Gloucester Saint

Tugendhat would be decent, can see him winning the MPs but not the loonies in the membership. His best chance is if Kemi and Braverman split the populist/American culture war/let’s be Trump’s 51st state ticket, which is why they are taking pops at each other in public. I think Badenoch will prevail though as Suella is too toxic even for the bulk of Tory members post Brexit. Homeless as a lifestyle choice - Bad Enough’s camp will throw that back at her and understandably so. That was Suella’s Eggwina moment.

Tricky one to assess. The reports seem to indicate a player with potentially a high ceiling but it goes against his record in practice which is poor at a lower level. You could get Sinclair Armstrong from QPR for a fraction of the cost, who is also quick and direct. He could also turn out like Shearer was for us, explosive debut then fairly steady/quiet until his final season which took him from one to watch to a British record. I understand the scepticism as Gunn, Bazanu were terrible for £12m+, at least Gunn looks decent at Champ level, Bazanu would struggle at League 1 and below and Saints really got their pants pulled down there. I’d pay him off on a compromise deal once he’s fit, a loan spell in the lower leagues won’t convince me there’s a professional goalkeeper there above League 1. That’s his ceiling. ROI are so dreadful he’ll still get in their squad. Shea Charles hasn’t really done anything yet for what is a big fee in the Champ, where he ought to have been up there with Winks and Downes for a best-performing CM performance, and Edozie has looked decent in fits and starts but not very robust yet.

Only a fairly small amount though. Over £20m in total - FD + KWP (below £15m and it’s more effective to keep him for his final year) the club ought to be fishing in the next level of DMCs. £15-17m tops for FD. Sugawara seems very decent for a mid-level Championship price, hopefully more of a KWP than a Mikkel Nilsson, who on paper in Sweden caps and appearances in a smaller league looked too good to be true for Champ prices and was. He was terrible, I’m sure this guy will be better. Clarke seems unlikely for anywhere near £18m, maybe half that. O’Hare seems more likely given the club’s FFP and financial cautiousness, as free and wages not too hefty for PL level but I’m not sure the agent isn’t driving that more than Saints. Leeds seem the most confident even though we and Villa are heavily linked (their squad needs a European boost but their FFP issues are even worse than Saints). If a PL club were genuinely interested, it would have happened by now. I would say the club are looking at other options, or give a Alcaraz/Sulemana a try there in pre-season? We won’t get any money back on the latter unless we get a few decent PL showings out of him. Alcaraz did to some extent show he could belong there.

Singapore is nearer to their Asian markets and also has a free trade agreement with the EU. James Dyson pledged during the referendum campaign that the R&D facilities would stay in the UK but there is a now a question mark over that. The company has also had a few mis-steps in the market with new products https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6p2660ldn2o I seem to recall they had some issues further back with washing machines?

The full back at Spurs and QPR, can’t recall his name, was another one, allegedly Danny Rose also saw it as a job. Can’t blame players who are like that, probably healthy. Doesn’t mean they won’t give their all on the pitch. Most famous is David Batty, has apparently stayed totally away from football since retirement. Edit - Assou-Ekotto, that’s his name

Delighted to have a new Lib Dem MP to go with the Lib Dem council, which has been a massive improvement on the previous fractured Tory one. Some of the Conservatives have been comforting themselves that not all of the Labour wins were huge in each seat but that misses out the big majorities the Lib Dems, Reform and Greens have stacked up against them in seats where they often had 10-25k majorities. New cabinet looks decent and you can sense a drive to get things motoring which had gone totally out of the Tories after Boris’s implosion and then Truss, they were pissed at the wheel. Some bumpy times ahead but NHS waiting lists has to be priority one, securing more inward investment and improving the deal with the EU, which the French result will probably help with. The border command centre will be difficult to set up but it’s essential to get illegal migration down combined with sensible adjustments to re-categorise aspects of legal migration eg health professionals and overseas students, and dependents for postgraduate study. They should never have been in the figures in the first place, that was Braverman trying to undercut Farage and jockey in the leadership race. Telegraph reporting that her acceptance speech was found to be as sickly self-serving amongst their MPs as I also found it which has left her trailing. Illegal migration, as opposed to the focus May started on net migration, needs to be the focus. With climate change, plus the conflicts that will create for resources, it’s a ticking time bomb. It’s an opportunity to switch the discourse onto that.

Kane playing like a middle aged man. Foden being exposed again without his Man City team-mates. Palmer and Eze have livened England up and ensured Saka is not the only bright spark. The excuse will come up about the players being tired but the reason they have played an extra hour all told us because of the panic tactics from the manager. Kane off for Toney, had to happen, now England will actually have a striker who gets in the penalty box to aim at. Saka put a peach of cross in earlier and Kane was nowhere near.

Saka deserved that, been England’s best player by a mile, out of position or not. England didn’t deserve it, against the run of play as Switzerland were dicking all over us and it was PL v League 1 standard frankly. The England players need to tell Southgate to FO if he starts screaming for 10 men ball behind the ball and drop off.

