Fitzhugh Fella

He's having a lie-in - all that *****ing is hard work

The anonymous voice of rampant jealousy?

I agree entirely. I suppose the big difference is that NC represents the owners and therefore they can do what they please while Rupert was wholly answerable to the shareholders and to a lesser extent us fans. Off the field Lowe did allright - for me it was when he started getting involved on the pitch, but let's not go there.

Spy - I am not close to anyone at the club any more so no real insights from there. I know Tim Manns and I know he was asked to "professionalise" the ex-Saints by creating a proper data base etc. I also know someone put a bit of money into it and bought a box which various ex-Saints would be invited to. Whether or not that person is still around i do not know. I also know Roy Beazely who was very helpful when we did the Give it to Ron appeal but he has been pretty unwell recently. I am not really sure the politics of new v old but I think it about time everything came under one umbrella and it would be nice if the club sponsored it and thereby had an element of control. Old players are sometimes regarded as hangers on I know but at the same time they are part of our history. Tough call really. Does Joe Bloggs who played 1 game in 1957 qualify for a freebie. Where do you join the line? I don't know why the club did not organise something re a dinner to mark the 125th. By not doing so it opened itself up to criticism and someone else organising something which has in turn led to all these rumours. It does seem remarkable that all of us have one common ambition to see Saints suceed but so many of us fall out. I don't believe ex Saints managers players etc want to see Saints fail because they don't get on with NC like some on here claim. Lawrie and Matt love the club as much as you and I and while both air their grievances as fans they are both entitled. I think the Echo love all this because it gives them something to write about. Don't think too many Echo journalists are Saints fans anyway.

After last Saturday?

There was some debate in the pub last night that the club have banned the crest being used in the Echo's obituary pages. Don't know if it is true but I haven't noticed it recently.

It does amuse me when the Echo report something vaguely anti-Saints it gets heaped with vitriol and questions about its accuracy but when it prints positive news it is showered with praise and no one questions its veracity. The messenger who brings bad news always gets shot especially on football forums.

I think we need some stats from NickG at this stage

I saw that and thought it sort of summed the Echo up perfectly. Very toe-cringeing error.

Here's a link to the actor who played Adam http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pernell_Roberts

OK - who was the Saints forward named after an actor in Bonanza?

I can put you in touch with Manny - he is really good to talk to - he lives in C Ford. Another avenue is Bill Beaney who knows everyone and can be contacted outside the players entrance on match days. duncan@duncanholley.co.uk

Yes Wayne Talkes (with an E) lived in Bitterne! Crazy Diamond - I suppose before I gave out numbers I would have to know a bit more. Maybe Roy Beazely who used to tun the ex-Saints could help? I could get his number. Since I wrote that article of course we have had Aaaron Martin and Harlee Dean, both surnames that could be first names. Whatever happened to H Dean?

Some people would argue Marcus Liebherr "saved" SFC. I prefer to consider he made a very "sound" investment and one of the spin off consequences of that sound investment was that we lived on as SFC. I am pretty sure Marcus's overriding ambition was to invest wisely and if at the same time he made a lot of people happy then great. He seemed to take genuine pleasure in that fact. But please can we take the "evangelical knight in shining armour can do no wrong" element out of the argument?

I will say one thing and I speak as someone who fell out with Matt badly over the Pinnacle affair. If anyone is foolish enough to believe MLT is actually trying to destabilise this club they must be off their rocker.

I have wondered why cause of death was never made public. None of our business I know but evenso.......?

Dont tell Trousers!

I think this thread is one of the most depressing ones I have read on this forum and some of the criticism of Nick to be grossly unfair. I am not a big friend of Nicks other than a couple of pints at away matches. Whenever I go away he always seems to be there, which marks him down as an active fan other than an armchair one. That means something in my book. I really do not think he seeks to be known as a spokesman for Saints fans but with the local media as lazy as they are down here they get one phone number and look no further. If someone from the Echo ring you up and ask for an opinion my guess is most on here would give it? The fact that Nick has had to resort to getting the IFO to adjudicate is incredibly sad - why are SFC that vindictive against one man? It makes no sense whatsoever. To always blindly assume that whatever SFC do must be right - because we all support them - is quite frightening. Tbh although I will probably get into trouble for saying it I do believe the current owners of this club to be bang out of order in this particular incident. What is the point of turning on your own fans? I will say it again - this episode is incredibly sad and totally avoidable. I would ask all fans how they would feel if they were in Nick's place?

The Football Echo says rested, but I am not sure. I guess we will find out on Tuesday. I would keep Bart in. One thing I hope Butterfield keeps his place instead of Richardson as he is much better going forward and uses the ball so much better.

Hardly "new" faces though! I agree re BWP however.

Richardson has been a big disappointment - his distribution is non existant.

a Redknapp signing I recall

I see a very polarised debate coming up. I think we had better get used to the fact that, like it or not the current executive chairman of Southampton FC will not make a special case for probably our greatest ever player. I think this goes back to Pinnacle or at least started then. There is no doubt Pinnacle's involvement in the takeover did not impress the Liebherr camp, who were unfairly put on the back burner. I make no comment on the rights and wrongs of all this - just a little sad it has happened, but modern day football seems to have less and less time for tradition, sentamentality or loyalty to the past.

Just spoken to a mate who was at the Swindon game yesterday and the word all around the ground was Austin is coming here.

A good analysis. I would emphasise the point about Richardson's distribution - it was truly shocking. He shuts his eyes and hoofs it basically. He may be a reasonably good defender but his passing and crossing is woeful.