Matthew Le God

Sunderland have made 9 changes. #safc team to play @SouthamptonFC: Ustari, Celustka, Dossena, O'Shea ©, Vergini, Cattermole, Larsson, Giaccherini, Gardner, Scocco, Borini #safc subs: Ki, Wickham, Colback, Mannone, Alonso, Roberge, Mavrias.

Isn't that for non EU players though? Australians, Indians, South Africans etc

Its more significant than a mere name change, the proposal is also to change the player eligibility rules raising it to under 23's, plus attempts to try and commercialise it more and have more games at the main stadium.

I don't recall seeing one for Lovren, but that one is only a matter of time.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/southampton-fighting-keep-jose-fonte-2838721

Would EU employment law allow the PL to create such a rule?

Odd stat to use, he was only on the pitch for about 50 minutes out of roughly 190 in those two games.

Williamson doesn't really count as an academy product, he joined aged 18. Poke is a Saints academy graduate keeper playing league football (for Torquay United).

Stop stealing my material!

http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?49050-Jose-Fonte-s-Leg#.UvvTjHl8bR4

He was in his 20's when he joined Saints and so didn't come through our academy. I guess you meant...

Yep, he should be in Nick's team instead of Oliver Lancashire.

I'd have Ward-Prowse over Gillett and Gallagher over McGoldrick.

Cody Cropper doesn't count as he joined Saints aged 19.

What is your source for this?

Premier League appearances by English under 25 players this season... Roy Hodgson should get a season ticket at St Mary's rather than going to Chelsea and Man City games.

I hope you aren't being serious, Lovren is significantly better than both of them. As soon as he is fit he'll replace Yoshida.

Pompey attendances vs Stoke City at Fratton Park in the Premier League... 2009/10 = 17,208 which would equal 53% of the capacity of St Mary's 2008/09 = 19,248 which would equal 59% of the capacity of St Mary's Pompey couldn't even sellout a 21,000 seater stadium vs Stoke City, let alone trying to sellout a 32,000 seater stadium. It really is tinpot Skate journalism at its best (worst).

Stoke also left circa 2,200 empty seats in the away end. Had Stoke filled the away end the attendances would have been over 30k and Pompey fans wouldn't have even noticed. The article also overlooks Saints fans had to pay between £32 and £44 for a tickets vs Stoke City, compare that to Fratton Park this season. Is 27k home fans for a game vs Stoke at those prices really something to be mocked? Especially when Pompey couldn't sellout a 21k stadium in the two Premier League games they had at Fratton Park vs. Stoke.

Then you are a fool and/or windup merchant as has been said on a number of occasions when you bring this tripe up time after time after time after time after time after time. The team in 18th place has 23 points from 25 games, only 13 games remain. It would take a remarkable shift in form from the leagues bottom half teams and a downturn from the top half teams in order for the teams from 10th to 18th (or 19th and 20th) to get 40 points and leave Saints relegated. We are safe already ffs!

Why on earth would Saints want to buy a 31 year old central midfielder like Steve Sidwell in the summer? We already have Schneiderlin, Ward-Prowse, Cork, Wanyama, Reed, Davis and even Ramirez to play in central midfield. Apart from Davis, they are all 24 or under and have promising futures. The same can't be said of Sidwell.

Tom Coull‏@Tom_SFCMedia Blizzard like conditions in Hull this morning. Snow is hammering it down.