Professor

Of the 11 playing against Huddersfield, IMHO Perry and Wotton are no longer first choice standard, but James and Thompson, who covered one midfield slot between them are both still reserve standard. For me, the minimum need is the CB that Pardew is looking for, plus TWO quality players in midfield. Assuming either or both Rasiak and Saga go, then at least one more striker needed. Its a lot for the club to do in two weeks, but Pardew must already be looking at Charlton on plus 6 points and feeling just a bit concerned.

This has to be the way forward. On the OS Murty is quoted a saying about Huddersfield, "When you've got guys like they have in the side they're going to be a handful...". That seems to sum it up for Saints that we don't have enough good players of that kind. Although people are criticising quite a few of the team, and even complaining about some people who aren't in the side, the problem does seem to come down to a couple of the older players who are past their best and going downhill but they need replacing with genuine quality of the kind Murty is talking about.

Obvious reasons already well aired on here, but Cortese lives in Switzerlad and probably his family would like to see him occasionally. A director at board level to oversee the football side and manage the budget does not clash with the team manager's responsibilities. Another experienced individual working for the club is another indication of how committed Leibherr is to making a success of his ownership.

Sturrock was not sacked. Don't lets go back to the old habits of changing the facts in order to make a post.

In Wayne Thomas we already have £1m CB, and coming back after a year out injured, his return is the equivalent of a new signing. Thomas is aged 30, 14st and 6ft2 so a very dominant CB at the peak of his career. Perry, on the other hand is 36, 5ft9 and 11st. We do need another CB, not to raise the bar for Thomas but to pair with Wayne as the first choice pairing. Perry and Lancashire are the support.

He's on Nil per week at the moment and as he's 35 next month, it depends whether he is still training and how badly he want's another season before looking for some other role.

Just because he's played for Saints before, is not wanted by his current team and is desparately looking for work, are not really adequate reasons for signing JPS over any other CBs who might be available. I wouldn't put this in the 'exciting' category that Cortese and Pardew are looking for.

It was always a bit unfair to criticise the young players who came in last season when they were there out of necessity. Although the plan to use them didn't work and so the strategy can be criticised, the team is now benefiting from those players being a year older and with CCC experience. Lallana, Mills, James, White, etc., would all be less than the players they are now if they hadn't been in the first team last year. "Out of adversity comes opportunity" (Ben Franklin 1706 - 1790).

I used to live in New Milton and it was just OK, but I'm happy to tell Rasiak its Paradise on Earth if it keeps him here! He's probably got a nicer house than I had, anyway.....

Lets hope the paper does well. The national press behaves as if the public are suddenly interested in Burnley, Hull or Stoke because they have gone up a division, or that people lose their interest in Newcastle or WBA if they've gone down. Fact is people want to read about their own team, regardless of which league its playing in. It would be nice if the nationals gave balanced coverage to all football instead of fawning over the ones getting the TV money, so good luck to The League.

Out of 1,624 posts, how many were not about Lowe? The Mail obviously printed something that was untrue, and have been required to correct it (although the correction looks wrong as well) but its got no relevance to Saints now. Lowe did a lot of good for this club, despite the abuse heaped on him, and had Wilde not sided with the anti-brigade to oust him, history could have been different and we may never have sunk to Div1 or administration. On the other hand we would not now have Marcus or the bright looking future, so it has all worked out for the best. Time to put the past behind us.

Apologies if this link has been posted on any of the previous 8 pages, but who does this strike remind you of?

Almost 500 people on the site at this time (2pm) is more evidence - as if its needed - of the impact of this signing!

It was great to see MLT at the game, and if he was a bit naive to get involved with Pinnacle, its worth remembering that they dangled a huge carrot in front of him by offering him the chairmanship. The chapter makes no difference to Matt’s place as a Saints legend, or his current position as a huge supporter of the club. The people to criticise are those who dragged him into the affair for their own benefit.

IT will take 84 points to get to the play-offs because of the minus 10. Thats more than Birmingham got last year for automatic promotion. Simply not an achievable target.

Better than a defeat, not as good as a win. Now within 3 wins of the second to bottom club and a better goal difference!

Stockport are in Administration so as we well know, they are likely to be selling their best players. Pilkington could be one for the future, but Raynes appears to be injury prone. As its strikers we need, maybe Pardew will look at Peter Thompson. Prolific scorer in Irish football, didn't too much last season for Stockport and was out for half the season with a serious chest infection, but fit since April. At 25, may have the maturity AP is looking for.

So according to The Echo, the delay is not medical, but failure to agree terms. Hope its true that Pardew has other options as I don't like to think the club is being taken for a ride as per Stern John. Beginning to hope he doesn't sign as although, apart from age, he looks the right type of CB, its better to have players who are keen to play for us, rather than another journeyman.

Does this morning's trumpeting of Murty signing, after he's been around for 3 weeks, suggest that Jaidi might not have passed the medical, otherwise surely it would have been a double announcement? Murty will be a good aquisition but the need for a dominant CB is crucial.

John makes a fool of himself - or maybe he didn't notice that the club was in Administration. Truth is he knows perfectly well that the administrators could not offer him a contract. As for last season, the whole point was that the team had to be run at minimal cost so he also knows what the reasons were when he wasn't played. If he wasn't intending to stay, he should have told the new Manager as soon as he was appointed. But to try to make something of it now in the press just shows what depths some journeymen will sink to - presumable for a fee from the paper. Good riddance.

MLT was not "Used", he joined in the project, but it seems reasonable to assume he was taken in as well. Its probably just as well he didn't get the role of club chairman though, as Matt's skills on the football field may not be reflected in his management or business skills. No blame to him for that, but it does show that no one should assume that a football legend is automatically reliable at everything else. I expect Matt is more disappointed than the rest of us, as the vision of chairing his beloved club, and having it melt away, must be very sad.

Correct!

According to the Echo there is an offer for Rasiak, with AP saying the Club are currently deciding how to proceed. So perhaps it is the amount of Arse Kissing that is being worked on. With John having left against AP's expectation, maybe he is trying change Rasiak's mind, but it will take money money money to do that.

Sorry Sid, you are entitled to be optimistic and to disagree with the concerns being expressed, but a thread that has reached 3 pages in less than 24 hours and has over 2000 views can certainly not be called 'silly'. Someone else possibly trying to take us for mugs may be the club that has bid for Rasiak. AP confirms the offer in the Echo report but maybe they think they can get can get him on the cheap because of the statements that he will leave if someone comes in for him.

But - - was this just put out today to cover the fact that there were no new signings.....