Professor

For anyone who complained about the OS in the past, it seems to be trawling new depths. This headline was not only a cynical abuse of fans current worries about the thin squad, it also shows a complete lack of understanding of the depth of fan's loyalty. This comes just as the OS is recycling old stories to fill in space and fails to give early information on current news, such as Dean Wilkins appointment being on Solent before it is on the OS. For thsoe who wanted to see a clear out of the old regime, I'd have to agree that a new broom on the OS would be a good idea.

There are 5 LG1 matches up to 31 Aug, so 15 points available but only 2 are home games. The squad is weaker than it was last year, and unless Rasiak fails to find a club, the ability to score goals looks woefully weak. Assuming there will be some signings, they will still be settling in during August, having had no pre-season with us. It looks very unlikely that the -10 will have been cleared by 1st Sept and my prediction is that we might make it to -5. If so, thats not play-off form, and if its less, it will be relegation form. I'm usually optimistic every August, but not this year. Boyed up by the club being saved from extinction, an 'easier' league to play-in, the financial situation turned round, all should make for a hopeful start, but instead I'm very pessimistic. Can anyone cheer me up or do others feel the same?

So CS would like them to sack all the stewards, admin staff, gate people, catering, shop.......Oh, and then there are those players that signed under Lowe or Wilde. Lucky that 'fans' don't run football clubs.

There never were any shares sold in SFC. The club was fully owned by SLH and is now fully owned by a company controlled by Marcus Leibherr. It was only ever SLH shares that were traded and that company is being wound up, or has already been, as the last act of the administrators.

Agree with labibs - lets see Saga and Rasiak out of the door with Stern. None of them are remotely interested in Saints, whereas AP should be able to find some promising talent and the clearout will free up some wages budget.

It is a big worry that despite AP's time on the phone keeping him from the training ground, we still have had about 12 players leave and only 2 (if you county Murty) coming in. Rasiak and Saga leaving look certainties so if Stern goes as well, will there even be enough strikers to put out a half-decent side against Millwall? Things need to move v v v fast or we'll have a typical Saints start to the season and be deeper than ever in relegation mire given the -10 start. My optimism is being tested.

Saints for me. I have very little interest in the England team since MLT was treated so badly and because Engalnd has become a media-hyped side. Maybe its because a lot of people would enjoy seeing England beaten by any of the other home nations, that this could be why they avoid playing them.

'Fraid the mention of "Skate" tends to imply an obsession with our neighbours or even an inferiority complex, which Saints fans as a whole don't have. It needs that line changed.

CSABA LASZLO No wonder Hearts are struggling, their manager Csaba Laszlo is ouit of date. He is quoted as saying his team shouldn't have lost to Saints, not just because they in the third tier of English football, but because they are a club with a lot of problems off the pitch. Need to catch up Csaba, or get someone to read the papers to you.

Report in Scotland on Sunday: Southampton 3 - 0 Hearts: Hearts left floundering as Saints go marching in: THREE well-executed goals exemplified the clinical ability of Alan Pardew's Southampton as they dispensed with Hearts in a pre-season friendly of few clear chances. Full report at; http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Southampton-3--0-Hearts.5494301.jp

Radio Solent would be better than nothing, as the service is a real lifeline, not just for people not at a home game, or living too far away, but also for away games. Solent often split their service to cover Peemouth and Beemouth, so how would they handle that, or will they do a separate service thorugh the OS. Lots of issues.

Derry, come back and post again.......... Your last effort was only a half-hearted climb down!

Pardew was quite clear about Rasiak leaving if a club comes in with an acceptable offer. That has be reconciled with Pardew's statement that he'd like Rasiak to stay, so it looks as if its the decision of the player that he wants to go.

Very true. Crouch has been totally supportive throughout. Its a shame he wasn't very effective as a chairman, but given the state of the club's finances at the time, no one could have done anything other than a massive cut in costs, which ultimately made relegation from the CCC inevitable. If Crouch did put substantial amounts of his own money in, as is suggested, he deserves recognition for helping get the club through the most difficult period in its history.

