The9

Also, let's not start going over welsh clubs in the English pyramid, there have been loads. Even Barry Town were in it until they jumped ship and became Barri (before bankruptcy). I'm not even sure Merthyr even still exist now, they went pop and reformed a year or two ago, I think.

Because welsh clubs have been part of the English League for over 100 years, there's no difference in English and Welsh law (at least there wasn't until the bloody Assembly was created in 1996, now there are some distinctly tin-pot differences) and there was no League of Wales until 1992 for half-decent clubs in Wales to play in. The Scottish League has basically been around for as long as the English one.

Gretna FC (before they joined the Scottish League) beg to differ.

It's based on their average attendance. I try to deal in facts to underpin the irrational hatred.

Which would leave 15,000ish regular Fratton-goers who could instead go to see a level of football AFCP will only be dreaming about for the first 5 years (Conf South). But H&W got 900-something... and that's with a couple of hundred Eastleigh fans in there.

To labour a point, Wimbledon in the top division got attendances between 15-17k from 1997-2000, Skate Cheats got between 18k and 20k from 2006-2010 in the top division. AFC Wimbledon in 9 years with 5 promotions and never finishing in the bottom half of any league table have never averaged more than 3535, and two seasons in a row at the same level without promotion was enough to drop their average to 2500. Their attendances have been pretty stable, as they were getting 3000 in 2003 in the Combined Counties. Based on that premise, AFC Portsmouth would be looking at getting at best 3500 in the Wessex League (or wherever they end up) - but where's the problem with a crowd that size, even in a one-off first League game ? There are basically no home fans to consider, there's no segregation up to Conference South level anyway, the ground criteria increments capacity as you go up and crowds grow anyway, and 3500 people will fit around any football field no matter what the level. You also know for sure a load of them won't come back after seeing the standard of football.

The other thing worth remembering is that the Skates currently have Gosport Borough and Havant & Waterlooville on their doorstep if they want to go and watch non-league football. Gosport don't even list attendance figures on their website and H&W got under a thousand for the visit of local rivals Eastleigh on Boxing Day.

Newport (County) AFC got 2500ish for their first game back in Newport too. They then spent 21 years struggling up to the Conference with crowds of around 600-800 at best, and in 1994 got an average attendance of 323. As a guide, Newport used to get just under 5000 on average when they were competing with the Skate Cheats at the top of Div 3 in the early/mid-80s (the Skates got 8200 in 1982 in Div 3 and 14k winning the league the next season, the plastics). So you can write off more than half of any attendances entirely, and probably as much as 85% of their current dwindling fanbase until they're in the Conference or at least winning the Conference South, and there's no real knowing just how many people will just write off the new club and NEVER go - historically 3000 is an upper limit for anyone reforming a club in terms of interest beyond the first 2 or 3 games. Wessex League seems the likely starting point for the Skates - due to their love of all things cockernee they'd probably try and get in the Isthmian (Ryman) League Div 3 rather than feeding the Southern League South and West Division.

Actually it's specifically mentioned in the rules as being allowed, as long as it's before the loan window closes.

Interesting to see that since West Ham's freak result at Blackpool with 10 men and Lansbury in goal for a while, people seem to have decided all outfielders are fine in goal. To them I have two words : Dexter Blackstock. IIRC Warnock never puts a keeper on the bench, Allardyce rarely does it. Haven't paid too much attention to others.

Nice theory, but as Ipswich had won 5 of their last 6 that clearly shows that form is important, and the league table is the indicator of the whole season's form.

He hit the target with one powerful shot today, it didn't go in. A few weeks back he passed one in. What's your point ?

