CB Fry

Chambers definitely wouldn't have happened on his watch. Some of the sales would have but not this utter shambles.

This. The only one that is completely inexplicable on every level. And Morgan, which now feels crushingly inevitable.

The question came from disbelief and just to check Clarkey wasn't being naughty. If he has said that today then he is is a fu cking joke and needs to consider his position immediately also known as fu cking right off out of it. Whoever said we have lost control is right. Players agents and other clubs are running the show. Just pathetic.

He has he said that today?

Haven't suggested we're not or we can't. I always thought they would sell at the end of our first season up which would have been the perfect high point to sell on. Now, slightly less so. Just that it isn't that attractive an opportunity really - much like Villa aren't either. Whoever buys us is more than likely going to have to run us sustainably.

Anyone interested in us because the TV money is a "great lure" isn't going to be investing millions to fund a CL push, then. They'd have to run it like other non-billionaire clubs are run, like WBA. The point is there is no great money to be made once you're in the Prem and you are a middling club, like us. With a Leeds you could "double the value" of the club like people like to say Cortese did with us, just by securing promotion.

Or nothing like that, at all, really.

No, the complete opposite.

You seriously think RK believed there was no relegation and no other clubs are trying to get into the Prem? All right then, if it makes you feel better.

He didn't. Well not about Lovren anyway. Made up on here.

Are you talking about the made - up club statement on the Lovren thread? The official club statement on Lovren does not talk about reinvestment.

I didn't say we couldn't get a buyer. I said we are not an opportunity for anyone, unless the opportunity they are looking for is to lose money. Our next buyers will most likely have a Jeremy Peace type CEO and we'll be balancing the books again. We're owned by a billionaire and people are complaining, much like Villa fans. But let's not kid ourselves that yet another billionaire is going to fly in and start paying six figure weekly salaries. They ain't.

That's why I would advise my theoretical gazillionaire nutcase to buy Leeds not Saints. The return on investment comes entirely on promotion to the PL. Once you're up it is increasingly difficult as your wage bill sky rockets and fans demand more and more "investment" that is almost guaranteed to not pay back. The next SFC owner if he took over tomorrow is not going to grow at the same rate that the Leibherrs achieved because they're starting from the top already. Just impossible. It's no accident that Randy Lerner has given up - finished sixth three times in a row only to see average attendances actually go down in that time, and they ain't making any money, are they? The only thing I can see is whoever out next owners are, they will have the most thankless of tasks, and will probably be book balancers just like this lot are now.

Koeman will build a great Saints team just like his ginger haired predecessors, Bally and the Wee Man.

An incredible proposition to lose a load of money, yes. If some Chinese/Arab/Russian gazillionaire nutcase wanted to buy a provincial club with limited brand potential to waste millions on then yep, Saints is an incredible proposition. Beyond that, I'd advise that nutcase to buy Leeds United instead. Maybe Newcastle.

Those players simply did not have the firm interest from the biggest and richest clubs in the world in the time Cortese was here. Lovren was six months into a contract when Cortese scarpered. No fu ck er of significance wanted Lallana this time last year. Shaw became the hot player in the last season. Lambert was up for sale in January. We're not going to pay players hundred thousand pound a week salaries and I, for one, am fu cking delighted by that fact. If it means we rebuild and finish 12th, 14th or even lower this season then so be it. Bring it on. The rest of you can weep away but I am looking forward to the new season, especially once Ron's new look Saints start to click come the winter.

We were nowhere near a pretty dreadful Man Utd team in seventh.

Exactly - nothing CL has said is any different to the kind of ranting "everything-has-gone-to-sh it" stuff we get from loads of posters on here. Sorry Crabby - you can only have your "I told you so" moment if you'd had the balls to actually tell us so. You didn't have those balls. And as you rightly say, this is a pointless little football web forum: so what stopped you?

This. If Reed had said that it would be common knowledge on here and would have been forum ammunition for weeks. He didn't say it.

I think Charlie's point is we can't buy 20m players, we can only make our own and sell them. Which is true and, in my opinion, fine.

Assuming the others stay... LB, CB, Wide Player, ST minimum, and all of decent standard. Goalie, and another to serve as decent quality CB/RB cover (or, someone better than Jose) are nice-to-have rather than essential. It is far too many pkayers in one window, that's for sure. We'll see.

Hey boys, fancy coming round? My dad said I could have the scalextric out and then we can have milkshakes.

Hard not to mate. Still, for me, they've got the whole window. I am happy to slate people as you know and I will say what I think come September.

Someone probably reminded them that they are on obscene wages and should be grateful. That would have resolved any disappointment, right?

Sometimes, like now, I realise I am a bit cruel to you. I know you can't help who you are.