the saint in winchester

Bitterne? I would have expected him to be eyeing up a place in Ocean Village?

I'd prefer a glass of chilled Pinot myself ... but that won't be happening

It's very unusual for a manager to want to trim the wage bill* but we seem to have one that is reportedly trying to do that. Austin, Forster and now Cedric are being reported as being on high wages, and so Ralph wants to move them on. Or is it actually the FD that wants to move them on? * can you imagine Redknapp being concerned about the wage bill? He would wanting the Chairman to buy quality, hang the expense!

This whole thread has turned into Marry/Snog/Avoid. For me, he's a Snog, at present. This season he has the potential to become a Marry. For many of you, he's always been an Avoid.

That's true, CiCi. Boufal was raring to go, desperate to get back into the team to show the manager his skills. He finally got his chances, scored a wonder-goal. I loved his celebration myself. All that pent-up frustration released in one minute. Pellegrino was a fool to drop him for that celebration.

Does Lemina have any Portuguese links? Like Chicken Piri Piri? Anything?

Have you been on the Space Station? Yep, with Ralph himself.

Copy pasting from the email I received : "Season Tickets will be posted towards the end of July, to the address registered on each account."

Eloquently expressed, sir.

I'd look like that if people were throwing javelins toward me as well.

I am not well up on UC and hope not to make its acquaintance. Friend of mine, also a Saints fan, has been forced to switch from his disability benefit to UC. They have told him he is fit to return to work. He is in a wheelchair, can't walk and hasn't been able to work in 30 years, yet they say he can get an office job (he has no qualifications for office work, was in shop floor high street retail). Every pound his wife earns results in 64p in the pound removed from his benefit. She is supposed to be his carer. In this case, it's desperate. He has involved his MP in the hope of getting their support, but it's heartbreaking. I am thinking of forming a consortium of working friends. He needs financial support.

I think you'll find that is why Les Reed was removed from office! Fans of other clubs ask me why we haven't spent the VVD money. I explain we have - on doubling the wages of those left here!! As you say, now they are sat pretty on megabuck wages.

UJ, it DOES happen in real employment. I have had my contracts cut short, with both the contractual notice period and with no notice (despite the term). We'd probably give him compensation for loss of office ie. severance pay. Charlie should accept the club is under new ownership and management and accept revised terms or look to find a new employer himself. Digging his heels in and expecting the new club management to honour his contract is stretching his employment terms. In the real world, we can all be given notice. Only in football is there a "deal cannot be ended by employer" term.

I'd consider £45M for Stephens or Hoedt a fair price.

Darn sight better than the Cricket version of VAR. That seems to be some old duffer thinking out loud and then saying to the umpire "do what you think best, mate."

Well put. That does seem to sum up the current status of player power.

We don't know the terms of the deal yet. We expect a £5M sale, but payable over instalments? Wages - will we have to make a contribution, as I'm not sure Blackburn will be keen to pay him £40k a week. Be careful with phrases like "freeing up £40k wages". Let's see the terms of the deal for sale.

What's this then? Do tell.

How about we just get the current Toby, available for £25M. Admittedly his wage expectation these days may burst the bubble.

Our Ops Director, a Hull fan, mentioned we are still favourites to sign Jarrod Bowen. I suggested that with Adams, Ings, Djenepo and Redmond, we wouldn't have space. However, link from the Hull paper over the weekend is posted for you to assess. https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/southampton-odds-jarrod-bowen-signing-3065082

11:35 LEMINA, AUSTIN NOT IN SQUAD Southampton have named their squad for the pre-season camp in Austria – and Charlie Austin and Mario Lemina are NOT in it. The futures of both players are in doubt this summer, with Saints aware of interest from other clubs, Sky Sports News understands

Hell, yeah - let's get him back coaching here.

England Women clearly need a penalty coach! Le Tiss? Beattie? Peach? Lambert? With VAR likely to result in more penalties from next season, we should add a specialist coach from the above for penalties at saints!

Agree. He was a £15M player when he went to Man U and a £15M player when he came back, having failed to break through there. He's a big fish in a small pond at Palace, and that is where he should stay. Not an Arsenal quality player at all; they should leave well alone.

Attenborough