Bushey Saint

And to think that there are (so-called) journos who trawl these type of forums and will take that literally ...

Well, anyone naming themselves after crop circles would be.

Hang on, just let me check the thread from the Blackburn game.

Did he go for the hair again?

There's always one who takes it that step too far ...

Shit, that just triggered a deeply buried memory ...

Bloody hell, I lived in Verl for two years back in the late 80s. It is a small town (pop. now 25,000) with a tiny stadium. Yes, SC Verl have made good progress over the past 15-20 years but none of that is down to their current manager, and they remain an amateur club punching well above their weight. It would be equivalent to appointing the manager from (say) my local club now, Weston-Super-Mare. In other words, a very long-odds, hopeful punt.

Has anyone checked whether anyone in the Charlton match-day squad has long hair? If so then there's a 70% chance that Stephens will get red-carded for hair-pulling, the big girl's blouse.

Despite intensive coaching and mentoring, he steadfastly refuses to pass the fucking ball forwards!

Played 2, won 2 and it's "sack the expletive". Can't see that we've been overwhelmed with candidates for the post, not even any of the usual suspects. So why are you so ready to jump of a cliff while the tide is out?

Just as long as he brings Fraulein Geerhart along with him

And let's face it, there's been some stiff competition

You must be much more easily excited than me. Dull as ditch water.

I'm voting for the cat.

When you've taken this shite for just short of sixty years then I might, just might listen to you. Yes of course there were some highlights in that time, but for the most part it has just been unrelenting pedestrian football played by vastly overpaid divas. A season such as the last one 'breaks' the players, the coaching staff and even the support and administrative staff and it will take years to recover. Frankly, I no longer have the patience or energy to chase a failing cause, especially with such donkeys as Spors at the helm. Christ, I thought Russball was bad ...

And it's not just damage to the players, either. Saw my first game at the Dell in 1967 - we beat Chelsea 5-0 - and had been a loyal Saints fan through thick and thin ever since. Frankly, they are of only passing interest now. (And I don't mean Russball style passing)

I hold no grudge with Rangers, but I was almost praying for a result like this - anything to show Martin up got the incompetent charlatan that he is. But you just know that he will turn up again like the proverbial bad penny as a muppet on Sky's coverage. Thank God I cancelled that subscription.

Would kindly not mention Harry Redknapp in a thread about Russell Martin? I'm having enough trouble with my blood pressure as it is!

A season-long rolling disaster following the appointment as manager of another would-be Pep, a disastrous transfer-window, a nineteen match losing streak, appointment of three caretaker managers in rapid succession and the mathematical certainty of relegation by mid-March. Club goes into administration and finishes season on a negative points total, followed by going into liquidation and subsequent ejection from the EFL over the summer of 2026. And you know what, after just under sixty years of loyal support, I would no longer care. Sick of mercenary, sub-standard players, inept managers and coaches, and especially sick of chancer owners.

Nah. that's just a sub-stage of denial. I know this.

You lot sound like Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict ...

*ugger. If there's someone I'd like out of the club, it is Stephens. Used to be fairly steady, the odd mistake and the very occasional exciting run forward. Now it just seems to be mistake after mistake after mistake, interposed with ridiculous behaviour such as getting sent off for pulling an opposing player's hair.

Was never going to happen. There isn't an Ipswich player with hair long enough for him to pull, the big girl's blouse.

That's about where I've been since the lead up to Christmas. So pleased to be rid of Martin, but conscious that Rome wasn't built in a day and the players probably didn't/don't have the fitness levels necessary to perform the higher tempo, high pressing game necessary. That much was obvious as we have faded badly towards the end of games, especially during what is a physically demanding period over Christmas and the New Year. To see energy levels still relatively high against Forest was therefore encouraging.

I would have called that a disincentive.