The Kraken

Weren't allowed? Get a grip, dear me.

Why not call the ticket office? They'll put you on to someone who knows.

Indeed, and well said. The aggressive tone in this page to someone being overly-optimistic about a football team is really quite staggering.

If you're basing your views on the musings of a pre-pubescent teenager then I'm going to start worrying about your state of mind. Cork is a good player; he could be very good. He is not the second coming.

Who is doubting it exactly?

Also it will be very interesting to see just how much effect Richardson/Butterfield and Harding/Dickson have in bombing forward and providing opportunities. Last season they almost had free reign to get forward at every opportunity; that will be much more restricted this year.

I'm well aware of that thank you, and I still disagree. And again, you're talking about 2 players in Lallana and AOC who have rarely/never played at this level, plus Guly is still a largely unknown quantity. Potentially they could be great, but it's a massive assumption to make surrounding 6 players, 4 of whom have played the majority of their football at a lower level. I think we have a good squad; but I just find the attitude by some people on this board to how good we actually are to be a little bit over the mark; I personally believe this division will be a lot harder than a lot of people imagine. We have a good squad, and a good basis to improve, but I don't concur with the OP as I've stated.

I think Cork is a good player, and I'm very glad we've got him, but it's a bit hysterical to claim him as the new messiah and seemingly the final link in the jigsaw. I think it sums up the antipathy shown by some board members to just how difficult this season is going to be; signing one player like this is not going to turn us into title favourites overnight. If we had done a Cardiff and signed Bellamy, or done a Wet Sham and got Nolan then I'd probably join in with Nick's little w*nkfest; those were/are incredible signings for this division. But as others have said I think we've signed a very solid Championship player, one who could very likely step up to the Premier League and hold his own. But no more than that.

No, sorry, just don't agree with that. We have two strikers in Lambert and Barnard who, despite their obvious qualities, have rarely/never played at this level. Connolly has proved he will score goals at this level, but not at a hugely prodigous rate (1 in 3). There's a very good reason NA is looking to shell out £3M plus on a striker, and IMO it really isn't because we already have the best strikeforce in the division.

I very much doubt we would spend a considerable amount of money on a makeshift centre half. A new striker, we know, is on the agenda. I hope a CB is too, but I get the feeling that will only be done if funds are available after Cork and the new striker (i.e. if we can still afford it). The new deals to Martin and Jaidi suggest that the CB is lower down on the most wanted list.

I think this is exactly right. For me its fair enough to normally charge for parking down there; 15 minutes for free as opposed to 30 minutes is a bit stingey, but whatever. But it would be so easy to validate tickets for people who are buying a season ticket; and it should be done just as a matter of good faith. Giving a season ticket back for having to pay an extra £1 is utterly ridiculous and petty, and in the context doesn't really punish anyone significantly except the customer who no longer has a season ticket. But its a bit of a marketing own goal for the club to look to make an additional £1 on the already significant price of a season ticket.

Well, for a strong NPC side (I'm thinking top two here) I still think we're at least 3 players short. Definitely a CB to partner Fonte and a striker to partner Lambert. If we lose AOC (I really think we will) that will be another; however, even if he stays it's not wise to place such high dependence on someone so young and he will, at some point, have lulls in performance and times when he needs to be rested. Aside from that I still think we could improve at right back, and Schneiderlin has a job to turn his potential into dominating performances at this level. It will be interesting to see just how good Lallana, Guly and AOC (if he stays) are in this league; with Adkins saying we may make only 1 more signing, perhaps 2, its clear that he thinks all our players can make the step up, so I guess time will tell.

Still think we will go for / get 1 or 2 more.

Oh I doubt it; most probably come out with something like "this is what we've been urging the club to do", as if NA and co have been sat around scratching their arses.

What a complete lack of ambition Saints are showing.

Very much agreed. And the only evidence I can see to hand (offer for Cork accepted, generous offer for Sharp rebuffed by the player) suggests this is exactly what the club are trying to do.

Yes, probably correct; ability wise, history suggests he will score goals, but fitness is still a doubt. That said, his goal scoring record at this level is solid but not spectacular, averaging around 1 goal in 3 games (or 15 goals over a league season). Decent, for sure, but arguably not enough for a first choice striker in a promotion-seeking team.

For the league below we did; for this league I think we'll struglle if we don't improve in most areas. Fonte is obviously good for this level; whether he's one of the best Cbs in the league we'll have to wait and see, but I have no concerns with him. Have seen him a bit for Palace in the NPC and I think he's the real deal. Kelvin is a great shot stopper; still there are question marks about his all round play, but I think he's good enough. Aside from that, we don't have anyone in the spine who has previously produced the goods at this level of football other than Jaidi, and I really think he will struggle this season (particularly against quicker forwards). Hammond I just don't think is good enough to be a starter for a top level NPC side. Schneiderlin IMO still has a massive amount to prove; bags of potential but needs to turn it into performances. Lambert has never played this high, I think he can make the step up but we will see. Connolly and Barnard IMO at this level have a mssive amount to prove, and the fact that we've apparently been in for maynard/Sharp suggests Adkins sees that as a key area to improve. On the wings then yes, we do look strong. I'm comfortable with what we have at left back, right back could potentially be improved. But I maintain we are 4 or 5 players short of a team who can challenge for the title, with three main holes at CB, CM and CF.

Last season the club came in for a fair bit of criticism for their marketing approach, and many predicted sales would be extremely low. They weren't. Can't see the situation is any different this year to be fair. i think the club are continuing with their policy of "if you want a season ticket we'll sell you one, but we're not going massively out of our way to promote them". Not saying I necessarily agree with that approach, but sales figures last year seemed to stack up fairly well despite the minimal promotion so there's not really any evidence to argue for or against it either way.

Strange list. Heineken is a very nice lager (the old 3% stuff was pish), 1664 also pretty decent. Bud will do if there's nothing better but is a bit bland and American. Carling, Carlsberg and Fosters are atrocious lagers; nothing to do with acting well 'ard, just being in posession of working taste buds.

Make sure you keep this for the next time Alpine Saint starts one of his attention-seeking bleatings about why we haven't signed anyone early enough.

Out with the old, in with the old. Carling is not really any improvement on Carlsberg. Hopefully they'll do Grolsch in 500ml bottles.

Which the player only turned down because he wants a move to a Premier League club. So nothing to do with not meeting wage requirements. The lack of intellect of some people on here still manages to amaze me, it really does.

In a perverse way I'm really hoping that pre-release sales absolutely bomb so that the club are made to realise that it's a completely dopey decision to remain so secretive over such a trivial issue of a kit release. Sadly I think there will still be plenty of people who will buy the kit before seeing it; in much the same way as Apple get all sorts of sad acts camping out for their latest gadget, I think there will be a fair few Saints fans who simply have to have the kit on pre-order. Quite why anyone would shell out over £40 on some clothing they've neither tried on, much less seen, is beyond me.

I was down at the Megastore a couple of days ago, and this is confirmed with a sign on the door. From memory it says: Pre-order: From 30th June Kit reveal: 20th July On sale in store: From 21st July Edit: I know that's pretty much what it says on the advert; I thought/hoped we might get a reveal of the kit before the sale date though, it seems not.