What else did you expect from an ERG member who hawks asbestos? Having had family members who worked on the Castle Union shipping line from the Cape to Soton killed by the stuff, he is beyond contempt. As long as it makes him yet more money, who cares if it kills millions? https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/brexit-ministers-asbestos-links-questioned

And Cameron’s. Loved Truss’s spectacular defeat, which is also extinction for Mark Littlewood, Matthew Sinclair and the IEA. Simon Clarke got walloped in Boro as well, so the vermin from 2022 extinguished. I hope they all fuck off to America. The exit poll worked out, Curtiss is superb at what he does. But some weird results and nearly results underneath. Greens and Reform both made their mark and if Tice wanted to hurt the Tories he has very much succeeded and won his own seat. Pity about the beetroot faced cunt winning Yarmouth but overall Reform will be happy. Greens should get equal credit but won’t. Best Liberal result for a century! My seat overturned a 22k Tory majority and our two votes helped. Great stuff.

Best appearance of the night. Respect to Robert Buckland. Pity he is losing his seat probably as one of few decent remaining ones post-2019. Peston’s dry remark afterwards that Buckland was shown to be losing his seat based on the exit poll was uncalled for and arrogant. Fair enough if he aimed it at most of the pricks in that party tonight. In a political world with Trump et al someone losing with grace and class should be recognised. Dorries - who seems well refreshed yet again - Kwarteng, Leadsom, JRM, by contrast wherever the Tory Brexiteers appear, they are deluded, lacking any self-reflection, remorse or reality about how badly they’ve fucked up this country. Cunts, that right wing, especially the ERG, one and all. Reform’s early showings mean 131 is on the optimistic side for the Tories. Rupert Lowe, MP, that will be strange as Saints fans to see! Will Yarmouth get an Ask Rupert email address? Finally, will be thrilled if the Lib Dem’s get 60 odd seats.

Very simple response to the Mail and Express https://bylinetimes.com/2022/12/23/worst-predictions-2022-uk-politics-liz-truss-boris-johnson-brexit/ Losers in 2022 and just as clueless losers tomorrow and Friday.

Nathan Wood does have a lot of attributes to make it at the PL level - genuinely quick, good distribution and running with the ball. Concentration and marking appear to be flaws which will need to be ironed out and fast. He’s been scouted by Spurs, Arsenal, West Ham. For £5m it’s worth a risk. ABK is probably off - was only upper mid-table Championship level signing Sheff Utd/Stoke/Norwich level signing at what £8m or so? He hasn’t gone for the profit SR wanted but probably not a thumping loss like most of their 22/23 Rasmus intake. If Nathan Wood doesn’t have shoulders and hamstrings made of glass and a better attitude than ABK, he can’t be any worse at least. Charlie Taylor a good deal, DCR from Fulham and Fraser next. Downes/KWP swap and down to the more serious business if SFC wants to even compete for 17th.

Come on SW Norfolk, give us a Portillo moment on steroids. The whole country, and even most Tory MPs, bar the loony swivels in the membership, would take the roof off in celebration at Truss getting defeated https://thecritic.co.uk/going-on-a-truss-hunt/ Still not sure it will happen despite the recent MRP polls.

Obligatory You Tubes - been scouted by some big clubs. Has the pace of a full back but build of a CB. Had a bit of a shocker at SMS in Swansea’s 5-0 loss, including a horror mistake for our second. So concentration might be an issue to address. Widely described as a player with a ‘high ceiling’ but may need a move to unlock the potential.

As Boycott would say, more brains in a pork pie. No need for Foden to be offside there. Allegedly plays for the world’s wealthiest club but without KDB and Rodri propping him up, he’s mediocre like the rest of the useless dross.

They’re so hesitant, Walker should have crossed and bottled it, Saka should have done when he got to the line. Then Walker makes a terrible mess and Slovakia somehow don’t score. Slovakia should be 3-0 up already, they’re miles better than England so far, better more progressive footballers and a better team. They’ve certainly found where England’s weaknesses are and unlike the group teams are willing to exploit them. Now Bellingham’s booked, with Mainoo booked early, England will be down to 10 shortly. England players look similar to what Saints faced last season in the Championship last season, it shows you how much the overseas stars make them look half decent.

He could for £15m, but had one prolific season or so, and 29 soon. Not like say Rickie who was prolific at other levels, and more of a risk than AA was. Can’t see him as an SR buy. This is the fella we want https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/sheffield-united-facing-ben-brereton-diaz-blow-as-ipswich-town-southampton-keen-on-transfer/ but the club needs to be more nimble to fend off Ipswich. The manager seems to be more involved with the DoF gap so if he makes BBD a priority, there’s a chance. In terms of raising the bar, within FFP limits, the club will have to break its record a couple of times. Under Semmens and Reed before that we got stuck at the £12-15m level which worked so well in 2014-15 but quickly became left behind by peers.

