Chez

Point of order, on further research I can confirm I was barking up the wrong tree here. The £20.4 loan that appeared in the accounts was at the end of 2010 so had nothing to do with the fee paid for the club. I don't want to be responsible for creating another myth. I believe the sum paid to Norwich Union on making the Prem was approximately £4m.

I wonder if there is a chance that Stek's loan will be turned into a transfer? Very difficult to sign decent keepers to sit on the bench - which is what they will do if Forster is fit.

Likewise Bertrand. Certainly both of them before Wanyama. Anyone buying Mane is going to have to be bloody sure about him as he will cost a fortune.

The outstanding debt was completely cleared when Markus bought the club, but were the two main creditors really paid in full? It was reported at the time that the debt was £27.5m. Approximately £4.5m to Barclays Bank and £23m to Norwich Union. It was also reported that Norwich Union were willing to write off a considerable amount of the outstanding loan to any buyer. Maybe that wasn't true, but I'd be surprised if there wasn't some sort of offer as they risked losing the lot if no buyer was found. It was reported that Markus paid between £13m and £15m, but nothing was disclosed so I am not sure how this figure reached the press. Maybe that was the initial fee and then subsequent payments were made - although I think that goes against the general `all debts' have been paid' line. It is worth noting that a debt of £20.4 million appeared on the Saints balance sheet (a loan from Markus to the club) after the admin, with £2.9m of cash in the bank. I might be barking up the wrong tree, but perhaps that suggests the real fee paid for the club (and subsequently to Barclays and NU) was more like £17.5m, with Barclays and NU agreeing to write off roughly £10m between them? I believe there was talk on this forum of an additional payment to NU should we make it to the premiership. Is this true? What was this figure and did it ever appear in a subsequent financial statement? One last thing. I know the `paid in full' conclusion was made by someone on these boards based on the theory that if you add up all the payments made to NU they roughly came to the same amount as the initial loan. But of course that means NU didn't earn any interest on the loan. I am probably miles off here, and I'd be grateful if someone could explain how and why. We certainly didn't pay 4p in the pound, or ripped off local businesses and charities, but was the final agreement more like 64p in the pound (if my maths are right) than 100p in the pound?

Markus paid 0p in the pound as a result of an imaginary CVA? That's brilliant. I can see it now. Fry hands over the keys to Markus (who presumably has just handed over the square route of **** all) and says to him: "The banks? Oh don't worry about them Markus, they said `forget what you owe and go ahead and enjoy yourself'."

good shout. That was the game at St Andrews were Red**** played Kenwyne Jones in midfield and he did his best Ali Dia impression in the first half - absolutely woeful. Camara came on for him at half time and was electric and scored straight away. We still lost though.

fair play to him for taking a wage cut to enable him to get games, although in the long run that might be an astute move, especially if he plays well, as it might lift the wage in his next contract be that with Bologna or maybe Boro themselves. Shame we couldn't get someone to buy him or sign him outright on a permanent deal as he will be back on our wage bill when the loan deal ends. Add to this out of contract players are paid for several weeks (by their previous club) after their contracts have ended if they haven't signed with anyone else.

it was away at Leicester. Bloody great game that. Two nil down at half time and then KP and BT score late in the second half and then we almost won it at the death.

His debut was against Millwall, not Sheff Wed.

I think his debut was when he came on as a sub home to Wolves. The Leeds game was a while into the season. Was that his first start fro the club?

Boy did First time forward passing stand out at old Trafford.

Excellent performance. Totally strangled United. This formation with Bertrand inside is working a treat.

I was saying the same thing. What on earth are Target, Mane, Long and Tadic playing at on throw ins. To feet, and do it quickly. Basics.

Agreed. Up the pressing even more. They are not good envy to play their way out. Charge!

Spot on, good analysis. Hopefully you are good at predicting too.

Excellence performance so far by Saints. We were in complete control for long periods and looked threatening on the break. Classie having another very good game. His first time forward passing has been the only real genuine bit of class on the pitch. Mane just can't get it right at the moment. Everything he tries fails. Hopefully he will get the rub of the green in the second half. He looks the likely man to unlock the defence, but just needs to get the ball under and go. One big negative is our throw ins. I would go as far to say that 80% end up going straight to the opposition. The formation perhaps isn't helping, but giving the ball straight back, especially in your own half is criminal. Especially considering the effort to get it and keep it see her. Got to do better. COYS you can beat this ****.

Probably been offered a new extended contract.

anyone buy a copy? What sort of thing was in it?

Yeah, I was surprised find when I looked that Stephens was signed almost five years ago now. Is Harry Lewis the only one since? Compare this with what Chelsea have spent in recent times on bringing talent into their youth system and its peanuts. It will be interesting to see how many (of those Chelsea players) develop into decent pros, all be it perhaps away from Chelsea. The key is having the right guys scouting and persuading to get them, as well as the right funds of course.

pretty average movie and dare I say it a very average performance from Will Smith. I'd of been tempted to include the movie Dope and its star Shameik Moore. Both were excellent. Straight out of Compton was entertaining, but not sure anyone stood out actor wise in that movie.

Yep. Cartoons, photoshopped pics, ditties, **** takes, strange supporter stories, silly columns and lots of unusual offbeat stuff that looks at Saints and supporters in a completely different angle. Regular interviews with players and former players sounds very dry, although if they were open to it (which I doubt), perhaps there is an unusual angle/story. A fanzine that is really just a Saints magazine offers no interest to me personally.

maybe we should (as has been suggested might happen to supplement the U21 squad) be going out there and buying young players ourselves? Most of the players we are signing are 23/24, which is no bad thing, but maybe we could `gamble' a little more on even young talent from the lower leagues? Very difficult to get right. Arsenal certainly got it spot on with Walcott and Chamberlain, but they didn't come cheap. A more recent signing that caught my eye was that of Matt Grimes (19) to Swansea from Exeter. He was a stand out player, but as yet hasn't made his mark at Swansea. I like that kind of signing, but until he makes the first team on a regular basis the £1.85m looks an expensive gamble. Make the first team and its a brilliant signing. Oliver Burke (18) at Forest is a player that looks very exciting. I doubt £1.85m would prise him from Forest, but we should certainly be looking at him. I see James Maddison (19) from Coventry is linked with us (and a host of other teams) today, so maybe we are looking at this age of player.

I mentioned Lewis Cook earlier on this thread as someone we should be looking at. Looks like Bompey are taking my advice. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3408155/Bournemouth-keen-Leeds-star-Lewis-Cook-remain-hopeful-sealing-deal.html

I started to fill the form in and then saw the content list which read more like a Saints magazine than a fanzine. It's a long time since I bought a Saints fanzine, and my memory might be playing tricks on me, but I thought fanzines were full of ****take and comedic slants on things.

if we can afford them all (wage rises become inevitable) and there isn't unhappy campers (is Pelle going to be a good team players if he has to play second fiddle to Austin?) then obviously yes. I'd have no problem with a player wanting away for first team football though. Fair play to that man if it still exists.