um pahars

Deferred Income young man, not pre-payments!!!! LOL. But on a serious basis, I have to agree that Norwich are a model that clubs should look at when considering season ticket sales and keeping their supporters onside and engaged (apart from when they lose at home to Colchester 7-1 or something!!). We seemed a bit hit and miss last season with regards season tickets, with most of the issues already outlined above and although promotion (or not) has put a spanner in the works I'm hoping this season is somewhat smoother and attractive for us supporters.

I think with the pressure off and a full house, we will play some lovely football and win comprehensively. 3-0 is my prediction.

An interesting reply, not sure I agree with it all, but something like this will always provide us with a myriad of opinions and theories!!! I must say I've never heard the line that he was sacked and then this was rescinded (see FF's reply above), so would be interested to know what happened there (assuming that that did happen of course).

And it will be alive again the minute the transfer windows opens and we start sniffing round players that range from Murray to Macail-Smith and start worrying about who's tapping up Lallana, Oxo, Fonte, whoever. Throw in gossip about ticket prices, new kits et al and this board will be rumbling all summer despite a game not being played for months. Now if during this time something raised its head with regards Adkins & Cortese (extending contract, being sacked, wanting to leave) then I would expect it to be raised & discussed (and dismissed if necessary). The Pardew rumours were rife from the end of the last season throughout the close season and it seems ridiculous to suggest people wouldn't be interested or wouldn't to know about them.

This board would be nothing if rumour, tittle tattle, "facts", opinion etc were removed/banned. What people make of these rumours in the anonymity of the nerdy and relatively worthless interweb is up to them, but rumours and gossip are a part and parcel of this board (as it turned out the Pardew rumours were borne out within a few months). If someone got hold of a rumour that Adkins was being tapped up for the Liverpool job, or Cortese was looking to replace him with someone who has gained promotion from the Championship or that Lallana was being tailed by Liverpool, then I'm sure we would all like to profer our opinion on the validity (or not) of them.

What makes you say that (in a mild enquiring manner, not a confrontational prove it retort)???? Being honest I have to say that I never thought Pardew had Cortese's full backing towards the end of last season, then over pre-season and then throught the first few games. I never bought in to the "Pardew rumours", instead I always thought Cortese wanted him shot since the back end of last season, Liebherr was less certain and Liebherr's passing provided Cortese with the ideal opportunity (once a few weeks had passed). And before Manji wets the bed, that opinion is based on nothing more than how things panned out and the tittle tattle expressed on here, at SMS and reading between the lines - probably incorrectly of course (no ITK whatsoever).

I don't think anyone can doubt the mental toughness that Adkins has instilled in the side and the way that they have responded in those big games. We've ground out some decent results when it mattered depsite much pressure from Huddersfiled and expectations from the fans.

Given our apparent dreadful pre season under Pardew, the rumblings at the end of last season about Pardew staying or going and the manager being sacked a couple of months later, then Fitzhugh's note about perhaps outsiders not being aware of the tensions bubbling under the surface wasn't far off the mark at all. As it turns out then Cortese's approach throughout this time has been vindicated, but I'm not sure that doesn't mean we should ignore that it was obviously a rocky period last summer with manager and CEO/Chairman being at odds with each other. In fact it could be said that given how bad we are led to believe it was, then it has totally vindicated Cortese's hard nose approach.

LOL you bedwetter. Agenda led tittle tattle ITK information me up. This is a message board where stuff that is posted ranges from complete fantasy land stuff to a decent inside snippet, with millions in between!!!! It is up to the individual to look at the posts, for themselves to judge what they think of it, then reply, comment on it or ignore it. No one individuals posts or opinions are "more valid" than anyone elses, something you yourself go on to say, so you would do well to wind it in, otherwise you'll be bursting a blood vessel with all your angst. But seeing as you've sort of rumbled my agenda, i thought I should post it up here once and for all (so you can refer to it from time to time): For Saints to be as successful as possible whilst providing entertainment and pleasure to its many supporters, wherever they may reside and in whatever capacity they follow the Club.

Not the daftest thread at all, after all football is a tad mental at times and we've all got our own opinions. Likewise, I didn't find the thread about asking if there was a possibility that Adkins might get the sack if we went up to be daft either. You're just putting a premise out there and seeing what people feel about it. For the record I think we have enough about us to keep him (if we want to ). Not being grandoise about things, but even in the Championship we're still a big side and it would take a really top offer (money and club and pull) to persuade him to go. And I just don't see any "big" club in the top flight making such an offer. His track record from Div 3 to Div 2 is impressive, but I don't think that would be enough to win some of the big clubs over and as others have mentioned there does seem to be a form of snobbery in town (I reckon if Huddersfield make it, then Clarke and Poyet with their footballing records would probably be seen as a bigger bet for some). If he does even better than Paul Lambert next season & Dalglish gets the sack then it might get interesting!!!!!!!!!!

