The Kraken

Demba Ba turned down £50K a week plus a £500K bonus from West Ham in order to join Newcastle. But that probably isn't really a lot for Saints either.

Just so that we can clarify here. I can (kind of) remember Cortese alluding to challenging at the top of the table. But what did he ACTUALLY say about it. What are there quotes actually attributed to him about becoming a Champions League side? Not "it was along these lines", what did he actually say, and to whom? I'm not denying he said it, its just we've had nearly 17 pages attributed to some quotes which may say one thing and may say another.

Which ones though?

We should put it in the 5 year plan to be one of the top 4 clubs in the country to be willing to try out footballing technology.

What apparatus? A pitch and a goal? We're being used because we're the closest appropriate stadium to where the Hawkeye system is being developed.

The thing in the goal looks more useful than Tommy Forecast. Sign it up.

Possible, but I'd suggest pushing it. Certainly a decent aim to have of a 5 year plan starting from now though.

As I said; I think we'll sell out a lot of games. Especially the early season games, and due to the fact there's a feel-good factor at the moment that is unprecedented for some of the younger generation. I am interested to see how attendances hold up throughout the whole season; particularly against the sides such as Wigan, Fulham, West Brom, Stoke etc against the likes of which we often didn't sell out when in the PL last time round. Its a different league now, with a different economic situation. I also think ticket prices could have a significant effect, so we'll see what happens.

I reckon Brum could do this....

Depends how true their money problems are. All rumours, but some I've heard are that they need to cut back even if they do go up and may look to offload some of the higher earners. In which case they could struggle a bit.

Agreed, can't see beyond West Ham going up.

If it is true then Brum getting dumped out is good news, as we'll be more likely to be able to prise him away.

To be fair, previous history is no guarantee we will sell out this time round. I tend to think that we will, but basing attendances solely on historical data from 10 years ago is not 100% reliable. I say that because the Premier League has changed a fair bit even since 2005. TV coverage of games has increased, and there are less and less Saturday 3pm kick-offs with the advent of the Europa League. Also, bid invites are going out for season 2013 onwards where the amount of televised games will increase further still, which could impact upon actual attendance figures. You only have to look at Everton (who will show an average attendance figure of around 33K for this season) for evidence that some clubs are experiencing a downturn in the attraction of a matchday ticket.

i think you'll be fine, no-one will pick up on that.

I reckon the reason the secret tunnels are not documented is because they're, you know, secret.

So you agree with him that its no longer a working man's game? That its only about a day out for the family and the corporates? I think I might have to disagree with that, if I'm honest. Working young men are still very much a primary target market for football clubs, and forever will be. Even corporate seats are aimed at companies and the working man. Seems a strange strategy to cut out that source of potential customer.

Ha ha, what??!! Working class young men are no longer a key demographic when it comes to frequenting a football game?

No, but what we do know is that Cortese has continually said that the club will be run self-sustainably. If that's the case, I'm just wondering where this funding you speak of for the team (not the infrastructure) is going to come from. Because we would clearly need quite a lot.

So we will have ambition and large wealth (comparitive to our peers) to invest in the playing side this time round then?

Ah, well we didn't have any ambition back in the 80s Turkish. If we'd have had any ambition back then, we would have tried to sign the European footballer of the year. Oh, hang on... Er, its not a like for like comparison. Or something.

Bridge put in a transfer request to engineer his move to a Champions League credible club (and for the massive amounts of extra cash, of course).

Correct again, it will guarantee future stars will not be tempted away when the likes of Arsenal, Man Utd, Man City, and the traditional "big clubs" come calling.

Indeed you're 100% correct. As I said, now we're in the Premier League players such as Bale, Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain will always stay with us until they are 24, 25 instead of leaving in their teens.

Ah ok then, it'll be pretty easy if that's all it takes. Sunderland have got Martin O'Neill now, and he's a very good manager. So they should be hitting Champions League heights next season.

Liverpool weren't even a Champions League club and he legged it from Sunderland as fast as he could. Chamberlain had no desire to stay with us for any longer than he had to, in order to get to an established top 4 side. But it'll be different now we're in the Premier League, players like Chamberlain, Walcott and Bale will be much more inclined to stay with us until their mid 20s.