CheshireSaint

Didn't we lose out on Tom Ince too, to add to that list?

I would give this years kits (third to follow), a 7/10. Pretty good. Perhaps a poll by someone who knows their @rse from their elbow, might be an idea.

At left back? 😆

Shilton - Raised the profile of Southampton FC and England stalwart whilst at Saints Burridge - Crackers (funny). I remember being at Anfield when he singlehandedly kept out a title winning Liverpool somehow and spoiled their title reception celebrations somewhat Niemi - The flying Finn. He made saves that just shouldn't have happened. Dennis - Crackers (vicious) Watson - Pure commitment Nicholl - As above and managed us fairly successfully Ball - We may have had him coming down but he still gave his all for Saints as a Player and Manager Keegan - Could have chosen anywhere but came to Saints Danny Wallace - The best of the Wallace brothers IMO Moran - Should have had senior international recognition Channon - Read Shilton Williams - Fierce for a slight fella, great engine and vison. Brilliant all round midfielder who should have been proper famous Case - Did a lot for Saints and the brilliant crop of players coming through at that time Le Tissier - The most naturally gifted English player ever Paine - Never saw him play in the flesh but purely from other testimony's and his playing record Davies - As above and also played for Chester (my local team) Lambert - My favourite modern day player and his goal for England seconds after making his debut, is arguably my favourite moment in football ever, I went mental Benali - Hard not to factor in what he did after Saints but even prior to that, made up for lack of natural ability with a fierce determination, rarely matched Clarke - A bit left field but I was a teenage striker when he signed and he started like a rocket. I witnessed a brace at Old Trafford in a 2 nil win which was rather memorable Rodrigues - Anyone that scores a goal whilst sat on his @rse (palace away) is a legend in my book. Without the injuries, who knows. Every time he got going, he seemed to get injured As for Lallana, his antics toward the end of his Saints career mean he will never be the legend he should have been. Special shout out to Bobby Stokes. Bit sad not to get in there despite scoring the goal that won us our only senior cup.

I have a picture with her from that meeting, somewhere. Anyway, back to Frank Worthington. I was sat there listening to his anecdotes about every club he had been at. As you'd imagine, there were many as he played for almost everyone. As the timeline of 'interesting' stories threaded toward Saints, I was looking forward to hear what he would say and was hoping he might at least discuss the Danny Wallace overhead kick goal against Liverpool in '84. 'Then I got to Southampton' he said, then words to the effect of Lawrie McMenemy was worse than Saddam Hussein'. That was it. Swiftly moved on to his next club. I was gutted. Granted, an audience in Birkenhead wouldn't be hanging on his every word regarding Saints, but still.

Ok, not all footballers but - Ray Clemence - Came to the local pub in Chester on some publicity thing in later 70's Bob Willis - Walking on the City Walls in Chester. It was about 1980 and I was about 9. We exchanged pleasantries, friendly enough but very reserved Donna Hartley (Olympian Athlete from Southampton)- Came to our school in Chester and was delighted and somewhat surprised when I rocked up in my early 80's Saints home kit in about '83/84 Steve Davis (Snooker) - He was staying at a Hotel I was working at in 1989 ish. It was after hours and he was hungry. I took him to the kitchen and made him a ham sandwich with English mustard. Actually a very witty bloke Gianfranco Zola - Outside Mcdonald's in Chester during Euro 96. Got his autograph and promptly lost it (beer involved) Steve Claridge - Pub in Chester. I showed him my Saints tattoo and one of his goons came swiftly over but he quickly told him to stand down and then had a good 30 minute chat and bought me a pint. Really nice chap Nicky Banger - Used to go out with my cousin in Lordswood. Came to a family barbecue but was a bit aloof even before he made his debut Frank Worthington - A charity event in Birkenhead in the late 90's. Compared Lawrie Mac to Saddam Hussein. No love lost there Paul Jones, Chris Coleman & Kit Symonds - in another pub in Chester (they were staying just over the border pre Wales game). The former two laughed when I asked who Symonds was. I knew of course but didn't want to give him the honour Barry Horne - in my local in Chester about 2010. Was a bit up his own arse Robbie Savage - Chester Races on the course with the normal folk Ian Rush - Around Chester. Sick off seeing him to be honest Micky Adams - In a bar in Coral Bay, Cyprus in about 2008. He was on his own and I think delighted anyone recognised him. Signed a beer mat for me, which I again promptly lost (beer involved again) John Barnes - On a flight from Manchester to Southampton in about 2012. He was on his way to the same Saints match as I was, to do some commentary work. He was decent enough Michael Owen and Dieter Hamann in my regular recently. Owen is one of those annoying blokes seems to just be good at anything. Challenged me to a game of Bagatelle (a Chester table game - google it). I accepted and he then started acting the big man saying £100 a game. I agreed to £20 and then beat him. He wanted to carry on but I declined, much to his chagrin. Hamann though was really sound Special mention to a former Chester player, Eddie Bishop (John Bishop's brother). Hardly 'famous' but one of the funniest people I have ever met (far funnier than John btw). Absolutely side splittingly crackers.

