Colinjb

Fantastic collection there. It was my understanding that replica shirts were available in the 70's/80's but that it was simply not the done thing to wear them. The culture changed when kids, who wore the shirts grew up and wanted to continue the trend into Adulthood, by which time the practice became more accepted.

Yes, would be good to see more from them.

But they will be a bigger fan owned club then Exeter; they will! So....so...... so THERE! From signing Maradona and Riquelme to being smaller then Exeter City FC in approx 1,500 pages.

More money needed to pay for initial running capital to keep the club going. An admission that the club is still living beyond it's means for me. Unlike the fan owned Exeter which has to break even every year.

You can tell it's friday can't you.

I say they because without Cortese's introduction, Markus wouldn't have purchased us. They came as a pair. Yes, Markus might have stumbled on us himself, but Nicola Cortese recommended us to him as a prospect, and under Cortese's advice he ended up taking us on. Ifs, buts and maybes do not come into it for me, those where the two men responsible for our survival three and a half years ago. Chez, and anyone else who sees Nicola Cortese as a mere sideshow, I would welcome your opinion on the above statement made by Markus Liebherr on our own official website after he took us over.

I honestly couldn't answer that. It is however slightly disingenuous to suggest that less fans can generate the largest fan owned club, particularly when they will be propped up by property developers. Interestingly, their ownership structure is based on annual membership, ensuring a constant stream of funds into the club yearly. 2750 currently active members paying less then 2 pounds a month, not masses but every little helps. The Skates is one lump sum up front, just like their season ticket for life scheme a decade or so ago. The differing structures are quite fascinating.

Come on, they don't let facts get in the way of a good story.

Honestly, what a farce. Did anyone actually bother voting? My own feelings on the matter have been echoed by someone on the BBC news feed. Naive? Maybe, but could you imagine the uproar if a BNP candidate was elected into this role?

Might as well give this a go. A die hard fan, I don't care what league Saints are in just so long there is a team to support but of course I want us to do as well as possible. I lean towards the more pro-Cortese argument on the basis that without him there would have been no Markus Liebherr and they put their money where their mouths were when it was vital. I tend to take a more "long term" approach to how the club is going rather then stress too much over the here and now, games will be lost, that's football but just so long the overall trend is positive i'm happy.

At least anything from there is consistent... As long as they keep deluding themselves it will only end one way; and considering that they seem pathologically incapable of anything else....

I understand the need for some perspective, but that Villa performance was one of the most exciting individual games from anyone I have seen in a Southampton shirt for years. I dearly hope that was a reflection of his true talent and not a one off.

*predicts another great response* *Self fulfilling prophecy....* For what it's worth I agree with the sentiment, but for many the amount of money invested in the team this year indicates that survival was a minimum expectation. It would be a worry to see what relegation could do to us....

Talking sense is under-rated. Keep it up!

Yes, Zlatan just showed them how to make a reliable delivery, made them look bad.

Pre-emptive payment for song 20,001, I bet.....

And the free kick!! Placed it on a postage stamp....

Three photos in one, surely.

Sh*t clearance, but holy hell, that finish, that phenomenal finish.

Ibrahimovic Hat-trick. 3-2. Probably the best performance a mass English audience has ever seen him produce.

I'm sure I would have back in the day, but now......?

How many caps now? (Awaits Swedish David....) The crosses for the goals where good, and the finishes. Still a little loose at the back but after half time we looked capable.

1. Get 'nom'ed. 2. 'Nom' everyone else. 3. Do not get cured and therefore no guilt, just pure Zombie mong state forever. (Like the mindset of a tech fanboy, but more blood and 'nom'ing.)

Getting ready to indiscriminately unload his sack everywhere?

England are playing just like Saints. No final ball and sh*t at the back.