The9

Didn't bother to read the second half of my post then ? No-one is actually released until July 1st. Hence everyone is currently still a Saints player, even though it's the close season.

One interesting thing, it does imply we can HAVE the flag... if nothing else we could cut it into 4 sections, use the back and have some new slogans (though the FOREVER A SAINT" thing works on its own and would fit nicely along a back wall...).

They didn't think it worth trying for us though.

To be fair, the only place the banners could go are along the back of the stands or in the concrete wall areas in the Chapel and similar access areas around the ground. The lack of fan action is probably more of an issue, especially given the club' response to the last time we did it, the "not reminded of their loss" thing being a particularly jarring and unlikely response, given the Liebherr Memorial Trophy, Markus Liebherr Lounge, etc.

The atmospheres are crap, but the banners are good. As for "club endorsed", yes, that would be the only way to get the things in the ground nowadays, the alternative being either more adverts or a plain wall of some sort.

Well that was a let down, and the fox freaks the hell out of me.

I wasn't actually referring to the women, more the nutters (some of whom were women). Though now you've mentioned it I suppose I should check, out of courtesy and all...

I'm almost certainly going to give the place a try based on that response alone.

They seemed quite keen about that on Sky Sports News yesterday, talking him up as someone with experience. He's certainly got that, he even gets a mention in David Conn's footy finances book which was written circa 2004. He was also Chief Exec at Leeds in 2003 and oversaw the Krasner takeover. What I *didn't* know was that he played for Shrewsbury circa 1980 (and therefore probably played in the 1980 Welsh Cup Final when they lost to Newport County), and shuffled around playing for the famous non-league sides of the north west for 8 years after that. Wiki also says he'd have been Saints Chairman if the 2007 takeover by Daniel Williams had happened, which was news to me.

I found the cosplay album more interesting.

No. JustMike may have the scoop on this one.

Last I heard it was stored somewhere we couldn't get at it, gathering mould. Quite why Saints are so keen to repress fan adulation for the man who saved our club I don't know. Maybe we should email saying we're planning on a massive Cortese banner with him looking surly and adjusting his cufflinks, and want to be sure we can bring it to every match, so we can clarify the position on hanging banners, flags etc. We are quite... sterile... in appearance compared to some other grounds, especially Anfield and Old Trafford, who have an industry in it, and even the Etihad and Emirates have a few slung around the place. Beats "clear panelled grubby back stand area" by some distance, doesn't it ? As one of the more flatpack stadiums we should be being encouraged to personalise it a bit, "Saintsify" it. Also, I just saw the official 1970 World Cup video and would like to see our fans setting fire to newspapers in the seats to create a nice flame effect... seemed to be all the rage in Mexico for about 10 minutes, can't imagine why it could be a problem...

Can someone remind me what exciting footballing achievement they were celebrating last season to deem invading the pitch a worthy activity ?

Are you planning on hanging about in the shadows of Fratton (there are plenty) on the off-chance some parent-avenging caped crusading can be done ?

Your standards have slipped, back when you were Michael Keaton you'd have dangled him in a sewer with some witty comment about cleaning up the city before nicking off to try and bang Kim Basinger.

I see a deep V neck on the Fulham shirt. That's unique in English kits so far (Aberdeen have it though), unless of course the rumours about Saints' away are right ? Did we get any clarity from the ITKers on the 3 areas of conjecture I posted ? Oh, and I believe that makes Saints and West Brom the only remaining Prem clubs to not have either released a shirt, promoted a shirt with a release date, or had a shirt leaked.

Since 1666, I believe. Though in the incident being referred to it wasn't a specific realisation of gravity, merely an ongoing process of contemplation, and the apple didn't actually fall on Newton's head either, but that's when it happened. Maybe Archimedes' "eureka" moment about the displacement of water, sometime between 230 and 287 BC would have been more appropriate ? It did consist of a bloke naked of all the trappings of wealth running around trying to get clean, then running around spouting words that would make them look like an idiot to casual observers. But this is giving Allen too much credit.

Because empty vessels make most noise ? I assume the echoing around the Fratton End will provide the bestest soundwaves in footballing history, or something. Must be worth 10 points a season (usually to offset the -10 for being massive financial cheats and not being able to run a football club legitimately). I am mildly narked that I will have to choose between Newcastle v Saints and Portsmouth v Newport on Dec 14 unless Sky come in with a Sunday or Monday offer.

They're all "back", including the likes of Forecast. The season has ended so all the loans are over, it's the close season, and the contract window hasn't ticked over to 1st July so they're still all under contract for another 10 days, even the ones who are being released. Saints probably can't even loan players out for next season until 1st July either, though I should think they can arrange them and rubber-stamp them on the appropriate contract date - I can't be bothered to trawl the regulations to confirm that, but it makes no sense for a loaning club to get someone and have to pay for them when they haven't started pre-season training, does it ?

You could probably have said that about Claus on the occasions when he didn't have a decent partner...

Oh, and just noticed the thread was started on 19th December 2012 (yeah, it really WAS pointless and early!), so a chorus of footballing trumpets for the 6 month "halfiversary". ...yesterday.

Everyone gets one of their templates, but there are levels of template : 1) "Variation on a template with a bit of trim or pattern where others don't have it and a weave or pattern that is unique to the club" (eg Bayern's diamond weave), 2) "Standard template, but with a bit of a club-related tweak" (West Ham's pinstriped away, MLS kits with the print pattern) 3) "You can have that Hull away/Hearts away/Bolton teamwear one for one of the kits, what colour do you want it in?" to 4) "Here's the catalogue, we're putting your badge on it". I think we're sitting somewhere between 2 and 3, we just don't know where exactly yet.

The one year cycle has been in use for about 5 years now, it was specifically announced for Saints' Umbro deal in 2008, and Adidas have done it for all clubs for a similar time. Spurs have been changing 3 kits a season since 2000 though, which was around the time the UK government recommended a minimum 2 year duration, after parents' complaints led to a working party investigation.

West Ham don't seem to be struggling with switching to adidas, could that be because they're more organised than us? That striped thing is horrible, and doesn't correspond to any description we've heard on here. At least it's a current 13/14 template though.

It definitely won't be that, it's a 2012 template, you can see the white flash across at the end of the 3 stripes which is in a contrast colour on the 2012/13 Stoke and West Brom kits. Still going to be better than anything all red though.