EX-SAINTS chairman Rupert Lowe has written to the Daily Echo blaming Leon Crouch for the cash crisis at St Mary’s and the newspaper itself for continuing to cause “a division within the club over many years.”

Lowe wrote to Daily Echo editor Ian Murray after we published a story saying he was going to attend Saints’ final game of the season at Nottingham Forest – a game he did attend. His letter, in full, is printed below:

Dear Ian,

Rupert Lowe going to see Southampton v Nottingham Forest – 1 May 2009.

I REFER to the above article which, as is often the case with the Southern Daily Echo, is not only inaccurate, but biased and inflammatory.

Attached to this letter are copies of my Chairman’s Statement, an independent article written by Mike Richards, a former non-executive director of the Club, and a malicious note which was sent out to a selection of shareholders in 2006 by Mary Corbett in a bid to support Michael Wilde.

I do not see reference in your paper to the great deal of money that was wasted on recreational redecoration of the stadium nor the fact that the Board of 2006 – 2008 did not provide either the harmony, leadership or structure necessary to achieve promotion, and indeed it is difficult to see what the Board, who included those who you religiously quote, did other than to put the Club in financial jeopardy.

As always, you have chosen to quote Leon Crouch, who, as can be seen from the content of my statement, is largely responsible for the financial crisis at Southampton.

You also continue to include quotes from Lawrie McMenemy who has given a strong opinion on my intention to attend the final game of the season, which merely gives voice to his incorrect and biased thoughts.

The reason I attach my Chairman’s Statement is so that you could see the financial damage to the Club while myself and my previous Board colleagues were not responsible for the finances. Nobody sued me for my summary because it is accurate.

Finally I feel the Southern Daily Echo must also bear responsibility for the division you have continued to cause within the Club over many years.

Yours sincerely, RUPERT LOWE.

Reply from Simon Carter, Sports Editor

THE chairman’s statement Rupert Lowe sent to the Daily Echo was the one published in the annual accounts last November, which was given large coverage in these very pages back then.

The independent article from Mike Richards was given a double page spread in the Daily Echo in February of this year and the back page the same day.

Richards had asked his statement be given the same space as one previously written by Keith Wiseman, and that request had been adhered to.

The letter from Mary Corbett to shareholders written back in 2006 is printed elsewhere on this page.

Regarding the ‘recreational redecoration’ of the stadium back in 2006, Lowe does not mention how much was ‘wasted’.

We asked Saints for costings this week but was told no such figure was available. But a spokesman said a “substantial”

part of the overall cost was offset against the company which did the redecoration being given a corporate sponsors’ hospitality box for the 2006/07 season.

A sports reporter twice spoke to Lowe before we published the story that he was attending the Forest v Saints match.

In the first instance, we offered him the chance to put his side of the story regarding the last few years at St Mary’s, but he declined.

Leon Crouch and Lawrie McMenemy have taken the offers to put their side of the story in the pages of the Daily Echo, the latter through his weekly column.

We later offered him the chance to say whether he was attending the game at the City Ground, but again he declined to comment.

The story printed in the paper basically said he was attending the game, and he subsequently did, so that part was certainly accurate.