*Halo*

I'd imagine £268,175 is probably just 0.04% of the total due.

Results couldn't have gone much better than they did, except for an extra couple of points for Plymouth. It was Probably the best Tuesday Night in the World! We were having a great laugh watching it all unfold 'round my Dad's, on Carlsberg Score Centre. Just about mate.

Haha, glad to see the re-run was enjoyed. It is good to take a periodic look back at the criminal shenanigans those nasty little c*nts have got away with over the years. Their "History" is something that is very important to them. I use the word 'history' with an ironic smirk of course. As a club that is all of four years old - history is something they don't really have a lot of yet. But it is important to reflect on the sheer extent of the criminality and astounding levels of debt they were able to happily blow off over the years, in their 'divine right' to be "competitive". If we do not hold up the mirror of truth in the face of their deluded P*rtsmythery, then no-one will. The FA played their part, of course, but let's not forget the way the FL conspired with them, to assure one of the spectacularly pluckiest downfalls in history. Everyone knows that conspiracy was FACT and went right to the very top of the Establishment, with those nasty HMRC bullies inventing massive debts that never even existed, just to stitch them up. Tis the stuff of P*rtsmythonian lore. Daft question, it would look bloody superb and you know it! Perhaps Halo can upload/download link it so we can print off some high resolution copies for next Xmas (?). Sadly it was made back in the days when I was still using an antiquated system with an old 1024x768 resolution monitor... and was designed to fit my screen. So there is no higher res version available. What you have right there above, is the only one there is. I'm not sure I could produce something of the same quality again, as my old go-to editing software (the original Macromedia Fireworks) died with my old machine, and all I have to work with now is the GIMP programme. Still a decent bit of kit, but I could literally do anything with Fireworks, and I knew it like the back of my hand. Money is way too tight to afford to pay for a new Fireworks or Photoshop. And unlike some fishy c*nts I could mention - if I cannot afford something - I have the intelligence to understand that I just have to make do with what I have. However... the thought of knocking up a new one for next Christmas is certainly an intruiging idea. There are so many characters to choose from. Who would we retain from the current calendar for massiveness of overall impact, and who else has earned the immortalisation of their place in Saga History? Haha, I never saw that one first time around, good effort. To be fair to them, their own original piece was some nice artwork. The message behind it and the imagery may have been anal to the max - but the design and cutting was pretty flawless. There's a first. Never thought I'd see myself link the word 'flawless' with anything to do with p*mpey in the same sentence. No no no no no, they are always joint top, my dear Munster. Just falling rapidly behind on "Points Difference". (Cheers for that one Rallyboy. Another classic!) Can see the end of season headlines in my mind already: "Plucky p*mpey's season ends in heartbreak as they finish Joint Top - but just fall short of the Top Half on Points Difference". Some tasty scorelines from the Fourth Division today. Mighty Mansfield coming from behind to beat the footbaling powerhouse of Dagenham & Redbridge 3-2, Accrington are victorious at Oxford, and Bristol Rovers come from behind to take three points at home to mighty Morecambe. All of whom leapfrog the pluckiest on Points Difference. Couple that with a Carlisle home victory, with Orient and the Wombles winning away - and that leaves our fishy fiends just three points off a slippery slide down to 12th. Can hardly wait for the excitement of Tuesday night.

Some massive games coming up in the promotion race for those in the Football League's "Bottom Feeders" Division over the next two games. Northampton v Wycombe and Oxford v Accrington this weekend... followed by a 'mouthwatering' Tuesday night, that sees such massive clashes as: Accrington v Notts County Exeter v Oxford Yeovil v Plymouth The skate c*nts are away to the mighty Yeovil on Saturday, and face a tough examination away at Barnet on Tuesday eve. Failure to take at least 4 points from these games if other results go against them, could see the bestest most massivist world famousiest dozy giant club ever to exist (about six or seven different times under various versions of the name) fall significantly behind the top three. Good thing that no matter what happens, they'll still be joint top. That must come as a huge relief to their gigantic worldwide fanbase. Good to see the last few pages enjoying a nice reminiscing of some of the golden eras and colourful characters involved in the Saga over the years. In that vein, whilst it is not currently Christmas, here's a reminder of some of the epic fun we've had together, laughing our asses off at the collective calamity that is P*rtsmyth FC -- or whatever they're currently trading as this time. It's been a few years since I first shared it, hopefully it will be fresh for some of our newer arrivals, but worth another chuckle nonetheless...

So, the hilarity never ceases on the Isle of Delusions. My lungs are f*cked from laughing so much at some of the previous pages. Anyway, it seems that Danny Osvaldo has finally found his level, not to mention the perfect club for him. A c*nt amongst c*nts:

