the saint in winchester

I believe he wasn't released from police custody until the early hours of Saturday morning. Then an early trip up to Birmingham. Just sleep-deprived, I would think.

Oddly the away team usually wins this fixture, either at St Mary's or at Pride Park - see Oracle p574. We have to beak the cycle and make it a HOME WIN. Wotte won't change a winning team, but as we're not a winning team after Saturday, let's see what changes he makes, if any. Lallana or Paterson in for McG may be the most likely.

I would think 'catchment area' has a lot to do with it. Round there, they have Aston Villa, West Brom, Wolves, Walsall ... (add others as you think of any). Saints have a large catchment area if you nominally draw a line west of Fareham (east of that they are likely blue) up to Petersfield then complete a triangle down to the New Forest and we pick up a large (potential) fanbase. 16k may be Birmingham's peak attendance, maybe up to 20k if they make the Prem. Our Prem attendance was 32k. If only we can get back there ....

No, Thomson is pencilled in to play for the Reserves tomorrow night ... unless his loan to Bournemouth is finalised in the next 24 hours. Like you, I'd sooner he was in the first team squad, but one step at a time.

10K a week is fair for a Championship player. The reason we are in the financial poo is that attendances have dropped (so our revenues have dropped) because we have been leaving out (freezing out?) the better players and going with lower quality cheaper options. Results have been poor, so attendances have been poor. And the lower grade players have been plentiful; even some we have rarely seen - Pulis, Smith et al. Too many mouths to feed at the club, so the wages bill has been too high. I'd sooner have fewer players but on a higher salary (so better quality) than a huge squad of mediocrity. 20 good players earning £10k a week, is better than 40 players earning £5k a week - all IMHO.

You think? I hope he wouldn't be ejected from Hospitality areas for not having a ticket/accreditation? :-)

You can hire the pitch for 4 grand. :-)

Oh dear, I haven't laughed so much in ages as with this accents stuff. :-) Now then, back to the original point - SWF on the board of SFC ..... Shaun Wright-Fillips?????? (Did you see what I did there?) :-)

Any chance he would invest in us? Look what he's done with Northern Rock already! We have to be a better prospect than Raith Rovers! Or are we?

Davis Wotton Saejs Perry Mills Thompson Euell Surman Skacel McLaggon Saga

Are you a writer or something? Chapter 2 : The Branfoot Years. ..... You're not David Singer are you? Didn't I go to school with you? Last known working for Telia in Sweden?

Eddie Howe says he's playing well for them. Their loss is our gain. For me, that's the RM slot sorted for this Saturday.

Yes, got mine (and 15,000 other people's) hopes up! :-)

I had the same experience at Reading. I could get cheaper tickets from the Madejski in the home end, so did that. Who would have thought I would have had to spend 90 mins bridling my excitement as we won 2-1!!!! Man, that was a happy trip home.

"City Whizzkid?" I thought you meant financial whizzkid in The City!!!! Think he would be more valuable than a 20 yo RB now. Forget players, we feed financiers.

For me the telling phrase in the Dorchester website link was "comfortable on the left side of the pitch". We don't need another left sided player. Doesn't anyone kick with their right foot these days?

It was on Radio Hampshire news this morning (8am) ... MLT said he seriously considering applying for the manager's job when Burley left. Can't see he would have the necessary coaching certificates, but that's what he said.

Can I remind you of the words of (all hail) President Obama (all hail) just a couple of weeks ago "know that people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy." Unless and until anyone else comes forward, Lord Lowe is the only option. Like everyone else, I am hoping for someone with money to come forward and replace him!!!

Looks like we all agree. Now we have Molyneux for LB, I'd like to see Skacel played at LM (Surman CM) and tell the two (Molyneux and Skacel) to overlap, get to the byeline and get the crosses in for Paterson and Saga. The only crosses the strkers get now are from RB and usually from the half way line.

It's a NO to Adams for me. He's a good Asst Manager, and would be a good defensive coach ... but not as a No 1 Manager. Sadly it hasn't worked for him at any club he has managed. His main grievance at Pompey was not having money to spend, so he would not be a good fit for us. All the best, Tony, but not at our club. I'm sure you'd agree.

More likely that we'll have players going OUT on loan (not in). Agree with Saints67 that RB is probably the only position we NEED filling. Another striker would be nice, but I would partner Paterson with Saga.

Because the Board hoped (and indeed, we hoped) that we would bob around the middle of the table (some even said go for promotion) with the young players coming through. Of course, our current league position has made clear these lads are struggling and we need the experienced hands on deck!

To be clear, that's a 1-nil VICTORY! :-)

Phew, no pressure then! "Most important game in our history" !!!! We outplayed them at SMS and yet lost 3-0. I'd settle for being outplayed and sneak a 1 -nil.

Exactly! This is a good time to play them. Mind you, they signed Lupoli (the Wolf man) yesterday. And we thought he was coming to us ....