The Kraken

Having seen the pictures I'm disappointed with the kit. It does look like a training kit, and for me doesn't have anything about it that says "Southampton". Then again, I love the home kit, so swings and roundabouts...

What are you prattling on about you loon? It's got nothing to do with the fact that Prescott comes from a working class background, but everything to do with the fact that he spent years railing against the house of lords and what a sham it was, claiming "I don’t want to be a member of the House of Lords. I will not accept it.” and forever scorning the "flunkery of titles". Absolute hypocrite, and a moron to boot.

Not all that keen from the picture, but it's obviously been photoshopped to high heaven so I'll wait until I actually see the shirt before making a decision on it.

I'm kind of at a loss to figure out what benefit the membership scheme will bring. I had hoped the membership scheme would offer money off tickets, or negate the booking fee; however, tickets for the home games have been on sale for a while now, so I guess we can assume that any sort of price reduction for members isn't going to happen (or those that have bought tickets already are going to be pretty p!ssed off). Also, ff tickets are being sold then being "on the database" isn't necessitated by being a member. So with that in mind I can only assume that to buy tickets for away games you'll need to be a member. There are just no other benefits I can see which, at this point in time, would be realistic. And if that's the case it will be one almighty rip off from the club. I hope I'm wrong, but right now I just can't see any other point to membership.

Maybe in a couple of weeks...

So, its been about 4 weeks since the OS told us the release of the new away kit was 2 weeks away. What odds on an 11.27pm announcement being made tonight?!

Exactly. And given that AP has already said he intends to strengthen up front and at CM, plus try to get Antonio back, I'm more than confident we'll get the players we need.

This is what I was wondering, who is liable for the police bill. Clearly the club have to pay for police inside and surrounding the stadium (i.e. on club property) but surely they're not liable for crowds of people that aren't actually on their property (otherwise where would the jurisdiction end?). So perhaps a cost cutting trial by the police rather than by the club?

Otsemobor: replaced by Richardson. Perry: replaced by Seaborne. Thomas: replaced by Martin. James: Murty lined up for replacement?? Papa and Antonio remain the two that are outstanding; I would hope to still secure the services of Antonio, Papa I wouldn't miss as much as we would then have Punch and Antonio for right wing, and Barnard and Connolly as the accompaniment to RL up front. Where I'd say we do need to still strengthen is another CM and a Lambert style replacement forward (though that one could prove more difficult). And being as AP himself has outlined these areas previously I'm confident we'll get what we need. Rather than having such an inflated squad as last year I think AP may well keep it streamlined and bring in "emergency" loans as and when we need them.

Lets have a look at who we released. Lloyd James - surprised we let him go actually. Can't be on high wages and while never going to be a starter he can do a job at CM, RM or RB. Would have been adequate cover IMO at RB. But the home game against Oldham where he came on then was subbed off again probably sealed his fate. Simon Gillett - looked ok under the Dutchies but obviously never rated by AP so no surprise to see him go. For me always looked a weak link under AP, his season was probably summmed up by the Birmingham League Cup game when he came on and we shipped two goals in 10 minutes. Oliver Lancashire - no surprise, no regrets, just not good enough. Chris Perry - played well last season when called upon but with Seaborne and Martin in reserve was rarely going to get an opportunity. Wayne Thomas - probably very high wages, injury prone. Would have preferred to have kept him but I expect costs dictated otherwise. Graeme Murty - great player but ruined by injury; could perhaps be re-signed on a pay as you play though would be backup for Richardson. Jon Otsemobor - not good enough. After that you reach the likes of Jamie White, Michael Poke, Jake Thomson, Kayne McLaggon, Tom Dunford, and Jack Boyle. And I have to say that if he haven't challenged the first team by now then they need to move to progress their own careers.

Where they all come from DellDays; completely out of the blue and completely hushed up by the club. I personally much prefer this way of dealing with transfers, especially when compared to the protracted Skacel debacle.

Jim Mackenzie played 6 games for us. In 1898.

Definitely need a CM, not just for cover but if we decide to go with 451. Wotton can just about do a cover job but he's clearly not good enough for first team duties on a regular basis. We could do with Antonio back plus another midfielder/attacker and we're at the state of the squad at the back end of last season. Any more than that and we're really laughing.

Exactly. Further proof that Pardew has been sat around doing NOTHING AT ALL in the summer break with regard to transfers. Cortese out.

