LEON Crouch said he is not concerned that his shareholding in Saints will be wiped out this morning by administration.
Instead, the former chairman said all he is worried about is whether the club survives.
Crouch has been the second largest individual shareholder in Saints.
He paid £1,676,538 to buy his 2,794,230 shares in the club’s parent company, Southampton Leisure Holdings.
However, with the club going into administration this morning, his entire shareholding will be wiped out.
But Crouch said he is not concerned about losing his money.
“It’s sad for the shareholders and I’m one of them, but I’m not worried about the money I’ve lost – it’s the other fans, what about them?
“I didn’t buy my shares to make money.”
He added: “When I bought my shares it was a long-term investment and I never expected to get my money back, so I’m not worried about my shares.”
The Lymington-based businessman said, assuming Saints avoid a ten-point deduction, the most critical thing now is to make sure everyone is unified and does all they can to help them stay up.
“We don’t need the history of why we’re here at the present time, because I believe that will filter through to the manager and the players,” he said.
“There will be an inquest, but that’s got to be when we are safe.
“I would ask everyone who loves this club to forget about personalities and get back in that stadium and get behind the lads.
“We have got every chance if we do that.
“We’ve played some good football under Mark Wotte and we can do it.
“We have got every chance to avoid relegation, so let’s get behind them.
“Come on you reds – that’s got to be the message.
“We’ve got to pack the stadium out for our last three home games.
“If we can do that then we have got every chance of staying up.”
Crouch is hopeful that there is someone out there who will take on the club after the administrators have been in.
“We have all these great facilities,”
he said.
“We wouldn’t be a PLC any more, it will be a private company and it will be clean and easy, and I believe someone will come in and do a deal with the banks.
“Hopefully we will have a buyer out there that sees the tremendous potential of the club – it’s a fantastic opportunity for someone.”
But Crouch refused to be drawn on whether he would consider buying the club.
“I think at the present time I wouldn’t want to make any comment,” he said.
“It really needs to unravel, what’s actually happening.”
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