The9

I recall Plymouth fans being similarly as keen on Sturrock.

I would imagine he wouldn't cost as much to employ as someone, say, who has managed in the bottom 2 divisions PLUS the Premier League for nearly 10 years, has won the League Cup a couple of times, developed a lot of top-level talent and recently led a side into Europe. Or Keegan or Shearer, who are both used to big wages, or Phil Brown, who has recent Prem experience. You also have to factor in that Adkins has only ever managed at one club, so he's never had the pay hike that someone going to a succession of other clubs would have got every time - until now. So he probably is good value.

I said they "think" they are, not that they are.

I'd have a category for stupid crap like this with a load of stickied rubbish in it, a bit of mockery from revisiting this and the volume would soon drop. Ooh, hang on, I've got a blog on here...

That is a bunch of ar5e, we're 5 points nearer the Play-Offs now than we were in April when people were going mental for us getting to Wembley... it's up to Adkins to make it work with what he's got, which is the best squad in the division.

I think some have unrealistic expectations, but at the same time he would have been better a year ago before we signed a load of players of the sort he's never managed. His early impressions are going to count for a lot - and I bet Mills gets a game. Shame about Meola falling through

Actually all in different parts of the ground, and across 8 years, but good one. Turkish has missed a category of fit single birds who aren't desperate but think they are completely out of everyone's league too, we have a few of those from time to time.

Well, I'm not sure it's the right choice, and I don't think it's an improvement on Pardew, but he's the boss now so he'll have my support until we have reason not to. I bet Fish Mills is delighted !

I've been to matches at St Mary's with 3 exes and my wife.

Seems like too much of a coincidence that there's a rumour about Cortese building bridges with the media just as The Echo start printing what appears to be Saints insider stories and the Sun suddenly drop the "South Coast Club" charade - of course we'll only really know if the local/national papers get pictures after the next home game v Colchester on 18th. And if Cortese has done this, well that's a good start - maybe next time he'll stop short of making the daft decision in the first place. It is still unconfirmed, though the use of "Southampton" in the Sun is an improvement no matter what the reason.

No, or Academy Building Designers, so I'll give him that one as well - though "they" say that hasn't happened due to Cortese's "manner" as well.

Because firstly there's nothing to verify "what you've heard" and all the various stories and rumours we've seen on the lengthy rumour thread ALL have massive logic holes in them. Secondly because if the reasonably informed opinion of a bunch of people who have worked for him, and certain people who've had to deal with him is true, he's "difficult" at best. Which I accept is also just "what I've heard" in comparison. And then there's the photography thing, which just smacks of bad idea. Thirdly because I've seen his dubiously motivated "business decisions" in action for 6 months already, and the only one I think is good for the club so far is the bloody kit design.

I am, hence just slating the only person at the club that caused the situation.

I am aware of this, also part of the problem.

We have 3 home shirts between me and the missus, fcked if I'm buying that sharty away shirt though til its down to £15.

I have now cancelled my pre-order, having created 26 players and a team for launch day... the player save problem was due to my crappy outdated browser at work not sending the save command correctly when I set a couple up at lunch. Limited faces, limited EA-only boots, a load of kits that are editable and 2-colour only, without even independent short/sock changes, unexplained winter shirt settings, the sock height option in a very strange place, but a nice interface nevertheless. Though I have noticed that PES2011 has a stadium editor, which is 700 kinds of awesome...

I love both of mine, I wish more people had the chance to buy them.

All of that, well put. Plus Cortese being a megalomaniacal mentalist.

Which is why Cortese is the problem. In all of this, no-one has yet said "but what if he just falls out with the next bloke too?".

As a cheque book manager with a team he bought that was much better than everyone else... which does match our situation, and is also about the only way I'd want to see him here, tbh. Quitter, defensively naive, etc. It's not 1982 any more, not even 1996.

Good job we're not sponsored by Miss Selfridge.

On the contrary, he's already proven he's able to destabilise the club at a moment's notice.

Sell them to the desperate to fund... something.

Steve Wigley, surely ?

Then, again, Cortese is the problem.