Matthew Le God

Dan Harding and Kelvin Davis were sat close to me and there were two scouts from Cardiff City sat behind me making notes throughout. Listening to their discussion they were extremely impressed with Saints, as you would expect really given the scoreline and one sided nature of the game.

Just got back, had to walk so got soaked. What an amazing performance that was! All those that didn't go missed a great game. Quality all throughout the side against a Sheffield United side that were finalists in this competition last season. Joe Curtis playing as a second striker was everywhere, Jake Sinclair with his pace caused panic all through the game, James Ward-Prowse and Corby Moore controlled the midfield and Ward-Prowse's goal was superb. I could list them all really. Cortese's dream of 8 academy players in the first team XI in the Premier League may not be as unbelievable as it seems...!

Or another way of looking at it would be a day less to recover from the Palace game and prepare the Bristol City game.

Well that certainly isn't how I set it in the database, nor how it is in the PC/Mac version. I imagine there will be limited Twitter coverage and brief highlights on Saints Player soon after.

Those 20,000 aren't going to be drunk and most will head straight home after the game. Unlike those out on Saturday evening.

How much do you have? How much were you expecting?

Anyone else going to it? A very cheap, Saints related, evenings entertainment!

Police advise. Hampshire Constabulary didn't want to deal with that game plus New Year's Eve revellers on the same night.

Should be a good evening against last season's finalists, lots of very promising players in Jason Dodd's under 18 squad. Pay on the turnstile, unreserved seating in the Itchen stand. £5 for adults £3 for concessions

Not that cursed...! 1st January to December 26th (and possibly to the 31st December) 2011 not a single league defeat at St Mary's.

So you think in the next 25 games it will see something like... Played 25 Won 3 Draw 4 Lost 18 ??? As that is what it would take to have come 17th last season when you consider the points we have already. ffs Dalek! Either you are insane or on a pointless long term wind up (or both)!

For once I agree with CB Fry. Also Dalek has never commented on this... - Last season the 17th placed team had 56 points from 46 games. - Saints currently have 43 points from 21 games Dalek2003, do you really believe Saints won't be able to get more than 13 points from the next 75 available in the remaining 25 games? Saints didn't need to spend huge amounts in the summer as the squad was largely already in place. This has been shown to be correct given Saints are top of the league and top scorers in the League so far. Yes, one or two signing would be nice in January just to make sure, but the squad is already very good within the Championship.

They would have to win by 6 goals at home to Barnsley to overtake Saints before we play Pompey next Sunday.

3-0 and down to 9 men!

West Ham down to 9 men!

I agree, it does sound like he is implying another club. But it is Barraclough saying it, not the journalist.

St Mary's sold out recently for a game in the Championship. It was an an all time club record crowd! Do you not consider that relevant? A game in the Premier League against a number of clubs is more appealing than a Championship game with 22 Championship players on a Tuesday, Champions League evening. Yes, West Ham in a top of the 2nd tier clash are a big draw, but not as much of a draw as Saints with Premier League players, internationals etc of their own playing against some the biggest sides in the world.

They are the words of Ian Baraclough, Nigel's former player and coach at S****horpe, not the journalist's view.

I agree, they are. But a lack of a waiting list or a small waiting list does not mean that a capacity increase isn't required.

How do you know this?

No you didn't. You said "the only thing it lacked was capacity". You didn't say the capacity should be increased, you just said it lacked capacity. In any case to say The Dell with more seats would have been a good stadium and is the "only thing it lacked" is nonsense. It was lacking many of the things we now have at St Mary's and take for granted. Plus there simply wasn't any room to expand at The Dell site.

Why are you so wrapped up with waiting lists? Other clubs that have expanded weren't bothered by them, why should Saints?

- We sold out The Dell, you say I'd have a basis of an argument to expand. - We sold out St Mary's, you say we don't have a basis of an argument to expand. Make up your mind!

If Saints were still at The Dell they'd probably be a lower Championship side (or even a League One side) indefinitely with little hope of improvement in the future and wouldn't have attracted Markus Liebherr to the club. Yes, they survived for 27 years in the top flight with an average position of 12th in that time, but it is unlikely Saints would be able to maintain top flight status for long or regain it if they were still at The Dell in modern football.

Would that not count as a researcher?