Matthew Le God

Thats a little harsh Dune, they did put a roof on the the away end with their 7 years (11 years if you include 4 years of parachute payments) of Premier League money.

He went into the crowd after he scored the second goal, the video cuts away beforehand so you don't see it. By the letter of the law the ref was right.

I'm sure they did, but whose to say Saints can't spend big on wages and transfers? They are spending alot at the moment on wages in comparison with other Championship clubs and even some Premier League clubs when you take into account they are currently without Premier League TV money and sources of income. Saints had a £12m wage bill in its first season in League One funded by the Liebherr's, that is huge when you bear in mind it isn't subsidised by Premier League income. Also that first season saw Saints as a League One club as the 11th highest net spenders on transfers in English football, again whilst not subsided by a Premier League income.

Ahhhh so as I expected, their net spend was actually a lot lower than the figures you stated. Not sure how that helps your argument...

Who did they buy for that £48m? Who did they sell? What was their net spend in that period of 3 to 5 years?

No it isn't, was very relevant.

There is no real evidence in the public domain of that at all. It would be more valuable established in the top flight rather than the summer period between promotion and its first season back in the top flight. What makes you think the Liebherr's are in this for financial reward? There are easier less risky ways they could invest that in football. Why would they sell when it goes against the wishes of their late husband/father who wanted to see Saints competing in the Premier League. This is a long term project for Liebherr's/Cortese, along with Staplewood Cortese has also talked of their plans for expanding St Mary's or relocating they wouldn't have bothered with that if they were planning to leave 3 years after taking over. Why would those connected to Southampton and their fans be happy if the Liebherr's/Cortese left? Why would you be happy?

That isn't that big really compared against clubs they were competing against at the top when you consider the income from merely being in the Premier League.

Saints have an owner whose family business philosophy is not to accrue any external debt, have ambitions of upper Premier League finishes and have a net worth far beyond that of Randy Lerner as resources to meet those ambitions. I wouldn't dimiss Saints in the top 6 quite as quickly as Turkish and Sour Mash do. Even Bolton finished in the top 6 as recently as 2005.

Aston Villa 2009/10 6th 2008/09 6th 2007/08 6th They didn't spend a huge amount considering the TV income and other Premier League revenue streams they got. Good management from O'Neil and sound infrastructure took them a long way. Aston Villa average attendance in 2011/12 = 34,137 which is barely more than Saints had at St Mary's between 2001 and 2005 for mid table finishes in a 32k stadium.

Look how little newly promoted Swansea have spent. Their first XI that beat Man City cost £7m and they are 8th in the Premier League in late March, a mere 3 points behind Dalglish's Liverpool with King Kenny having spent £140m on fees since his return. Good management, strong infrastructure and careful spending can go a long way. Saints have a richer backer than Swansea, larger fanbase, larger stadium, better infrastructure at training ground and one of the best academies in the country. Cortese and the Liebherr's are putting everything in place that will allow it to compete at a high level, something it has never been able to do before in its 126 year history. As I said earlier, some Saints supporters are going to need a change in mindset in the coming years (you being a prime example). Even under Rupert Lowe and his lack of investment, Saints were able to finish 8th and reach a major cup final in 2003. Compare Liebherr/Cortese and what they have done already with the lack of investment from Rupert Lowe.

Well it is a daft question, so that is probably why I haven't answered it before. Why have you put a 2 year limit on it? Why "top 5"? Why do you think can you only be successful if you spend huge amounts on transfer fees?

A tour of Cobham Training Ground with Graeme Le Saux... http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2xx87_chelsea-training-centre-in-cobham_sport Staplewood is having many of the same features and as the opening post of this thread states, it is possibly to a higher spec. Cortese/Liebherr's aren't building Staplewood and the academy to merely be a mid table or bottom half Premier League team, if that were the case they wouldn't be spending as much on this as they are. Cortese resubmitted plans after Liebherr's death that were 3 times that of the original training ground development. This is costing a lot of money. They really want to compete at a high level in the Premier League! The club and some of the fans need a change of mindset, they have big ambitions for the club for the first time in its 126 year history and the resources to match those ambitions it seems.

35 years in the top flight. 1966 to 1974 and 1978 to 2005

Have to go back to 1960 for that. Was 1983/84 that Saints came 2nd in the 1st tier. They were in the Football League in the 1950's and 1960's. Joined the Football League in 1920. Saints Southern League titles are all from the 1890's to the very early 1900's.

I already do...

So you don't know then. Helpful I think he was hinting towards you reading this article... http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~2689911,00.html

Billy Sharp on Twitter... billy sharp ‏ @billysharp10 Just seen a donny fan walking the streets of southampton in a sharp 10 blue away shirt.wound my window down and high fived him. I would have loved to have seen that moment.

Main construction work started last month and announced on OS on 16th February... http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~2613018,00.html

Will be more than that. Over 29,000 home fans already have tickets, roughly 600 Doncaster fans and all sales between now and kickoff should see it close to sold out.

It has been that way since the fixture were announced in June 2011.

No.

I think all previous Championship games this season have been streamed live on BBC iplayer.

Schneiderlin is probably my favourite player at the moment, he is playing superbly well. Even more so than Lallana or Lambert. Might give him a big rise for FM13.