Professor

Wonder if Peter needs help going to the toilet......

As Stevegrant Administrator said the other day, any attempt at a financial level playing field would be very complex as it means defining income and expenditure. So is a worthwhile objective achievable if the obstacles are simply too great? A club that brings on a Walcott or a Bale gets a massive cash boost, as do clubs getting parachute payments, which are virtually designed to be unfair to the rest of the Championship clubs. All seems to point to the salary cap - not a cap per player but a cap per club - as being the most transparent means of putting all clubs on a level playing field.

Thing is - can you belive something just because it's on the OS. Try:- http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Category:1987_births&from=S&pagefrom=Spiller%2C+C.J.%0AC.+J.+Spiller and:- http://www.worldfootball.net/spieler_profil/dale-stephens/ and:- http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/droylsden/7010173.stm Dale played for North Walkden FC in Manchester from where he signed pro with Bury in Feb 2007. According to the BBC web page he was 19 years old when he went on loan to Droylesden FC in Sept 2007, making Dec 2007 his 20th birthday and meaning that he would be 23 now. Maybe someone confused his birth year of 1987 at some point by incorrecting showing it as 1989 and the mistake has been carried on ever since. So is he really 21? We should be told!!

Can we clear up a couple of questions about Dale: 1. He is constantly referred to as being 21 (birthday is in December) so that would make his birth year 1989, but it appears that he was actually born in 1987 and is 23, not 21. Anyone any confirmation if this is right? The two years from 21 to 23 could reflect quiite a difference in a player's football development and his value, so getting this factually correct would help fans make their judgement. 2. There are reports about competition for Dale's signature from Everton, Leeds and Bolton, which may be true, or may be Oldham talking the player up to boost his value but for someone playing in L2 last season, Dale has made good progess to get into the Saints side that did so well in April. Is he good enough for the NpC so should Saints be signing him?

Just glad that unlike last year, there's no football this summer, meaning I can actually enjoy the whole summer. Time on the beach and in the hills of the new South Downs National Park, until 6th August, that is.

This appointment really does look very special, and even if Friis-Hansen does not get the job after going public, if this post is being created that would be very good news in itself, almost regardless of who gets the job as long as the person has the right credentials. Its the determination to start looking for players who would be the basis of a PL side that looks exciting because despite our present squad having some very good players, the gap to the PL is shown every year by the player changes that clubs going up or down have to make. Cortese may decide that the interview, despite being in Danish, has pre-empted his announcement and he could decide not to appoint Mr Friis-Hansen, although I hope that is not the case as F-H looks ideal. Although people say that as well as some stars, he also found some less successful players for Liverpool, its not all down to him as any club, including Saints, has plenty of other people able to give second opinions about any player suggested to them. Hopefully, the lack of an OS announcement is caused by the trip to the USA, but if we haven't heard by the end of the week, it will start to look doubtful.

I'm very happy with the job that Adkins has done and the extended contract is well deserved but the hype over it comes straight out of the Alastair Campbell School of Journalism. As Brighton discovered the other week, if you over-egg the pudding, the egg can end up all over your face, but success for Adkins is success for all of us as fans, so there's nothing I want more than for Nigel to become a top man in the Prem as manager of the Saints. All the same, we shouldn't forget that when Pardew was sacked after 3 league games, following the 4-0 away win at Bristol Rovers, the team wasn't 'languishing' as Mr Sibley would have it. We did sink badly during the 'no-manager interregnum' but the transformation under Adkins has been achieved by the same team that Pardew built except for a couple of squad players on loan. The next test for Nigel is the additions to the team this summer, and how to intergrate two or three quality players who must inevitable push aside some established team members. It wouldn't surprise me if this two or three that have been mentioned become four or five as suggested in the Jacob Friis-Hansen interview, as NC and NA may be understating the changes so as not to upset too many of the present team while the end of season partying is still under way. A confident manager and team, with a few additions, could see us actually have a good start to a season for the first time in (almost) living memory! So, four and a half years - good decision.

