The Kraken

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.

Antonio and Waigo were not "key" players. They were largely on the bench following the arrival of Puncheon. Puncheon started every league game following his arrival, Waigo and Puncheon between them did not manage half that many starts.

Sold. Where do I sign up?

I've heard a rumour that the catering staff have switched from Flora to I can't believe its not Butter. I don't believe it myself, but God help us if it is true.

I heard a rumour he's signing for Chelsea

I think AP's got a few metrosexual tendencies and is a fac 15 man myself

Exactly. News for news sake. Or maybe we should have a feature article on AP's summer holiday, how many Sangrias he necked and what factor sun cream he used.

Absolutely right; that's what normally happens when the chairman makes a few contentious decisions. I look back fondly when Rupert Lowe made his Start Trek analogies and I defected to watching Forest Green Rovers for 2 seasons in protest. Those were the days.

We know that AP wants to re-sign Antonio, and I really hope we do; but its also logical to think that if we can't get him we'll be looking to recruit someone similar. I won't miss Papa as much as others on here, I always thought he was far too frustrating and we could probably get a better player for the high wages he was sure to be on.

Why on earth would you "not be seen dead in one"? You don't buy into the myth that they're entirely populated by the prawn sandwich brigade who all know nothing about football, do you? Granted there are a good number of corporate goons who are there for the jolly and not the game. But there are also plenty of proper fans who have either saved up for a special day or are treating themselves to the more glamourous side of the game for a change. I hark back to my day in the Ambassadors Suite, which was as good as corporate entertainment goes. Champagne reception, fantastic food, pre-match speeches by Lawrie Mac and his guests who included Jim Steele, Nick Holmes and Glenn C ockerill, plus all the booze you can drink for free all day long. Then after the game a visit from the players who had a chat about the game and various other insights into the team. Oh, and a visit and speech from the manager. And I didn't even have to pay for my ticket. Yep, wouldn't be seen dead in there.

Effectively what you're looking for is (at least) 2 players in each position, with 3 keepers. Although you may have some types of players like we had in Lloyd James who can play in a number of positions (albeit not very well.....). So we're clearly missing a right back, and a back-up right back (although Harding has filled in there he's not ideal for the position). We're definitely missing one central midfielder, maybe 2 to give us real options if we go 451, although Wotton will suffice in times of desperation. Lallana and Puncheon would be our starting wingers but we're a touch short in backup there. I like Holmes but agree that AP clearly doesn't. Hopefully Antonio will be back, which leaves Holmes or AN Other as cover on the left. Mills hasn't looked the part there buy maybe deserves another chance to impress. And if Connolly signs we're also looking for one more up top to support Lambert and Barnard. One or two of the players needed my step up from the youth but I would expect the rest to come from new signings and loans.