Sunglasses Ron

I didn't say no financial risk, because that will probably always be the case. But at this time, and in our current position, I think relegation would a be a bit of a disaster for us. Like I said earlier though, I respect your view, but it's not one that I share (not that it matters, as we will never actually be able to choose such an outcome anyway). If that makes me mental in your eyes then so be it. One thing we share in common though is that we both want to win this bloody cup!

I guess my answer would change when dropping out of the top flight carried less of a risk than it does at present. We nearly became extinct the last time it happened and I'm not sure we're in any better position to deal with it now than we were back in 2005.

@SKD Trophies are a huge part of what represents success to me and, let's be honest, we should have won more over the years. But in the absence of that, being a long-standing top flight club with an excellent track record of developing players is not to be sniffed at IMO. We also hold several Premier League records (good and bad) and have had some generally great moments over the years. In short, I think we've contributed a lot to English top flight football and are generally respected for it. @hypochondriac I want us to win something now, I just wouldn't exchange it for relegation if hypothetically offered. I know this comes across as apathetic, but maybe that's the product of 30 years of not winning anything and having suitably low expectations as a result!

Haha don't worry pal, I won't be losing any sleep over it, I just think my view is not the one of a nutter. Like I said, I DESPERATLY want us to win something, I just wouldn't willingly trade our place in the Premier League for it as I value it really highly and history shows that relegation can be absolutely disastrous. I think timing is in my thinking too, relegation at this time could be especially painful given multiple, much-discussed, issues. Bottom line is that I know I'm quite risk adverse, it doesn't mean that I don't damn well hope we lift that trophy in May!

If you think I'm a nutter for saying it's more important, as a general principle, to remain in the Premier League than win a cup then that's fine and I respect your view (if not the insult). It doesn't mean that I don't desperately want us to win it and that, with us almost certainly safe, that we should do anything other than go for it all guns blazing.

Not at all and I think I've made my views very clear. All I ever said is that I wouldn't take relegation and a cup win if hypothetically offered.

Fine by me that we're being written off by so many already, hopefully that will motivate our guys and lead to complacency within the Leicester camp.

Was considering who’d I’d prefer to win the game on now and actually thought “Leicester, as Man Utd beat us 9-0” 🤦🏻‍♂️

Fucking wankers! Ohh look, that what decent, now how can we take it away from them...

Absolutely buzzing, feels like the season has lift off again!

This was the BBC description of the first. I assume Bertrand was Redmond? VAR won't rule this out. Lovely goal from Southampton. Ryan Bertrand has space to run into as he receives it in the middle and turns. He weaves in and out, waiting for the run of Moussa Djenepo, before slipping it through to him perfectly in the box. Djenepo takes advantage of a slip from Jack Stacey and coolly slots it into the far corner.

I don’t watch the games live, just rely on here and the BBC. Whenever we score now I kind of treat it the same as winning a penalty and hope that it eventually counts.

Yet another reason why a goal scored now is like 2 mini celebrations, the first because we score and then you think it might count, followed by the second if confirmation is given. Sad thing is that both added together aren’t the same as a good old fashioned goal celebration 🙁

I totally agree with you and haven’t seen many comments on here to the contrary.

Haven’t seen many people who aren’t massively up for winning the cup here, just a proportion saying no to a hypothetical trade (Premier League status for winning the FA Cup again).

You may be right but 95% seems a bit high. Seems a bit like paying for a massive party on a credit card and then spending 10 years paying it off, but then if it's your wedding then maybe it's worth it? Still wouldn't take relegation and a cup win if offered now, but absolutely want to go all guns blazing for whatever ties we have left!

Positions no, but everyone knows that we're a Premier League club and that Wigan and the fish are in League 1 😉 Actually - Lots of fans across the world know who we are, but probably haven't a clue about Wigan or Portsmouth.

This is pretty much what I've been trying to say (but you've done a slightly better job). We are all Saints fans at the end of the day, and we all would LOVE to win the cup, but some of us value being a long-standing Premier League club as a form of success in itself (which it really is). Here's hoping we pop the cherries tomorrow 😃

I hear you, I really do. I guess I’m just trying to take small positives in the absence of any tangible success. You live in hope that will change in the near future.

I think this one is mainly aimed at me. Just to be clear again, I’m not saying that life doesn’t exist outside the Premier League. I massively enjoyed our time in the lower leagues, but we are a club setup for the top flight (more so now than ever) and relegation would, in my opinion, be disastrous especially at this difficult time. We nearly folded last time round so I’d hate to see that risk resurface. So to reiterate, if someone offered me an FA Cup win and relegation it would be a 100% no, but I obviously really hope that we have a strong end to the season, stay up AND pull off another shock win after all these years. I just think we need to reflect on a successful history of being a top flight club more. Sure, we may have no trophy to show for it, but it’s provided us with some celebrated moments over the years that I for one am very proud of it.

Never said that pal, I'm just saying that success can be measured in different ways and that our efforts over the years haven't been for nothing. For example, I value Le Tissier's performances / goals for us probably as highly as I would us winning the cup one year. That said, absolutely desperate to see us lift a proper trophy before I kick the bucket!

Yes, those seasons under Adkins were absolutely amazing. I'm just saying that being in the Premier League is a form of success in itself that comes with its own, less immediately obvious, landmarks. That Mane hat-trick for example was an incredible event to witness and I always love when it is mentioned. It's also great to see that we're in the Top 10 for all-time Premier League points accrued. Obviously the downside is things like those record defeats but my view is that at least we continue to be relevant as a football club and are not just floundering in the lower leagues like the fish.

I guess it depends on your priorities as a football fan. We should never undervalue the presence of Saints in the Premier League and the different history that we create as a result. Think about things like Le Tissier's goals, the wins in the 90's against Man Utd, Mane's hat-trick, Long's fastest ever goal. I value all these things really highly and they wouldn't have been a thing if we were in League 1 like Wigan. Of course, the 2 achievements aren't mutually exclusive, so I maintain that I want a mid-table finish AND the cup win! 😃

Exactly, what an utterly sole-destroying experience that must have been for Wigan. From memory, they won the cup but were practically relegated either just before or just after due to other results. Now more than ever, staying in the Premier League is absolutely essential!

No thanks! Didn’t that happen to Wigan and look where they are now. I’ll take a cup win and mid-table thanks 😊