Matthew Le God

No it isn't. 2015/16 Gap from Saints to 4th place = 3 points Gap from Arsenal to Leicester = 10 points Saints were 1 win in a 38 game season away from being level on points with 4th place. If you finish a 38 game season 1 win away from being level on points for a position... then you were clearly contenders for it!

If you end the season only 3 points away from 4th, then I don't see how anyone can say they aren't contenders. 2014/15 - 7th 10 points away from 4th 2015/16 - 6th 3 points away from 4th Cortese was not at the club for either of those seasons.

We were contenders for the top 4 in the 2015/16 season. Finishing 6th and only 3 points away from 4th place. Cortese left in January 2014

For what exactly?

The mention of Bednarek by Hughes is for a continuation of the 3-centre back system we used vs Arsenal. So it would be Hoedt, Yoshida and Bednarek. Not Yoshida missing out.

Club says they want to score more goals after relegation. Hardly groundbreaking stuff! http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43737853

That is extremely unlikely.

An England captain with 84 caps and played for Chelsea, Manchester Utd and AC Milan. Who was he underrated by?

When would you have scheduled the Swansea and Leicester games for then?

The opening post and my initial post was about the overall squad value being close to £100m, not how much we could raise this summer. Obviously the season has been poor, but I think we have a lot of underperforming players who would still retain huge value. The average value per player would be a lot higher than the £4m the opening post suggests, I don't see how it is unreasonable to suggest that.

Nope I think you are. 1) Have players that haven't played higher than the Championship been sold for £15m? 2) Did relegated Sunderland sell their keeper for £30m? His value didn't collapse due to his team being relegated. A £100m valuation equals an average value for a squad of 25 players at £4m. That is ridiculous if you think pretty much any 1st team Saints player is worth £4m, let alone the average being £4m. Our loaned out young players like Gallagher and Reed would likely fetch more than £4m if sold, let alone the current first team squad.

It is significantly more than £100m. Some people on this forum underestimate the current crazy transfer market, players who have only ever played in the Championship are being sold for £15m. If relegation happens it doesn't mean player value falls off a cliff, Sunderland were relegated last season and got £30m for their keeper last summer!

Reed & Krueger were running the show when van Dijk and Koeman joined.

I'd say Pardew failed with Saints in 2009/10. Sure winning the JPT was nice, but it is the league that matters. Pardew managed a League One team with Lambert, Lallana, Schneiderlin, Fonte, Puncheon, Antonio etc and finished 7th and only got enough points if you add the 10 point deduction back on for 5th place. Even with the 10 point deduction Saints with that squad really should have made the playoffs, Leeds managed to get in the League 1 playoffs with a -15 point deduction 2 years earlier so it is possible.

You are significantly undervaluing them in the current tranfer market. There is little incentive for Saints to sell Lemina at a loss or Bertrand for only £18m.

Saints legend sure, but he is completely out of touch with modern football.

No it didn't... they lost 3-0 to Burnley with a toxic atmosphere. The anger aimed at Sullivan and Gold in their last game has no part in why they are beating us today.. those same West Ham fans still hate their board/owners. Roger was suggesting Saints fans should protest to force the board out, but that rarely if ever works and doesn't help the team mid season.

Can you talk me through what exactly a protest about the board would realistically achieve, apart from a toxic atmosphere at St Mary's?

Not just 442... it seems he has combined it with instructions for long aimless balls no one can reach.

What do you mean "if true"? That Jeremy Moulton is "leading a campaign to build a train station at St Mary's"?

Playing Devil's advocate... 1) it is tasteful 2) it is unique in English professional football and sets us apart from Stoke, Sunderland, Sheff Utd, Exeter, Brentford etc 3) you can't get more traditional than your first ever kit So what? Do you not think the club was formed in 1885?

On what is that claim based?

...so clearly it can't all be going to Gao or loans never to be seen again... or else we couldn't pay the £87m annual wage bill

A huge % of the TV money is going to the £87m wage bill and other costs each year. It isn't all paying off loans.

Amazing how so many Pompey fans are that out of touch with top flight football they haven't realised it hasn't been called the Premiership since 2007! 11 years ago! As for your question... well you made the claim so the burden of proof is on you to provide the evidence! I have a feeling you are jumping to the conclusion you want with little in the way of conclusive evidence.