Beleaguered Saints staring into the abyss

SOUTHAMPTON are likely to fold before the end of the season unless a buyer for the ailing Coca-Cola Championship club can be found.

The company which owns the south-coast club, Southampton Leisure Holdings plc, yesterday went into administration with its chairman, Rupert Lowe, resigning.

Club chairman Michael Wilde and director Andrew Cowen have also left both the company and the club, with recovery and restructuring specialists Begbies Traynor placed in charge.