The Kraken

Similar for me; old man is an Everton fan and he had me supporting them until 9 or 10 when I went to a Saints game, and that was that.

Exactly, and now with Seaborne out for goodness knows how long and a complete unknown of a signing (who, lets be honest, isn't setting pulses racing) it could be our problem area.

Without signing a dominant centre half and top centre forward, I think we'll finish 7th or 8th. I have doubts Connolly can carry on with his scoring, and still not sure about Barnard at this level. But with Lallana, Guly and our other attacking options I think we'll do ok. But in defence I think we could get found out a bit, and if we're without Fonte for any significant stretch we could get properly undone.

Yes, and their chairman and manager confirmed that. Warnock went public about our negotiations with Gorkss dragging on for 3 weeks. Bristol City's website published the story of Fontaine not joining us, but not due to a failed medical. Our bid for Rodriguez was turned down and confirmed by Burnley and also Paul Jewell, who also had a bid turned down with Ipswich for the player.

???

Our bids/negotiations for Billy Sharp, Kasper Gorkss, Jay Rodriguez and Liam Fontaine have all been documented in the press or, in the case of Fontaine, on BCFC's official site. And all with direct quotes from representatives of their clubs.

This is an internet chat forum. About football. The whole point is to create discussion about various facets of our football club, including how good or bad potential new signings may be. That involves using all evidence to hand. If I just want factual information I'll stick to the OS.

This was all talked about on here a week or two back, on the Simon Clifford thread. I think everyone agrees that various of the principles he looked to implement made sense. But putting a man with zero experience of football in charge of all footballing operations and spending large sums of money on innovative training methods which subsequently neglected spending on much needed playing staff was a show of madness. And promoting that same man and an understudy in Clifford (who also had no experience of league football management) to be reserve team managers with a view to taking over the first team within a year or so was just lunacy.

No it isn't. Past performance for other clubs is a very good indicator of how a player will fare for us. You're right that it's no guarantee of anything, but to suggest that it's difficult to ascertain how good a player is by looking at his previous form with other clubs (or various other valid methods of research) is just plain daft. We had a good idea that Lambert and Barnard would score goals at league 1 level, as they'd done it before. We had a good idea that Fonte and Jaidi would make a solid defensive duo at League 1 level, as they'd consistently played very well at a higher level of football. Same for many players we've signed, it's even a massive part of the scouting process.

There's no reason that the two are mutually exclusive. Edit: Missed half the thread, this has been covered already *facepalm thingy*

He was made to look much better than he was by having Gareth Bale play at left back behind him.

Round of applause for you, that joke gets funnier every time I hear it :lol:

None taken at all. Maybe I just don't quite comprehend just how sad the true nature of an internet wind-up merchant is, but it seems like a massive waste of time to me. For me, if you're going to take the time to make outlandish claims which everyone can see and hold you to, then it's good to have a benchmark to hold them to. Maybe just a poor idea on my behalf, I suppose.

Fair enough, that's one way of looking at it, and a fair one I'd suggest. But ensuring that £500 goes to a worthwhile charity is another way of looking at it too, which is fair, altruistic, and something I'd do per year anyway. It's a question of value, I guess.

I find myself in agreement with Alpine Saint. I'm off for a wash after saying that.

I'm generous, I'll donate.

I hope he's not mentally ill, a couple of other posters seem to think he's a teacher, God forbid. Bellend, yes, totally believable.

Not feeding, just seeing if he has any substance.

Put your money where your mouth is?? In an effort to minimise you being a totally unfunny wind-up merchant, will you take this bet? You think we'll finish 17th. I don't. So how about this. I'll say we'll finish in 1st place (I don't think we will, but go with it). If we finish closer to 17th place than 1st place, I will make a £500 donation to a charity of your choice. If we finish closer to 1st place than 17th, you make a £500 donation to a charity of my choice. Would you like to stand by your convictions?

To stop you being a totally unfunny wind-up merchant, will you take this bet? You think we'll finish 17th. I don't. So how about this. I'll say we'll finish in 1st place (I don't think we will, but go with it). If we finish closer to 17th place than 1st place, I will make a £500 donation to a charity of your choice. If we finish closer to 1st place than 17th, you make a £500 donation to a charity of my choice. Would you like to stand by your convictions?

A more worrying concept is that Pearce is being groomed for the England hot seat. A man who has, on more than one occasion, tried to change a game under his charge by bringing on from the bench a goalkeeper to play up front, while neglecting other forwards also on the bench.

He's currently injured, so not dropped. We'll see what role he has to play when back from his knock I guess.

NA offered him an extension of contract though, so he clearly sees something in him that doesn't involve retirement just yet.

Not wishing to provoke an argument, but: If there is a BETTER option, why were we prepared to go to a medical with this player, which is usually the formality before signing a player? I definitely hope we have a contingency plan while this one fell through. But surely suggesting it's a good thing that this fell through, because there's someone better waiting in the wings, is a bit daft? Why wouldn't we just go for the other player in the first place?

1 win, 1 loss. Saints have had far worse starts than that tbf.