Gloucester Saint

There’s clearly a financial element as well. Big loss for Hampshire and red ball in 2025 will be a struggle but at the start of the season he is 34, not going to be selected by England again, had the issues with the house. With the PCL moving the window over May-June that’s probably been the biggest factor but after his contribution to Hampshire cricket I can’t feel any ill towards him at all in having a lucrative semi-retirement. Kohler Cadmore at Somerset is a bit younger at 30 though, good summer and Hundred and could easily get into England’s white ball set up. Bit early to be chasing the grotes that badly.

Has Neil Shipperley re-joined?

More Van Wanker than Van Nistelrooy

No, not one of those. An Indian restaurant if you get hungry though which is well regarded. And a Chinese takeaway which is decent but not in the same league. There was a good chippy when we first moved it but they changed it to a not-so-good greasy spoon so that’s a clear gap.

What helps sustain me through January and February is the thought of our first significant hillclimb of the calendar year in March up one of our local hills with far reaching views across the Severn Plain, Malvern Hills, Black Mountains and Shropshire Hills. Had to clamber over a large fallen tree at the summit last year and that almost certainly will be the case this year. Lovely village pub at the end with great local healthy meals and patio if it’s sunny like last year, log fire inside if not.

Don’t be so harsh on Adam. He’s had another tough season in the PL but he tries his best 😉

Blimey that’s not good. Our previous one lasted 20 years and this one into its third despite dreadful amounts of house renovation dust to contend with. Sounds like you were unlucky but the customer service was rank so note taken on that.

Some of the treadmills don’t help with that by having a module showing it but I agree it’s about burning fat. As instructors say you can’t tone fat.

I’ll be interested to see how he works with Spores assuming the WP is sorted out - Spores may find another way to work for the club with a dual tax agreement but it would be better not to be limited to 182 days or less in the UK pa. Phil would benefit from having a senior UK-based football presence who has some credibility, sorely lacking in SR thus far.

Dragan might have to take a hit to move the club forward if it’s within FFP rules. Sustainably and profit comes with the asterisk of well-run club with excellent recruitment (see Brighton, Bournemouth, Brentford, Palace) and we know the reality. 3 years of backing the Rasmus and Kraft horses has a penalty and Spores has a record which deserves a chance.

Dyson stuff is crap durability though. Good initial design but lasts 5 minutes. 50/50 call as to whether Dyson or G-Tech are worse. Get a Miele every time if it’s a vacuum. Quality is streets ahead.

At wonky Woking. Wonder if their American takeover has gone ahead? Needed to as their financial position was very serious.

Clubs in Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands also interested. A change of scenery would be beneficial for Gavin but the main priority is getting actual competitive games with something at stake - titles, Europe, avoiding relegation.

657 sound they’ve got a bit too old for their antics, used to love a tear up with the Wall. I suppose we should be flattered they’ll get the mobility scooters out to give us a welcome next year. This result doesn’t help them much in that regard.

Draper made two England squads - one under Venables at Leicester and one later under Hoddle at Villa but never actually got on the pitch. If it’d been a few years later he would have done with the mass substitutions in friendlies.

Not even close Hypo - Truss’s was 80% https://www.politico.eu/article/uk-liz-truss-tories-least-popular-pm/ Sunak regularly 70%+. Badenoch in that range since becoming leader. Spend less time on X folks https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/12/05/fact-check-keir-starmers-approval-score-is-not-lowest-on-record-for-uk-prime-ministers Farage has the best leader rating at 20-30% negative, Davey after that. But neither likely to succeed under FPTP (I say that as a Lib Dem voter unfortunately). The two are about comparable on PM reckoning which is people saying who they’d actually consider voting for rather than sounding off after the fourth can of Special Brew. I don’t like Farage at all but no denying that he has significant popularity with more of a range of voters https://yougov.co.uk/politics/articles/51412-nigel-farage-and-keir-starmer-in-close-contest-for-best-prime-minister After their formation the SDP were killing Thatcher and Foot in the polls and by-election storming wins. But it didn’t last (pity, they’d have been interesting). So early days to assess Reform’s sustained growth, hence the Xmas row with Badenoch about membership numbers. Thatcher got a Falklands boom but still would have had high disapproval ratings and higher still post-Miner’s Strike. Blair on Iraq. Still caned it in general elections. Trump just won an election comfortably despite them and Farage will be enjoying a boost from the profile there plus the data shows the public enjoyed him telling Musk to do one about Robinson.

Draper was an excellent player but had a long-term knee issue, retired within 18 months IIRC. Did a decent job for a very modest fee in Hoddle’s side but not at his Villa pomp. Prutton I was excited about signing, WGS made a rare mistake trying to turn into a DMC when he was a clear box to box CM. Showed that by destroying Liverpool who won the ECL that year but the Arsenal incident ruined his career. Good lad, likes the club and always popular with our fans.

Good post this, and for clubs outside of the top six plus Saudi on Tyne, not every player can be £30m, and the Livramento and Lavia deals are still great as well. You can still shop for what will be steady mid-table PL players and maybe better if their contract is running down at the £12-18m range if you’re proactive, as well as the £18-27m and £28m-40m. It’s really about being efficient and being very nimble in all markets plus the best of your academy. It’s what we did 2012-16, what Brighton do so well at the moment and Bournemouth are replicating over the last two years. Get the core right with pace and strength and spend extra on the strikers, 10s and wide areas.

It is a faff from a payroll perspective, even with the 183 days pa or less rule on the double tax treaty (Germany and UK have a DTA) overseas nationals doing predominantly work for UK firms can still get stung for employee NI contributions https://germantaxes.de/tax-tips/double-tax-treaty/ Not impossible and gives the club leverage with the FA to lean on the Home Office for a fast-track appeal if the club pays for it.

Saint in Paradise - one of the most consistently right wing posters on SWF during its existence. Quelle surprise.

Out of those, only on Ramsdale has cost what I would call a market PL value for their position, and Bijlow who we were also interested in and proceeded quite a way on a transfer for, had a significant absence record for Feyenoord. The club got very athletic/technical and strength from Mane, Tadic and VVD because they were paying the rate that type of pre-ECL player was attracting £12-15m in 2014-15. It didn’t keep up with the times under Reed and Wilson so more injury suspect players with quality were signed as a gamble. One worked spectacularly - Danny Ings - and the others like Boufal didn’t (Mane would already have cost £20m from Austria at that stage). Now the market for those emerging future ECL are £25-40m and being paid in key positions by Bournemouth, Brighton, Palace etc. Saints have got stuck in a twilight of spending quite a bit by Champ standards but not adapting on going up and spending the same, and less, on quality. Plus what they spent bigger on last season - Charles - is loaned out - and Stewart is glue. If you’re going to break the Championship record or get close, that player should be a fulcrum when you go up. Paid £18m to make Downes to make him permanent for Russell Martin, I like Flynn but not sure that spend, Lallana wages and BBD shouldn’t have gone on a big Victor/Bouba Diop tower of power for £25-30m from Ligue 1 instead.

Yellows! Yellows!

It’ll need to increase on some of next season’s replacements in the Champ to get into the autos let alone the PL. Charles was £10-15m and Stewart £8-10m and no disrespect but we need to aiming a fuck sight higher than that.

Makes Ings look like JWP or Wayne Bridge fitness and reliability records by comparison. Oh, I mentioned the Ings word…apologies for anyone subsequently mentioning signing him (we shouldn’t, great he was first time around).

Ankerson is phoning Michail’s agent as we speak. Loves a severely injured player does Rasmus. TBF I think Hypo meant the type of player and stage of career.