Channons Windmill

He was a great player whose career was stymied by terrible injuries at key moments - not quite good enough for West Ham in the Prem but outstanding at Yeovil in League One, so I guess he found his level with Forest in the Championship as he lacked a yard of pace to make it at a higher level. Met him a few times when he was in Somerset and he always seemed a really nice guy so I hope wherever he ends up it works out for him. Think he was just a victim of the Mad Nath 'era'....

It's also important to remember that this 'social media influencer' role he's landed with is now probably his sole/main source of income..... I hear from a source within the game that he's potentially in an interesting financial position..

Lawrie knew my late Dad (I think he arranged insurance for some of the players) around forty years ago and every time I've spoken to him since he remembered him. He invited me over for Sunday lunch when I bumped into him again at SoccerEx in Manchester a number of years ago, wished I'd taken up the offer. Will always be a hero to me...

There's a small station car park (which I've always used) though it is in the middle of a large residential area - I see there's a also a (new?) big car park next to Altrincham station which might be better as I'm sure more than a few will have the same plan.

Yes, Altrincham (or Navigation Road)! Get the tram in... I work in Manchester several times a month and haven't driven into the City for probably a couple of decades now...

Is the booing a Saints thing, or wider? I remember Alan Ball used to get booed a lot and Lawrie used to get very cross about the 'boo-boys'.. hasn't ever really made much sense to me

Well Wikipedia doesn't record a date of death for him, so he might be available but probably the wrong side of 150 now....

According to Wikipedia, between Sept 1955 and May 1991, we had three managers covering 1682 games... Since then we have had thirty managers (incl. caretakers) covering 1368 games.. I know football has changed a lot over this period, but it would be interesting to compare this against other, more balanced, clubs..

Didn't that shirt first appear for the Charity Shield? I remember the replica shirt I had also said 'FA Cup Winners 1976' so obviously from 1976/77 - which was a slightly disappointing season

My absolute favourite Saints kit! Don't think replica kits were a thing then sadly or else I would have had one - my first would have been the candy stripes I guess for my tenth birthday in 1978

From what I hear locally City are a slowly sinking ship so it could be argued he's doing well to keep them above the drop zone....

Just had a very interesting conversation with a couple of clients, both who played for a PL team at various levels, and they seem to think Marsch would be a very good appointment for us and explained why. In summary Leeds are only one or two players off being firmly mid-table and feel he was very hard done by to be sacked... I'd certainly take these guys opinions seriously so I've come away feeling a little positive about the whole situation. (They did spend about ten mins laughing about NJ though.....)

Thoughts on Bree from a friend of mine who is a long-term STH at Kenilworth Road... Every now and then he'll create a goal from a cross. He's decent but not PL.

David Armstrong's book tells this tale perfectly....

I'd like to see the stats comparing distance run then and now, think that's where the difference would be. Remember Alan Ball being at his most effective barely leaving the centre-circle and Channon stood on halfway with his hands on his hips as we defended....

I'll ask around my friends in the blue half of the city.... or I'll ask Wael directly! Knowing him he will want £75m.... I'm amazed that no-one has linked us yet with Ainsley Maitland-Niles. Oh hold on.....

I'm fully in the stripes camp - my favourite will always be the v-necked 75-76 kit, with black shorts and plain white socks... guess that's because I started watching the Saints in that kit? I'm surprised the 1976-79(?) thick and thin stripes haven't returned at some point; that was the first replica top I had...

On a slightly different Jones topic - I was 'lucky' enough to live in Somerset 15 years ago and got to see him play many times for Yeovil (with Chris Cohen) - so have probably seen him play many times more than any other Saints fan. In the 2006/7 season, under the management of Russell Slade, the football was absolutely dire and epitomised by Jones bombing up to the halfway line (he was always very quick and ridiculously fit) and launching the ball repeatedly towards the edge of the box. Here, sole striker 5'8" Paul Warne (now manager of Derby Co.) would inevitably lose the ball and the process would be repeated. It was truly awful to watch, but, in came Leon Best on loan (10 goals in 15 games) and Lee Morris had a lengthy period of being fit, somehow YT ended up in the play-offs (the 5-2 win at Forest is worth watching on YouTube and probably one of the best games I have ever seen). They went on to lose 2-0 against Blackpool at Wembley. It does make me wonder how much wonder how much the 'success' of this period has shaped his mindset towards the game.

Interesting highlights but why does he keep stopping play by booting the ball in the net? I'm sure we'll soon persuade him to stop doing that...