aintforever

When have I or anyone on here said we abosultely definitely making the champions league? Holmes has said pretty much word for word what the people you ridicule on here have said. Why do you dell-brains on here think you know better than a proffessional footballer who has spent years at the club? You're a f*cking weirdo.

Lee Holmes believes Saints will soon become a “force to be reckoned with” in English football. The winger has backed the club to continue their incredible rise up the divisions and eventually challenge towards the top of the Premier League. Holmes, who was released this summer, reckons that within five years Saints could be competing for a European spot, and possibly even a Champions League place. “The club is only going to go onwards and upwards,” said the 25-year-old, who this week agreed a two-year deal with League One side Preston. “There’s a passion behind the scenes that means they won’t stop until they achieve what they want. “There is going to be a time where Southampton will be a force to be reckoned with in English football. “In the next five years, I expect them to be right up there with the best of them.” So, is European football a possibility in that timeframe? Holmes certainly thinks so. “You look at the passion and backing behind the club, and the infrastructure involved, and I can’t see why not,” he said. “Look at the clubs in the Premier League who are all fighting for European spots. I can’t see why Southampton can’t get right up there. “I’m not saying it will be next season, but definitely in the next few years.” And what about the pinnacle of European club competition, the Champions League? “Long term, I think you could only look to strive for that,” said Holmes. “The long term goals between everyone in the club are that they are looking for the highest achievement in football. “I wouldn’t be surprised if there isn’t a plan in place for that to happen in the next five years, or maybe a little bit longer.” Holmes points to another club that not too long ago dropped out of the Premier League, only to return and start seriously challenging the established top four or five sides. “Look at Newcastle,” he said. “They’re a massive club, but it’s only a few years ago that they were down in the Championship, so I think it’s something that could happen for Southampton.”

I'm actually pro-Royal, I think they add value to the UK brand. Face it there is next to no reason why people would visit the UK except for it's history and tradition. Some of the celebrations did show England at it's worst though IMO. People standing out in the pouring rain insisting they were having fun when they clearly were not, as if they were compelled by some sort of misguided loyalty to stand they and enjoy themselves. Grow a pair FFS. I enjoyed last nights show except when they wheeled out the usual old c*nts again. How long does Mcartney have to flog the Beatles dead horse FFS. And Elton John and Cliff Richard - they are just a ****ing embarrassment now.

The days are gone when you need to speak to your neighbours thanks to mobile phones and the internet.

It's you that has missed the point all along. What Holmes said is pretty much word for word what some on here have said yet mongs like you somehow translated our opinions on the club's future plans and ambitions as our expectations.

Robbie did kick ass, thought Tom Jones was cool as well.

What did Puncheon say anyway?

I actually think some posters on here need mental help.

Holmes obviously knows nothing compared to the f*ck-wits on here.

You can see how he got the job with waffle like that. We've employed people like that at my company in the past, all talk and no substance. We found out their owners were crooks after 5mins of googling, yet he chose a "quality over quantity" plan that required their continued funding instead of living within their means. This is the f*ckwit that signed Benjani on 15K a week, their current plight is down to him more than anyone. No doubt whoever employed him at SD just saw FA on his CV and fell for his b*llsh!t.

I think technically he doesn't get FP but in reality he just has to bid £1 more than anyone else for it and as the secured creditor he would get the procedes from the sale anyway.

I'm celebrating 4 days off work, might watch the Jubilee if there's nothing else on TV. I'd rather eat my own poo than ponce about with my neighbours waving flags.

Great line-up for the Ted Bates/Leibherr Cup, might actually go this year.

You pay the money to avoid sitting next to some toothless f*cktard from Shirley and at half time joining a scrum just to drink some weak as **** lager out of a plastic beaker on a cold souless concrete concourse with a bunch of chavs. I find the atmosphere in the corporate sections dull but I can see why some people prefer it. It's about time there was something between the full corporate package and the scummy normal experience.

The Football League need to put them out of their misery and use the parachute money to pay the players what they are owed.

Not necessarily, could just have potential to be better in the future.

Would be great if Lambert and Rodgers move clubs. I expect Wigan to be down the bottom regardless of wether Martinez goes or not.

It was a shocking programme, and from what I saw Poland and Ukraine are not fit nations to hold the Euros. UEFA should set an example and not let them hold it until they clean up their act. BUT, these sort of programmes can be misleading, when they showed the Sieg Heil salute I didn't hear the words "Sieg Heil", and the asian fans getting beaten up was awful, but maybe there was some other motivation behind it. Just because some asian guys are getting beat up doesn't mean it's racially motivated. Having said that even allowing for the BBC's exaggeration it looked bad. I would hate to live in a country that backward.

So it's arrogant to suggest that a player would rather sign for Southampton than Swansea! I've heard it all now.

They will make a profit because of the prize money but the TV revenue is swallowed up with operating costs and debt - that article is pretty clear. You havn't yet explained how they have got that £40mill in the bank, please do...

Swansea have f*ck all in the bank, this season's Prem money has just paid for the losses before and this season's wages... http://www.fcbusiness.co.uk/news/article/newsitem=1614/title=swansea+city+pay+for+premier+league+ambition "Swansea City’s latest accounts have revealed the true cost to them becoming the first Welsh club in the Premier League. Securing Premier League football contributed to a loss of £8.2m in Swansea City's financial results for the year ending May 30, 2011. The accounts released by the club earlier this week reflect the cost of the club's liabilities which arose immediately after the final whistle was blown at Wembley in May when they beat Reading in the play-off final. They include player and football management bonuses, additional transfer and loan fees, compensation to Football League relegated clubs, plus the loss of the club's share of Wembley gate receipts ceded to the losing play-off finalists. However, the Board of Directors is confident that the increased profit from the club's first campaign in the Premier League will cancel out those losses and the club will end the financial year at May 31, 2012, in a sound financial position. The club's operating budgets for 2011-12 are structured for this to happen in order to maintain the club's philosophy of running a financially stable football club. A statement from the Board of Directors read: "The Board of Directors is pleased to announce that the club completed its third and most successful season in the Championship, gaining promotion to the Premier League and is proudly wearing the mantle of being the first Welsh club to do so. "While the accounts reveal an overall loss after tax of £8.2m, which was consequently unavoidable after our Wembley win, the large amount of income generated in the Premier League has subsequently enabled these liabilities to be adequately met in the current financial year. "The accounts for the current financial year ending May 31, 2012, will be adversely affected by an increase in operating costs, particularly payroll, but our resolve is to realise sufficient profit to counter the 2010-11 loss and our operating budgets are structured to make this happen." Please explain how we can't compete with them....

We will have a bigger turnover than Swansea next season and we have owners who have shown they are willing to invest. It's not rocket science.

Obviously zero. They have £40mill in the bank according to you.

Yeah so they have £40mill in the bank. What did they use to pay their players last season then thicko?

We all know that most of the TV money goes straight out in wages, even if they are strict.