Matthew Le God

I didn't say we would.

- Previous games against Man Utd between 2001 and 2005 in the Premier League have all sold out. - Saints fans also knew Man Utd would put out a weakened side in the FA Cup, Saints also rested players unlike they would if it were a Premier League game. - They were also watching a League One Southampton side, not a Premier League Southampton side. - The linking of a game to Carlisle made tickets on the day cost £57, which is off putting for many. If as you say a Premier game against Man Utd was linked to another, it would be a more attractive linked game than Carlisle United.

Roughly 45,000 possibly up to 50,000 might be about right and is apparently what Cortese said at the fans dinner. No chance they would fill it every game, however they could get close for games against Man Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs, Chelsea and Man City. Then you have other attractive games like Everton, Villa, Newcastle, Sunderland. That is 10 out of 19 games and may make such a capacity worthwhile.

Forest and Leicester both averaged 20k in the 3rd tier.

Leicester and Forest didn't.

Forest didn't. Not many though is it? How many current Premier League and Championship teams could average 22,000+ in the 3rd tier? Looking at current average attendances, I'd say 14 (not including Saints)... Man Utd Arsenal Newcastle Man City Liverpool Chelsea Sunderland Villa Everton Spurs West Ham Leeds Norwich Derby

Same happens to every club if they drop through the league. Man Utd wouldn't get anywhere near their current 75,000 average if they were in League One. Only a handful of English clubs would average 22,000 in the 3rd tier like Saints have though.

You are wrong... Average Premier League crowd 2010/11 = 35,000 Average Championship Crowd 2010/11 = 17,000 Average League One crowd 2010/11 = 7,000

It may be an old-chestnut, but it is certainly a correct chestnut. A 32,000 capacity stadium simply isn't big enough for Saints, hence why Cortese stated in the BBC interview last year they have plans for expansion. Teams like Hull City and Wolves are planning for expansions that make their stadiums bigger than St Mary's... http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/news/Undefined-Headline/article-3515816-detail/article.html http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2010/12/08/molineux-expansion-could-begin-in-april/ I'd imagine Saints will also reveal plans in the next couple of years.

This thread should be renamed the Goldilocks thread... - Most people in this thread have set their sights far too low and show none of the ambition for the club Nicola Cortese clearly does. - A few people have set them far too high and are in cloud cuckoo land. - A tiny number have set them just right.

Along with a lot more home fans at St Mary's next season, we will see a huge rise in the away fan contingents with Championship clubs regularly bringing 1,000's, rather than the 100's that some League One clubs bring.

The promoted teams from League One in 2009/10 in the Championship in 2010/11... Norwich 2nd Leeds 7th Millwall 8th ...Suggests you are wrong

Why is that surprising? Would be daft if the rules excluded players that were able to play in the qualifying tournament from playing in the finals. It is "under 21's" from when the qualifying matches started, and Adam was under 21 at that point. Just like a 12 year old can play for an under 12's team in the Tyro Leagues in Southampton, but the UEFA under 21 tournament is over a 24 month period and not 12 months.

Chamberlain being injured didn't help his chances. However the under 20 World Cup is later this year and he may have a chance of being it that (although it clashes with the Football League season as it is in August). Well done to Adam Lallana!

So they know how may stewards/police/catering staff they need. So people have an allocated seat to save arguments in the stands.

They already have... "Some of the names on show include the mainstays of our previous stint in the Premier League such as, Claus Lundekvam, Jason Dodd, Paul Jones and Egil Ostenstad, who will all be looking to prove that they've still got what it takes to mix it with the best of them!"

My thread makes the free admission bit clearer. Which is the key to making this game have a good attendance.

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~2352029,00.html Now we know the news, probably deserves its own thread.

Yes

He has already played 97 Championship games in his career. Including seasons in the playoffs of the Championship with Leeds United. - Dan Harding over 120 games at Championship level. - Danny Butterfield over 350 games at Championship level. People questioning if they are up to it, forget their pasts. Of course it is no guarantee just because they have all played many games at that level before, but at least it gives an indication.

Unlikely WBA will sell him when they haven't even worked with him yet.

I think so if this is to be believed and not just an agent talking up his client... http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11854_6889240,00.html

I was explaining how to embed videos into the thread rather than just giving the link. I even said in my post "Like this with your video..."

Beattie, Baird, Ormerod, Bridge and Delap are current Premier League players, the Premier League finishes 22nd May this season. I doubt their clubs will let them play in a friendly against Saints any time soon. Would be cool if they did though!

You are right, something like that would excite me. Maybe not quite that far though.