| Busy Day For Chairmen.
Both Stories from BBC Sport:
Lowe Steps Down At Saints.
Rupert Lowe has resigned as chairman of Championship side Southampton. After 10 years in charge, Lowe has stood down from the club's board along with Andrew Cowen, Guy Askham, Michael Richard and David Windsor Clive.
Michael Wilde, Ken Dulieu, Jim Hone, Lee Hoos, Patrick Trant and Leon Crouch have been appointed as Southampton's new directors.
Wilde is the leader of a group of local businessmen that has campaigned to unseat Lowe.
Lowe's decision comes just three days before the emergency general meeting called by major shareholder Wilde which would have decided his future.
"We have had 10 interesting years at the club and leave behind us the legacy of a modern stadium," said Lowe in a statement.
As chairman, Lowe took Southampton from The Dell to their new ground at St Mary's and to the FA Cup final in 2003.
But his reign also saw 11 managers at the
club and he was blamed by many supporters for their relegation in 2005 after 27 years in the top flight.
Players such as Peter Crouch, James Beattie, Antti Niemi and Theo Walcott have all been sold while Lowe's decision to appoint Harry Redknapp as manager just days after his departure from arch-rivals Portsmouth proved controversial.
Lowe has also been criticised for appointing former England rugby coach Sir
Clive Woodward as Southampton's director of football.
Property tycoon Wilde, who will front the new board, recently bought up a near 25% stake in Saints' parent company Southampton Leisure Holdings.
Wilde has confirmed his backing for current Saints boss George Burley, but the future of Woodward is less clear.
Wilde has previously claimed Woodward would lose his title of director of football.
"We will be speaking urgently to George Burley to establish the resources he needs in both the short and medium term," said Wilde.
Patrick Trant is a director at Hampshire County Cricket Club, while Jim Hone is a former Celtic and Fulham chief executive.
Lowe decided to resign after Saints' second-largest shareholder Leon Crouch opted to side with Wilde.
Lowe's resignation means Monday's EGM has now been cancelled.
Murray Steps Down At Sunderland.
Sunderland chairman Bob Murray has left the Black Cats after 20 years in charge of the Wearside club.
The 59-year-old has been holding talks with a consortium headed by Niall Quinn for his 56.8% stake.
He resigned on 14 June but will stay on the board while takeover negotiations with Quinn's group continue.
Murray said: "It's D-day for me on Friday. I have lived through some great and not so great times, but I'm proud of what has been achieved."
He added: "The club does not resemble what it did before I got involved. I am a lifelong fan and I know the club is in a better position today than back in 1984.
"Success on the pitch is how you are measured in football. I acknowledge my record is mixed, albeit our lowest finish in the last 10 years is third in the Championship.
Murray has now officially left his post as chairman after announcing his resignation a month ago.
Quinn and his partners are yet to make a formal offer for Murray's stake, but it is understood that they will do so in the next few days.
Murray's shares have been agreed to be sold at £5.7m and the same offer would have to be made to the remaining shareholders, who would then have 21 days to make a decision.
Murray added: "Now everybody is waiting for the takeover to go through and hoping a new board with more money can make a difference."
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I think this is a good thing for both clubs, Lowe wasn't the best at Southampton from the recent things he has done and Murray has had his time and its about right that he has now gone. |