Fitzhugh Fella

Again - if we are 2-0 nil and looking like we were getting nothing from the game why not throw on the youngsters if only to give them a bit of experience? And don't forget we had nowt on the bench because for whatever reasons we have let a few go on loan to clubs in higher divisions. Puncheon is being missed. If he has misbehaved then ship him out but not BEFORE we have a replacement. Relying on the fitness of Holmes was poor judgement. Oh and while I am at it is Barnard recovering from his hernia op or hasn't it happened?

My point was to have a debate on a FORUM? As for Strachan I agree, but you got to admit his comments were quite interesting and this one was way OTT.

Do you honestly think we have? I can't see a lot of difference. Maybe my expectations were higher after AP left which is clouding my judgement but I don't see us any further forward performance wise. Sorry.

Yep brought a smile to my face too

And for me they are very worth using and I do!

Len - the club weren't too keen on a pre war ITN - on account of what they reckon would be little interest, so that idea is suspended for now. We are currently working on a massive who's who from 1885 - to date, hopefully published this time next year, if my editor David Bull can get his finger out. After that to use some of our pre-war stuff maybe a complete history of Saints in the FA Cup and maybe a coffee table type photographic book. We have plenty of other ideas ie Saints at War etc etc.

Gator you wont get too much wisdom from me but to try and answer. Eloquence? No not really - that you rarely get in football but it would be nice to get something that just makes a little sense. His comment re the game in my OP was nonsensical. Also the bit about Barnard was just bizarre. If he didn't want to tell anyone the state of Barnard's fitness just say I'd rather not say. We would all understand. (Do us fans have the right to be kept up-to-date with the players' injuries?) However I do concede if he had us playing decent football and we were consolidating a top 2 position I would cut him a lot more slack in my own mind and if it guaranteed promotion he could talk Swahili for the rest of the season. His intellect was something that was made a lot of at the time of his appointment and indeed he may well have plenty up top but it doesn't seem to be used in his post match analysis. My criticism is probably not fair and I hear from those that have met him that he's a really nice genuine guy. Trouble is nice guys don't usually make good managers. Time will tell but in football there is increasingly less and less time. Maybe I built my hopes up too much when he arrived because his CV looked good but after 3 or so months I am just a little bit underwhelmed. 3 months is a pitifully small amount of time when considering how long the managers of the past got but is about the length of time modern day chairmen expect to see some improvement. Maybe we should wait until the season's end but that would not suit NC's schedule.

Well as I am keeping "In That Number" up to date I always look to get a comment from one manager as it helps describe the game. It was interesting that Scott the Brentford manager regarded the away win as the "easiest" this season. So the answer to your question is Yes. I have found so far NA has not made one quote that is meaningful. Might as well not bother asking him. Let's hope he communicates better with the players

Gordon Strachan was brilliant with his after match comments - these were the ones he made just after we lost to Arsenal away in one of his last matches. He was asked if his criticism of a linesman would get him into trouble - this is how he replied “Have I said anything out of turn? If you call Tony Blair a liar about weapons of mass destruction then it’s quite easy for me to say that I have history with a linesman”. He then went on to complain how hard it was to gain access to match officials after the game. “You can’t get near to officials, it’s easier to get to the Pope! If I’m in London next time and I get mugged, I hope the same amount of people turn up – there were 6 police officers, four stewards, and a United Nations peace observer”. Now that is class - pure class. None of this "in the building" nonsense.

In tonights Echo Brentford manager Andy Scott said "of our last 5 away wins that was probably the most comfortable - we could have scored a couple more. It was excellent team work, we created good chances. To come here and win is a fantastic achievement but we thoroughly deserved it". I looked for something from NA to sum up the match but instead the Echo highlighted this pearl of wisdom "I thought there was enough out there to try and get something from the game". Can anyone translate this as I am not really sure what he is saying? And then we have the Barnard situation. Has he had the op or not? Or are we still trying to confuse Walsall and not tell anyone? Are we allowed to know - have we the right? Hoping for clarity from tonight's Echo, NA says this about Barnard "He's had 2 little things going wrong in the groin area. We were hoping to get one settled and the medical team have tried to do that and we've had to go down another pathway and it's frustrating". I am sure it is Nigel but it is pretty frustrating for the fans not knowing what the hell you are talking about. Whatever your views on Pardew one area he was good at was communicating with the fans - I am not so sure NA is. Fans appreciate straight talking especially after a defeat. I haven't lost faith in NA and obviously he needs time (if NC is prepared to give it) but Saturday was a bit of a jolt and when the chips are down a manager needs to say the right things. Not talk gobbly gook.

