VectisSaint

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.

Cheers Markus, it was a nice birthday present

That was last season when we didn't have much of a team and he needed to get players in. This season we basically have the same starting team that was best in the division at end of last season, AP is probably not after freebies this season, freebies are probably not good enough to displace what we already have. He will probably bring in a couple more as back up (CM/CF) and I suspect Papa might yet return. Don't think there is much need for more.

Fools. You are all forgetting about Pulis. I confidently predict he will be in the starting XI of another team

Nothing to do with quality. Armani or Boss t-shirts are not (significantly) better quality that Primark, in fact you would probably find they were produced in the same sweat shops in Vietnam, just putting a stupid designer label on them means some people think they are better quality. More fool them.

No To add to the rest, Lawrie Sanchez and Fan Zhiyi were connected with us at one stage

Is it possible to stipulate that they are of the female persuasion as well, or would that be considered sexist?

Saints in "working the same way as just about every other club in the land (except when 'Arry is involved)" shocker

This is good news, though not unexpected. Arguably when fit DC is our best player. Makes no difference to the need for a backup to RL, we all know RL and DC are completely different types of striker. Clear also that we have in place the 1st XI and some backups that mean we are as strong as last season (albeit with Harding playing RB), now we need to strengthen the squad in a couple of key areas (RB, CM & RL-type striker).