Fitzhugh Fella

Just back Re Lambert’s red. I don’t mind refs who make mistakes but I do not like refs who are cowards and D’Urso falls into that category. Minutes before the Lambert sending off he (D’Urso) denied him an absolute stonewall pen. It was right in front of D’Urso and the Saints fans but he chose to ignore it because he didn’t fancy the fuss. Lambert was quite rightly furious and his frustration probably made him push the Brighton def when trying to legitimately regain his feet. I don't think he "raised" his hands because he was actually on the ground when the incident happened. Also D’Urso’s treatment of Harding was scandalous. First booking was a brilliant tackle. I am still seething about him getting booked. OK – positives and negatives. POSITIVES We were the better side up to the Lambert sending off and, even after that, held our own until Brighton profited from a Davis fumble (again), got a wonder goal (shows it pays to let fly sometimes) and a lucky ricochet from a corner. Lambert is going to get a much needed rest, he looked jaded before he got sent off. It must be obvious by the fact we had to use Reeves and Forte that WE DO REALLY NEED TO BUY’ AND BUY SIGNIFICANTLY. Someone from Japan may be one for the future but we can’t expect him to shine straight away. Connolly had a good game, worked his socks off and was full of enterprise. Martin did not let himself down at all and nearly scored towards the end. Reeves and Forte were not too bad either. Hooiveld Saints MoM. Thank Christ we got him when we did. NEGATIVES Lallana not good again although he scored a goal which the coward D’Urso missed. Needs a break (welcome back Puncheon?) Davis spilled another – no point making great saves from shots if you can’t get the basics right. Cork missed an absolute sitter at 2-0 which would have put B&HA under pressure had he scored. Cork worked hard but he is SO goal shy (as is all our midfield Chaplow excepted) and that is a big minus. His form recently has not been good. Summary. Overall we were unlucky and having a coward as a ref caused our downfall. However I have a feeling we will all find out in the next 4 weeks how committed the Liebherr family are to getting their club and us into the Premiership. Throwing money at a club rarely makes sense but right now that is exactly what we need. A statement of intent we can all rally around and a boost to morale? We are running on empty after a fantastic year - time to add new blood. Finally their ground looks a lot better from the outside than it does from the inside. It is half finished although as someone has said they are planning to do more work.

Micky I take your point but those who were "there" are always going to have a more "valid" opinion than those that weren't. One reason the "just back from the game" thread is eagerly awaited after away games.

Yep

Just goes to show you should not base your opinion on a radio commentary - they were the better side and deserved to win. We were average and they were better, end of.

Solent are reporting we are not interested in maynard or Sharp so for me it will be Jute from Coventry, a wide man plus a Danish goalkeeper

Luke is featured in today's Independent as football's hottest prodigy. Still 16 he is a left-back noted for his pace and strength, for those unfamiliar and apparently Arsenal (who have a close relationship with Saints according to the article) are already taking a big interest (that bit sounds very familiar). Saints hope to tie him down with a pro contract in July according to Sam Wallace just before the new Elite Player Performance Plan comes into force.

Robbie Keane on a 3-month loan from LA Galaxy anyone?

IMO he had his best game of the season for us but I remain unconvinced

Sums my thoughts up perfectly

I would not write him off at all, but nevertheless I raised my eyebrows when NA actively criticised him by mentioning his poor crossing after the Blackpool game and then not using him as a sub v the Skates. Unfortunately he stepped into Chamberlain's boots and that is no easy task. Suggest the jury remains out a tad longer or at least to the season's end - he certainly has more to his game than Forte.

Good point

Sorry Minty he was dire - and I am normally a fan

Who was your dad?

Thats your trouble Trousers you are too sensible which considering the rag you read is quite something.

The most one-sided 0-0 draw I ever witnessed

CB Fry only played a handful of games for us - and David Webb was with usa season and a half

How could I forget Bert - here is is updated profile DAINTY Herbert Charles 1904-05 b. Geddington 6 Feb 1879 5’8” 12st 0lbs d. Kettering 10 Sep 1957 Career: Geddington 1895/Kettering T 1896/Leicester Fosse Aug 1899/ New Brighton Tower Aug 1900/Leicester Fosse Aug 1901/Northampton T May 1902/Notts C May 1903/SOUTHAMPTON May 1904/Dundee May 1905/ Bradford PA May 1911/Ayr Utd Oct 1913,player-mgr May 1914/Dundee Hibernian player-mgr Apr 1915, chairman 1922/ coached in Canada/ Guayquil (Ecuador) coach Apr 1925/Geddington Vics trainer 1926/ Kettering T mgr-trainer 1931/Ipswich T trainer 1932 Debut: v Portsmouth (h) 1 Sep 1904 WL Last: v Queens Park Rangers (h) 29 Apr 1905 SL By the time Herbert Dainty joined Saints in May 1904 he had already played for five professional teams and his transient lifestyle did not terminate with his move to Southampton. A worthy successor to both Chadwick and Bowman, the club’s previous centre backs, Bert was coolness personified and was at his best during desperate pressure around the goal area. He was also the mainspring when it came to feeding the ball to his forwards. His announcement to leave the club at the end of the season was met with outcry throughout the town; despite this though he left for Scotland and, breaking with his self- imposed tradition of an annual move, remained at Tayside for six years. He was briefly back in England in 1911 with Bradford before completing his playing career again in Scotland. After the war he became chairman of Dundee Hibernian but soon after expanded his footballing travels abroad, briefly in Canada and then to Ecuador where football was in its infancy. Returning home to his native Northamptonshire in 1926 he coached several local clubs before helping Ipswich Town achieve League status. In later years he became an insurance agent. Comp Apps Goals SL 31 1 WL 11 3 FAC 3 0 Other 1 0 Total 46 4

Golac great player but sometimes went missing in away fixtures according to the manager who signed him.

These sort of lists are always so subjective as no one is now around to "push" the pre-war era or even the Edwardian days. So let's kick off with George Carter, Arthur Chadwick, Sam Meston, Harry Wood, George Clawley, George Molyneux, Albert Brown, Fred Harrison, Frank Jefferis, Bert Lee, Bill Rawlings, Art Dominy, Bert Shelley, Tommy Allen, Bert Hough, John Bradford, Arthur Holt, George Harkus, Mike Keeping, Tom Parker, Fred Titmuss, Johnny Arnold, Bill Luckett and Ted Drake.

You surely have got to be joking - he is elegant I grant you and makes himself "look" good but for all the posturing he contributes nothing. An imposter

Not looking for a fight or anything but I simply cannot believe you thought MS was class. I watched the game live and I have watched the whole 90mins on tv since I came home and Schneiderlin was utterly crap. His only asset is he is good at making himself look good, if you know what I mean.

I agree. Schneiderlin is very good at giving the impression he is good. Most of his passes are sideways, he is elegant without achieving anything and yet there are still some who rate him. I would put him firmly in the Oakley class - looks good but does not actually DO a lot.

Hmmm the last few posts are giving me "food for thought"

GOOD POINT - let's see it happen in January