May.

Both Lowe and Wilde said that last week’s news that Saints lost £4.9m in the financial year ending June 30, despite bringing in over £12m from selling players, showed why they had to make their controversial return.

In his chairman’s statement in the accounts, Lowe was scathing of the fact “the previous board” had run a player/ coach wage bill of 81 per cent of the club’s income.

Responsibility Crouch only took over as the football club board chairman last December, midway through the financial year, following the departures of executives Jim Hone, Ken Dulieu and Andy Oldknow.

That trio quit – with an estimated £500,000 pay off between them – when Crouch, Lowe and Wilde failed to back their plan for SISU to take over the club.

Crouch was never involved in any wage negotiations or contract setting prior to becoming football board chairman a year ago.

Crouch added: “It was interesting to read Michael Wilde’s comments (in last Tuesday’s Daily Echo, November 25) setting up Rupert Lowe and himself as the club’s saviours when, in fact, they must share a major proportion of the responsibility for the club’s unfortunate demise.

“It must be agreed that 07/08 was a very difficult season and we were fortunate to remain in the Championship.

“It is important to look at the whole situation and not just be deflected by isolated statements.

There is no doubt that Rupert Lowe’s reign at the club resulted in our relegation after 27 years in the top flight.

“Despite receiving tens of millions from player transfers, television, sponsorship revenues and packed houses at St Mary’s, all we were left with when Rupert departed was the second year parachute payment.

“I do not believe that Harry Redknapp was given a fair chance with only £90,000 spent on Ricardo Fuller (in the summer of 2005 following relegation).

“Michael Wilde appeared on the radar and bought 16 per cent of SFC and formed an alliance with Wiseman, Hunt, Gordon, Thompson, Corbett, McMenemy and Trant.

“As stated in his manifesto, “Planning for Success”, we were convinced by his assurance that he had investors sitting on the fence.

“As soon as he took over, after the second or third board meeting, I realised there were no investors waiting in the wings.”

Crouch’s comments echo a statement released to the Stock Exchange by Southampton Leisure Holdings last December following Hone, Dulieu and Oldknow’s resignations.

That said: “The common expectation was that Michael Wilde and his associates would secure the investment of substantial funds to help put the company back on a sound financial footing and greatly enhance the prospects of winning promotion.

“Regrettably, the fact that such funds never materialised caused severe and continuous friction amongst the directors.”

Crouch was booted off the football club board twice in the space of 12 months.

First, he was voted off it in the summer of 2007 by Hone, Dulieu, Oldknow, operations manager Lee Hoos and finance director David Jones.

Crouch had been appointed Wilde’s successor as football board chairman in February 2007 following the former’s resignation.

“As we did not get promoted (in 2006/07), I insisted on the implementation of some cost cutting measures, which were approved by the board, the bank and auditors in Sept 2006,” Crouch recalled.

“Unfortunately the executives did not share this view and I was overruled.

“There was a lot of animosity between certain non-executives and executives who did not want to implement what I called Plan B.

“It was well documented that I fell out of favour with the executives because of my stance. At that time, they had control and sacked me.”

When told of Crouch’s comments, a Saints spokesman said: “The club will not be drawn into debate over this issue. As far as we are concerned, the issue of the financial accounts has been dealt with.

“We are pleased that Mr Crouch is enjoying watching the fantastic displays that our young squad have been providing, and are confident we will be able to improve on the encouraging start we have made.”