um pahars

I don't have any easy solution, just saying that maybe we need to have a revisit on redundancy protection etc if it is deemed to be so unfair on individuals who have given companies so many years of their working lives. There will always be a trade off regarding how it is funded and much could be same for pensions and employers contributions to these. That said I do remember the catastrophic warnings from the Conservatives and the vested interests of the business world who warned of economic meltdown if companies had to stump up more to cover the minimum wage. Didn't really have that impact though did it, with the economic meltdown being driven by those at the top end of the wage spectrum as opposed to those at the bottom fighting for £3.60 ph. I don't doubt it's reality, but firstly, does it have to be?? and secondly, does it make others being treated fairly as being outside the norm and worthy of contempt??? Absolutely agree. Nothing can be achieved without wealth creation and everything should be done to make this easier, no doubt about that, but I also accept that certain jobs may not be deemed wealth creating (e.g. nurse, firefighters, carers). Additionally, I think you can judge a nations greatness by how it treats ..............................................

I would have thought the state would have provided some minimum redundancy payments and perthaps we should be looking at ways to augment these to get employers to ensure payments are made (obviously a bit of a minefield and a push in these tough times, but the same could have been said about legislating for a minimum wage). Your mate was hard done by, no question about that and I'm sure would have sympathies with many on here, but I don't feel that justifies "attacks" on those who have been fairly treated. I would say the problem lies more with the "unfair" treament of your friend rather then the "fair" treatment of others. How about being progressivbe and trying to raise standards rather than just dumbing down. I think support of the minimum wage showed a great deal of empathy and support. I also think it would be fair to say that a "true leftie" would just be as concerned for those earning a pittance and being sacked from Compass Cleaning up the hospital as they would for a p/t librarian up the Civic. I don't really see a "hard done by" mentality that you obviously do, and as stated above I'm just not comfortable with the "think yourself lucky" approach in these situations. I accept its use in many situations (particularly when you see how some poor souls around the world are living), but I'd rather be looking to raise standards by moving forward.

I think the support for the minimum wage (a very progressive social policy that was vehemently lobbied against by certain sections of the polticial and business spectrum) demonstrates quite clearly that there is compassion, empathy and support for those who find themselves at the lower end of the wage spectrum. He has my utmost sympathy and support at being treated unfairly (IMHO), but I'm not sure I agree with this race to the bottom. Rather than bemoan those who are earning a fair wage under fair terms from a fair employer, we seem to be berating them because they haven't been treated as harshly as others. Methinks we would be better off looking at what support, protection and terms we can give to those who are being harshly treated (private or public) and what incentives or support we can give to their employers to act in a more "fair" manner. It is the same when people trot out the line that you should be grateful you get a pension in the Public Sector as many in the private sector haven't got one. Well rather than drag us all down to the poverty line and storing up problems when a large percentage of the population retire with no wedge put aside, how about the Government, employers and employees start working together (and yes steps have been taken in this direction) to provide everyone with a fair pension. The race to the bottom mentality is not something to be proud of.

I love the rush to the bottom arguments on here, they are so inspiring!!!

As in a "4 day week" is nothing special, particularly when the hours are still around 40+ and can be unsociable. It's not as though they work 4 x 7.5 hour days and then have Friday to Sunday off.

So does my brother down the docks (and like firefighters works two day shifts and then two night shifts, then four days off)!!

A couple of grand above the national average, on a par with midwives, social workers, electrical fitters & Office managers

If I'm allowed to give some more of the game away (sorry Duncan if you're on a hard sell for David Bull LOL), but the link with Rownhams was that the pitch that the CPC team played on was in the grounds of Rownhams House and that John Barber, the Saints Director/Chairman owned Rownhams House and the land surrounding it. My first house was in the new estate they built in the grounds of Rownhams House (a villa??? in Balmoral Way, just up past the Horns Inn) and can remember playing in its grounds in the 70's when there was still some reminders of the old ground.

Whilst I accept that there is an obvious need for pension reform and an informed debate about the situation, I do sometimes get rolly eyed with regards the Mailesque branding of Public Sectir Pensions as gold plated. Fred Goodwin's £16m, £650,000 a year pension payable from the age of 50 is gold plated (particularly after presiding over a £24bn loss in his final year)!!!!!!!!!!!

It might also be the case that being held up as the "next big thing" by certain inviduals at the Club and pressure being exerted on the then manager may have led Mr McGoldrick's already rather big ****** status to go in to overdrive!!!!!

I don't think his off the field "persona" which also impacted his on field performances help!!! I also think he is still seen by some as a "reminder" of those dark days (and Lowe's continual talking up of him didn't help him).

What did you make of him back then Ron??? I watched him quite a bit back then as work was quite flexible and always thought he bullied his way through games and would be found wanting when he started to mix it with the "pros". I was also unsure about his appetite/desire along with his general demeanour.

