suewhistle

I'm sure that can't really be Stu? I've been tempted to kick him in the nuts for some of his more egregiously offensive statements, but if that's him I'd be in danger of losing my foot!

I haven't got one at the moment: the women in the team are mostly too young or straight, unfortunately. Thfffffft

Can anyone confirm the first part of that statement? I haven't seen any evidence. Replica shirts are OK, I use them for footie training..

Guys, give it a rest, for Chrissake!

I suppose it's possible that these friendlies weren't originally in AP's plans and hence their late announcement: both teams in higher leagues and at a later stage of their preparations. It's a balance between difficulty and the opportunity to try out different formations and players. Getting a winning habit is one thing but there must be a place for the experimentation: how to do that is the issue.

The pace has slacken off and loads of Sochaux subs...

Yep , " Le retour de ses cadres fait un bien fou au FCSM qui monopolise le ballon." OC has a chance..

Doesn't look like they're going to mention any Saints player by name. Think I'll go and do music practice and come back later...

I've found what seems like a link on their site "A suivre en direct" after clicking on "Prochain match" but nothing happening..

Having seen him at Thun I think we have. He didn't quite make the 90 minutes but when he went down I knew it was cramp as he'd been working so hard. But he is still a kid so I hope they introduce him carefully. If he avoids injury he'll be a player who will send an expectant buzz around the ground when he comes on as sub.

"there is something terribly wrong in the transfer market." Aha, there's a clue there AA: "Market". I suggest you learn the implications of the term, and how they work.

In the middle of Thun kids were jumping off a bridge into the river which was flowing really fast and then guiding themselves to an iron ladder on the side of the river 200 m downstream.. I'm sure if it were that dangerous it would have been stopped. The funniest thing I saw there was a dog diving for stones at one of the other bridges: I've never seen it before, and his little back legs were kicking away in the air and the water before he'd bring up these big stones (think large potato size) for the owner, who'd then chuck them back in. Even to maintain himself against the current he had to doggy paddle like mad - hilarious. The dog rarely picked up the same stone but was enjoying himself immensely. Beats taking the dog for a walk.

I find it worrying too, but also how many facts I _don't_ remember. It's an age thing, I think.

Terry 'Dodgy Pint' Hurlock. For those too young.. from his profile in the match programme "Greatest Dislike"...

Tomme Jenkins

Don't reckon so. I'm overseas and see few games a season, hence my wry comments in my report on the Thun game about not knowing who was who. Definitely didn't see PW, even if I didn't know who Callum McNish was! My personal opinion is that the training camp was organised in advance, and games and signings are of secondary, or perhaps parallel importance.

Normally I only make critical posts about bigots, but Alpine; I'm really not being abusive here, but you strike me as incredibly obtuse. I've never jumped on any soddin bandwagon, whatever that means, but really: "1. Its a myth to say I am never positive. However, bandwagon jumping is so much easier, isnt it ? 2. It speaks volumes for those of you who feel compelled to abuse my every word just because it comes from me, despite any validity it may have. " I'm really not obsessed enough to go and gather evidence (DBP might..) but I'm the mildest sort of person you could meet. I don't take kindly to DBP/SRS's posts because: well, do I need to expand? But you, you really have this blind spot about how you are perceived. Have you really never considered why? Frankly "it speaks volumes" that you think everybody is marching out of step except yourself.. People don't abuse you, although their impatience may occasionally be expressed, but people don't abuse your "every word". And if they did, have you never considered why it's more than the odd individual? Maybe you love being the oppressed individual, but I think it's you that is the problem, and not the rest of us forum banterers. All in agreement say AYE!

Hmm. Difficult one. Don't know who you mean for starters : If I've guessed who I think you mean correctly... welll. Shrek is bit too much of a sympathetic character, and intelligent, to boot. Um.. a bit like TCWTB: obsessed with his footie team, but a bit backward socially. Are we talking about the same person?

Yes he does. I teach little kiddies English and I don't use the local language even though I'm fluent. I use English to do various stories. I haven't done the story of the boy who cried Wolf!, but that's what Alpine does, and it's actually given me a great idea for a lesson plan! He does make some reasonable points, but they are so obscured by his general attitude that people ignore them. His leading questions and one-sided points of view are really tiresome. If he were occasionally positive it would be a relief for all concerned and we might take him more seriously.

Um, I thought that was based on them getting £15m for players. Mwahhahhaahaa. Perhaps the creditors should look a their cash flow projections again!

I'm with you hypo. I'm on FB but limited to rellies, close friends and mainly musician aquaintances. I'm a teacher and have never had colleagues as friends and in any case i'd limit myself to uncontroversial statements like "Hurrah, it's the end of term". Never have mind, but you see what I mean. As I teach English perhaps I'm a bit more circumspect in my use of words such as "friend". I wouldn't consider a friend anyone who betrayed a confidence. What if you vented in the pub to such a person, would they then pass on the information? Foolish but not grounds for dismissal from the evidence at hand.

That SAlaw article is interesting on many counts, this one for example: "HMRC may seek to claim that as (100%) beneficiaries of the Football Creditors Rule they are claiming a lien over the Club (especially the TV money). If that’s the case then the insolvency regime defines a “lien” as a form of security. i.e. secured borrowers. Secured creditors should not be voting alongside unsecured creditors under a CVA. Oooops! " Plus the last line of the article referring also to the football creditors rule: "How many of the current incumbents of the Premiership would be considered a credit risk if both challenges were to be made (and succeed)?" Discuss.

Just another thought. I can't help thinking that we should be a very attractive destination for loan players. Decent stadium, manager, pitch, crowds, team colleagues, training set-up, back-room staff and even some interesting continental games if they end up playing occasionally for our reserves: the only thing we couldn't guarantee is a minimum number of appearances. The loaning teams are still sorting out their own squads so availability won't be known until later, but there could be some interesting players available.

Well...if I had only seen "who is disappointed in our transfers ?" I'd have made a correct guess as to who wrote it... On the replacement for Ant and Papa from what I saw at Thun I'd say Alex OC could step up to the mark, again on the basis of coming on as sub. Worried about his youth and the fact that he probably hasn't finished growing yet but I have every confidence in the backroom staff on that aspect. I'd hate to be a tiring full back with that pace coming on against me, I can tell you! As has been pointed out the problem for the other positions is balancing between recruiting a good enough player and not being able to guarantee them a place. In my report about the Thun match I was maybe a little unfair on McNish, for example, and against most L1 teams he'd be OK and perhaps there are other players who may also step up to the mark. I think I'd prefer Martin to Jaidi from what I saw but maybe on a heavy pitch against a brute CF the latter would be the one to choose. I'd rather wait and not be disappointed in who we signed than have signings already who are disappointing.

I was thinking of going to Fribourg as well as the Thun game as it's a bit closer to me but I can't really afford it, and do I really want to meet some of the people who are going? Not you Steve Grant, remember you've got my fiver!