Ted Bates Statue

I agree with what you're saying, although have to take exception at prefacing JWP's name with skate, unless you know something the rest of us don't.

You couldn't add me to that list of foolish naysayers, because I couldn't be arsed to say anything in the first place. Consider it a bit of ennui from last season, but I'll put my hand up and say I felt slightly disappointed we didn't get him out on loan a couple of weeks ago. We've had loads of 'talented' players since we returned to the Prem who ended up contributing very little. Happy to be proven wrong here.

It wouldn't let me sign in either, just kept sending me back to the login screen and wouldn't let me log in as a guest. Really annoying.

I prefer to think that it's Leicester who will challenge us now 😉

Fair enough but maybe consider the possibility that without the away fans to 'banter' with and the influx of others from around the ground who do want to stand and sing, the existing culture could mature enough to something a bit more palatable for you.

Is 24 the record to beat for our Southern League era?

I hope so. He did score in his very first game with us after all. Confidence sapped away quickly afterwards as a result of the factors you mention

Jeremy Wilson - Telegraph interview with Phil Parsons. Main bit is about how they coped with the string of defeats back in September, but there is also a paragraph about pressing ahead with plans to make the Northam the home end. https://archive.is/dE9dd

I've said before and will say again that deserves to catch on, although I'm sure Prince's version is in A major.

Ah, in that case I stand corrected. Only been to home games lately so I'm not sure I've heard either recently. It would have made more sense to recycle that tune for one of our players. Taylor Harwood-Bellis would work as I don't think we have one for him already.

A few months' work experience at Juventus - there are worse opportunities out there.

"Is this a library" set to music by Verdi. It's been around for centuries but I guess people are starting to feel it's a bit overdone in comparison to underrated bangers like Woolston Ferry.

No big deal. I've never watched a game of football in my life, I just read this forum to give the impression to human beings in the real world that I have other interests outside of work.

And then there's the defender Bednarak who has been with us for over half a decade

Never in doubt

It's all well and good when the manager has connections like Koeman did, but Pellegrino basically got his mate in and both got paid to leave. Also, I do wonder about the scouting team at this club. When managers are offered alternatives like Walcott (past his prime) or Promes (prison) they have to bear some of the responsibility for where we are now. I think the money spent in the Nathan Jones era surpassed the Pellegrino/Carillo situation by quite a margin.

Increasingly getting Life of Brian vibes from this thread. Please continue.

Thanks for that, I was wondering whether this was referring to Dave Jones or Kenwyne Jones so I'd obviously successfully managed to temporarily forget all about our worst manager who was one of the primary architects of one of our our worst seasons. This is gaslighting on the level of Liz Truss not having enough time in charge. Just hold your hands up, Semmens, and say you messed up FFS, you had a decent enough manager in Hasenhuttl but you forgot to buy him a striker at the start of the season so you got Nathan, Tall Paul and horse-shit Orsic and we are now on a nice vacation from the EPL.

What a dreadful career move, he must be hating it out there. Only the mighty Burnley can save him from such terrible circumstances. Fingers crossed they will free him soon.

I think you're being overly harsh on this issue. There may well be some evolution of the make-up of different types of support around the ground. People will have to weigh up whether they want to sit near to their buddies in the away section, against the opportunity for safe standing. I'm sure some will move by the away support but our vocal support isn't just made up of one type of fan and I think most will gravitate to the back of the Northam. Maybe Itchen North will keep its current atmosphere, but possibly exert a greater influence over at least some of the Northam, with the away fans out of the picture. I do expect the Northam will have gaps to start with, but in the long-term, it will end up as safe standing in its entirety (if i'm wrong, feel free to file this comment under other St Marys gems such as expansion plans and catchment area bollocks).

Been mentioned elsewhere but it was a bit quiet around the ground last weekend, except for when we scored. Not sure why, considering the crowd size and there was plenty of effort to get positive chants going like the Yellow Submarine one, but nothing was able to stick for more than a moment or two. Here's hoping it will be better for Huddersfield

Good news, and we were all told it simply wasn't possible. From what I've seen from my experiences in the Northam, any interaction with the away support is nothing more than a bit of harmless flirting so if you're worried about the loss of communication with them when they're at the other end of the ground, you had better fucking sing a bit louder then.

Ooh, Nicky Cortese He pooed in Franny's pool and lost a golden spoon

Stop pissing on our bonfire, we're having a great discussion here about The Kinks. Besides, the COT head honcho has come up with a song for David Brooks before he's even signed, so as far as I'm concerned, he's definitely joining us and it's a done deal. I think that's how it's supposed to work.

It can't be that bad to loan from Reading, when it involves Michail Antonio on loan. The problem was Cortese didn't fancy paying £1M for him at the end of the season. We've signed enough dross from better-regarded clubs, how many people remember that we borrowed players like Mellis or Otsemobor around the same time period? As long as they do a job for us, it won't matter where they come from. Same with David Brooks if he does decide to join us. If he does really well and enjoys it here, maybe he'll push for a transfer (and we can recycle Burnley's "Free Nathan Tella" song).