The players coming in on frees seemingly - Taylor, Fraser, Ghoddos, DCR - are sensible, and a possible Downes-KWP exchange given the latter is in the last year of his contract makes sense. Sugawara seems a positive link at RWB. Liam Delap at £10m would be a good option as a second striker, we will need a first choice and Stewart as third striker getting 15-20 minutes and building his fitness up after nothing for the last 18 months. THB already done. The one very questionable area is goalkeeper, club has to be using the loan market for this season if they still don’t want to admit their fuck up on buying Bazanu. He won’t be fit this season anyway and on loan at Carlisle, Stockport, Exeter or somewhere at League 1/2 levels in 2025/26 to get fit again.

Neither do I. Fine with Alex staying but would have made more sense to release Lumley and accept that Baz isn’t playing next season and on loan in the lower leagues in 25/26 rebuilding his fitness and confidence. Gavin has shown nothing yet to suggest he can play above the third tier even with a strong side in front of him last year. The club are so determined not to admit their mistake that they’ve made another one here, which on top of Forster and then McCarthy’s obscene contract extensions is crass. Cortese can’t be the only person in the club’s recent history who can spot a decent experienced low cost/free keeper eg Boruc. Or maybe he is? Surely anyone with a football brain in the club will know that an experienced keeper needs to come in loan?

Last night was the dashboard flashing red and the engine management light coming on for the Democrats. They need to sort it out over the next seven days and have a candidate unveiled by this time next week. Trump’s core base are pretty much the Reform canvassers in Clacton on steroids, so whoever the Democrats replace Biden in the race with they’ll hate, whether it’s racism, homophobia etc. It’s about the Democrat core vote - that’s enough alone to win because for all the noise, Trump is some way off getting the Republican core - and any waverers. Harris is one of two obvious options, or Shapiro. Newsom is too liberal for outside of the west coast and NE seaboard https://www.ft.com/content/dc926ca5-ce06-4234-9caf-87236aa2ccf2 If they all want to put party before country and wait for 2028 - I have news for them. There might not be a 2028 election if Trump wins. Edit - change won’t to might for Hypo, as I agree that’s it not a foregone conclusion Trump won’t stop at 2 terms. AlexLaw76 - I’m at three posts until later - so here’s why I put that at the end. Look at 6 January attempted insurgency, the disputing the 2020 result which Biden clearly won, the attempts to intimidate state officials - and the list goes on, as well as the associated court cases

This is quite amusing though from Ed Davey (via Tim Montgomerie on X) https://x.com/montie/status/1806278644785873218?cxt=HBwWhIWwve-2mJEyAAAA&cn=ZmxleGlibGVfcmVjcw%3D%3D&refsrc=email He’s like the Daily Star is Ed Davey - cheering us up amongst the dourness. You have my vote. In other news, the Economist backs Labour for the first time since 2005.

Reform aren’t racist, homophobic bigots and nothing remotely like the old National Front and BNP. Honest. And if you believe that after watching this appalling clip, you’ll believe anything https://www.channel4.com/news/exclusive-undercover-inside-reforms-campaign-evidence-of-homophobia-and-canvassers-racism

Good summary on last night’s poor head to head - another 0-0 and when the incumbent shouts and interrupts every 30 seconds, that’s all it can ever be https://inews.co.uk/opinion/bbc-tv-debate-sunak-last-shot-fluffed-election-3134101 This article sums up why the Tories are where they are, it’s the equivalent over-60s Saints fans sitting at SMS and critiquing whatever Russell Martin and the last few managers have done because it’s not what Lawrie would have done. Lawrie was successful in his context 1970s and 1980s, Thatcher was successful in her 1980s context. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/jun/27/rishi-sunak-tories-election-conservatives-david-cameron But contexts and the needs of different eras change and evolve, in the same way that Keynes wasn’t a permanent solution by the 1970s, so the free market and Monetarism isn't either. Reform UK is akin to creating another SFC in political terms to recreate that era, including a lot of the myths as well as the genuine history. Until the party settles the battles from the late 1980s, especially Europe, because Brexit clearly isn’t sufficient to do that, and finds the exit door for all the B String Australian and US Republican strategists killing their finances for ineffective ‘culture war wedge’ issues, then it has no chance of competing for power again with a fresh vision any time for the foreseeable. Which is not a good thing for democracy.

It still will be even if the Spurs-Saints game is moved, Millwall v the Skates has a long history of trouble eg Waterloo station when it kicked off between their fans late 90s/early 00s. IIRC the skates were in a pub next to the station called the Windmill. Just like the Thomas Crown Affair theme tune, the Millwall had the Windmill in their minds and getting at the skates in it. Quite a battle by all accounts and the pub was totalled - was Dec 2001 http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/programmes/2002/hooligans/diary/portsmouth.stm Edit - the poor old Windmill, more trouble 10 or so years on https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/pub-wrecked-as-football-fans-clash-6335058.html No wonder that fixture has been played behind closed doors at times!