ST KILDA's disgruntled No. 1 member Lindsay Fox has returned to the club for the first time since coach Grant Thomas's shock sacking, the Saints no longer fearful of a Fox-led takeover of the club.

The billionaire former president, who has also been linked to Carlton since Dick Pratt became president of the Blues and launched a massive corporate fund-raising campaign, spoke with St Kilda president Rod Butterss last week at a sponsors' lunch.

The two men, who fell out when Fox backed the sacked Thomas and took a shot at Butterss with his "fish rotting at the head" comment, have reportedly agreed to talk over a coffee in coming weeks.

The Saints board had feared the influence of Fox, who organised a meeting with Thomas and his players at his home in the days that followed the sacking. The fears that he may engineer a takeover of the board were heightened when he spent close to $1 million buying into the parent company of St Kilda sponsor Bill Express.

Fox's son, Andrew, was a St Kilda director during the early days of Butterss' presidency, but any suggestion that the Fox family could take on Butterss and his team have gradually dissipated.

"Lindsay and I talked about getting together over a coffee soon," said Butterss yesterday. "Have I forgiven him? I haven't really gone down the thought process of needing to forgive him because my whole thought process at the moment is about the rebuilding of the football club and the good work Ross Lyon is doing.

"I think Lindsay is pretty enthusiastic, too. We had a lunch to introduce Vodaphone, our new major sponsor, and all the key members of our business community were there. He mingled and chatted and was in great form."

While Fox is not a key St Kilda sponsor, his influence is such that when the club lured him back to become the No. 1 member several years ago it was seen a significant coup.

He attempted to reconcile Butterss and Thomas early last year after their falling-out became public.

It was another former St Kilda president, Andrew Plympton, who has worked to reconcile Fox — celebrating his 70th birthday with three days of festivities in Sydney this weekend — and Butterss.

"Everyone was very positive about the club, the rebuilding of Moorabbin and where we are at at the moment," said Butterss.

"Ross (Lyon) has already elevated two rookies into the team in the first three rounds, which is a massive change of direction compared with the past few years. The football department has been transformed."

Although Thomas has gone, his influence over his former charges remains to varying degrees.

Nick Riewoldt, who made his 2007 debut last weekend, revealed he had spoken several times with his old coach during the week and had contacted him shortly before the round-three clash against the Western Bulldogs in a bid to settle his nerves.

The Saints hierarchy is understood to be tolerating Thomas' ongoing contact with his former players in the belief his influence will diminish with time.