SW11_Saint

Thanks so much for taking the time to post Tony - it has given me a massive boost, and I am sure all other forum users. Naturally we are delighted that our club has been saved, but to know that there is long term financial backing is the icing on the cake - we can once again start to move onwards and upwards and ultimately take our rightful place in the top division. Thank you to you, and your colleagues, for making this happen (subject to a successful next 20 days naturally!). It is also fantastic to have Matt involved - he is the one person who can really unite this club, which has been tearing itself apart for several years. Please do not have any doubt whatsoever our fan base is ready to support the new board, and I am confident you will have people renewing or taking up season tickets in great numbers so that we can back the club and get out of League 1 at the earliest possible opportunity. Enjoy a beer or two during the cup final, I know I will now!!! COME ON YOU SAINTS!!!!

Thanks so much for taking the time to post Tony - it has given me a massive boost, and I am sure all other forum users. Naturally we are delighted that our club has been saved, but to know that there is long term financial backing is the icing on the cake - we can once again start to move onwards and upwards and ultimately take our rightful place in the top division. Thank you to you, and your colleagues, for making this happen (subject to a successful next 20 days naturally!). It is also fantastic to have Matt involved - he is the one person who can really unite this club, which has been tearing itself apart for several years. Please do not have any doub whatsoever our fan base is ready to support the new board, and I am confident you will have people renewing or taking up season tickets in great numbers so that we can back the club and get out of League 1 at the earliest possible opportunity. Enjoy a beer or two during the cup final, I know I will now!!! COME ON YOU SAINTS!!!!

I'd keep Kelvin and Chris Perry (who's already signed up I believe). I think BWP would be worth keeping, but only if he takes greatly reduced terms. Euell - possibly, dificult one, will depend on the new manager and if he can motivate/get the best from him. I'd also keep Wotton which might be controversial, but we'll need battlers in League 1. Rasiak/John etc. will surely move on now permanently which is the right thing for them and us. As said on another thread I think Lee Trundle would be worth a gamble - proven scorer in this division, even though he's about 33. How about Gary Monk too - done well at Swansea and again experienced in this league. Might be some fallout if Martinez moves to Wigan. Would obviously also like a few younger imports, but we'll have to rely on our new manager for that.

...and always a 'social visit' from HM Police Force on the way up (and back normally!).

Presumably in the paper copy? Can't see it online. Great news though!

I don't know - I'd keep Kelvin and Chris Perry, their experience will be critical next year. Would like to see some new blood at the club though. What about a 'gamble' on Lee Trundle, out of favour at Bristol City? Also might be some pickings at Swansea if Martinez goes to Wigan - I'd reckon Gary Monk could do a job for us (again) in League 1. These are two older fella's clearly, but a good manager with decent experience should be able to pick up a few younger players too to gel with our better kids.

Discussed to some extent on here... http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=13386 Don't forget the Docks and the container port is the backbone of the City (from a commerce perspective), so I think it's great to see them - but agree, they could do more around our history/heritage. I think we have enough shopping centres now...

Not to mention the old "Monster Coach" to away games...

No thanks. I'd like to see us cut all ties with the old Lowe regime, and unfortunately that mean Mark Wotte too. All the best for the future though.

Second that Derry. Here's to a brighter future. Sure this will be discussed on many an upcoming thread, but I'd still go for Ince as our new Manager. Happy days!

Fantastic news - in fact, better than fantastic news!! All going well (in next 21 days) we still have a club, and we have new leadership that can really carry the club forward. Onwards and upwards!!! PS I am now deleting my (anti) Lowe avatar - time to remove his spectre from the club for once and all!

I know, odd isnt' it? Nomatter what our contrasting fortunes, they just can't get rid of that chip on their shoulders. I guess we should be flattered!

Sorry, did anyone say she was born here? No, I said she lived here - slight difference. You forgot "Same Difference"...! Care to back that up with facts? Must be the old time, ahem, charm of Leigh Park etc...

Well said Alehouse - Game, Set and Match!!

The point about 'wasted potential' is on-point. My wife, who is not from the area at all, had a walk down the waterfront from Ocean Village to Mayflower park the other day, and commented on "how much more could be done to attract tourists" - around the port history, Titanic etc. She also pointed out (for those literary types!) that Jane Austen lived for some time in Southampton and the surrounding area - Bath bases much of it's tourism on the Austen connection, but it was the first I had ever heard that she lived here (and I am a born and bred Sotonian!). So it's not all doom and gloom from me - I always think, as I drive down the Avenue towards SMS, what a beautiful City it is (well, in parts!), certainly the parks and gardens are wonderful. Also of course the Rose Bowl is a cracking ground, as is SMS. In fact, watching South Today tonight the sports bulletin had an OB from Fratton, and then showed SMS when mentioning Saints - no comparison, and it really emphasised who the bigger club is - just need to get through these tough tough times!!

Has there every been a bigger contrast in the fortunes of the two main south coast clubs? On the day one announces a new billionairre owner, the other admits that it cannot afford to pay it's staff or players. One looking forward to the new season in the Premiership with a potentially huge transfer budget, and the other starting life in League 1 for the first time in 50 years, on -10 points, albeit with new owners (we hope!). Not sure I've ever felt so depressed about the state of our club, and so envious of the blue few down the road. Let's hope though that we are starting on the road to recovery and will one day take our rightful place again as the premiere side in the South (and that their plans to tits up naturally!). It did get me wondering about the wider context though. As someone who has lived outside the area for some time now it does seem to me that Portsmouth as a City seems to have a better focus on development - in terms of attracting commerce, global events, and developing tourist attractions. The Spinnaker Tower seems to pull in crowds, and gives the City an identifiable landmark, and I only hear good things about Gunwharf Quay and Port Solent (compare and contrast to "Ocean Village"!), and they've also taken notable and long-standing industry from Southampton (the cross-channel ferry business, Vospers etc.). All I have heard recently from Southampton in terms of development is about the "new Ikea". It might be chicken and egg - has Premiership football woken up the City to it's potential, or are their council just more forward thinking that ours? Am I being unfair to my home town, and does Southampton actually have more to offer than seems to be the case? It all does seem sadly reflected in the state of our clubs - while Peter Storrie was clearly off his @rse looking for investment, our latest board never made a mention of looking for investment - it was all about downsizing. And here we are...

I think he'd do a good job for them and he clearly isn't going to want to play in League 1 at this stage of his career, so a good move I'd say for both parties.

Admins - can we award a "Stupid Thread/Post of the week" award please? Honestly, what a waste of everyone's time. PS I've also thought why do we need "kits" - why can't our players just dress in vest and pants...?

Perhaps he's issuing his bill? Let's hope it is - for the RIGHT reasons!

Sounds fantastic, as long as they don't move us to Dublin - "Dublin Saints" a la "Dublin Dons" that was mooted a few years ago... Great news. Hope it comes off. Get that green away kit in too...

Possibly, he is Celtic mad. Tony Mowbray may be a decent outside bet - half decent managerial credentials, ex-Celtic player, and has managed in Scotland before. Also, it'll be a nice change from "boing-boing-ing" between the Prem and CCC with WBA...

Still, better than 'anyone including Lowe'!!!

Yes, but if they get this rumoured injection of £200m, and they want him, then he has the potential to take the club onto the 'next level'. I may be wrong, but all of the rumours currently seem to point to him going there. We'll see. Sadly, we can safely say he won't be making a return to Saints!

We can only hope - could Gavyn be the White Knight we need...? Would be perfect, but he probably has far too much sense to get too heavily involved in football.