John Boy Saint

This just made me think of when at school many many moons ago, despite being in the far north of ‘Ampshoire there were a good number of Saints fans, but there was a blue few always ready with a derogatory quip to us all. Fair play to one of them though, he went to every p*mpey home game with his Dad , not by car, coach or train, they made the 90 mile round trip with him as pillion on the back of his Dads Honda 90 scooter - begrudgingly even now I can respect that: mostly for doing it on the back of a Honda 90 in all weathers. Apologies for any offence - I do feel dirty for confessing this.

Chris Marsden while I was having my annual appraisal in the Chilworth Hilton bar. I said hello to him when my boss nipped to the loo, and we briefly spoke about the 2-0 win over Liverpool the night before. When we finished and got up to leave, Chris got up from his table, shook my hand with a cheerio like I was leaving a party at his house. Saw Brett Ormerod (who had just signed for us) carrying a tray of tea over to his wife as they were initially living there. Sat on a small beach on the Costa Brava, a mate and me were wondering why the Dutch around us were making like Meerkats, then we spotted Edwin van der Saar playing pat ball with a pal - later that evening back at the campsite one of our Dutch neighbours excitedly asked “did you see who was on the beach today” yes we did “he spoke to me, asking if it was ok to move my bag for their game” her husband sat shaking his head. Oh yeah - Mark Wright getting into his Ford Capri across the road from my Grans house in Shirley - “Granny I’ve just seen Mark Wright who plays for Saints across the road” - casual you you like “yes he lodges with Mrs x over the road - he’s a very polite young man he helped Grandad with something in the garden the other day”. Needless to say you could have knocked me down with a feather - she knew how much I loved the Saints and didn’t utter a word!!

I just knew if they re-ran this stripe they would make an absolute pigs ear of it - obviously we have to wait for official word.

Ah ha - another one hoodwinked, a very split personality, operating over quite some time.

I have that having to work North London again - I use sat nav more for the timings to customers and some new roads - I've pulled up at many a customer and recognised the vicinity and where old customers were back in 1987-92 and I think how the bloody hell did I find my way to these tucked away places, armed only with the paper back sized A-Z with tiny print and felt tips marking which road I needed to be on! Probably why today my in built geolocation is part homing Pigeon, folk get in my car and are amazed I just drive to where we are going 100's of miles away sat nav free, when they query it I often ask how are you going to get anywhere if someone turns off all the satellites? Very few youngsters know how to use a traditional map.

Always liked this one

Watching the Nations League Final - Portuguese fans have been giving Cucurella dogs abuse from minute one.

How did he miss that - PSG have been a pleasure to watch.

Thats about the nub of it - not speculation, as I heard the pretty much the same from someone inside the club at the time. If we had played him in Europa League games, if Man Utd had stuck in an offer in January the value would have dropped through being cup tied in Europe, which would have been no good to our selling club profile. Having just won the Euros and best mates with Ronaldo, the comment "You've changed" was allegedly a hat he wore well - being a bit of a cockwomble didn't endear and each week he was out his stock was increasingly diluted: welcome to West Ham.

Weird to see both goals scored were own goals

They ran out of medals - oops

Jeez cue the Laurel and Hardy theme tune

Even big Dunc thinks we are on the beach!

Maybe Young in his last game can gift us a penalty………………IF we get that far up the pitch!!

Being a Man Utd academy product - Henderson likely made a quip.