Fitzhugh Fella

Yea but having someone who can convert difficult or even easy chances is often the difference between one and three points for us this season.

Austin's hamstring is my main concern as it seems it was that which has sidelined him this week. His cutting edge is vital already

Hear Austin has tweaked the same hamstring which is a bit of a worry

Was at the Silverlake on Saturday and this was the talk on the terraces (just wanted to use that phrase again).

Would be nice to nip in and sign him just to **** off Levy

Hi Norm Just had a pint with Sam McLaughlin (Bobby's son) tonight and told him the news. Bobby's wife is still alive and Sam was going to pass on the news. I will pass on your post to Sam.

For the more (ahem) senior members on this forum they may be interested (and saddened) to learn that Saints forward between 1954 and 1962, Tommy Mulgrew passed away on the 12th of January - the funeral was this morning. I just missed his career which encompassed 330 games and exactly 100 goals, so he is right up there in the all-time scorers list, indeed only 12 men have scored more goals in our history. There was talk about debut goals after Charlie Austin's winner at OT last Saturday but I doubt if anyone will beat Tommy's debut goal for Saints which came within 15 seconds of the start of the match (and season) v Brentford 21 August 1954. He also got another in a 6-4 win. It remains the fastest ever goal scored at The Dell. As I said I never saw him play but I remember talking to Terry Paine about him once and Terry confessed that Tommy was the one player he looked up to and respected the most as a young pro starting out. A fitting epitaph. David Bull is putting something together for the official site.

I think there will be an official announcement any day Pancakes

It's going to be present Saints v promotion Saints so the return of Sir Rickie et al

It was v Blackpool Nov 1977 and he scored after 58 seconds of his debut and the MoTD cameras were there!

Marvellous day

You took those two words right out of my mouth

I think I will refrain from commenting on this thread

One swallow doth not make a summer (or words to that effect)

Really pleased for Targett, gets way too much unwarranted stick on here.

or he has changed his tune

Beg to differ mate, Caulker is a good player (England cap etc) who is just having a poor run, he is young and will have dips in his form but I repeat Klopp is no fool. As for Tadic I am also questioning his mental strength so vital to succeed in the Premiership. If you are right on the other hand - and I don't think you are - then Liverpool are in big trouble because this would then be a monumental mistake.

The voice of reason. Caulker is not a bad player and Klop is not a mug. Football is all about opinions and fans will differ over their opinions of players but I contend at 12m Tadic remains a big disappointment. He hardly ever completes 90 mins, his goalscoring record is poor, he goes missing, doesn't track back and shows a lack of spirit when things aren't going well. Yes he has skill, probably more than anyone else in the squad but he is a luxury we can't afford. I find it amazing that many more on this forum give Targett stick when at least the kid gives his all.

Tbh I think the criticism of Caulker a bit OTT considering what Tadic gets away with (his effort to block Puncheon's shot prior to Palace's 2nd was heroic).

It gives me concern because I believe it to be true from what I have heard too. Also a lot of it, is not his opinion he is actually posting it as fact if you read it again.

I am not saying they should be given game time - yes you are probably right they are not good enough, but that does not excuse RK's treatment of them by ignoring them etc etc at Staplewood. They should be given encouragement to improve so at the very least they could be sold to lower-league teams for decent fees. Koeman has turned his back on them by all accounts and that does no one any good.

I can accept that the current crop of u21s may not be good enough whether that includes Gallagher, McQueen whoever but reports that Koeman basically gives no encouragement to them, does not let them train with the first teamers and is not prepared to give them any game time in the Prem or the Cups is a real worry. Koeman is an intelligent man so his approach to the clubs academy players is bizarre- these guys need encouragement not the cold shoulder no matter how low the manager may think of them. Perhaps unhappiness and discord at Staplewood is one reason we seem to have gone into free fall recently?

This post has this afternoon on the match thread from a new poster gives me great concern I disagree with your conclusion. I have been at most U21 games this season including the away games v Chelsea, Man City and Spurs. Yes last weeks game was a poor performance but in those other three the U21s were very good. Won 3-1 at Stamford bridge with sharp excellent goals from McQueen and Heskey. Won 2-0 v Spurs with goals from Targett and Sims out-battling a team that included Townsend (one trick pony). And deserved more from the 3-1 defeat at Man City. The first team have poor performances yet Koeman refuses to allow many U21s to even train with the first team to get serious experience or get them playing for a few minutes off the bench in cup games and it is a fact Koeman does not even talk to them never mind try and encourage them. He is aloof and arrogant. How are they supposed to develop? Koeman does not develop players his training methods are not a patch on Pochettino nor keep the players as fit as he did. Pochetino thought players like McQueen had potential and gave him his debut. He played reasonably in Feb 2014 not looking out of place. So somehow he's now not good enough. That's because the U21s are stagnating under Koemans reign. They will be going out on loan to get experience cos there is none available at their home club where many of them have spent 12 years. It's rubbish and Koeman bears some responsibility.

Koeman has qualities and up to now I have been hoping he would sign an extension but his attitude of arrogance or ambivalence towards the U21s is unacceptable. If Allsorts is giving us factual info, and I believe he is, then imo Koeman should be replaced sooner rather than later.

I can vouch that Allsorts is reporting back very accurately