um pahars

I think we all give up an enormous amount of our time to raise money for ourselves. It's called working. HTH

If we didn't need his work, then you should be aiming your barbed comments on those who engaged him. Saying he milked Saints just because he accepted a gig for them is risible. Go join Manji in berating Stewart Dennis and the new bald guy.

What a bedwetter. Equating that because he does quite a bit of work for local and national charities for free, then he should have offered us the same deal. Behave yourself (and if you're still frothing at the mouth, go have a pop at Stewart Dennis and the new bald headed guy doing pitchside stuff).

Keeping it short as we really should move on from Lowe (was going to ignore it completely, until you name checked me!!!!). I totally agree that Lowe had zero interest in us going in to Admin for a number of reasons. You of course allude to the most obvious one which was financial and the loss of his investment (and loss of potential income from being CEO had we moved upwards), but I also think an important factor was ego and his desire to be proved right. It wasn't only his reputation within the "city", but also the need to fuel his own personal ego with his belief that he was always right.If anything, IMHO it was more his ego than his quest for cash that caused most of the problems. You are of course entitled to that opinion, but I am still of the opinion that there were other choices. The most obvious one would be to stick with a manager who had shown a modicum of success and who knew the English game (and who has gone on to show more success in recent seasons). It really was a false economy to go with Poortvliet. I never saw the choices as young novices with an inexperienced Dutch manager vs seasoned pros & high wages & transfer fees. Instead, I always felt there was a middle way, even if it meant a number of decisions were constrained by the financial straight jacket we found ourselves in.

I believe that children are our future, treat them well .............................. and we might win the Champions League ;-)

In one word: Not a cat in Hell's chance.

Looking for someone to knock out 70ish Orders Of Service for the upcoming wedding and wondered if anyone is a printer, has any good contacts or could recommend anyone????? Would rather put the business the way of a fellow Saints fan. CHEERS

Happy to leave it there.

Did Benali give his approval????

I thought the feedback from the Club (via one of those dinners???) was "hundreds"????? Where did you get your 28 figure from???

So what is the reason behind these crazy prices???? Is the big increase (on top of getting £50m in from SKY) due to the huge increase in QPR's wages this season???? OR Is it down to pure supply and demand and guaging that people will pay these huge prices to watch the Premiership matches????

Oh, he complained alright!!!!!!!!

Oh I think a lot do understand what you are getting at, it's just that they don't think what you are getting at is correct. Many of us think you're tilting at windmills my friend.

Walcott was idolised and woud have been even more had we managed to keep him. Oxo is getting there. Dean Richards got the Player of the Year. Some idolised Ken Monkou. Carlton Palmer had a fan club. Tahar's new boots. I think we were all itching for Delgado to be a hero (same with Best and Balckstock).

I think our mutual friend ran on and told Wright to get his shirt off and swap it for his coat as he would put more effort in than Wrighty was. I think it got a bit heated at that point and he also offered him out. Does he still post on here?????

The whole Dell got on Steve Baker's back the minute he cokced up against Portsmuff and never let him forget it.

And I'm sure a very small minority of fans are racist and ignorant and that is the basis of their booing of Puncheon. It would not be realistic to suggest we are immune to the bigotry and ignorance of racism, but IMHO the overwhelming majority are doing it in the same way that they have booed and berated players over the years, regardless of race, colour or creed. I would imagine that in the same way that Mark Wright became a figure of hate for some due to his attitude and disrespectful behaviour that Puncheon is now suffering the wrath of the spurned football supporter and so any opportunity to have a pop is worth having.

And exactly the same way that I idolised Mark Wright in his years at Saints, but the minute he had his head turned by big money and was looking to move and his performances deteriorated, I looked upon him as a turncoat and was really upset and felt betrayed. Like others (inc someone from on here who ran on the pitch up the Dell and told him to get his shirt off) he then was subjected to a bit of booing and abuse. (then again I suppose someone might accuse me of being gingerist)

I don't think he went on strike, instead he may have started to develop a tweaked hamstring.

I'm certainly not trotting out the line of "I'm not racist, one of my friends is Black" line, instead I'm merely pointing out that players over the years have been booed, jeered and given a hard time for their perceived lack of effort or skill on the pitch and their behaviour off of it, not due to the colour of their skin. I have witnessed much racist behaviour from crowds over the years, ranging from verbal abuse and chanting to throwing bananas, so am fully aware of the history of racism in the game, but IMHO I think it is disengenuous to attempt to link the criticising and booing of a player due to his perceived lack of effort/ability, and his hissy fit reaction to being dropped, with racist undertones.

Two issues relating to Puncheon. The first is that some people didn't think he was actually that good or putting a decent shift in and had a go at him when he was playing for us (as people have had a pop at players of any race, colour or creed over they years e.g. Steve Baker, Lee Todd, Potter, Hughes). I personally thought Puncheon wasn't that bad, so wasn't in that group, but people pay their money and it's up to them. The second issue is his reaction and hissy fit (refusing to play, train etc) after having to make way for Chamberlain which got people's backs up (as did Mark Wright's behaviour towards the end of his stay here). More than happy to say that this is the reason behind my dislike of Puncheon. He's paid good money and should have been a pro, nit a disruptive and arrogant prima donna.

I've booed Steve Baker (can never forgive him for that 88 debacle), I've booed Mick Mills (and joined in with the "Oh no, Mick Mills" chant - not overly proud of that one!!), I've booed John Bailey (opposition player, but he still got a good booing from me), I've jeered Branfoot, I've booed Mark Wright (when he was a ***** at the end of his time here). Personally, I think it's rather lazy, cheap and counter productive to try and introduce racist undertones to the debate of giving players stick.

The OP makes reference to doing a Norwich, so does the OP and others here: http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?29912-any-reason-why-us-following-Norwich-is-impossible&highlight=norwich Plus a number of other posts commenting on how we are no different to Norwich (some suggesting we're actually better placed) and we could emulate their success.

Some people had us down for competing in the Champions League at the end of those 5 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would say the difference with your scenario is the acceptance that a wage cap would change the quality of the product on display (with players migrating to Europe), which would in turn might lead to some effect on the price clubs could charge. The elasticity of demand is driven by the product, not by how much it costs the producer (the increased wages have been driven by the huge increases in TV revenues as the money washes itself straight through the clubs and in to the pockets of agents and players). However, for a wage cap to work it would have to be right across the board (or at least across the major markets in Europe) and simply reducing the wages of the existing players and them remaining in the English game would make no difference on the price being charged (why would clubs start to charge less if they believed the price they currently have is the one that maximises revenue?).