Saint Mikey

What about when you get a point at your fiercest rivals, but you're still staring relegation and possible liquidation in the face? Surely, an open top bus tour is the only way to commemorate this huge feat?

Anyone know more about the verdict? Why he's been sent down, but not the other guy? That's really put the kibosh on his career, was doing well too. He'll get another club when he's released in 2 1/2 years or so, but he'll have to start at Lge 2.

I used to deliver papers to that block as a paperboy, c.1993. Used to live just down the road, decent area (to make the post worthwhile!).

TBF, that's quality!

I would echo a lot of people and say: Phillips/Burke C.Davies Whittingham However, we'll be bent over for a fee on Phillips, and most likely bent over for wages on Whittingham. Anyone thought why no-one's bought him the last few seasons, despite bagging double figures from midfield? He's got to be on Prem wages, and doesn't actually care about moving. Not sure I'd want to be paying him £30k+ a week. I see some have mentioned Zaha, I thought Palace turned down £7m from Bolton in Jan! He can't be worth that... Saying all this, it is a balancing act getting quality in and getting value for money. Swansea and Norwich managed it. Norwich even managed to get two players out of League 1 last season, but can't see that happening this season...

Pro footballer on thousands a week with fit bird shocker...

Very good article, although obviously written by a Saints fan. Jeremy Wilson also wrote Southampton's Cult Heroes, which is a very good read. It's all a nice idea, but something's going to have to change in the way football clubs are run generally for us to have success with this. Maybe a lot of clubs will look at how Swansea, Norwich and even Newcastle have got success by building a team, rather than doing a QPR. This may bring down player trading, excessive wages. However, still don't know how this will stop our best players and/or manager being poached. Look at the press attention Rodgers has got after a little sniff of success. The only way we'll keep players is if we start winning things. At least this article didn't mention the Champions League! I'm embarrassed by the mere suggestion that we could make it into that comp...

Anyone know where the PFA Free Transfer list has gone? Can't seem to find it anymore. Would be interesting to see the type of players they could replace some of their top earners with. Webber just signed for Leeds a couple of weeks ago, and did OK against us - an ex-player too.

That thread is amazing...

World Cups and Copa Mundials are the best boots ever, IMO. You're lucky if Copa's last a season to be honest, but that's the type of boot they are. Getting a 'hardier' boot would go against the reason why you'd be wearing Copa's?! Just aswell buy some Predators, or whatever they sell these days. Plus, the shape of Puma Kings really aren't the same at all. I reckon you'd regret buying them when you start shanking balls out of play and blaming the boots!

If we are hammering them, the best thing will be that the fans have to stay and take it. No shimmying off with their tail between their legs at 3nil - the OB won't allow it: 'take your medicine chaps, you deserve it'.

And when they realise how poor that standard of football is, with players, teams and grounds that no-one has heard of. The appeal will be lost on anyone apart from the hardcore, especially as that level of footy isn't that cheap considering the level. AFC Totton want £9 a game for the 8th Tier!

No players in this country would do it, and you would be a fool to do so. People go on about greedy players on here, but if someone offered me a job earning £20k p/w for 3 years - I'd snap their hand off and make sure I got every penny. Everyone would...

I agree, I think Adkins should have been dealing with this sort of frivilous enquiry. Even if he wasn't on a thoroughly undeserving holiday - he's much better placed spending his time on this, rather than training the players...

I did a double-take when he said this. Outrageous.

That was remarkably convenient, and proof that it's not just Pompey that the FL bend the rules for - as much as I hate saying it!

So, the players will have to defer more now then. If they don't agree to a further percentage of wage deferrals, that could be it. If they don't and the club goes bust, they'll lose out. Didn't our players defer 100% of wages, when we went into admin?

Compare this with a team like Blackpool, who spent one year in the Prem, but spent most of the money on a new stand. Leaves a legacy, even if they never achieve again...

Wolves are a much bigger club than Reading, and I'm guessing he'll be off like a shot with a big payrise. Not sure who they can replace him with? Would Clark go there?

If I was them, I'd be bricking it. I doubt they'll even sell their allocation. What are the odds on 10nil?

This is not what happened. He was offered a job as a specialist coach, but turned it down as the wages were more on Soccer Saturday. Him and Benali were never even interviewed for the manager's job, which is a good thing, as they both would have been appalling and ruined their 'legend' status.

You talk a lot of sh!te, but this is worse than normal. What stats did you look up? Or, do you know f*ck all about our team at the time? All these young and inexperienced players played a part in that season: Gillett, Gobern, James, Lancashire, McGoldrick, McClaggon, Mills, Molyneux, Paterson, Thomson & White. That's forgetting youngsters that were competent, but still had limited experience like Lallana (first full season), Dyer, and even Surman. Now go and take a look at what level some of these players are playing at now. Then look at the players we loaned in Pekhart, Robertson - unproven youngsters. We did that season as cheap as we could, playing unproven players while loaning out high earners (Saganowksi, Rasiak) and even not playing some players on occasions, because we couldn't afford to (Euell). http://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=2471&teamTabs=stats

It's not the same season, but hopefully Holloway will have something to say. He's been vocal on their 'plight'. Plus Jewell has piped up on a couple of occasions, once when they were outbid for players and secondly when he couldn't afford their players! Seriously though, this is a complete joke. Where's the point deduction?

I think you are both right to a certain degree. But, I think what Turkish is talking about is what is wrong with attitudes of a certain section of society today. Some people expect big wages, an important job or a successful business, but don't appreciate the graft it takes to get there. This X Factor culture makes some people think they deserve it, when they've done f*ck all. There is one thing that has not changed for a long time, and that's if you make intelligent decisions as to what skills are required across the current/potential future job market, honestly assess your skills and then work hard gaining skills, experience and qualifications in this area - you will suceed. I was stuck in a job similar to the OP about 7 years ago, a job that I'd done for 6 years. I found something I enjoyed doing and sidestepped in the same company (Technical Authoring). I've done a Technical Author Diploma and a Masters in Technical Communication, which took me 5 years working PT, all while I was working FT. I am still studying now to become an Adobe Certified Expert and I know what course I want to do after that, even though I enjoy my current job - I am always looking to the future and constantly trying to evolve my own role by finding out what the industry is doing and learning new software etc... There's nothing wrong with having ambition. But you can't look around and say 'this is sh!t if only I could do this etc'. You have to get on and do it. Hard work and dedication gets you everywhere. Very few people get life chances handed to them on a plate, and if you don't - then just make it happen for yourself. This is Britain after all, a place where masses of people would literally give one of their boll*cks to just have the right to come and work here, because of the opportunities available.

This is one of the most ill-informed comments I've seen for a while. Fox has 7 assists this season, where do think these have come from? Crosses, or passes? It was his free-kick at Pompey for starters, and his corners are generally very very good, and an improvement on last season. Yes, I agree he hasn't been up to his usual form at the beginning of the season, and does not get forward as much as I'd like, but to suggest he's carp is ******. IMO. Richardson too?! Lol. Although this has come from Alpine, so what does he know. For the record, Richardson has made 10 assists (8 in the league, and 4th in the Assist table) this season. Again, where do think they've come from?