um pahars

In modern times alongside Matty, the only other player who got more than the odd mention abroad was Beattie. But had a real classic this time. When told we were from Southampton, England, the only two words this guy seemed to know was "Margaret Thatcher". I'm assuming it was the England connection and not him thinking Grantham was close to here:D

I have to say I remember it differently as back then it was very much if you're good enough to play, then who you play for had much less importance and didn't think Bully got any stick from hailing from the Third Tier (I may well be wrong, that's just how I perceived it). If anything, I thought it was seen as refreshing that a loyal stalwart who could have moved up a few divisions was willing to help out his team in the lower divisions, yet could still play for England in the World Cup. I think nowadays the lure of the very big money and the huge discrepancy between those in the Top Flight and the "rest" means that players gravitate more to the higher echelons than ever before and therefore it is assumed that only top flight players could/should play for England. A view I find rather parochial and as others have said something that doesn;t impact the Youth Teams and U-21's as much. I accept that for full internationals of "major" countries it would probably be better for them to ply their trade in a higher league, but see nothing wrong with youngsters and/or lesser international players playing one, two or even three divisions down. TBH I think Pardew has every right to be upset and for me this signing was wrong from the word go. Let's just hope we get some money in for him.

Nor is reneging on a bet;) Every person on crutches at SMS is now liable to be ankle tapped:D PS Hope you recover fully (and quickly)

Can you stop posting sensible stuff on here!!!!!! As someone who has spent much time in Newcastle, Then I think I can say they are as fickle and moany as the rest of the footballing supporting fraternity. I stood in the Paddock of the main stand years back in a spartan crowd and I've been there to witness backlashes under Gullit, Roeder, Allardyce, Souness and either Ardiles or Jim Smith (and looking at their first attendance this season they lost something like 16,000 supporters). With the very, very odd exception, most football clubs and their supporters are the same i.e. optimismic, passionate, knee jerk, supportive, whingey and their attendance ebbs and flows along with the relative success and failure of their club. Absolutely!!!!!! And when the Birmingham game is being held up to show we have the worst fans then all I can say is a relatively good attendance combined with some very good support during the game and very good recognition at the end. Of course there were some curses when we conceded, not least because we were dominating the game, but overwhelmingly the support on that night was supportive and positive.

Spiteful!!! LMFAO, for someone who is no wallflower when it comes to calling people idiots etc then I'm surprised you're so precious over someone questioning your belief that this idiot is no troll!!! Then again when you're defending the indefensible, you really should expect some stick. Interesting that you agree with my thoughts and yet you're also only too happy to defend some of the rubbish put up on these threads. How do you work that one out???

Absolutely, and I don't think anyone has any problems when people highlight Matty's shortcomings, even if those shortcomings are more than eclipsed by the many positive attributes he has. Additionally I don't think there is any problem questioning Matty's part in trying to keep the Club afloat (as Fitzhugh Fella has often probed in to). But there is a world difference in doing it respectfully and in an honest manner and trolling and being antagonistic in order to satisfy your own inadequacies (than again Ponty & co. don't view it as trolling LMFAO). I think there are many good points in what Cheeky Monkey has said (along with what other posters have said), whereas the local loon on here only posts for effect.

Indeed and the recent radio rounds, interviews and tributes from non-Saints supporters show just how appreciative the general footballing public are/were of Matty's skills and general demeanour. I remember growing up and admiring Tony Currie and even Stan Bowles from afar, but I think Matty had an even bigger and wider audience than those two players during his prime.

I actually think the loon will find all the attention very theraputic. But of course he's no troll. Loon, yes. Troll, no LOL. Are you sure, he's been telling us he doesn'r have multiple identities (even though Ponty has pointed out that this latest reincarnation of his came about after he was banned as Sundance Beast):D

I wonder who the second club is who have had a bid accepted for Rasiak?? Apparently he's already spoken to one of the two clubs who have had a bid accepted and rejected them.