I think this just boils down to the fact that Schneiderlin and Hammond are just too similar and there is only room for one of them. If I had a choice I would go for Hammond because of his slightly better temperament but ideally I'd get rid off both. Hammond gives his all but is no more than Div 1 standard while S is an enigma all round. Looks elegant but that is it.

Worked well yesterday then. If Barnard is telling fans he has had the op it is hardly a trade secret.

On another thread there is a poster who claims Barnard had a hernia op last week. If it is true I don't know why we can't be told?

No go to all home games and quite a few away inc Walsall next week.....unfortunately. Sorry that was'nt us just playing badly yesterday that was a team who had no organisation or nous - in short we looked like a team who haven't got a manager. The last time we looked so inept was at Bristol Rovers under Dodd and Gorman.

which just goes to prove stats can be very deceiving. apart from one game this season at home (Tranmere) we have not gelled. Something is not right - even both Cup games we flattered to deceive. I am no tactician but the two central "crabs" posing as our midfield must be the source of a lot of our problems. I'll say it again; under Pardew he had us playing a lot more "organised" football after just a few couple of months. Yes Adkins must be given a chance to bring in his own players but as a previous poster quite rightly pointed out he did inherit a more than decent squad who finished last season as the best in the League.

That was shambolic today - I think even Adkins would be critical of himself today. It looked like none of the players had ever met each other before 3pm. NA must shoulder some blame for one of the worst performances at SMS for quite a few years.

What worries me is a lot of posters on here think the January transfer window is the answer to a lot of our problems - it is not that simple. I can honestly say I never saw such an abject disorganised perfomance like that under Pardew. We seem to be going backwards.

I thought he was an asset to the club. Professional but friendly. Efficient and courteous. Good luck to him wherever he is going.

Thanks for taking the time Spudgun. As a fellow grump or cynic I found your enthusiasm positive news. As you say it was a shame you could not get more into specifics - i hope there weren't too many "price of the pies" type questions. I hope NC realises just how much good can be achieved by the interview and the dinners for Season Ticket holders. Football fans thrive on news about their club especially good news, while we all hate the spin. I am still intrigued by the outside forces though because I just can't think what they are hoping to achieve whoever they are. Anyway yesterday and the Staplewood plans are a welcome boost off the pitch which we need to translate to more points starting on Saturday. Thanks again for taking the time to report back.

I am intrigued about this shadowy group trying to destabilise the club. Who on earth could that be? Surely Wilde, Crouch and Lowe have had their day? So who else is there? Fulthorpe, Pinnacle, Help Me Rhonda? Help me God.

Give me strength oh Lord

If you are trying to sell your house you ensure it looks good when buyers come to view? I am sure NC will continue to "look after" this club and enhance its position - after all that can only drive the price up.

My house is not currently on the market but if someone came in and offered me 10% more than I thought it worth I would sell it. My take from talking to people closer to the club than I that this is the case now and has been since September. Certainly influential people in the City have been made aware of it. Word has been put around that the Liebherr's would be prepared to sell if the money was right. What frightens me is this is a green light for all the idiot tyre kickers (Fulthorpe, Pinnacle, Help Me Rhonda etc) to come out of the woodwork - after all with no debt we are a good buy. At least we can have confidence in NC quickly sorting out the genuine buyers if indeed any exist. Marcus's premature and sad death was probably the biggest blow this club has suffered to its well being since relegation from the Prem. I still maintain all along we should have been prepared for this and started some sort of partial ownership initiative if only to stop the club falling into the wrong hands. I am sure the Liebherr family would have looked kindly on some sort of fan buy out. Not saying it works or is ideal but I would rather have the club part owned by the fans than by the likes of people like Risdale or mandaric.

I haven't forgiven them for poaching Ted Drake yet!

The Echo have a story today (Saturday) that Wolves have tabled a £1.5m bid in January