Gloucester Saint

Fact less Allen being a dick again, there to watch England not Pompey.

To think if we’d have not had two players sent off at Carrow in the 1992 QF, beaten Sunderland in the SF (hardly a given with Branfoot but might have been a better opponent than a talented Norwich who could be unsettled by direct football) and the Skates win their penalty shoot out v Liverpool it could have been a mayhem FA Cup Final. That was one of their best teams since the 1940s though, we were on the decline under Branfoot. Wouldn’t have been confident even though they were a division below.

Lallana has played in three I think, probably more than most Saints players post 1970s, two more than Frannie or MLT, and that might help get it across at Staplewood over the next couple of weeks. Fellows gets it - could hear that from the interview and played in a very spicy Black Country FA Cup derby last season or season before IIRC where it kicked off. Those two don’t meet that often either hence it’s pent up like our fixture is. Boro v Sunderland not at the level of us v Pompey or Sunderland v Newcastle but still spiky and noisy so Azaz can draw from that. Can see Flynn Downes being up for it as probably never sampled Hammers v Millwall, another rare derby, but that’s where focus and adrenaline have to align with a rational head. Charles played in the Sheffield derbies last year and they’re on a par with ours, if not even more spicy.

A plastic one, Chelsea but worked at one of the radio stations down there covering their games. Don’t expect impartiality any more than their fans would expect it from Adam Blackmore. Ian Darke another one on Sky albeit he’s far better than Matterface on ITV. Can’t believe they replaced Tyldesley with him.

Apparently so, good knowledge https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/steve-williams/ Got a break after a team curfew was broken. Shows if you’re talented enough and can cope with the atmosphere, whether it’s your first game and 100th for the club doesn’t matter.

Kasey Keller (crunch!) - made some important saves second half though. We’ve played them so infrequently since 1978 that there’s not that many Saints or Pompey players who have actually played in one let alone debutants. The 1984 squad was arguably our best ever and very settled, Shilton and Mills had played in loads of Forest-Derby and Ipswich-Norwich in the 1970s. A few coins and swear words wouldn’t put them off plus local lads like Moran. Armstrong played in derbies in the NE for Boro, Williams no shrinking violet. They rarely forget it when they have played in a south coast one though, even they were shocked at the level of venom. It’s more about being settled in your own game no matter how many appearances you’ve made for the club - Steve Baker was a fringe player who had the 1988 horror at the Dell vs Vince Hilaire. If a new signing has been playing regularly for the club they’ve signed fRom and have the quality and temperament, that should shine through all the initial piss and wind. Even settled internationals can go wrong though and lose their heads - Antti in 2005.

Assuming the £70k figure is correct and I reckon it’s thereabouts, take off 40% assuming the relegation applies across all playing contracts and it still comes to £42k p/w. That’s a contender for our highest paid player at this level. Mind you, given Al Shabab just allegedly offered Josh Brownhill over £100k p/w (Wolves forum) Joe and his agent must reckon they can get near that or parallel with Saudi. Whereas only really Galatasaray and Fenerbache can get near those sort of salaries and is Joe worth that? Been decent for us but that wage probably reflects the-then glory of scoring in a Europa Final and being a leading light in Rangers cup run.

I’ll decide what is and out of scope - Farage is unable to answer a single question on economic policy and has said Truss’s policies were on the right track.

Why is that? Brexit - that’s why. Did you think all of those trade negotiators grew on trees? And whilst no fan of this government, they were left to cut those extra posts, hundreds of thousands of them. NHS being cut by 50% In terms of actual non-frontline posts by Streeting so that’s addressed. Simplest way is to soften Brexit - gets you 5-6% of GDP back which dwarfs any public sector savings. Also, in the North and parts of Midlands public sector jobs are the only decent skilled ones around. With your approach, Reform will win 0 seats. Levelling Up was badly executed but what do you think Boris did it? Because he won him a shitload of votes in 2019 in deprived areas. Thatcher spent loads on subsidies attracting Nissan, Honda and Toyota in the 1980s, there isn’t a market fairy that these IEA types suddenly think are going to build car factories. Steel has been propped up by subsidies on and off for years. And Farage thinks you can re-start a steel furnace… I don’t rate his grasp of any detail, let alone regional economic policy.

They’re in fucking La La Land, of course they aren’t going to do that, even though this government isn’t particularly good. The idea of Reform being more economically prudent 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 Tories still hungover from Truss and Boris, Lib Dem’s will be tidier but will people accept a Remain party if it brings some economy stability and regain some of the 6% of the economy the idiot hard Brexit lost?

Had a horrible injury though on loan, at Colchester, may have been an ACL, which curbed his development. Hopefully Nico can bounce back.

Belgian transfer window closes next Monday so would expect Edozie to have moved by then. He’d be well down the pecking order here now. Turkey and Greece next Friday - could be Aribo’s destination, Saudi is 23 September https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c79lpz27g4xo

Yeah ABK had the ability but not the application. Rationale behind that signing wasn’t bad as with Salisu. Lyanco never even looked anywhere good enough, better attitude than those two but emergency option at best in the PL. Not sure he’d be that much better in the Champ. Not sure what Semmens was up there.

If Neil can get him on the weights and bulking up a bit Millwall will have a footballer they will really enjoy. Great weight of pass, good touch, and can finish. The right manager to get Russball out of his head and make him more progressive again, take a few more risks. Too lightweight for Still’s preferred formation and hasn’t got the engine for the PL where Saints want to be back to but wouldn’t take that much to get him more robust so that he could at Champ level.

Could be Saudi, Brownhill is heading there for £100k plus per week. Joe isn’t quite as good but could get £60-75k possibly. And a Nigeria international. Turkey better for a WC call up.

If he can gain some physical robustness to go with the excellent first touch, weigh of pass and good shooting, they could have themselves a very good player there. Ship sailed under Martin in terms of beefing up but at least Millwall will hopefully getting him taking some more creative options on the ball and not just the safe once preached by Beardy.

@Wade Garrett volunteers to make Gavin Bazunu’s tea…

The Apprentice winner Leah Totton got there first.

Who with? Just curious…

Brownhill just rejected Wolves (and Leicester) as Al-Shabab in Saudi have offered him north of £100k per week. Mindboggling.

Onono is what the Stretford End collectively grumbles when his name is announced on the teamsheet

Progress I suppose, was on loan at Gillingham.

Typical tinpot Skate behaviour.

I agree, they’d be more concerned about Fellows, Azaz and Scienza.

Would be. Scrote certainly celebrated when he scored for Ipswich at SMS last time in this division. Mind you, we were on that horrific September sequence under Martin.