Take a look at their remaining fixtures : Championship Reading v Leicester Sat 10 Mar 15:00 Championship Doncaster v Reading Tue 13 Mar 19:45 Championship Barnsley v Reading Sat 17 Mar 15:00 Championship Peterborough v Reading Tue 20 Mar 19:45 Championship Reading v Blackpool Sat 24 Mar 15:00 Championship West Ham v Reading Sat 31 Mar 15:00 Championship Reading v Leeds United Fri 6 Apr 14:00 Championship Brighton v Reading Tue 10 Apr 19:45 Championship Southampton v Reading Fri 13 Apr 19:45 Championship Reading v Nottm Forest Tue 17 Apr 19:45 Championship Reading v Crystal Palace Sat 21 Apr 15:00 Championship Birmingham v Reading Sat 28 Apr 12:30 Ok the first 4 don't look too tricky, but if they finish above us with that lot to play in their last 8 games, they'll deserve it. They have to play 1st and 2nd, 6th and 7th away, as well as 5th, 10th, 11th and 12th at home. Plus 3 teams in the bottom half. Meanwhile Saints have to play 4th, 5th, 9th, and 12 away, 3rd at home, plus 6 teams in the bottom half. We certainly have an easier looking run in, along with West Ham though.

I know THAT, I'm just pointing out that we wouldn't get him in for other reasons as well.

I would imagine because the phrase means "being unprepared" which is what Saints were, what with the manager being on holiday and them taking a few days to get back to him. I should think that usually there are pretty abrupt and swift responses to that sort of enquiry about a team's leading scorer. Given that Lambert had never played at this level at the time you can see why Jewell would have thought a bid could be good business, he wasn't to know Lambert was integral to our plans, and it might have been possible that we were looking to replace him. I know I wouldn't have posted up that thing I did pre-season about Lambert being removed from the away kit advert at short notice in the current situation, he's at least worth a gamble if we get to the Prem, even if we sign another striker or two. There was some doubt that Lambert and Barnard would be a decent Championship partnership, and half of that was right.

Mini has done well.

I'm no Les Reed fan from his previous stints with clubs and one or two things in his coaching books (see my location), but I don't think anyone can complain about the way the whole football staff have performed in the last 18 months.

Hasn't Lafferty got a history of off-pitch indiscretions ? Might be thinking of someone else, but if not, I don't think he'd meet our rigorous screening programme somehow.

I like "Skate Cheats FC" for them, lest we forget. I am already far superior to all of them and also have the moral high ground, so I don't really care if people think I'm stooping to their level, because I assure you I am still far and away better than them, up here in my ivory tower where the air smells of cinnamon.

Is it news that a Saints player who's on the fringes of a Championship side is going to look good in League Two ? All credit to Holmes nevertheless, he's always been decent for us when he's had a run of games, he just hasn't ever been fit long enough for that run, and he's never going to get in ahead of Lallana.

I quite enjoyed the hilarity that ensued after forays into Bushcraft back in the S4E days. Actually probably the SF days, before Saints Fun had to be considered. Lungs and Ormergod and Squibby all the way.

If we could do the same "joke" with Ben Reeves now please ?

FL Rule 52.3.2 http://www.football-league.co.uk/regulations/20110629/section-6-players_2293633_2125731#50 indicates that a club may only have 4 players on loan (of any type) from any one other club in a season, though you can add a youth loan to that total. By my reckoning they've had Thorne (twice), Mattock, and Allan, all from West Brom. So does "players" mean that you can loan one player multiple times and it only counts once, or does it mean they've had their 4 from West Brom already ? There's another rule about only having 2 over 23s from the same club on a "Standard Loan" but that's irrelevant as Standard Loans are half or full-season ones agreed inside the Transfer Window, and they can't have any more of those anyway as the transfer window has closed.

Some of Puncheon's best performances have been left sided, albeit when we loaned him to Millwall. He doesn't do well out wide but much better when narrower. If he was less stop-start with his running he'd probably do well in the middle but he's a little too hesitant with his effort if he's standing still sometimes. FWIW I think our midfielder has enough flexibility to cover the left side with what we've got, but if we could get a good Prem player on loan as cover, etc...

Yeah, that was the one. Incredible save, mad game all around, my first visit to Old Trafford, weirdly.