mikec

I don't think many would expect Wolves v Coventry to be the most exciting quarter-finals but the others will need to be pretty good to beat that!

They started the light and pyro show a bit early.

Fisher didn't actually play in the '76 final. He was the named substitute (only 1 sub allowed in those days of course), but wasn't brought on during the game. Having said that, he played a vital part in our Cup triumph that year. If it wasn't for his late equaliser against Villa in the 3rd round it would never have happened. I always find it a bit sad when players put their medals up for sale. I hope it's not out of financial necessity.

As I type that, Norwich come back to take the lead at home.

A good weekend for away teams in the championship so far. As things stand, 9 away teams have won or are winning. The other 3 games are level.

Since 2000 the winner of the Championship playoff had finished in position: 3rd - 11 times 4th - 4 times 5th - 6 times 6th - 3 times

Available on Betfair as well. You probably need an account but no need to bet on the game. I started watching just in time to see the Watford goal 🙁

It would be 10am East Coast wouldn't it?

Could be the 1st of 3 consecutive games against Leeds if we end up facing them in the playoffs.

No, the 4-1 win at Lotus Road was the week before the 4-1 win against Liverpool at the Dell. I was at both games. I think these 2 matches were among the high points of Chris Nicholl's time in charge.

Oh. I was close then 🙂

Although he was best known for scoring with his head, I think I'm right in saying that none of the 4 goals he scored in that famous win at Old Trafford were headers.

Yeah, lots of teams similar to us in terms of history and fan base. As you say, it's going to be competitive but at least everyone stands a chance to finish near the top unlike the PL. I think those saying we will walk the league are being ironic because some people did think that last time.

I might be interested. Is it still available?

2-1 at half time wasn't it?

Against Brighton in the Championship wasn't it? And to make it even better I seem to remember he gave the Brighton player a red card.

I'm more excited about the result of the vote than the Man U game. I hope there will be a post-vote reaction thread.

Hmm, Liverpool at home on the final day. I can see it now. Saints need to win to stay up, Liverpool need a point to clinch the title. Still 0-0 going into the 4th minute of stoppage time. Scousers already starting to celebrate. But Adams suddenly breaks into the area. He's hacked down by Van Dyke. Red card for Virgil, penalty to Saints. JWP buries it, final whistle goes, Saints fans go wild, Ralph and Klopp both start to cry. And then I wake up.

Leeds would, but Everton and Burnley still have 3 games left after tonight (and a better goal difference) so they would just need 4 and 6 points respectively from their 3 games to finish above us. This is assuming we don't pick up any more points and that Watford-Everton stays 0-0. Chelsea have just got a 3rd so Leeds would now have to overturn an 18 goal difference to finish above us. Even allowing for us having to play Liverpool, I would cautiously suggest that we are probably safe - maybe.

(I haven't read all 46 pages so sorry if this was previously posted) A student takes a gap year to do some travelling. He visits the US and hires a car to make a coast-to-coast trip. One day in the middle of nowhere, he stops at a small town and goes into a bar. In the corner he sees a Native American man sitting on his own. He orders a drink and gets chatting to the barman and he asks him about the guy in the corner. "Oh that's Bill," replies the barman "he has the most amazing memory and remembers every fact he's ever heard. Go and ask him any question and I bet he can answer it." The student thinks he will catch him out with a question about English football and, being a Saints fan, he walks over to the Native American and says "Hi, can you tell me who won the FA Cup in 1976?" "Southampton" comes the immediate reply. "Who did they beat and what was the score?" "They beat Manchester United 1-0" "Who scored the winning goal?" "Bobby Stokes" The student is amazed. When he gets home from his trip he tells all his friends about the incredible memory man and vows that one day, he will return to try and speak with him again. But life got in the way and 20 years passed by before he finally had the opportunity to take some time off and return to the US and try to retrace the route from his previous trip. Everything had changed and he struggled to remember the exact route that he took before. Just as he was giving up hope on the last day of his trip, by some fluke, he found himself in the same small town as before. To his delight the bar was still there and when he walked in, the same man was sitting in the corner. This time he thinks he should treat the Native American with a bit more respect and greet him in an appropriate manner. He walks over to the man, raises a hand and says "How!" "A left-footed shot into the corner in the 83rd minute" comes the reply.

Yes it was pretty impressive how they managed to get it printed and delivered to newsagents by about 6pm. In my youth (60s/70s) it was generally known as the "Football Echo" and had all the results, updated tables, a full report of the Saints match, plus shorter reports from the Pompey, Bournemouth and Saints Reserves games. In addition it would have a dozen or so brief reports of Hampshire League and other local games in the inside pages. And they managed this with manual printing presses and many years before mobile phones and the internet.

But you had to buy a programme (or try to look over the shoulder of someone who had one) to work out which score related to which game.

True. How many times has a referee done a pitch-side review and then stuck with his original decision/non-decision? No doubt, it has happened but it seems to be pretty rare.

Turned out to be a good buy and played a big part in our 1976 FA Cup win. He scored the winning goal against Bradford in the quarter-final and in the final, it was McCalliog that laid on the pass to Bobby Stokes for the goal.

Haven't they suffered enough?