Cost isn't a limiting factor for me in watching Saints; back in the Prem days I can remember paying up to £35 for a ticket. I go to games to watch Saints regardless of who the other team is, so paying £25 for games in League 1 next year really doesn't trouble me all that much.

I'm playing devil's advocate here. I can see the logic of a booking fee in principle, in that it should cover the actual costs of post and packaging for sending out tickets. £3 is an exorbitant fee for this though and is clearly a money spinning exercise, but the idea of keeping P&P separate from ticket prices is IMO a fair one. I live close to the stadium and sometimes drive past to get to work, so in the past I have always stopped in to buy my tickets from the ground. It was therefore a touch unfair that I was subsidising those who had their tickets sent out; of course, the completely minor costs involved meant that this was in no way an issue for me. However, there are a number of ways in which the ticket tax can be avoided or minimised. Buying in bulk for a number of games is one such way. Buying a group of tickets for friends who want to sit together is also a very common way and spreads the costs between more than just 1 person; with the advent of internet banking its very easy to pay one person before he/she then buys all the tickets. Alternatively, the club now sell tickets well in advance of the games, so it is very feasibile for fans to attand one game and after the match go to the ticket office and purchase tickets for upcoming matches, thereby avoiding the P&P. Despite all this there are still a number of people who won't be able to avoid paying the full ticket tax. But there are clearly a number of pretty simple ways in which fans can avoid paying the tax altogether or can minimise the amount paid.

That's simply incorrect though. Pedantic or otherwise, the most you will pay for a ticket is £25. Booking fee is variable and can vary from nothing to £3, which is why the ticket price and booking fee are treated as two separate entities. Yes, the cost of buying just one ticket and having it delivered to your door would be £28. But this is made up £25 for the ticket, plus £3 for the postage and packaging. If you bought ten tickets they wouldn't be charged at £28 each. Anyway, I don't know why I'm arguing about this as I've rpeviously agreed the booking fee is an over-priced rip off. Sod it, I'm off to play footy.

Was that not at the Dell? I seem to remember that game and thought there were about 2 or 3 away fans sat in the lower East stand, young lads waving a Le Havre flag. Unless I'm thinking of something completely different!

I think he might have been asking that, if you are already at St Mary's watching a game, what is to stop you from visiting the ticket office to buy (and pick up) a ticket for the next home game? Thereby avoiding the ticket tax and £2 price hike. True, you'd have to pay the ticket tax or price hike on the very first ticket but assuming you use the approach on your subsequent visits to SMS you could theoretically easily avoid the ticket tax from then on.

I'd disagree with that; we just need competition for all positions, experience is not absolutely necessary to make an impact. Antonio could not be described as experienced when he arrived, nor Jacob Mellis. Even Lallana wasn't massively experienced before the start of the season. Aaron Martin falls into that sort of category, he won't be a starting centre back but he is more than capable of coming in to the team and making a significant contribution.

I think its disappointing not to have a Ted Bates trophy game of some sort. That said, I'm sure the costs associated with attracting a top name club these days have gone through the roof in recent years. That, and has been pointed out, AP may not want to see our third tier club humbled by a top outfit so close to the big kick off. I would like to see a return of the game in some guise, as it recognises a part of our history that we should all feel rightly proud of. But while we're in League 1 and even the Championship I think the days of playing a top European side are gone.

The irony of this accusation is just overwhelming.

Would also be nice to see a Premier League club going for an English manager from the lower leagues rather than a foreign coach.

Has anyone actually said that we don't need any signings? The common consenus seems to be that we need at least 4 or 5 players. A right back clearly; maybe also a backup RB; a strong CM; Antonio or an adequate replacement; and a CF. That it hasn't happened yet is, in my eyes, not all that surprising. Ideally we would of course have all of our players right now, but transfers don't necessarily work that way. I and others have already pointed out that, if transfers haven't been made by 1st August, then will be the time for concern (despite the fact that the transfer window is open until the end of August). We certainly need a right back before we start playing friendlies, Harding can cover the position but is clearly just cover and not a long term option. And the more time/games that new signings can get with us, the better. I personally think we will sign an RB plus at least two other players by the start of the season, with the rest of the signings being made in mid to late August as long term loans and other players become more available.

Sounds like a Jeremy Kyle episode to me.