VectisSaint

The article on the OS specifically states he will improve the service and opportunities for our corporate clients. I don't think he will be too involved with the sales of STs or any related instalment schemes. This could be a very good appointment for SFC with the potential to attract some major corporate sponsorship in years to come, making us more self sufficient and less reliant on the goodwill and deep pockets of Markus.

That will be Michael Poke's first goal then I presume.

Connolly may qualify and play for Republic of Ireland but he is as English as my daughter, born in Willesden, London (my daughter qualifies to represent N Ireland as my wife was born there).

I think you mis-spelled the last word there... I don't recall you predicting that Richardson would be injured

My daughter's middle name is Shannon, some of us have stronger wills than others :-) I did have to concede and not spell it with a "C" however.

Tosh, the truth is that we have adequate cover for Richardson, firstly in Butterfield (maybe why he was signed, don't know) and with Harding as further cover, as shown by his coming on for Butterfield yesterday). We have 3 LBs (Harding, Dickson and Mills, and Seaborne is also able to play LB) so there really is no need to go out and get more cover. We have the cover, we don't need cover for the cover. Dislocated shoulder is not good, but it doesn't have to hurt fitness levels too much, 3 months seems a tad conservative to me but we'll see. Where we do need more cover is CM and for Rickie, Connolly and Barnard are not cover for RL, they complement him. Not sure whether we need cover for GK, the situaton with Bart seems unclear.

Would be a bit silly, we've had plenty of players called Michael...

FATY? Has George Burley been coaching them pre-season?

Thanks Will, and to think they used to call you "Can't Cope", regards to Southampton Hard Man Jimmy Case.

For defenders, 30 can be very much prime year(s), thats why Wenger played Campbell at the back towards end of last season at age 36, Silvestre 33, Gallas 33, even Sagna is 27. Exception would be Vermaelen at 25. Different to a large extent for MF, especially wide players, but for defenders 30 is not too old.

I'm not meaning to read anything into this, merely an observation, but this transfer is not mentioned anywhere as far as I can see, other than on the OS, not on the Beeb, Sky or other places I've looked. I know for sure some people will now post links proving me wrong, but given some of the low league transfer news that is online or on the box, just seems a bit odd to me.

Connolly for Barnard, doubt that Butters would play so soon after joining, Richardson probably better anyway. Just realised you left out Lallana as well.

Wrong side of 30 means past his 30th birthday: http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/be+the+wrong+side+of+30+etc Still clearly got 3-4 seasons if he keeps fit, at 30 players really are in their prime, especially defenders

Yes, because you forgot to c&p the bit 3 paragraphs further down: "He later handed most of his shares back to his family, and he has been running his own group of companies, the Mali Group, since 1994." So he has had no interest in cranes since 1994. For all I know maybe he is a crane spotter still, but his business is concerned with transmission and machinery largely for the railway industry, see under "The MALI Group" in Wiki. ML does not do cranes, but his brother and sister do.

Will be disappointed if 2 more signings not made before 7th August. Will be down right worried if no more before end of transfer window but until then no I'm not too concerned. Need CM and backup for RL, and a decent backup GK if Bart has gone (not sure at the mo that he has or not). We have the starting XI + subs ready for opening match(es). Of course we need more cover, 21 man squad (number in CH) is not enough to last until Xmas. I would become concerned if any serious injury before 7th August, or if one or more of our current squad decides to leave. We still have ample opportunity to bring players in and I'm confident it will happen. The situation is so different to last season when AP basically had to build a new team, one or two to strengthen and one or two for squad is what we need this season.

I don't seem to be listed, but if I click to Register it says I already am registered. Cortese out!!!

Could be same thing in this case

Lots of people are called Ryan Maybe Richardson dislocated his shoulder tombstoning from the bridge in Interlaken - really thought that was a dodgy thing to be asking highly paid footballers to be doing

Is it just me? Our away kit is supposed to be black, but in the pictures from Thun it looks decidedly blue.

So thats at least 8 friendlies that can be set up, Stoke, Spuds etc. This is all part of a restructure of football in this country that will happen with or without the support of the Blazer Brigade. I guess in addition a few games against the Hoddle Academy would be on the cards.

I don't recall did we ever play Jesus behind McGoldrick? If so I don't remember it being too impressive.

No-one has said there will not be reserve fixtures this year, just that they won't be in the mickey mouse reserve league. This story about Bart makes the release of Michael Poke even more strange. We kept him for years while he developed, finally he got the experience needed at Torquay and proved what a good keeper he is, certainly in FL terms and then we release him and apparently our #2 leaves as well. Forecast is not good enough as backup, so unless we have someone else in mind (can't comment on Pernickey) we are now apparently in a bit of an awkward situation.

Quite clear that AL is on the trip, see him in pictures today, several mentions as well, probably because they read what was on here :-)

True, joined Saints through the Bath satellite academy. No Yeovil connections AFAIK, other than playing for them of course when he left us.

Didn't do Carles Puyol too much harm.