Colinjb

There certainly is a minority of idiots who treated our games in League One as though it was the be all and end all. I remember standing upstairs in the old King Alfred and watching a police escort shepherd about 50-80 Chavs to the Stadium as they shouted at the Saints fans who happened to be nearby. I also remember a debate I hate on facebook with someone from late kick off about them labeling our matches as a local derby. I made my own personal feelings clear on the matter a few years ago in my blog. http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/entry.php?56-Derby-Day All there is is proximity, nothing else. I do not know of many relationships in the football league like ours, where many fans of both sides actively want the other to do well.

Shame, the chance to experience the cup win and James Hunt winning the F1 title.... all in that one glorious summer. Will just have to get a letter to excuse me from hockey practice, the no 3. sport in the villages of central Hampshire behind archery and jousting.

It must be great being stranded in the 70's. Love you too. Xx

How you must hate having Winchester, Romsey and Salisbury in the catchment area! No, can't hate the Cherries, always look out for their results and hope they do well. Not going to get dragged in by the 50 or so utter idiots that follow them.

Ah, but they never say that. There is always a family member, a friend of the family, a special someone who ingrained that specific love of a team that they have no ties or proximity to who just happen to be the most visible clubs at the time of their formative years.

Considering the crap that goes into many processed burgers this could be a great way to ensure sustainability of production and quality.

I no longer hate the Skates. I pity them. But hate? Dover Athletic.

Or has decided to take an interest? Thanks to my influence one of my exes is now a fan herself.

Yep, taken three girlfriends to matches. It currently stands as 1 win, 1 draw, 1 loss.

What are your three moments Jamie?

What if they are 'only 'good enough to be the squad players that the likes of Sunderland and Norwich have spend a fair amount on this summer?

Delighted he has posted this. He is never right, looking forward to safety again this coming season. Personally I have decided to downgrade my prediction of 8th. 10th-12th feels more likely now, I will also remove Sunderland as a pick to go down. So: Top 3 Chelsea Man City Man Utd Bottom 3 Stoke Crystal Palace Hull City

tick - tock - tick - tock...... Poor Aussies....

A bit of an open topic now, something a bit different anyway to the bickering over transfer policy. Which moments in your time as a Saint have given you the most: Joy Sadness Amusement The most Joy for me was Sharp's goal v Coventry just over a year ago. Even more so then the FA Cup Semi final v Watford, the promotion from League 1 or many others. It just felt like it was culmination of effort and the end to an exile. The rest of that day was a blur. The saddest moment has to be the the opposite of the above, the end of the Man Utd game in May 2005 that sealed our relegation and knowing, just knowing that the way the club was being run at the time would ensure our absence for a long, long time. For amusement... Dave Beasant acting along to the 'shoot the pompey scum' song at the Matthew Le Tissier testimonial. Had everyone around me in stitches.

It would be Jay Rod's time to shine.

Mother nature has arrived! The series is ours.

The club has stated we had three targets and we have signed 2 of them. A 66.6% conversion rate with over 20 mill spent isn't inactivity. The areas for further improvement are obvious, but no point bringing in players for the sake of it. They need to be the right ones.

He may still deliver. Looking back at the goals DVD of last year it's easy to forget his contribution at times. He was important for us last year and will hopefully build on it.

No, the point I was going to make was moot. That wasn't too clear. Balls, first wicket already!! Come on rain!!!

We wern't getting rolled over at the end in the same manner and indeed played well for the most part (WBA at home being the obvious exception, that was on my bloody birthday.... left me fuming! ). However, for the form to dip so markedly is showing either a lack of professionalism or something more worrying. Particularly with our lack of cutting edge.

Edit. Just seen that the Aussies have declared. Point is moot.

I can see what they are saying there, but over a season a league table tells the whole story. Our form over the last 6 games was not great... it needs to all be taken into account. We were under threat for 80% of last year, that is not a season of mid-table safety. A decent start with enough form to keep is in/around 10th will show progress, if we get dragged into a dogfight then we havn't improved. That we have shown the capability to fight it out with anyone in the division is a good foundation to build on, far better that then squeaking safety on the final day after a season of pure grind.

Good move for Newcastle. Enough safeguards in it to ensure their backs are covered in the event of criminal conviction.

Then we shall see how the fringe players fill in the gaps. They are key to our fortunes this season for me, not the leading lights that we are well aware of.

Well, we havn't really achieved even that yet. Last year was a relegation battle which had the edge taken off it by a good run before the final stages. A true season of mid-table water treading would signify progress. So much has happened so soon for us in the last four years. I am content to be a little patient now.