um pahars

Have to agree. Lawrie has the ego the size of a house, but then again I don't he could have signed the players he did and kept them under control if he hadn't!!!, but you would have to be extremely bitter and twisted if you didn't find some bits in that piece that resonated with you. The way some people are reacting you would have thought it was being suggested that Lawrie should be taking training tomorrow.

Have to take exception to this part of your post (liked the rest though). As much as I don't like Portsmuff, I have to say in my pecking order you are comfortably third in that race. Of course it's all subjective and influenced by a multitude of things (not least to say there aren't any agreed checklists by which club size is assessed), but whilst I would accept there isn't much between us and Portsmuff, you guys are safely down in third spot (with Bournemuff comfortably in fourth). Not saying that's how things will stay, after all Portsmuff seem to be treading water, if not going backwards, whilst you're on the up (after suffering a number of years in the back waters). Portsmuff have got far more ooomph behind them than you guys at the moment for you to be claiming second spot above them.

I would wager that we will both be in The Championship in 3 years time. Brighton will have consolidated with their new ground providing them with a lift. If we go up this season, then I think we will take more than 3 years to make the next jump as i think the Championship and a number of yo-yo teams with big parachute payments will make it a massive challenge to get in to the top flight.

With games coming thick & fast and with no team showing any desire to take second place by the scruff of the neck, I think this will ebb and flow right up until the end. I think the bookies have us down for 2nd place, but personally I think we're in for a bash of the play offs.

I think I'm in two minds after tonight's game, then again I'm not so sure!!!!!!! Similar position after the game as before and no one managed to steal a lead on us, so sort of OK. Down side is I think we have gone off the boil somewhat since the Oldham game (I really thought that was the point where we had made our mark and were going to push on). Mixed reaction from me tonight. Not slitting wrists, but slightly concerned.

Indeed, and on the point of the new managers, I think if you take it in the context of writing a personal note to a new manager welcoming them to the area & letting them know what a terrific club they have joined and then wishing them well from a distance, and only wanting what is best for the club, then I think it takes on a slightly different emphasis (certainly not the arrogant & dismissive tone that some are intrepreting it as). I'm sure some might say what is this old dinosaur doing writing to our new managers and sticking his beak in, but I personally think it is quite a nice touch (even if there is a dash of ego involved in there somewhere).

As mentioned above, nowhere in the article does it state "they can give me a ring". Additionally, if you had read it in the context of the paragraphs that go before and after it, then perhaps you might not be coming to the conclusion you have above. Misquoting and taking things out of context don't really bring anything to the party.

And your opinion/interpretation is as valid as anyone elses. That said, I do find it hard to jump from a passing comment on how he wished more of the 76 team could have made it (for the benefit of all of those in attendance) to "how many official get togethers does he want?". The fact that a couple already had other commitments was referred to on the night. I certainly didn't read it as any dig at the Club, past or current, for not organising one, nor did I see it as fishing for more adulation. Interesting how different people can interpret the same text in different ways. PS Although you mentioned it wasn't intended to be a verbatim quote, there is no mention of anyone giving him a ring (and I have to say that I think your interpretation is somewhat out of context as well).

The article is split in to two bits. The first deals with the weekend celebrations, whilst the second deals with his relationship with Cortese. If the mods have no problem ref copyright etc, then I would be happy to re-type out the second bit.

Have you read the article??? Because if you have then I think you have taken it totally out of context. It wasn't a criticism of anyone, nor was it a desperate plea to satisfy his and others ego in demanding another. Instead he was merely stating how it would have been nice to get them all together on the evening, but that it wasn't possible. Strange how people comment on things they haven't read or twist things from how they were intended.

Undoubtedly the best Saints goal I have ever seen. Some of Matty's were phenomenal, but this pips them all due to the build up, first time touches and flicks etc.

I was thinking the same when I put his name up. Always saw Bally as the anchor man with Williams giving licence to push on. I soprt of qualified him by saying he was at least a centre midfielder!!!!

Probably my favourite player of that era (took that title after Williams departed for Arsenal), steaming in at the far post to score some crackers. We don't care if you've got no hair, Dave Armstrong, Dave Armstrong.

I did put a caveat on my "perhaps they didn't live up to my earlier expectations" and you could well be right in that a real quality Premiership centre midfielder is a fairly rare commodity and also given the economics of football hardly likely to be with us for long if they were that good!!!!

If they've still got the tickets and then got a refund then surely they'd be over the moon!!!!!

and credit cards!!!!!! We might be on to something here.

It certainly wasn't Marwell, but I can remember them having a decent spread of animals - Lions, tigers, various monkeys, Giraffes, zebras, Hippos, Penguins, Sea Lions, Bears, but don't remember elephants!!!! Not the mopsty salubrious of environments (and given today's standards it would be seen as a tad cruel).

I totally agree that those pesky Germans have quite a bit to answer for, but I also think we (probably mean the local authorities) didn't do ourselves any favours in the years following them. e.g. whenever I have a walk around the Old Town I still can't fathom out who agreed to have blocks of ugly flats to be built above the medieval vaults, who thought it would be a good idea to build shops and flats in front of the walls, why no restrictions were put on style of srchitecture permitted etc.

Have to agree on that one, just too similar???? I think the question seems to be, who should partner Chaplow?

Similar to my thoughts in that I too think our best pairing is Chaplow (making the forward runs) and Hammond (anchoring the play). Technically, I think Schneiderlin is superior to both of them (but does go missing, head can drop etc), but just think in this division we need a bit of rough.

Williams Ball Case Cockerill Horne (assuming that players like Armstrong wouldn't be classes as anchor men)

We could call it Saints or The Saint (or something catchy like that). Got any thoughts on how to improve the catering??

Remove the sentiment of being around for 10 years and the fact that Danny played almost double the amount of games as his brother and I think you have to go with Rodney as being the better player. Was priviledged to see both of them at their prime and think Rodney had a tiny bit more quality about him and seemed a better finisher. Danny however, made the bigger and better contribution to the Club.