trousers

The answer is: (b) preparing for L1

Indeed. It was "perfectly normal" to some people. What do they know? Pah.

July 2008.... http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/search/?mode=movenav&page_id=10350 Nathan Dyer has revealed the club's new coaching set-up was the key factor in his decision to sign a new contract. The England Under 19 international had been stalling on a new deal while he waited to assess the recent changes at the club. But the pacy winger is delighted with what he has seen from Jan Poortvliet and his coaching team and he is hugely excited about the new campaign. He said: "I never wanted to leave the club but I had to make sure it was right to stay. "I am only 20 but already I have had a lot of managers and a lot of chairmen and I wanted to make sure the set-up was right. "Rupert Lowe has come back as chairman and I like what he has had to say about the club and the way he wants to take it forward. "The philosophy of exciting attacking football with young players will suit me and I am really looking forward to being involved. "I needed to see what the new manager was all about and what style he wanted to play and I have been very impressed by what I have seen. "It all looks very exciting. He wants to play with wingers and with young players and he wants to play fast, exciting and attacking football. "That is ideal for me and the future is really bright so I am delighted to be part of it. "I never said I did not want to stay here but with so many changes I had to be sure it was right and that is why it has taken a while to get it all sorted. "But I am delighted it has all been done and now I can focus on preparing for the new season and trying to win back my place. "That won't be easy because there is a lot of competition with Lee Holmes coming in and Bradley doing well on the right and other young players coming through too. "But that can only be good for the club and I am very excited about the way things are shaping up." http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/search/?mode=movenav&page_id=10349 Nathan Dyer has settled his uncertain future by signing a new contract with Saints. The exciting winger has put pen to paper on a three-year deal keeping him at St Mary's until 2011. The England Under 19 international had been training apart from the first-team squad while his contract situation was resolved. But now he is back in the fold and setting his sights on regaining his first-team place in Jan Poortvliet's exciting set-up. He said: "I am delighted to have got it all resolved and to have signed. I never wanted to leave the club, it was just a question of getting it all settled. "Now I have to try and win back my place because Bradley Wright-Phillips has been playing well on the right and scoring goals and Lee Holmes looks a very good player. "It will not be easy to force my way back in but I will be working hard in training and in games to try and force my way back in." Poortvliet added: "I am delighted Nathan has signed because he is a very talented player who can take people on and make things happen. "He likes to run with the ball and has great pace and he will be a great asset for us this season." Plc chairman Rupert Lowe said: "I am very pleased Nathan has signed for another three years and that he clearly believes in what we are trying to achieve. "He is quick, attack-minded and talented and he fits right in with the way we want to play fast, attacking football with young players coming through."

Someone phone up Barclays (Reading Branch) to find out WTF is going on.... Can anyone out there do a decent Rupert impression over the phone?

So that's why he didn't report back for training straight away....

Are you saying the use of idioms went out with the Ark?

Your transfer window predictions for Saints? Barclays get twitchier

Chelsea defender Jack Cork, whose loan spell with Southampton expired on December 31st, has joined Watford on loan until the end of the season. Saints were keen to extend Cork's loan, following the 19-year old's valuable contribution to the first half of the campaign at St. Mary's, but Cork's desire to work again with Watford boss Brendan Rodgers appears to have swung his decision. Prior to his appointment as Hornets boss at the end of November, Rodgers was in charge of the Reserves at Chelsea, and played a key part in Cork's development as he rose through the Youth team ranks at Stamford Bridge. Since becoming manager at Vicarage Road he has already acquired the services of another Chelsea youngster, Liam Bridcutt, and now adds the England Under-21 international to his squad ahead of their weekend FA Cup tie against another of Cork's former loan sides S****horpe United. Chelsea have now confirmed the terms of the loan and it has now been announced by both Clubs. http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/articles/article.php?page_id=11163

Some mixed views on this Man Utd message board: http://community.manutd.com/forums/t/29443.aspx Several posters seem to believe that Ferguson will stick with his '2nd team' policy against Derby in the Carling Cup and take a relatively strong 'preparation for Chelsea' squad to SMS.... Baton down the hatches!

Metaphorically or literally?

+1 You can just see it happening....

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/search/?mo...&page_id=11152 "Head coach Jan Poortvliet is pleased with the level of competition for places in his squad ahead of the expiry date of a number of loan players at the club. "We will see on the 1st January what the situation is with the loan deals," he said. Reading defender Alex Pearce has already extended his stay at St. Mary's by a further month, but there may be further movement in and out with Chelsea player Jack Cork's future high on the Dutchman's list of priorities. "As far as I know, we want to keep Jack and Jack wants to stay here," he stated. "He feels comfortable and likes it here and we hope that he stays". Dear Jan, Probably best to keep shtum the next time the OS come knocking for an interview. Regards, Trousers

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/search/?mode=movenav&page_id=11152 "Head coach Jan Poortvliet is pleased with the level of competition for places in his squad ahead of the expiry date of a number of loan players at the club. "We will see on the 1st January what the situation is with the loan deals," he said. Reading defender Alex Pearce has already extended his stay at St. Mary's by a further month, but there may be further movement in and out with Chelsea player Jack Cork's future high on the Dutchman's list of priorities. "As far as I know, we want to keep Jack and Jack wants to stay here," he stated. "He feels comfortable and likes it here and we hope that he stays". Dear Jan, Probably best to keep shtum the next time the OS come knocking for an interview. Regards, Trousers

..

We must be closer to administration than even us pessimists ever imagined....

That's what I do. It warms you up on a cold day and is perfectly legal too. The smell can also mask the whiff of smoke from the surreptitious smokers. Everyone's a winner.

Or simply check out people's lungs via one on those x-ray machine gizmos....

Lee Molyneux Profile Born: 24/02/1989 Nationality: English Position: Defender A left-sided fullback, Lee has also played in midfield. He is something of a set-piece specialist and proved it by netting a superb direct free-kick against Liverpool’s reserves last season. A naturally attacking player, Lee uses his pace to great effect to trouble the opposition. He has featured for England under 18s in the past. Molyneux was involved in the first-teams friendly at FC Sion in July 2008.

You said it....

http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=5998

Or the new pope is a Saint.....?

Time for a Lallana or Surman deal with Fulham with Baird coming the other way....