um pahars

Good atmosphere so far!!! Laid on Sofa, patio doors wide open and can hear the crowd loud and clear. Just waiting to hear what the roar is like when we score!!! Was that a little Watford cheer????

You may have a point there. I think Nigel's biggest challenge will be pushing us on even further, not just from the obvious results position, but as you say when he has to start managing egos and bringing in new players (as good as the current squad are, if we go up I would expect quite a few new faces to be brought in). I agree with NA in that I think we needed to strengthen some key areas over the summer, but as he alluded to in that interview, it's not just as easy as going out and buying players. Apart from financial issues there is the impact it might have on the squad. In the CMS thread I said I would have liked him to have come here, but would he have been happy beign third choice??? I don't think it's easy being a manager (even if you're successful!!!!). However, as we stand here today he's done a great job getting us out of the third tier and has started this season in a similar fashion. I like his positive attitude, can forgive him the odd cliche, and am really glad he is in charge.

Would it be fair to say that we are "slightly"punching above our weight in that our results to date are better than what the individual names would suggest??? In which case I think a lot has to be due to the managers motivational and psychological skills, as I think he really has brought out the best in this team. There can be no doubt that the team spirit and unity is at its highest for years (although winning does help as well!!!!).

Thought exactly the same and fair play to him as he has obviously got a squad that is happy and "together as one". Wonder if any of our targets over the summer perhaps didn't meet his criteria?

Bless him (and I'd say this in front of him), but Cooky is not really name dropping!!!!!

£50k!!! What a profligate waste of taxpayers money, many in the private sector get nothing (as I'm sure that's what some would say LOL).

On the pitch at half time, or GET Jack Bishop and Gilly involved and get a fight night up the Guildhall. Could even get some undercards from off these forums.

Think I'm catching up with Andy Cook over the next week, I'll ask him what he makes of your little rant.

Exactly, end of.

You're right for the home game it was indeed 4-0, but deffo 7-1 away (although the 4-0 drubbing makes it even worse). Not sure what division they were in back then (I presumed the old Second) and we had to rely on them to score an og in the second game!!!!!

I read Matty was out of order, end of, whilst Cortese was out of order, BUT......

A truly terrible night. Remember going with Tijuana Tim and being gobsmacked about how bad we were!!!!! We had a pretty decent team out (Crouchy on the bench!!!), yet were just abysmal on the night under the nightmare leadership of Wigley!! However, you young uns should think yourselves lucky compared to a League Cup nightmare 20 years earlier!!!!!! In the first leg we beat Watford 4-1 (a fairly easy drubbing). Problem was in the 2nd leg we got hammered 7-1!!!!!!

So that tweet is an insult, but Cortese's dig on Saturday wasn't. Weren't you the one at the start of this thread asking for parity in repsonse. Practice what you preach.

But is it really an insult? You'd have to be pretty thin skinned to get upset by that tweet

An interesting point Granty about whether assistants and coaches have fixed term contracts (like managers) or whether they are employed on "normal" contracts.

Can only be the settlement of his contract, can't it??? I've heard that some are paid up in full immediately, others just run and keep getting paid on a monthly basis (sure I can remember one manager saying, "Spurs are paying me each month to play golf"), others stop when the person gets another job and others are settled through offers and counter offers. Can only assume Wally wasn't happy with our initial offer(s) and was pushing for more even though he got a job at West Ham???? As for Matty sticking his oar in, not necessary and only continuing this needless squabble (with a caveat re the above assuming that it is him on Twitter).

One can only assume that Graham Poll has moved on from refereeing to become a bouncer.

I just would never have given him my name, simple as that. I can't work out what right he has to compel you to give him your name (even the police under a S60 don't have the right to take your name).

Two I have fished recently with my nephew are: Town Quay is not a bad spot (Bass, pout and flounder) Just upriver of Magazine Lane (the yacht club) where there is a very small shingle beach has proved successful (flounder, eel & bass) Try here for more info: http://www.solent-fishing-guide.co.uk/Western.asp Had a walk outside the apaprtment yesterday and round by The Shieldhall there are some rather large mullet feeding on the incoming tide, will have to get a float and bread out later!!!

On the day when over 1,000 of the nations finest seamen are being handed their P45s, at least we can rejoice that our bins (those outside of Southampton anyway) will get their rubbish collected on a regular basis. I can only presume that our sailors and submariners will be retrained to handle dust carts, whilst if there is another Falklands War we'll be throwing bins and skips at the incoming aircraft. I'm just not sure finding £250m for weekly collections is up there on my priority list and also think it's a shoddy way to be treating some of those who have put their lives on the line (with many having done this in recent months).

What would have happened if you refused to give him your name??

But at home we (and Guly) have looked very impressive. I'd definitely get Hammond in for Morgan, but stay with Guly & Connoly. Only issue would be if Connoly was feeling the strain of too many games. Over to Nigel.

I do hope you're not being critical of NC here Frank

But, for many, football is about much more than just results (and I have always said as much). Football Clubs up and down the country are an integral part of many towns and cities and are the cornerstone of the fabric for some communities and their existence and the role they play is much deeper than just winning matches. If it was only about winning (or being promoted) then 80 or so teams each year would be deemed as abject failures. Of course results on the pitch are paramount, but it doesn't have to be at the expense of what else a football club is all about. I see no reason that wherever possible they shouldn't be complimentary. Winning at all costs in the modern game has led to players being paid six figure sums a week and then refusing to play, I would suggest that perhaps everything isn't au fait with the game. At its extreme, if you were only too happy just to be judged on results then the way Portsmuff acted in recent years would be held up as the panacea that results justify the means, after all during their heyday they won the FA Cup and were riding high in the top flight. During their dark days that followed, I'm hoping a few of their fans realised that perhaps results aren't the most important things in football. For me, football is deeper than merely winning on a Saturday, although of course that is the ultimate aim every time we field a side, but my passion for the Club does not diminish if we lose (or are even relegated) I think things are fantastic at the moment, from a team who seem to be playing with great spirit, to a manager who seems to have a spring in his step, to a Chairman who is driven and passionate, through to the legacy of an owner who stepped in when things were at their lowest. For all of that I am truly grateful, but it wouldn't be football if I didn't question whether Harding should play ahead of Fox, wonder whether Jos is up for it, pray that we beat Portsmuff in a couple of months time, question whether we sold season tickets in the right way and also ask whether it is right for the Chairman to rignite a messy feud.