Whilst I am a firm believer of getting your own house in order first, the noddy approach highlighted above is just mind blowing. Following on from the Poortvliet revelations in that interview the other day I'm surprised the Revolutionary Coaching Set Up didn't have us down by the Spring. Unbelievable. Forget about financial constraints and any other excuses, it looks as thought the way we approached last season meant we were as good as down before a ball was kicked in earnest.

Behave yourself.

Indeed, as I said in my first post, due to the sample size, it wouldn't be prudent to exptrapolate out from such a small amount of data. But there could well be a pattern emerging, so I also wouldn't rule it out. His statistics did not back this assertion up: 85% of our goals conceded in the last 25% of the game. against a Premiership average of : 27% of goals scored in the last 17% of the game So if you do accept that our stats could have some meaning, then we are more than twice as likely to concede than those Premiership teams.

Who's the bullshtter, Ponty or Nineteen Canteen???? Ponty's told us he was banned as Sundance, before being allowed to re-register under Nineteen. So Ponty, have you been lying or is the resident loon stringing us all along;)

Behave yourself.

Take out the 50th minute goal which is obviously normal play and then you then get: 85% of our goals conceded in the last 25% of the game. Now, even allowing for a very small sample, then it could well indicate that there is some sort of pattern (physical or mental fitness maybe??). Nickh's stats for the 2007/8 Premier League goals suggest something like: 27% of goals scored in the last 17% of the game So whilst it appears that more goals are disproportionately scored towards the end of games (fitness, injuries, pushing for a goal etc etc etc), our stats could suggest we are even more prone to conceding late on.

Given the fact that we dominated the game with these two in the middle, then maybe my player ratingsd last night were a tad harsh. On reflection, perhaps they did the simple stuff well that allowed others to play their own game. That said, I don't see these two as a regular pairing in the middle of the park.

Would have to agree with you in that Lambert looked a very good player (relative to this division of course). Big, mobile and fairly sharp. A friend described him to me as a James Beattie type of player and I think that's a pretty good description.

I totally agree he's prone to mistakes (and I attributed one of them to them scoring), just think in these lower leagues you need some brawn and muscle. He's no gifted, accomplished and sophisticated player, but you have to remember we are potentially in a Division Three relegation battle and for all his shortcomings I would be up for him kicking some ar5e during matches. What's the new guy like????

Bi-polar??????? Given the number of user names the Mods have let him use on here, he's more like Octo-Polar:D:D PS Ponty and co don't reckon he's a troll, so you're not allowed to say that, but I think it is safe to say he's a loon;)

They was just the sales patter, trying to get us to buy him!!!!! Or was it his agent who has obviously worked his magic by getting him contracts at a number of clubs (then again if you're dad id the manager, then I doubt you need an agent;)). From what people are saying it would appear that Pulis was being lined up when Burley left, which is surprising as Pulis was a Premiership manager at the time.

As strange as it may seem, I haven't really got a problem with Thomas playing in this division as I think you need a bit of unsophisticated brawn and muscle at the back. Haven't seen the new guy, so if he's not of a similar mold, then I am OK with Thomas getting a game.

You must have had it tuned to the wrong game then. Seriously what were you listening to as the old man called me walking home from the game saying it sounded as though we played really well and were unlucky. With all due respect given the overwhelming number of positive responses with regards the performance from those who saw it first hand, then I have to question your interpretation of someone elses view of the game.

I wouldn't want James there and being honest I wouldn't want Perry or Thomas there either. Given I can't think of anyone else in the squad who I would put there, it means we might have to go out and get someone in. A steady, fairly experienced and solid full back, nothing to set the worl alight, just someone who's played at this level (or above) and is a regular full back.

I'm ever so sorry that my rough scores on the doors at gone half eleven didn't meet up to your exacting standards. Next time I will ensure I give full justification for the scores along with a prozone analysis for each player, as well as their marks out of ten. But just for the record and to keep you happy, the scoring system I used was the one I grew up with and used to always see in the News Of The World, and it went someting like this: 4 - Stinker 5 - Below Average 6 - Average 7 - Above average 8 - Good 9 - Excellent 10 - Out of this world (The News of The World didn't do 3's )

The injury to Murty was the only real downer for me, as we definitely lost our shape when he went off. To me, that was more worrying than losing tonight.