Hearts in Scotland - Used to go watch them in the mid 90's. Can't believe Sidney Fudpucker the 3rd supports Hibs (wait till I tell Dyl)! Chester - Where I'm from, live and watch now and again (Promotion next season) Ipswich - Soft spot just because my dearly missed mate supported them avidly Cricket - Hampshire Rugby League - Hull KR. I just picked them as a youngster Hate Disney FC with a passion. Hope we smash them home and away, draw them in the cup and smash them again. If we could send them down in the process, that'd be next level.

Armstrong? The crux is Armstrong in the Premiership.

Adam Armstrong should be loaned out immediately. He is utterly useless. When he is named on the team sheet, you know he will produce nothing. When he comes on as sub, you know it's a waste of a place. He offers nowt. As mentioned in another post, there is an argument that BBD hasn't really been given a run in his correct position, and whilst I doubt he would have ever made it, Armstrong has had numerous chances at this level and we know he simply cannot do it. He can in the Championship so perhaps get his value up for a sale at seasons end. Keeping him until his contract expires in 2027 will just be another 2 years of him stealing a living (1 play off goal aside). Now we've freed up a loan space, get a striker in that can score at the top level. Ings for example, certainly isn't the player he was, but can anyone deny that he is still a better option that Armstrong?

All from left leaning sources no? Perhaps some articles from the opposite side of the political debate for balance. As we all know, data can be presented or cherry picked in many ways to fit ones agenda. I certainly wouldn't be listening to the BBC or any British educational sources for a balanced presentation of data.

He isn't just blowing any smoke though is he? He is highlighting a positive that directly relates to himself also. That isn't by chance and to not see that is staggering. He is reiterating that sticking by ones convictions, no matter the cost, is laudable. He is doubling down on his own attitude. Conceited pr**k that he is.

Fabrice, you seem to be using the same logic as everybody else but coming up with a polar opposite conclusion. Everything you say is sound. Therefore, the ball needs to spend the minimum of time in our defensive third. Why does that currently not happen? Because RM decrees it so. Yet you seem to defend RM. He is absolutely the reason we are making so many mistakes. Yes these players in defence, are error prone, so recognise it and stop encouraging them to keep the bloody ball. Top step in Hierarchy of controls - Eliminate.

You said 'I think asking them to pass the ball to each other instead is a better idea'. I am countering with that being a terrible idea. Defending is their forte (sort of). Passing definitely isn't. I think I made that pretty clear. Again, if they cannot defend well (despite this supposedly being their strength), then RM needs to instruct them to pass the ball into midfielders or forwards as quickly as possible. Contrary to this, he instructs them to pass to each other, thus retaining the ball in our defensive third, to be exploited by the opposition.

By your own logic if defenders can't defend, how on earth does it make sense to tell them to do anything other than get rid to the midfield, who presumably can play their positions? If the defenders were better with the ball at their feet than defending, I'd suggest they should be in playing in more suitable positions (midfield or forward). Sorry Fabrice but your viewpoint is so odd.

99% of Managers would have got Saints up last season. The fact he nearly ballsed that up (and if Bazunu hadn't been injured, I firmly believe he would have) would suggest that he is, in fact a very limited Manager. Any doubts over his managerial ability have surely been proved now. All his teams concede above average goals. If that was offset by some good, precise play, resulting in a heap of goals at the other end, then that would be an argument but that isn't true. He plays possession for possession sake football with very little thrust. We all know this. He absolutely is in a job and league far beyond his ability.