Contrary to what some people seem to think, SFC is NOT the 4th richest club in the land, or anything like it. Having a wealthy owner does not mean that the owner will pour millions into the football club. There will be a budget and the manager will have been given a strategy, which will include living within the club's income. If money is put into a transfer kitty you can be sure it will be carefully managed. ML did not get where he is today by allowing the managers of any of his businesses to spend the owner's money like water. That AP does not have to sell in order to fund the team is already a major step forward, and he will have to incur the cost of wages for signings he makes, but everything said so far suggests that to actually pay a fee is another step change that is not yet sanctioned.

This thread was opened to talk about Matt as a footballer, but its also worth taking a moment to think about how he might be feeling today. Glad, I should think, that Saints have been rescued, but a couple of weeks ago Matt was looking at the prospect of being Club Chairman. Now he seems to be out in the cold and perhaps he was taken in by a group of fantasists. I'd like to see the new regime making an offer to him in whatever role he feels he could fulfil, and not just as a greeter for corporate hospitality. Has anyone heard any whispers?

SFC was bought from SLH Ltd but SLH is still in administration and the Administrators have to distribute the money raised before they then wind up SLH. If the buyer of the football club immediately starts throwing money around, that will suggest to the creditors that £20m or £30m could have been raised from the sale instead of the £12m - £14m that is speculated. It may even be part of the deal that new investment is limited until the SLH winding up is complete and a decent period has passed. Pardew clearly knows his job, but despite the well-meant advice on here, we should keep in mind that its being offered by people who don't know the facts under which he is working.

At the moment it does look like two seasons. This squad wasn't good enough last year, and is weaker now. After two years of losing more games than winning, they aren't going out there to suddenly wipe the floor with every side they play, even with a few new faces. Pardew is saying he must look at free transfers and try to improve the players he has and the way the team plays. That looks like a consolidation policy, and probably Marcus cannot splash the cash without upsetting the former creditors who may not have been fully paid.

Euell was already a failure before he came to Saints, ex striker trying to extend his career in midfield and already dropped by Middlesborough when Burley signed him. AP doing the right thing already by clearing out the dead wood, and expect more to go. Of course it is alarming that Pardew still hasn't signed anyone, he's been in the job for 24 hours now so just what is he doing....... As for the left, right and centre, wasn't that whilst in Administration and done to keep the club in existence until the take-over......

Mid July and not match fit - disgraceful.

The Star has only mentioned SJ and JE because they are the only two players in the squad with any name recognition factor for the people who read their comic. "Read!" What am I saying! Pardew mentioned no players at all and since he doesn't start work until Monday, he wouldn't. AP is a high profile manager with name the tabloids recognise, so we might get to see a bit more about Saints in the press, but it doesn't mean anything written is remotely accurate.

If the manager was to say that he planned to replace half the squad, he would hardly be able to keep the loyalty of any of the current players, who would all feel under threat, but nothing should be read into the term "one or two" as it could be any number.

If we do reach the play-offs despite the -10, we should win through. But its a long road....

The current squad is weaker than the team that achieved relegation last year so as people have said on here, its all down to the signings. I'd only give first choice places to about four or five of the current squad so for me, we need seven or eight players in, and a few more to leave. If AP does build a team capable of automatic promotion, the minus 10 would still leave us in a play-off place and if they achieve that despite the points handicap, that team should win through, but AP has to move quickly to shape his squad.

Almost unstinted praise by Alpine standards, but having just spent two weeks in the Swiss Alps, the altitude and lower Oxygen levels do affect the head, although it doesn't seem to have been a problem for Marcus, or any of the Liebherr family. Re the comment that Alan Pardew 'seems like a middle term appointment', that is actually what the announcement says, as it is for an initial period of 3 seasons. That looks like the perfect compromise between long-term commitment, short term stability, and incentive to the manager. If he gets us two promotions in 3 years, he'll be close to God in Hampshire, but even if it takes a little longer it looks an excellent decision. We now have a capable manager who will give the club some deserved profile amongst the media and who has shown he has what it takes to build a successful side.