Such rumours and links are the price of our success. As long as we are doing well and our "star" players are performing then they are always going to be linked with moves to "bigger" clubs. He could probably treble (or more) his money and would be playing on the big stage with his former manager, so maybe. On the other side of the coin he appears settled, is a big fish in a little pond, we would be mad (at least I think we would be) to sell him in that £5m would get us nothing & cost us much more and we think Cortese is not one to bossed around. If Newcastle really do want him then ultimately it would come down to how much he fancied the move (and I'm not sure any of us would know either way) and how tough Cortese was prepared to be!!! IMHO, on balance, I'd say it's a no go.

Indeed, the "hidden agenda" guff trotted out by some on here when MLT gave his opinion was cringeworthy. The bedwetters went in to overdrive over our biggest name being interviewed by The Echo and giving his opinion on the apparent unrest behind the scenes (unrest which others also mentioned and were shot down in flames - only to be proved right a few months later LOL).

The Echo and the Club have had an on/off relationship for quite a while now, irrespective of who was in charge. There was certainly some tension at points when Lowe when in charge and remember him launching in to Echo and "it's declining readership", but I can also rememeber a positive relationship between Lowe and The Echo at times as well. But it's not only us and there have been numerous cases up and down the Leagues where Clubs/owners have falling out with the local media. It might be rose tinted glasses, but I'm sure back in the 70's/80's things were a little more co-operative (I'm sure there are some ex hacks on here who could fill us in). Things have certainly changed over the years and the Club is much more in control of its media image and how it communicates with supporters, so it is only right that the Club should go down that route. However, I also think there is a sizeable audience out there who the Club can't reach directly and therefore they would benefit from a decent relationship with the local media. A decent working relationship with the local media should be a positive to the Club. Of course if The Echo (and others) are undermining or being detrimental to the Club, then the Club has a right to protect its image.

I certainly wouldn't want to see the Club and local press at each others throats and would have thought there would be a way for them all to work together for the greater good. I've no idea who benefits more and have no idea who is at fault, but would have thought it would be better for both to have a beneficial symbiotic relationship. As for the disruptive articles then I think the bedwetters on here do overreact somewhat to people giving their opinion to the paper. Recently MLT has been very upbeat about the Club which hasn't provoked any reaction, yet when he gave his opinion earlier, some literally wet themselves claiming he had an agenda LOL.

Haven't managed to get my dad on the t'internet yet though!!!! There's still a big audience out there who aren't connected to the interweb.

It would appear that the Club and The Echo are still at loggerheads which IMHO is a shame as I'm sure both can benefit from a more harmonius relationship. Although definitely declining, there is still an audience out there whose only link to Saints is via The Echo or Radio Solent. The Echo have been fairly positive in recent weeks and I've particularly enjoyed the Le Tiss snippets praising Lallana, Lambert and Adkins.

Not a forum post, but a continual moan that I thought Shearer missed too many one on ones and was overrated :blush::blush: (My defence was in his earlier years he didn't score that regularly!!!!!!!!!).

Bumped in to him this afternoon and apart from appearing to have a real spring in his step, I have to say that he looked pretty fit and lithe (not in a man love way BTW!!!!). It seems to be in a really good place at the moment.

If I had a signal out in the New Forest I might have picked this up in time as Sir Ricky was sat at the next table to us this afternoon. An extremely pleasant young(ish) man with two lovely kids and a very pleasant wife (gave my nephew a load of conkers).

Got back from canteen to my office at Meridian and switched on the TV in my office to watch the lunchtime news. The breaking news was a plane had crashed in to one of the towers and our initial thoughts were that there was a radar/instrument malfunction. We assumed it was a tragic accident until we saw the second one plough in to it. Watching that live was something Iwill never forget. We then thought it was a planned attack, but can remember thinking that maybe someone had deliberately messed up with the navigation beacons or something (like the Die Hard movie). It never struck me that they were actually at the controls!!!! Remember updating people on the Ugly Inside as the events unfolded, before eventually being called down to the boardroom to do an audit of adverts and programmes due to go out (i.e. pull all progs/adverts with airplanes in them).

You're spot on with your assessment. I watched a lot of the Youth Team games around that time and always thought that McGoldrick used to bully his way through games against his peers (and fair enough, you play to your strengths) and would struggle when he stepped up. His poor attitude (really arrogant, Billy big balls, I know best etc) meant that he was poorly equipped when his technique was found wanting.

I thought the same, in that some players looked really tired towards the end. It may have been the result fo a frantci game or I may just be seeing something that isn't there??? The new lad (Jos) has put on that twitter that his legs gave in and he needs more fitness (understandable given his role at Celtic), but I felt others looked heavy as well. We struggled to fill the box a couple of times towards the end and going the other way we sometimes sturggled to keep up with Forest's fast breaks. Up and down the Sports Centre hills methinks.

Did it?? Liebherr was already sorting stuff out when he thought he was too good for us. I think the slae went through a couple of days after.