Nolan

interesting couple of tweets.... @JamesMawFFT :Alan Shearer or Nigel Adkins for the Southampton job. You heard it here first (unless you heard it somewhere else) (via @KitCox) @FootballAgent46: @JamesMawFFT you're half right on the final two. so the selection is down to two and one of the two is either Shearer or Adkins?

isn't entirely possible we have made a signing, it just won't get announced till later..... there been lots of times before when signings aren't known until the next day, and we know how our Chairman like things announced on the OS first.

I think Zola's current experience with the Italian Under 21's, and his proliferation for using young talent in the West Ham side make him fit into the "Southampton Way of Thinking"... I think I'll put some money on him today.

I cant believe the Sports Journalist Association are screaming about possible censorship ( http://www.sportsjournalists.co.uk/blog/?p=2706 ) while all accredited photographers have to sign Terms and Conditions with Football Data Co that includes the following:- (http://www.football-dataco.com/documents/Regional%20Accreditation%20Agreement.pdf) 8.3 Photographs may not be used for any Photosale without the prior written approval of the relevant Club(s) that feature in the applicable Photograph.

If it was arranged in an way at all similar to the unfair distribution of monies from the Premier League being distributed down the ladder, then I probably ain't a jump to work out why NC is doing this.

That Guardian link has an image accredited to "Christopher Lee/Getty Images". I think it's fair that if they want to print an Image that is to do with Saints then money should come to the club. With the amount of money that isn't going into football at the moment (see Portsmouth, Preston, Southend, Cardiff) what's wrong with trying something new? will it really alienate that many people?

So Betfair is not getting much money on other League 1 sides. and how do they compensate? Why not just have a special offer on the other teams rather than the "no team who has spent less than 5 mins of the match by the corner flag nearest the away fans has ever gone up on an odd year if the consecutive year is a square root" type stats?

I think if you don't submit 25 over 21 year olds, you can add them until the loan window closes until you get to the 25. Saints for example only have around 19 over 21's the rest fit into the under 21 category.

it seems the day AFTER transfer deadline day, is the day you finalise the 25 man squad. So clubs will know exactly who they've got available.

The younger players will probably get more games than you think. simple maths says 25 over 21 year old players means 2 players for every position with 3 players spare. How many times are clubs unlucky enough to have 2 right backs injured? add to the fact that if you're not in the 25 man squad you're ruled out of playing first team football from the 1st September to the 31st December, I'd bet a lot of players will be happy to move down 1 or two Leagues. Not to mention the any clubs rescinding players will be happiest loaning to a club with who can get to nearest 100% of any players wages...

at the time of the Transfer deadline. The 25 man squad can then be changed during the January Transfer window up until the window closes. It applies to all 4 English leagues

because in the latter half of August it will become apparent who might not make the cut when all clubs have to announce their 25 man squad of over 21's. They'll be some Premiership players who aren't named in their squads that will be loaned to Championship squads. They'll be some Championship players who are in turn forced out and will go out to League one squads. The new squad rule, makes this possibly the most tactical season ever. Its worth waiting to make sure other clubs don't get the options of available higher league players just because we've bought early.

We certainly don't have to worry about the 25 man squad rule.....

Looking at the new league rules for next season this makes HUGE sense... A Strong U21 squad pretty much doubles the amount of players we have available on any given match-day. And with the "First Team" being a pool of 25, with any injuries would any club have a team available to play reserve matches?

4-2 against a team who are playing the first game in their league on Saturday, and have previously held their own against Arsenal in the Champions League on more than one occasion. I'll take that for the first friendly of pre-season.

just read the 27 pages on the Palace forum. They are absolutely gutted, it looks like a very solid signing for us.

let's not begrudge Markus doing what he wants with his own money.....

This was posted yesterday by Lordswoodsaints..... someone has to have it wrong...

I was under the Impression last night was a Saints XI under Henderson, rather than the full team under Pardew. but if you do want to choose to include Salisbury as such an important preseason result, then you must also include the result from Newport last week where Saints XI WON 4 - 1.

Agreed, if he brokered the deal with Liebherr, then it's his involvement that has kept all the St Mary's staff in jobs and with a regular salary coming in. They might like him a bit more now.

they might like him a bit more now.... it seems it's because of him they've all got jobs and a monthly salary

Liebherr's statement said "I also look forward to the Club re-engaging with the fans and the local community. We cannot succeed with out their backing." I really don't think he'd renege on that so soon.

Who knows what restrictions he had to work with at the end of last season. Lets see how he does given a free reign to do his thing.

they bought the ASSETS of SLH, not SLH

surely, being based in the stadium, it'd be crazy not too...