They do say that if something looks too good to be true it probably....... Think I'll wait until this is announced on the OS, or Friis-Hansen's name gets added to the staff list before celebrating what would be a very positive move by the club.

As Matt had a prior engagement, an invite could only have been made in the expectation that he would have to decline, but if there is any bad feeling it should be put to rest, and the onus is really on the club to do that. A gesture of reconciliation would be the right thing for the club to do and they should be big enough to do that. If Matt turned it down it would be sad but it would mean the page would have to be turned.

Nigel Adkins has said that the team does not need wholesale changes for next season but that the club will bring in some quality. This does suggest one or two players who will be first choice selections, rather than squad players. Assuming two, for the moment, which positions should Adkins be looking at? CMF and CB, maybe?

Not sure how you 'aim for mid-table consolidation'. If the team has won too many games and is high in the table, do you start putting out a weaker side?

Surprised that Winchester can compete with the best parts of S****horpe. Hope Mrs A gets accustomed to the rough southern world.

Connolly has been a revelation and the last two games (Brentford and Plymouth) show just how good he is. Definitly still Prem quality, and people seem to forget that its not that he is prone to injury but that he was carrying an injury for a long time. His goal against Brentford was just amazing and very few players could have scored it. Against Plymouth, his passing showed his class and made two of the gaols. His strike that hit the the bar was amazing. No reflection on Barny, but Connolly should be ahead of him in the pecking order and it would be insane not to give him a contract extension.

Nigel has given us a fantastic run-in - just look at the last 14 games - (P14, W12, D1, L1). But like Doddisalegend I feel that with our squad this performance was what should be expected. I admit to feeling churlish by failing to give Adkins undiluted praise. Too often I feel we get a result because of the flair of individual players, rather than from playing as a team or the success of Nigel's tactics and I feel he has to change shape or change tactics too often. Others might say that is a strength, but I'm not so sure. A couple of my pals say that it is his interviews that make them cringe, and although I agree, I don't see his PR as being any reflection on his team management skills. So I'd say that although he's done an excellent job this season, it will take the close season squad changes and the first month or two in the NpC to convince me that Nigel is better than L1.

You can't pick the season for promotion, because it all depends on how other teams perform as well - eg Brighton and Huddersfield this year. The idea of a consolidation year and then a promotion year makes no sense at all - you go for promotion from the outset - and to avoid coming straight back down you do it by building a side that already contains players capable of playing in the Prem. We already have some so this close season is the time to bring in a few more. Its a cruel game, football, but sadly we need to say goodbye to some players who have done us proud this year but don't quite have the quality for the NpC, or are getting over the hill.

Was very pleased that Huddersfield beat Brighton on Saturday, when many fans were hoping for a Brighton win. Huddersfield gave us the chance to get very close to Brighton on points and to move our goal difference above Brighton's. I've been very disappointed in the attitude of Brighton and their fans towards Southampton but I put it down to small club mentality and a severe chip on the shoulder. Its good that we can now thrash them again next season and I hope Huddersfield are there to do the same. As for Bournemouth getting to the NpC.....No, I don't think so......

In this world of nightmare scenarios, we could win 1-0 today giving us a GD of +45 against Huddersfield's +29. We celebrate promotion. Then on Saturday, if Huddersfield have an amazing 10-0 win at Brentford it would take their GD to +39. If we were to lose at Walsall 6-0 our GD would fall to +39 and Huddersfield would go 2nd because they would have scored more goals overall. Ridiculous I know, but unless something is mathematically impossible it is possible, so what ever the result today, it looks like we will have to wait until the last day to be certain beyond any doubt, but the bigger the win today the better.

I'd like Huddersfield to win at Brighton and I expect them to win their last game at home to Brentford. That will put Huddersfield on 89 points. I'd like Brighton to follow up their defeat by Huddersfield by losing their last game away to Notts County. That would leave Brighton on 94 points. We only need to win 2 games out of 3 to get the 89 points that make promotion certain but wouldn't it be great to win all three and finish on 92 points. These results would have us just 2 points below Brighton and 3 clear of Huddersfield and a very satisfactory final table, given the poor start to the season.