Ah, then you have missed most of my best work here. 187 Posts in ten years, and probably about half of them in that topic. Quality over Quantity. The Appleton Way. I'll give you Sunderland over Sheffield United. I just really don't like Sunderland very much, and love a good Sheffield derby. I like to see as many big derby games as possible in the top flight. West Ham -- their ommission was an oversight on my part. Agree they should probably be in there, but I'm keeping Birmingham, so you can take out my Ipswich. The Coventry side I remember in the top flight growing up, used to play with real fire and passion, used to love the atmosphere at Highfield Road, and they were often a good side to watch, even when they were struggling. They were up there with us all the way through my childhood and teens, so I feel they belong there. West Brom have always either just bored the f*ck out of me, or been a really dirty negative side, then became a typical yo-yo club, so for those reasons, they missed the cut. I grew up with the Norwich City who were a regular top flight side, and achieved two 3rd place finishes, a 4th and a 5th in that time. They played a wonderful slick passing brand of football and exciting wing play, in the days of Ruel Fox, Jeremy Goss, Trevor Putney, Chris Sutton, Dale Gordon, Robert Fleck etc. For me that Norwich team definitely stays. Stoke / Leicester, as you say, flip a coin, but I used to travel away with my Dad a lot when I was younger and he was in better health -- and the atmosphere at the old Victoria Ground always got my attention. Always felt like we were visiting a 'proper club'. I didn't get that same intensity from Filbert Street, plus Leicester weren't up there with us as much as Stoke in my formative years, so I'll keep my Stoke. It's logical that my childhood and teens years effectively established my own expectations as to what was the footballing 'norm'. It's a natural progression that those clubs who spent most of our 27 unbroken years in the top flight with us whilst growing up through those times, will be the ones we remember as the biggest. A forum like this one spanning such a wide age range, is going to have a lot of different answers to this question. I'm happy enough that mine are at least also 'in line' with the definitions of the OP. I mentioned Sheffield United. I also included Coventry. As you say, they are deserving, and definitely if it was them or Sheff Utd.

That club doesn't exist anymore. And even if it did, when you had a "stadium" (I use the word loosely) that only held 21,000, and regularly couldn't fill it in the top flight -- you simply do not deserve consideration.

Decent topic idea. It is something that both my father and myself have a minor annoyance about, the number of quality football clubs that should be in the top flight, but for whatever reasons, have lost their status, and been unable to regain it. I think personally, it stems from the teams that used to be up there with us as I was growing up, during our 27 unbroken years at the top-table. Some massive clubs, particularly now stuck in the Championship, sides with large followings, being replaced with shíte like Wigan, Blackpool, Fulham, Hull, etc. All teams that were usually bottom two division clubs when I was a kid. I like to see the most competitive top-flight possible, and for me that includes the biggest Clubs, with the best fan-bases. Clubs that if they could get back up there now, with the size of their support, and the money the game is awash with now -- could soon become decent forces in the game again. Having sides that can barely generate a half-decent crowd and atmosphere, for me at least, detracts from the overall experience of the competition, and makes the league that much less exciting than it could be. I mean, who would you rather watch on a Sunday afternoon sky game, Hull vs Blackpool, and Wigan vs Fulham -- or Leeds Utd vs Sheffield Wednesday, Nottingham Forest vs Birmingham City? Clubs that could have a real potential to grow again, and bring more quality to the division? Anyway, here's mine: Manchester United Arsenal Chelsea Manchester City Liverpool Everton Southampton Tottenham Hotspur Newcastle United Nottingham Forest Leeds United Sheffield Wednesday Sheffield United Birmingham City Aston Villa Wolverhampton Wanderers Coventry City Stoke City Norwich City Ipswich Town

Jordan Sibley resigns...

Also known as the Danny Fox Role.

Close-ish. Tis Iain McInnes. The Father of the fish-f*ckers' 5th or 6th or 7th attempt (too many to remember) at running a football club without using dubious sources of dodgy cash that does not belong to them, such as loan sharks, child-maiming arms dealers, tax evasion, theft from local charities and businesses, poor lithuianian pensioners' life savings, plummetting into administration and blowing off the subsequent CVA's. He's got a lot to get off his chest too, as it happens. About 3 stone of fat for starters. Been drinking from the taps too much at Fatpipes Park, I suspects.

A few weeks back on Radio Solent (can't recall what game) -- he said that he (paraphrasing) "likes to play Yoshida there when he feels he needs more height at the back at set plays in certain games". Not sure if that relates particularly to his reasoning today, but as no-one had mentioned it yet, it does offer an answer to your question. Whether or not that extra height at the back is worth sacrificing a great right-back, to play a decent back-up Centre-Back who can't really play in that position to some level of competence, actually represents sound managerial thinking -- is of course somewhat dubious and up for debate.

Now of course, we all already know what an absolute c*nt of the highest order 'Arry Redkrapp is. But, why would you do this to a fellow proffessional...??? Klopp wasn't first choice, claims horrible, tax evading, gobby w*nker... I know the slimy fish fiddling t*sser has done much worse over the course of his life of corruption -- but what possesses you to call in live radio, to broadcast the fact that a new manager wasn't first choice? What business is it of his? Such a sad sh*t-stirring "look at me, I've got sources, I'm in the know" little c*nt. Not that I want Klopp or anyone to ever succeed at that self-inflated club, I do not. It is just a nasty and spiteful thing for Redkrapp to have done. I really f*cking hate that man.

It was the whole "Together as One" philosophy. It was more than just some nice media soundbite, or empty clichéd sentiment. It was a tangible asset, and something you could genuinely feel. Everything about the Club at that time, had that special connection running through it, and we as a Club, players, management, support, were truly united. I am convinced that the "Spirit of Southampton" factor we had seeping through the core of the Club, won us points on its own. There was just such a belief and unity in everything we did, that failure to achieve our goals just felt bordering on the impossible, for as long as we kept everyone together. Time passes, and now these few years down the road, and most of that core has moved on, and that same feeling of connection to our players has diminished somewhat during the transition -- but those times that we had -- the football we played, and the sheer enjoyment of being part of such a special journey, will always be a part of our history, that no-one can take away from us. That part of our journey has past, and we have since arrived at our destination, but we had it -- and those memories will last for the rest of our lives. In addition -- Crab Lungs, if you see this message mate -- do you still happen to have a copy lying around somewhere of that wonderful tribute site you made for us to all pass on our thanks and best wishes to Nigel? Would be nice to have a nostalgic scan back through some of the messages if possible. Thanks.

At first glance, I read that as -- once he settles in he'll be sold. For a longtime Southampton supporter - that sounds about right.