Miltonaggro

Don't often read the Express but you do have to smile at journalistic perception as a Saints fan - 'Ralph Hasenhuttl is looking to build on an impressive end to the campaign which saw the Saints finish in 11th and 18 points clear of the relegation zone.' We were indeed 18 points clear of the 'relegation zone', Arsenal were 22 points clear. Alternatively Saints were 7 points short of a European spot and 14 points short of Champions League place. Its a funny old game...would love it if we get McKennie btw.

Would be good for Ings to overtake ratface Vardy in the final furlong of the golden boot, so I am going for the Leicester reverse score of Boscombe 1 Saints 4 (Ings x 3, Ward-Prowse). Full strength please Rafe - COYR!

If Reed had been at the club then Forecast would still be here! Club legend...

Imagine that, a 'Keegan moment' for millennial Saints fans. Surely he'd consider it and he doesn't need to money after all - least he could do...

Historically contemptuous of Brighton, but like Potter and his style, so as long as we beat them this evening don't mind if they stay up. 2-0 to Saints (Ings and Redmond) - COYR!

Yes, Golac and Dennis were superb, both played their best football at Saints - great combative defenders, able to create, and hard as nails - the latter reputation being what cost MD the deserved England call up.

Right up indeed!

One of my early favourites when I started going to the Dell, thought to be a little lightweight at first but turned into a great left back who should have got the promised full England cap, the other double cup final player, Nicky Holmes, not bad either! You're right, both would be pensioners now. My old man had been a left back at a good standard and I played at centre half as a school kid but used to take penalties, he rated Peachy very highly and told me to watch him closely. A neighbour gave me a bundle of football coaching manuals (one a month to go into a binder, that type of thing) and I clearly remember one featured Alan Ball on short passing and Dave Peach on penalty kicks - Saints were still in the second division at the time so the national exposure seemed very exciting. I spent hours on Riverside Park and the Common perfecting the Peach penalty style - it worked a good few times. Of course on the other side in 1979 against Forest, your man Golac - another terrific signing for very little money.

It is heartening that in terms of the respective leagues that we play in, AFC Portsmouth will remain as close to Eastleigh as they are to Southampton next season. it would be lovely to see the gap closed in the lower reaches and if I win Friday's Euromillions I will be investing in the Spitfires for sh*t and giggles.

Agreed. He reminds me of a young David Peach - pre-perm.

Despite what people say going to football in the 1970s and 1980s was largely peaceful and a very similar inclusive experience to the recent largely peaceful scenes in London. For example, the coming together of Southampton and Everton fans at Highbury in July 1984 provided rapid salvation after despair and united a great many people from the so called 'north south divide' at the time - that day it didn't matter whether you were a wealthy plasterer from Chilworth or an unemployed weaver from Bootle, you were included. On your other clearly inflammatory point, most people of my generation see the definitive Jesus Christ as Robert Powell, and I believe that he is from Manchester FFS...

Very good summary, highlighting most of the reasons why i'd have Adams over Obafemi. He's not huge but clearly a very strong lad who can find a pass and hold up play well - a bit reminiscent of Kevin Davies in that regard. If he finds his scoring boots in this league I think we will have some player on our hands.

What's your position on Driving Miss Daisy?

Exactly this. Bit of critical rebuilding over the summer and a next season to really look forward to despite the plague - it's been a while...

Couldn't agree more about the Cherries, hopefully the south coast will be theirs over the summer, from the Championship downwards. If they get relegated I think Howe will leave and they'll spiral, normal service resumed. So, for me ideally West Ham, Cherries and Brighton down (though Norwich look dead and buried), with Leeds, Forest and Brentford coming up.

Agree about the overriding priority in the middle, and I would certainly consider Clyne at 29 - a year older than Cedric, but a better all round player IMO. Lallana a no from me, 32 now and just too much previous to return successfully - West Ham on £80k a week most likely. In many ways it would be good to bring some experience and character into this side alongside prospects, might address the nerves and ability to self-harm, Ralph must know candidates from the Bundesliga.

Possibility of a Clyne and Lallana dream team return - 2020 then complete...

Then bereft of ideas, months ago...

Wonderful, a tough resilient generation, and lovely to hear that familiar accent.

Club and UA will undoubtedly be bereft of ideas so the post FA Cup win late seventies Admiral Candy Stripe must be due a resurrection - you heard it here first!

On past form Mrs Phillips could be classed as a key-worker.

This would be a move in the right direction.

Alan Ball, then because of Alan Ball’s brilliance his pupil Stevie Williams, then Jimmy Case.

Not completely sure if it's a record but in 1981 we had four England captains playing in the same Saints side - Ball, Keegan, Channon and Watson, and in the following year 1982 we had six England captains on the books Ball, Keegan, Channon, Watson, Shilton and Mills, and a future England captain getting games at centre half, Mark Wright. Happy days!

Fashanu played his best football for Norwich as a young kid, including a bona fide wonder goal that was goal of the season, but I don’t think the £1m move to Forest did him any favours - first £1m black player and all that - and he looked a misfit there. During his short loan from Forest to Saints in 82 I saw him play in most of his nine appearances and he looked really good, back in the groove enjoying his football and I think we should have signed him. As it was he signed for Notts County during their short stay in the top flight and after that was a journeyman in the UK and US which seemed a waste of a once precocious talent. When he came out in 1990 he was at Orient with a career that had been on the buffers for five or six years so not sure whether it was bravery or a final big pay day as the Sun broke the story as an orchestrated scandal. So in that sense the Hall of Fame thing seems a tad painting by numbers, as by the time JF was known as Britain’s ‘first gay footballer’ (what nonsense) his career and potential influence was virtually over. He was a pioneer as he was part of that wave of brilliant black footballers that changed the face of the league in the late 70s and early 80s Cunningham, Regis, Anderson, Moses, Fashanu, Blisset and our Danny Wallace, all of whom experienced crap from the terraces depending on opposition in terms of their race. However, by the 80s this was on the wane and I cannot recall JF or any other player ever getting genuine grief for being gay, notwithstanding the generalised ribbing of Bailey, Gowling and Biley plus the pantomime that was Elton John as Watford Chairman.