I'm playing cricket up in Andover fella. Back in the evening for drinks with mates if you're in the Oxford St area!!

Tis my local Chippy and Mike and his two sons are buddys of mine. They do have competition on the restaurant front from Elias' Greek place round the corner LOL. My recommendations would be: Curry House: Coriander Upmarket: Oxfords Mid market: Scozzies Thai: The King & Thai (hate Kuti's rip off place) Chinese: Charlie Chan Pub: Platform View: Banana Wharf (don't do Pitcher & Piano!!!) Chain: Pizza Express/Prezzo (not much between them) All a bit bottom end, but that's my neck of the woods

I'm just not that convinced about increasing the capacity by a sizeable amount as I'm not sure we have the fanbase to fill a 40,000 ground on a regular basis (I'm sure initially for some of the big games we would, but for Wigan, Bolton, Fulham, Wolves????? I'm not even sure of "middle ranking" teams like Everton, Villa etc). With hindsight, perhaps halfway between the two (say 36,000) would have been good. And just think what a paddy we would be having now if the 24,000 "Stoneham Stadium" came off???????

Are you sure Mr Grant???? I'm positive that when I went there not long after it opened that there was an Upper Tier in the Main Stand (to the left of the away fans). There was an addition to the end opposite the away fans a few years later though making it two out of four stands with an upper tier.

Have you got a ticket for Satdee??????

For someone who hasn't played much, Bart was going mental on the pitch at the end!!! Always difficult being number 2 keeper, but he looked really involved and was celebrating hard!!!!!

Obviously very early days, but my initial gut feel would be just behind the play offs (or possibly in them). Think we will carry some momentum with us and have ended the season stongly so that bodes well. Think we need strengthening in some key areas and hopefully we can keep hold of the stars (Fonte, Lallana, Oxo etc). Not sure we'll do a Norwich as that seems a bit optimistic, but no reason why we can't give many a run for their money, consolidate in the top ten and then look to push on.

Adkins has done very, very well indeed, particularly at the business end and given how hard Huddersfield have pushed us, the way he has got the team to respond has been very impressive. Well done.

And rather than being remembered for his idea that intermarrying within the European royal dynasties would put an end to internecine continental battles, Prince Albert is instead associated (if incorrectly) with genital piercing!!!!!!!!!!

Apart from the Kaiser who was Victorias Grandson (son of her namesake daughter), there were a few others fighting on the "other side" back then.

Indeed the Battenberg and Mountbatten nonsense was fairly remote to the Royal Family at the outbreak of the Great War. Whilst the Battenbergs were outliers of the Royal Family (I think one of the Battenbergs married a grand-daughter of Victoria's), it was definitely distinct from the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha family. The Mountbatten connection only became entwined with the Royal Family upon mad Philip's marriage to Liz (even then he wasn't a real Mountbatten/Battenberg, as that name came from his mother's side) and the pushiness of his Uncle (dear ole Dickie, who seems on a par with the Middleton woman), behaviour which was scorned upon by many at the time.

It certainly was not. Simon Scharma would be going mental at this. You need to brush up on your history Dune.

I will be on the pitch come Saturday, no doubt about it. We've got a 2 o'clock start away in the Hampshire Cricket League. (still unsure who to give my season ticket to, you never know I might even give it to Dune just to see what he looks like in the flesh!!!).

Have to say that I disagree with your opening premise here, in that I don't really remember people moaning about not winning pretty or blowing teams away (apart from the odd loon, who is probably a Portsmuff fan anyway). However, I can remember many giving their own honest assessment of our performances and being open and honest in believing that some of them have been below par. This was both from an individual player's perspective and also from a team perspective. I certainly believe that for a period of time after the Oldham away game we were underperforming and nowhere near at our best (but was also more than happy to be racking up the points despite this). I accept injuries took their toll, other teams looking to park the bus at St Mary's etc played their part, but I also felt a few players were underperforming and that in a number of games our shape and set up didn't look quite right. The overwhelming majority of posters were delighted that we were picking up points from these below par performances and most recognised that at this stage of the season and in this division putting points on the board takes precedent over anything, but I don't think there is anything wrong with being critical of performances, particuarly given the squad at our disposal and having one eye on where we are going as a Club.