Nolan

and if they were sales, sell on clauses normally are for a percentage of the PROFIT, not for the percentage of the total fee, so would be nowhere near 8 million. Nearer £1 million for both if reported final sales fees are accurate.

I'm not so sure. When House and Blackmore went over to see Solak, Solak said that due to the loans when we were promoted we had to spend millions to stand still. I dont think they want us to be in the same position potentially come May 26

yes, but just pointing out that offer of an extension of contract is normally clarification that an approach has been made.

As Koln tried with Downs, but couldnt match our terms according to Goal. USMNT striker Damion Downs heading to England as Koln reach €10m agreement with Southampton | Goal.com UK

This will be the ultimate who is an optimist, who is a pessimist thread. I'm going match 5.

Well, our result against Castellon was better than QPR's

If anyone has bought this, I think people may know it is a fake...

so you can work out which way Will Smallbone is facing.

That proves theyre putting out a design based on this screenshot. cant's see the Puma badge, and looks like something different is occuring on the Crest, so they havent included it. theyve also based their black stripes on a low res picture but surely they'll be of equal width

Göztepe friendly live on on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/SHCJUEw-P5A?si Interesting pitchside furniture

Most work places offer eye test vouchers. Might be worth enquiring. Especially if all the stripes on this year's kit are merging into one...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ceq7z421pwzo MP Rupert Lowe cleared by standards watchdog In a resolution letter, sent on 11 July, Mr Greenberg says: "I concluded that the evidence submitted did not demonstrate on the balance of probabilities that a breach of the rules had occurred."

Keeper kit seen in the wild

just because its fun to see if AI is any good or not, I asked ChatGPT to select one Premier League player who Damion Downs is most comparable to. we'll find out how fitting the suggestion is throughout the season, but its answer... A very fitting and realistic Premier League comparison for Damion Downs is: 🪞 Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton) Aerially dominant, athletic, and press-capable striker with room for growth technically. Why Calvert-Lewin is a Strong Comparison: Attribute Dominic Calvert-Lewin Damion Downs Height & Build 6′2″ (187 cm), strong frame 6′3–6′4″ (192 cm), tall and athletic Aerial Ability Top-tier aerial threat Very strong aerial potential Work Rate / Pressing Active in pressing setups Developed in Bundesliga's pressing culture Finishing One-touch & instinctive Clean, composed finisher (youth level) Link-Up Play Improved over time Already shows promise in tight spaces Hold-Up Play Physical, shields ball well Developing but shows natural feel

Never needed the 'rumour' tag.

Goztepe have already refused bids of over 17 million Euro for Romulo. They want 20. Saintsmarching as a link for anything is about as trustworthy as a Sunday Sport article,

Throw the book at him for what exactly?

No No No No. unless some singing is happening.

Here's a reminder of the attempt of P & O Cruises (Our sponsor) to educate people that they are not P & O Ferries (not our sponsor) it obviously didn't reach some areas

official stats show fantastic 100% passing accuracy rate yesterday. admittedly he only had 1 touch but who's counting.

FFS. P & O Cruises and P & O Ferries are now two very distinct entities. when throwing around claims like that you need to be really careful about who you're talking about... ===================================================================== 2000: P&O Group decided to spin off its cruise division, which included P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises, and other brands, into a separate company called P&O Princess Cruises. This move allowed the company to focus more on its ferry and port operations. 2003: Carnival Corporation & plc acquired P&O Princess Cruises for £3.5 billion, integrating it into its portfolio of cruise brands. 2006: The remaining ferry operations, including P&O Ferries, were sold to DP World, a Dubai-based logistics company, marking the final separation of the two businesses. P&O Cruises are Owned by Carnival Corporation & plc, a U.S.based cruise operator P&O Ferries are Owned by Dubai based DP World.

say a tall striker has 46% aerial duels won and that a shorter striker has 50% aerial duels won. the 50% choice looks better, right? but what if the tall strike had 100 aerial chances in 10 matches and the shorter striker had 80 aerial chances in 10 matches. apply the percentages tall striker has won 46 aerial wins in 10 matches and shorter striker has 40 aerial wins in 10 matches.

its worth noting that Downs has more Aerial duels per game than your average striker. but going back to ChatGPT to analyse the details (and again I'll enter the Data in / Data out AI caveat) 1. Aerial Duel Win % Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story The win percentage is a ratio of duels won versus duels contested, but it doesn’t measure how often a player positions himself to influence the game in the air without necessarily winning the duel outright. Downs may choose his aerial battles smartly—sometimes not contesting a 50/50 header if a teammate is better placed, which lowers his personal duel count but benefits the team overall. 2. Quality Over Quantity Even if he wins “only” 46% of his aerial duels, the timing and impact of those wins matter more. For example, winning a critical flick-on or a clearance in a dangerous area has far more value than simply winning a random aerial duel in midfield. 3. Role and Tactical Usage Downs is not just contesting every aerial ball blindly; his role as a target man and pressing striker means he uses aerial skills strategically. His ability to link up play with headers or create space by attracting defenders doesn’t necessarily show up in duel stats but still makes him valuable in the air. 4. Physicality and Mobility Enhance Impact His size and mobility allow him to dominate key moments even if his duel win rate isn’t elite. He might lose some duels in congested situations but still shape the game by disrupting marking schemes and creating second chances. 5. Development Curve At only 20, Downs is still growing physically and tactically. His aerial duel win percentage is likely to improve as he gains experience, refines timing, and gets stronger. Bottom line: The 46% aerial duel win rate is decent, but the true measure of Downs’ aerial presence lies in how he uses his physicality, timing, and positioning to influence the game beyond just raw stats. So no, his aerial duel stats don’t counter his reputation — they complement a broader picture of a smart, effective, and evolving aerial threat.

Admittedly CHATGPT is limited to what information has gone in, as to what will come out. But from the information and stats that it has: 🧩 How Damion Downs Stands Out 🧱 1. Physical Profile + Coordination Tallest of the group at 192 cm, stronger aerial presence than Brereton or Archer, but more mobile than Stewart. Offers a true target-man presence but with better mobility and coordination than your typical big No. 9. ⚙️ 2. Modern Pressing Striker Potential Will Still wants pressing forwards. Downs comes from a Bundesliga system where pressing is embedded from youth levels. Unlike Stewart (slow) or Archer (not physically dominant), Downs can press, occupy defenders, and be the out-ball under pressure. 🔄 3. Link-Up and Hold-Up Mix Unlike Armstrong (who spins in behind) or Brereton Díaz (who cuts in from wide), Downs is comfortable: Receiving with back to goal Playing one-touch layoffs Bringing midfielders into play 🎯 4. Ceiling and Tactical Versatility At only 20, Downs could be developed into a complete forward: A pressing spearhead ✅ A crossing target ✅ A hold-up pivot ✅ A transitional release valve ✅ Southampton doesn’t currently have a striker who combines all of those qualities in one. 🔚 Summary: Why Downs Adds a Unique Dimension Armstrong is a poacher. Stewart is a classic big man. Archer is a mobile finisher. Brereton Díaz is a wide forward with power. 🆕 Downs offers something different: A tall, tactically smart, press-capable striker who can grow into a complete No. 9—a profile Will Still hasn’t had yet.

Played Goals Assists Cameron Archer 40 18 7 Adam Armstrong 248 80 33 Ben Brereton 230 57 23 That's solely in the Championship. we have proven Championship strikers. What we dont have is a tall striker who positions himself well in the box. and Downs is 3inches taller than Diaz.