Saint Gifford

Looking forward to watching the highlights on the tele. Can’t make my mind up if that was hard work or a walk in the park.

Park up in cousin space, couple of beers in Banana. Little walk to the ground, grab a few burgers maybe a couple in the bar, another 5-0 back to the Banana for some food and another couple. Sleep over, then the four of us back to Bristol to get the youngest back for his Toolstation game at 2 6 o’clock kick off, holy crap glad I booked this week off……………………..

Bit different to Blackburn. We are a very good Championship team. I just hope our aspirations are a little higher than that.

I don’t normally get to much involved with the social media crap. Only on twitter or x and instagram because that’s how my youngest team communicate. It appears MLT has now got on the Joey Barton bandwagon. Opening a can of worms both sides of the argument for the Saints. Just for context my late teens, early twenties boys are diehard Gasheads, I’m clearly diehard Saints. Love MLT and a lot of respect for JB as a good manager. (Not an individual I must say). But ooops…………..

Don’t know the bloke. I was always taught that you earn respect. Just try and pay forwards……………..

We are on a good run in a division that you could argue is physically challenging, and not particularly well officiated. It certainly isn’t a technical and tactically astute league, which given our leadership team and players probably suits our current situation. IMO take exactly what we have now in terms of manager coaches and players, we would really struggle back in the Prem. A lot of money and change needed if we get back, which I have no doubt that we will. Just depends on who calls the shots in the summer and the plan. Will be an interesting back end of the season.

Tbf I’m in the camp that thought what are we doing again, when the club put all their faith in RM. 4th on a great run fair play to him. I don’t necessarily agree with so called big name managers that are constantly going round on the merry go, but a risky move again back in the summer I thought was too much. Nice to see a new name that potentially will become a fantastic manager. In fairness has shown some humility in not chasing a hell bent idea with no flexibility for change. Still early days for me however, how will he handle the play offs, or automatic back to the Prem. Will the club stick with him if we get promoted. Still a lot of questions. Nearly into the mid season run, so far so good I guess. It’s now I think we will start to see what the end of the season will start to look like.

Yes point taken and you are correct. Just Southgate v JWP

Watching the West Ham, Forest game. It appears we have a Le God / Hoddle situation again.

Agree with you 100%. I said before, great to see us playing to 95 minutes. Absolutely gives us that extra edge against teams who will undoubtedly start to understand that’s how we are playing. It would be nice however to have the game won inside 80 / 85 minutes. Positive goal difference at last helps, 4th place really good. But, on paper we should be aiming for automatic, not going for last gasp winners. We rely on that in the playoffs at our peril. TBF promotion is clearly the only goal and if it happens I guess it doesn’t matter how it’s achieved. We are good enough to do this the easy way, and not have the mindset of we will be ok because will score with the last kick of the game.

I don’t know what to think anymore. I think we all know this is a very strange league. Possibly stronger than it’s ever been. You then look at the Prem table so far and screams if we were in it this season a mid table berth would be no problem. I can’t double guess it with RM at the moment. But our team seems to be playing to 95 minutes plus which is a really good thing. I’ll take that all day long, but that will be our undoing if RM is just living on pure luck at the moment.

Nathan Jones apparently on Bristol City shortlist for their vacant position.

6 minutes, we could be playing until a week next Tuesday and still be nowhere near scoring like this. KWP excepted of course.

Yep, taxi for Mr Martin…………………

Yet again our game management is just shocking. That comes from the managers game plan, I am definitely no football manager, but even I could see that PNE were going to come out really strong with some strong arm dark arts. What did he say at half time, what were the instructions.

Morning Nathan.

Enjoyed the game, we are a very good squad, but just can’t help feeling we are missing something. Leicester and Ipswich look like runaway leaders. but we should be not be 13 points behind. Not exactly early doors anymore, but hope we carry on like this.

Lord Duckhunter. I’ve only just noticed, not sure when you did it but loving the Lego head just brilliant.

Disagree, we are a big club. We won’t win the champions league or Prem anytime soon I get that. I’m sure someone will correct me, but it’s only twice maybe three times we have been relegated from the top divisions. I’m also sure that we have been one of the longest serving Prem sides since its inception. We don’t have state funding and a long list of title's. But I still believe we are a big club that should be looking at some kind of FA cup run, Euro league football given time. Currently our stock has plummeted, but that’s not to say we have a great back story. I guess it comes down to the people that sign off the money. Jeezz we are not the cartoon owned club down the road just yet.

Dear Mr Solak I feel compelled to write to you about my beloved Saints. Yesterday on leaving the M4 to join the A34 I turned left and not my usual right. This is because I enjoyed the afternoon at a place called the Kassam Stadium ( or half a stadium as it was). This was to make my two boys aged 21 and 17 happy to spend time with there dad watching their beloved Bristol Rovers. Something the three of us rarely have time to do these days, as my youngest lad plays in the Toolstation league which also kicks off at 3 o’clock on a Saturday. As he had the day off as his team didn’t have a game this weekend because they are playing in a Somerset cup competition against a team called Yeovil town on Tuesday night. This is in a league called the Conference. Anyway I digress somewhat. I love my football and have been accused in the past of being happy to watch any game at any level. But I respectfully ask you to make note of my points above regarding League One, Conference football, Step 5/6 football, Somerset cup football, half built stadiums. Because unless you actually make a real effort on getting a grip on where your money is going. You will and I have no doubt be watching like I did yesterday that standard of football for a long time to come. Yours faithfully Dishearten Saint.

100% agree with you. However I’m not sure the board understands enough about football to make the right assessment.

Graham Potter will pick him for the World Cup qualifiers…………….

I’d have a refreshed Ralph back all day long. Im sure there were a couple of big clubs considering him at one point. Man U, Chelsea, although never a front runner if my memory is correct.

I hope RM is watching Newcastle V PSG now. Newcastle 34% possession scored 3. PSG 66% scored 0. I know it’s all about the game at the time, but I hope he keeps up his change in attitude about possession possession for possession sake.

It 100% works. I have no idea why clubs don’t do this more often. I’ve been Saints ( Chandlers Ford Boy) since I can remember. Lived in Bristol for over 40 years, took my boys to watch their local Gas when they were very young in the Blackthorn as it was then for a quid. They are committed Gasheads and both 17 and 22 now. Absolutely will not defect from their first experience of a football match ( plus it’s their home town I guess). Always gone to countless Saints games at home with them even now. Still Gasheads despite their old man trying to turn them to the Saints.