Southampton FC

How Lowe Became Chairman

In the mid-1990s, Southampton's board sought to float the club on the London Stock Exchange. To reduce costs, they pursued a reverse takeover strategy, looking for a company that had already floated and could effectively merge with the club.

Rupert Lowe's company, Secure Retirements (which operated nursing homes), was identified as a suitable candidate. The resultant group was renamed Southampton Leisure Holdings, and Lowe became chairman of the football club in 1996.

The Move to St Mary's Stadium

One of Lowe's most significant achievements was overseeing Southampton's move from their historic home at The Dell to the new 32,000-seater St Mary's Stadium, which opened in 2001. This gave the club a modern home capable of generating significantly increased matchday revenue.

Managerial Merry-Go-Round

Lowe's tenure saw an unusually high turnover of managers, with eight different men taking charge during his time as chairman:

The Glory Years: 2002-2004

Under Gordon Strachan, Southampton enjoyed their most successful period during Lowe's chairmanship:

• 2002-03: Reached the FA Cup Final (losing 1-0 to Arsenal) and qualified for the UEFA Cup for the first time in nearly 20 years
• Finished 8th in the Premier League — their highest finish for well over a decade

The Clive Woodward Controversy

In 2005, following relegation, Lowe appointed rugby union's World Cup-winning coachClive Woodward as Director of Football. This controversial appointment raised eyebrows across the football world.

It was alleged that Lowe attempted to interfere in team selection after consulting with Woodward, contributing to the departure of manager Paul Sturrock.

Relegation (2005)

The 2004-05 season proved disastrous. Following the departure of Strachan and the brief, troubled tenures of Sturrock and Redknapp, Southampton were relegated from the Premier League after 27 consecutive years in the top flight.

First Resignation (2006)

On 30 June 2006, Lowe resigned under significant pressure from supporters, including the newly formed Saints Trust. The club had failed to win promotion back to the Premier League, and fan unrest had reached a peak.

Michael Wilde led a new team of directors in taking over the club.

Return and Administration (2008-2009)

In July 2008, Lowe returned as chairman of Southampton Leisure Holdings. However, his second spell was even more turbulent than his first.

At an AGM on 23 December 2008, Lowe received calls to resign from former chairman Leon Crouch and from fans and shareholders at the meeting. The club's financial situation had deteriorated significantly.

On 2 April 2009, Southampton Leisure Holdings was placed into administration. This resulted in Lowe's resignation from the board, ending his controversial association with the club.

FA Experience

During his time at Southampton, Lowe also served on The Football Association's executive board as a Premier League representative. He was an FA Councillor and served on the FA Cup committee.

Garforth Town (2012-2015)

Lowe briefly returned to football club ownership in December 2012 when he purchasedGarforth Town of the Northern Premier League, along with the franchise operation of Socatots & Brazilian Soccer Schools, linking up again with Simon Clifford (who had been employed as a Southampton coach in 2005). Lowe left the club in January 2015.

Legal Victory

In 2005, Lowe won a libel case against The Times relating to a column by sportswriter Martin Samuel, who alleged that Lowe had treated Dave Jones "shabbily" following the latter's suspension. Lowe was awarded £250,000, which he pledged to donate to charity.