Neil

Looks like VA enjoyed their visit to Hampshire! And perhaps building up a head of steam for the new season, a raft of signings, pre-season wins, goals, etc. Wonder what level their pre-season opponents were at, other than Eastleigh who we know of course. Christophe - do you have any betting odds for Ligue 3 for this coming season?

Is there a live stream of Eastleigh-Saints? Looking forward to seeing who Saints have playing, even if a different XI for each half.

Guess our 2,482 allocation will soon be snapped up. (Tomorrow we're dropping the eligibility to ST w/ 13/12/11+ games) So no chance of getting to members. Popular trip, warmer time of year, relatively straightforward travel, decent city, pubs etc. Anyone getting tickets in the home Swansea areas, or have experience of doing this? It seems that Swansea are usually 2/3/4,000 under capacity.

Excellent - so up to 3,752 possible. Even if we sell half the further allocation we'll have over 3k there. Another win on Saturday would help.

5 different scorers in just 210' of the first two pre-season friendlies. Happy with that... (unless the Gills players played the whole 120' and were just knackered!)

I must admit this has really pissed me off. At a time when we seem to be (perhaps) finally starting to sort out the football side, this looks like rewarding Stephens for failure. It also smacks of a lack of ambition and can't be arsed to properly scout/sign alternative/better options. If we're promoted next season (big if) then we've got another dud on our hands in the Prem. Why would we not see if he can actually perform under the pressure of the final year of his contract? Rather than give him the complacency of a longer contract. There's little I've seen of Stephens to have any ability to learn/improve.

Re Membership: Reasonable to guess/assume that the following away games likely sell out to Season Ticket Holders: Ipswich, Watford, Bristol C, London games, Oxford, Norwich, Pompey, Swansea, Wrexham But members may get a chance for some midlands / northern trips? NB - Preston potentially popular & sold out to ST holders, as last day of season? Sheff U, Brum & Boro a bit less attractive trips due to the days and times?

Probably just waiting a few months for the (inevitable) play-off defeat now. This should be the end of the Martinball experiment. Do we get rid of him now or wait till May. Next season likely to be horrible on a Poortvliet / Wotte scale

As far as I can tell, this is the first real effort Saints have made in 23 years of SMS to do something that might actually improve the atmosphere/experience for home fans! The much quoted 'there's nothing we can do about the location of away fans' line was either bollocks or something has changed re: the police etc. Far too long we've given the away team a huge boost of vocal support near/behind the goal and always captured by the TV pictures. I've got a recurring nightmare of away fans celebrating another late equaliser/winner at that bloody end. I think it will be down to Saints fans to get behind this and try to get vocal types moving here and make this a proper end. I never felt the Milton was much of an end, the Bikeshed Archers was as good as it got and I felt made a big difference at times, especially in some crucial relegation battles. The ends at SMS have never really worked out properly, so this has to be worth a go.

As far as I can tell, this is the first real effort Saints have made in 23 years of SMS to do something that might actually improve the atmosphere/experience for home fans! The much quoted 'there's nothing we can do about the location of away fans' line was either bollocks or something has changed re: the police etc. Far too long we've given the away team a huge boost of vocal support near/behind the goal and always captured by the TV pictures. I've got a recurring nightmare of away fans celebrating another late equaliser/winner at that bloody end. I think it will be down to Saints fans to get behind this and try to get vocal types moving here and make this a proper end. I never felt the Milton was much of an end, the Bikeshed Archers was as good as it got and I felt made a big difference at times, especially in some crucial relegation battles. The ends at SMS have never really worked out properly, so this has to be worth a go.

Typical Ainsworth side and typical Martin side from the early exchanges. The pundit saying 'Southampton need to move the ball around quicker' may not know much about Russell Martin

Good to have another decent away following, esp as mentioned for a lunchtime tv game in the NE. The support so far this season has been pretty impressive, numerically and vocally. Which pubs are people heading to before/after?

I used to just find Redmond frustrating. Now I actually hate him.

Radio 5L commentator seemed a bit disappointed that Saints took the lead, judging by his quiet, understated reaction. By contrast he was shouting in apparent delight when Leicester equalised. Carney at least was more even-handed, but completely wrong on the big call.

Got an adult ticket available at face value. DM if interested. I'll be at the game so can meet there.