Southampton chairman Leon Crouch has pleaded with Rupert Lowe and Michael Wilde to keep Nigel Pearson on as manager if their takeover succeeds.Former chairmen Lowe and Wilde are locked in a boardroom battle with Crouch at St Mary's and the duo are expected to regain control of the club this summer.

But Crouch insists a change of manager should not be on their agenda amidst speculation that Lowe has approached Glenn Hoddle about a possible return to the south coast.

Crouch told the club's official website: "If Rupert Lowe and Michael Wilde do come back in then I hope they will see the qualities Nigel has shown over the last three months.

"I really hope they would keep him on and give him the opportunity to build his own team and get this great club back into the Premier League.

"He has done a fantastic job since he has been here and has won the respect of the players, the supporters and the staff. He took over in very difficult circumstances but he has got the players playing with real passion and they held their nerve in some very tough games."

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