Ivan Katalinic's 'tache

Might also explain why Cortese was supposedly away for the last 3 weeks before the season kicked off...

Thank you for saving us when all seem lost. For this, you will always be remembered. RIP Markus, our heartfelt condolences go out to your family.

Perhaps we could take Campbell-Ryce off their hands, if they get Phillips? Bit of pace, bit of skill and can whip a decent ball in, IIRC.

RIP Markus; we'll all be forever grateful for the way you saved our club and for ensuring its continued existence. Heartfelt condolences to your family at this most difficult of times.

Sounds promising... Matt Phillips perhaps?

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11700_6274634,00.html These were AP's comments 2 weeks ago, saying he still wanted a couple more players. Then, I seem to recall him saying he hoped he'd have 1 or 2 more in before the season started but that it'd be close. Now he's being far more coy about transfers and not really discussing them at all. And there are not even any rumours flying around. It makes me concerned that it's less about player availability and more about spending on targets not being sanctioned.

But, to be fair, how do we sell: "would you like to come and be Rickie Lambert's back up" to the type of striker we'd ideally like to sign? Might be a decent enough stop-gap/emergency player until we get ourselves promoted?

But if that happens, Football Rumours will have got a rumour right! This must be stopped...

Being of mixed race origin myself, I doubt I'd be going down the race route!! To be fair, I did only say "reasonable" and it was entirely based on the pic I found using google. It's their fault.

Sorry, I'm signing deficient!

Think you might be right, SC. Frank Danquah would appear to do a reasonable Benjani impression... http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://ashington.journallive.co.uk/sport/scottblandford.jpg&imgrefurl=http://ashington.journallive.co.uk/2009/05/ashington-do-themselves-proud.html&h=291&w=505&sz=37&tbnid=qbiEeWcxRLwPTM:&tbnh=75&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfrank%2Bdanquah&hl=en&usg=__50BynD0MpuEucXAJgoYAQk7edBA=&sa=X&ei=OiJfTOrNHoSdlgefqMWTCQ&ved=0CCgQ9QEwAw

Latest rumours from Football Rumours to keep us ticking over... Interestingly, they include a rumour that Benjani is off to Bristol City too. That's that ruled out then. Welcome to Southampton Mr Mwaruwari! Although, would he still get a work permit? Does he still play for Zimbabwe? Haven't checked out their world ranking recently.

I was there but didn't see him. Wishful thinking?

More realistic.

Prize for the best song, if either of those sign?!

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10280~38297,00.html http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10280~9658,00.html http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10280~6035,00.html Also works for Papa, Wayne Thomas and Chris Perry. Really hope the Antonio deal is on but my joy is tempered somewhat by the fact that these players are also apparently still on the roster. Having said that, only Papa and Antonio have a space for season 2010/11 - hmmmmm....

Well AP said it would be "touch and go" whether the new face(s) would be in before the big kick-off and he's not wrong with any deals needing to be done by tomorrow lunch time in order to play! Really thought we'd have had someone in today. On the plus side, Plymouth have loaned out Damien Johnson to Huddersfield for the season. Good news for Saturday but 'Udders are continuing to strengthen with decent players, which is a concern.

Damn them. Why won't they just roll over and die?!

Saints are also bound to release details of any signing between 9.30 and 10.00 tonight, when the website is down, so the website immediately crashes when its brought back online, when a sudden rush of forum users log back in having been denied their fix for half an hour... Edit: the little yellow message I had telling me the forum would be down has disappeared now, so this might not be true! Spooky.

Rumour round-up: Lifted from a 606 thread. Taken from Football Rumours. Andros Townsend - wasn't he at MK Dons last year?

Was just thinking that. Also Troy Deeney has handed in a transfer request at Walsall. Pacy, good goal record at this level. Could be worth a punt although Watford have been mentioned as being interested in him.

I'm fed up with us (supposedly) chasing all these players. When are we going to catch some of them??

Interesting that we've gone from a position a week ago, when Pardew was saying he wanted 1 or 2 more (maybe even 3), before the start of the season but it would be touch and go whether they happened before the big kick off to his rather vague comment this week. I can see only 2 reasons: 1) we're close to signing these players and AP doesn't want to jeopardise the deals or 2) he's been told that there won't be any more signings and to rein in his comments. I hope it's the former.

Has Eastleigh's DoF seen that Martin might turn into a better player than he anticipated and is now wishing he'd got a better deal for him...?

Me! I was thinking that last week and, with three days to go, I'm now pretty sure we'll wait and see how we go for the first couple of games before dipping into the market again.