VectisSaint

Took a while to settle in, but was actually very good later on when we had a proper coach/manager in charge. We should have kept him last season was one of the ones we let go unjustly in my opinion, but then he wasn't Dutch or just out of school.

Thomas off, Lancashire on. Oh noes

Are you sure its Rasiak? "Rasiak" and "quick", two words I thought I would never hear in the same sentence.

Agreed. Hearts last won the Scottish League in 1960, Ajax have won the Dutch title 29 times. Looks like Ajax had a blip last season, though they are currently top of their League for this one LOL Hearts have indeed finished 3rd 4 times in the SPL (out of 11 seasons, is that regular?), 3rd best in a 2-team league is obviously a great honour. There is simply no comparison.

But we aren't playing Rangers or Celtic.

Hope he paid for his ticket.

Didn't Claus where a phantom mask for a while?

Most seem to think the Pinnacle bid held things up for weeks, but is there actually any evidence that ML would have completed significantly earlier if Pinnacle had not bid/entered exclusivity? I don't see any, maybe he might have completed a week earlier (even that would have been beneficial) but in reality I suspect like any other bidder he always intended to leave it as late as posisble. I don't think blaming Pinnacle makes much sense, the blame (if there is some) squarley rests with someone else (who shall remain nameless). BTW Leon Crouch clearly was the hero for digging deep and keeping this Club afloat, but it is untrue to say he was the only one. I dislike the man intensely, but to be fair Guy Askham also did (making up for all the many errors he made before I suppose) as did Mike Richards. Their contributions may have been significantly smaller, but credit where it is due.

Wants to see him in a match situation, hence why he is playing today I understand. If he did not think he was any good he would not be playing him and he would have gone, hence I would say he HAS impressed him in training, the game situation is the final test if you like. Reference to professional is clearly because we are not paying him...

Only by people who knew little about football, unfortunately specifically our dear departed Chairman. If this was the strategy we already had a much better person in charge with much more experience working with kids and able to blend with some cheap experience, but thats water under the bridge now sadly

What I find surprising is that this was not all sorted out at about the same time AP joined. It makes me think that the appointment was all a bit rushed. i found watching the SaintsTV thing the other night that AP does seem genuinely shocked at the magnitude of the task at hand. I would have thought AP would have had a ready made assistant waiting in the wings, but it seems not. Managers also usually have a few players lined up but agains this seems not to be the case.

Far from it (I know you are kidding), but what people are forgetting is that these games are important for the team/players as part of preseason, quite honestly I couldn't give a stuff in no-one turns up to watch. What I care about is that the team get a good workout and compete and hopefully win, one preseason win would be a plus at this stage.

1 Saints 2 Nothing International football is in my opinion overrated and boring. I still watch at Finals stages, but really couldn't give a damn and would prefer there to be no international football, especially with the likes of Andorra and San Marino.

Interesting interview, a lot can be read into not just what he says but the body language. The clear message that came over to me is that he is shocked by the lack of quality, lack of organisation and the lack of depth at the Club. It is clear also that there is a motivation problem, there is a losing mentality. I think he is quite overwhelmed with the sixe of the task that he has taken on. But he also is pulling no punches. Won't make wholesale changes but anyone not motivated is out the door and some serious work is required. Quite shocked by the scouting bit, not just the lack of scouts, but the lack of information about opposition etc, to me this is a very damning indictment of JP/MW.

Never quite understand this logic, expect manager to sign players in the order they are needed. We need a complete squad overhaul, with exception of GK, the order they come in is not important. It was clearly one that could be sorted quickly. It doesn't mean AP doesn't think we need other positions as well. Not responding to this poster directly here, but one or two need to remember also that we are currently bottom of Division 3. I know little about Harding, but if some say he is good at times, at others not, then at least that is a step up on some of the ones we have at the moment who are cack every week. Sometimes a player needs a certain type of manager, some will not respond to Roy Keane's bully-boy tactics, but may respond to someone like AP. Lets not pass judgement, to me this seems like a decent signing and has strengthened what is a desparately thin squad.

Thanks MB, not so easy to check what the paper version of the Echo says here in Swindon Frankly quite shocked about the Mortimore bit.

So does the paper version actually mention Mortimore? I would be surprised, the article is about Directors under the Lowe and Wilde regimes, Mortimore was not a Director. Club President is an honorary position (usually) and nothing to do with the politics, after all John took over from Ted Bates. the role is usually given to an elder statesman of the Club, who is above all of the politics and commercial running of affairs. Has he been replaced as President? As for the others, I am more than happy that they are expected to pay for their tickets, perhaps they could introduce a range of pricing options for ex-Directors. Lowe and Wilde would have a pricing range of something like £100k per game, then they would be made most welcome We could throw in a free pie, pint and programme as a sweetener maybe.

Bale sheepish about future plans

Theres a bloke used to work for us might be able to help, Woodward or something I think it was

Sounds worryingly familiar Are you sure it was AP and not RL that was on Still at least he possibly has a plan to put right the one missing ingredient, unlike the other fella did.

And the preseason before that was the worst of the lot (Burley)

Possibly true, unfortunately FA rules preclude this. No more than 2 (?) from any club I think...

For God's sake man, do you never give up? You are obsessed, you only have this problem with LM because he was vocal in his intense dislike of your hero. LM vocalised what the vast majority thought of that despicable man, and all of the woes he brought upon this club along with Wilde and Askham. LM has done almost nothing of any note to warrant the hatred that some, like you, have for him, except to utter some home truths. Yes he was vocal in his attempts to undermine Lowe, and I like most others say, Good on ya Lawrie!!! A pity a few of the other lily-livered pratts did not do likewise.

Suarez=miserable tosser