CheshireSaint

Pointless signing I reckon. As Saints proved, it's no good planning solely on getting out of the League 1, unless you plan on coming straight back down again. Signings ideally have to be good enough as is, with potential or a ceiling to better themselves in the Prem. If successful, Trippier and Jimenez will be another year older than now. Player tend to drop off a cliff rather than marginally deteriorate once past their best. We shall see.

Cherry picking then?

If this is a seperate competition, how can they include examples of other 'spying' during the league campaign to back up their case? If these ought to be included, then surely the playoffs can't be considered separately. It's cherry picking and needs to be called out. If these EFL rule contraventions go back to regular league games, then Wrexham have every right to contest Saints playoff place should be removed and their inclusion. They should have therefore, played Millwall whilst Hull would have played Boro in the semi's. The EFL cannot highlight discrepancies during the league campaign without opening themselves to further claims. I hope Wrexham do challenge the Hull v Boro game and as such, the PL starts in earnest with only 19 teams included and this cock up is firmly placed at the EFL's door and their fag packet handling of the situation and their seeming submission to Gibbo.

This isn't just the potential of 200 million down the swanny. We will lose sponsorship revenue, players that want to play in the PL will now be available at prices far less than we would have been able to command had we been in the PL final withstanding). Season ticket prices / sales will take a hit, along with other things not yet thought of. This could be reaching an effective fine of £300 million+. Ridiculous punishment. We clearly didn't receive an advantage in the first leg v Boro and in the league matches against Oxford and Ipswich, we got 2 points. If a player dives in the box and the subsequent penalty results in a 1-0 win, that's 3 points right there. No fine whatsoever. We did wrong and we should be punished accordingly but potentially £300 million + could kill a club like Southampton. If it were to happen again (don't tell me people don't commit crimes due to severity of sentence), to a club that doesn't make the playoffs, they will need to be punished at least to the severity of this example. If that's Oxford for instance (or probably 80 other clubs in the league), then that is a death sentence. To a club and all local jobs as a result of that club going under. It's a pathetic punishment. Fine Saints 5 million say, with an additional 10 million IF they go up. That's still setting an example, but a workable one at least.

This. It's like that gaudy gold furniture you can get from B&M et al. Change gold for blue (yes blue) and pair with blue shorts as per back in the day. Or black with black shorts.

As a Northern Monkey, can we not just fuck the Northern Monkeys off? Fooking North EAST Monkeys. Bored now.

Would any points deduction only be applicable to the EFL though? If we were to win the final and get promotion, could that carry over? I have my doubts. Nor could a deduction be suspended until such time as we return to the EFL which may not happen for 20 odd years (im optimistic). Would a points deduction be applicable if we lost the final (fair enough) or be time limited to say 5 years should we return to the EFL within that time period. Either way, i'd take that if that were sentence.

Bang on this. Saints can defend by co-operating fully, holding their cards close to their chest whilst maintaining the action was not sanctioned by the club. What will also be in our favour, is any decision makers will know that with promotion into the most lucrative league in the world at stake, Saints will throw everything into an appeal. The obvious thing to do is to punish Saints with something that tells us we have transgressed, but not to the point of denying us access to the Premier League. We would unlikely challenge a fine and Boro couldn't say we got away with it. It's the obvious play. Anything further would also set a precedent where clubs could openly seek out anything deemed nefarious by rival clubs in a bid to remove them from the competition. Slippy slope.

For 4 million, I can't see how we lose. Buy on clause set at 4 million based on not really being effective pre Saints. He is a hotter property right now (1 goal per 2 games) so let's see how he gets on next year and sell him for 6 million if he doesn't excel. Dead easy this Manager lark.

I think my point more relates to the physicality required to play in the American, Turkish, Belgian, Spanish and Dutch leagues wouldn't necessarily be the same as that required in the Championship. I'd think you may be able to get away with 80 / 90% fitness whereas not so in the Championship. If he hasn't been pushed to be in optimal condition, there may be a correlation with fitness and ability.

Whilst you raise a valid point, has he ever been this fit in his career? I've no idea but it could be that he is at the pinnacle of his career fitness, having played previously for Orlando City, Besiktas, Club Brugge, Real Valladolid, RCD Mallorca and Feyenoord. None of which i'd imagine call for fitness levels akin to those required for the Championship. I recall Jordy Clasie playing full 90 mins in Belgium or Holland after blowing out his hoop for Saints (albeit in the Premier) by the 60 minute mark. Perhaps the comparisons between a fitter than ever Larin against a pre Saints Larin, are not completely like for like. Perhaps this is a Larin never seen before....... Worth a punt should we go up anyway. As a consequence of his playing career thus far perhaps, I doubt wages are too much of a sticking point.

If anyone knows of 2 x spares, i'd be very grateful (and surprised)! Can pick up at the ground. TIA.

Sorry Stripey, I replied to Once a Saint before reading your post. Anyway, all good.

No problem mate. Ideal location. As you come out the hotel, to your right, you can drop down onto the canal and be met immediately by 'Harkers' (pub) which isn't £3 a pint and a bit pretentious (nice though). Next to that is 'Barton Rouge' Indian restaurant which is very good. If you go left from the hotel and go under the roundabout, following signs for Foregate Street (2 min walk), you will come to several pubs, all trying to undercut each other. 'Number 15', 'The Leopard' and the 'Queens Head'. The Leopard does £2 a pint on selected beers on a Tuesday. There is also 'That Beer Place' for your craft ales. You pay accordingly though. I would also recommend the Union Vaults which is only 5 mins from the hotel too (from the hotel entrance, cross the road and bridge, drop down the steps and turn right, you'll see it 50 metres yonder) and is the best example of a back street boozer you will find anywhere (my local), and possibly the friendliest pub you'll find too, especially if i'm in! Enjoy.

Might be worth considering for those that want to, when Chelsea played there recently in the FA Cup, they mobbed up in Chester (my home town) and took full advantage of £3 pint all day without loads of plod giving them mither. Plenty of them enjoyed it so much, they stayed and watched the match on the tele. They were well behaved too as everyone in Chester was also supporting Chelsea that day. Only 15 minutes on the train with trains running every 20 - 30 mins. Chester is also a nice city, whereas Wrexham simply isn't. You'd be made very welcome.