Gloucester Saint

Fixed it for you

Had to happen, only way it was going to be ripped from Chansiri’s grasp after the EFL bottled it in the summer. Wouldn’t be surprised if that’s Saints in 3 years unless Dragan either sells or finds an even more wealthy business partner. Running a PL infrastructure and Championship/League 1 football business is unsustainable. Certainly needs to find an experienced UK football leadership team who can run Saints professionally as a football club.

When members of the previous cabinet stop organising tapping up of vulnerable women to score political points via their news outlets (Mail and GB News) I’ll stop blaming. But they haven’t so 100% of blame lies with them and the Conservative Party. Even Reform are staying well away from this but Badenoch is desperate. What isn’t being reported is that 80% plus of the witnesses remain. Some issues are beyond party politics out of basic human decency and this one of them.

If you’ve got a designated driver and want to drown your sorrows with dozens of cask ales and ciders I recommend the Bowland Food Hall in Clitheroe. Only 27 minutes north of Ewood Park. I reckon 40 on cask available. Plenty of food there as well.

I don’t agree with people with doing that, but it’s a Southampton thing (the city as much as the club) about a cultural reluctance to tackle and challenge authority and poor performance. We did under Branfoot and Lowe but Reed got away with dire performance, ditto Semmens, and the fanbase lacks fire these days. So it’s easier to unload it at a 21 year old who is clearly miles short of Championship standard and ought to be on work experience at Aldershot Town or our u23s learning the basics. The chants should be about SR getting out of the club and at Spors, and would be at most clubs. But given the cultural factor, that’s why people are aiming it at individual players under their nose instead.

Hit. Nail. Head by Tanswell. This is what House and Blackmore should be doing if they’re performing at a minimum level. But as they’re as pathetic and spineless as the club. The only ways out of this are dropping further down the EFL, even out of it, and admin again, or SR hand the keys over to an experienced British CEO and football management team. Option 2 means they’d keep the core club in their network but whilst the new leadership are accountable to Dragan, that’s all, and 100% of decisions are in-house working to the budget agreed with Dragan.

Although in a dangerous league position, Cheltenham are turning it around under Steve Cotterill and Mike Garlick. Reminds me a bit of Lawrie and Bally coming back in early 1994 as Steve is a legend here. That’s my main focus for football this season - much more a cricket (Hants/England), rugby (Gloucester and England) darts man these days - along Paul Wotton’s promotion chase at Torquay (which spluttering but I think they’ll be ok). I’ll look out for Saints results and as my wife said to me I don’t think having been born and growing up in Southampton that I’ll ever totally unplug, but not been to a live game since Pellegrino’s horror football and his meltdown in the role and no intention of changing. We had considered Blackburn on Saturday where it was pay on the day but my heart just isn’t it. The SFC I knew and loved died when we were sold to a man who couldn’t pass FFP. The modern day club has as much to do with Southampton as MK Dons have to do with Wimbledon. I wish they’d change the name to a franchise and the 1976 win, 1980s, 90s and WGS, Adkins, Poch and Ronald eras can be secure from SR’s clutches. I’d get behind a Southampton phoenix club though if one of those starts up. Or hopefully before retirement we re-emerge eventually like Coventry after their dreadful mistreatment by SiSU.

SR just need to keep SFC as their core club but recognise they can’t run it for toffee. It needs an independent experienced UK CEO, Parsons is more an Ops Director and a decent one despite one poster’s views, DoF and first team manager. That group decides solely on the recruitment, SR can put options forward but ultimately final decisions always rest with the SFC Board. This is the only way to get the club back on an even keel and stop the financial bleeding from SR’s perspective. Given the reluctance at SR Board to admit and write off mistakes, I won’t hold my breath and expecting a consecutive relegation tbh.

Politically there is - Ankerson along with Shields was co-responsible for Gavin’s signing and we know they hate admitting any kind of mistake at SR boardroom and avoiding the need like any business to write off mistakes. You can see it with Downs remaining on the bench despite being totally unselectable and Still clearly uncomfortable using him unless there is no other option. That comes back to the stupidity and lack of planning around Stewart as well but SR’s idiocy knows no bounds. As for McCarthy that pre-dates SR but they’ve carried it on. The whole saga around ‘are we going to give Alex or Fraser a bumper pay rise as #1’ under Semmens - just purchase a better keeper FFS. They weren’t that expensive at the time either. They burned their fingers on Gunn but if they lost their confidence on recruitment for keepers, ask Mendes or one of the other agents to find one. Not rocket science.

I’m not that bothered by it, politicians of all stripes have been captured doing similar, but there are parallels to Rayner’s dealings and it’s only fair Farage receives similar scrutiny. He won’t though as too pally with the non-Doms owning the red tops and Tim Davie. It should be front page for the Mail and Telegraph at least if they’re being vaguely consistent and objective.

1st choice keeper and targetman non-negotiable. Forget about whether they can step up to the Prem, these are to stay up and consolidate for a few years.

Judging by the pockets of empty seats v Swansea I’d say that’s underway and will grow.

But still 300% better than the alternative.

Hmmmm…sorry 86, not sure I can agree there. Might get a result with a caretaker in charge.

Blackburn 3 MK Solent 0 If he’s Still in post, come on Blackburn!

No, I think Manny is saying they came over and soon turned tail under a volley of abuse, coins and lighters.

Good, long overdue. Sorry you’ve had a shit night though Manny.

MK Solent. Or Watford under the Pozzos. Plastic horrible club. When we played Pompey the best you could say is that it was lesser of two evils playing each other. Southampton FC died for me when Gao bought the club. The FA Cup win, the Dell, WGS, the promotions 10-12, Poch, Ronald, those belong to a different club.

You remember the Lower East banner too. I’d actually welcome Branfoot on his zimmer over this computer game jockey.

Sinclair Armstrong - butt of their supporters jokes having scored 3 in his last 50 games or something. Similar ratio to our league wins. Oh God, SR will read this and sign him won’t they?

He’s a dreadful manager but we all know it will be Spors’s cousin from Bundesliga 3 or Rasmus’s nephew who has never played but is general manager at Middlefart FC in Denmark. They can’t stand the thought of an adult manager who would challenge their lunatic ideas.

I’d take Gerrard, Carrick, but not Rooney. Someone who has football stature and will light a fucking bonfire under Solak’s fat arse.

I’m not sure objectively it is though. Ali Dia was a national league striker who looked better in the PL than anything Downs has produced so far at a level he’s supposed to be able to play at. And he was a sub famously subbed. I wouldn’t inflict him on Sholing or Winchester. I can’t think of one footballing attribute he has. He’s tall but if we want height, call Steven Finn from TMS away from the Ashes and stick him up top.

Agree with you on RH and Jones (even Dave Jones!). But Martin will be as bad a husk as the club after Rangers and his football is totally discredited.

Someone suggested Carrick. If they can afford him we’d both be happier with that?