Poyet could affect the Brighton-Huddersfiled result by playing a weakened side but he can't tell players to throw a game, or even not to try too hard. Whoever he selects, his team will go out to win, and if the Albion fans thought the manager or the team were not trying to win against Huddersfield, they'd feel insulted. But its not going to happen, for Poyet and Brighton, the Saints game is over, it makes no difference to them who goes up with them and they will not want another home defeat. But Huddersfield could be too good for them so get ready for the conspiracy theories if Udders do win it. As for Saints, of course we don't care if we get promoted because of another team's failure but trheree wiull be more pride in doing it ourselves without any help from Brighton. Two wins out of three, please.

If you saw Connolly's interview after the game at Withdean, he's confident enough about his fitness and being free of injury. If Barnard was available, Nigel would be playing him so he should just play Connolly in his place, its a simple as that! I'd rest Jaidi and bring Seaborne into the defence with Guly, Chaplow, Hammond and Forte in midfield. Gobern, I think is not quite up to this level.

Very well said. I listened to Radio Sussex after the game and the same boorish and offensive attitude was showing on there as well, as if the BBC Sussex staff know they have to sink down to the same low level. Insults on the front of the Programme and insults shouted at the away team manager are not the way any club should welcome its opponents to its home ground. The Brighton problem probably stems from a long-held inferiority complex, dating back at least to the 1960s. They almost went out of the football league while Saints were in the top flight but its time they got over it. As it is, Saints have denied them the bragging rights.

Its pointless thinking what Huddersfield might do. SFC only has any control over what the Saint's team can do, and even that control is limited as shown by injuries which are outside of anyone's control and occasional inconsistencies of individual players, such as Chaplow's dip in form since January and Ging Gang's percentage of bad misses against well-taken goals (or more accurately the other way round). 1 draw or defeat is OK, but 2 draws are not. As it stands, 2 draws would hand the initiative to Huddersfield. Even a draw against Brighton is not a good result as we would still need to win the other 4 games to be certain of 2nd place. There are times when a team goes into a game with avoiding defeat as a higher priority than trying to win, but there is nothing to be gained by that at Brighton and I'm sure Adkins will be telling the players they have to go all out for the win. Obviously we can go up automatically if Huddersfield (and Peterborough) start dropping points but that is not a calculation worth making.

If Saints don't win on Saturday they could be back to 3rd, so this has to be must win game like all the rest to May 7. Its going to be tough with a make-shift midfield but all the more credit to the team if they can do it. No one should count on Huddersfield dropping points and although its true Saints can afford one loss game it will be very difficult if they lose this week as that would leave them needing to win all the rest to be sure of second, or hoping for a Huddersfield slip. With Connolly in for Barnard and a solid back line, I expect The Albion to find Saints in a different class to some of their recent opponents and too good for them, even if Lallana is still out.

IF we go up, and IF the plan as stated, is to be a force in the NpC from the outset, how many of the current squad would be first choice in the Championship side? Davis, Richardson, Fonte, Dickson, Schneiderlin, Chamberlain, Lambert, Barnard? Anyone else? Is there another Academy product of the Walcott/Bale/Chamberlain quality to add to the list? How many quality signings are needed? Three, Four, Five? If the ultimate 5 year aim (4 years now) is a team for the top half of the Prem, it's going to need a lot of investment not just to get to the top of the Chamionship, but to avoid being just another yo-yo club.

What made that goal remarkable was that Matt had his back to the goal when he took the shot. I remember e-mailing the BBC becasue they had already had the Goal of the Season competition before that game was played, so Matt's goal wasn't included and they had the nerve to come back saying they didn't think it would have changed the competition result if it had been included. Still typical of BBC producers - never to admit when they get something wrong.