SNSUN

Right, just completed by first season in the Premiership. I avoided the drop with one game to spare following a fairly good home record, the standout result being a 1-0 win at Anfield. Towards the end of the season my defence were all getting injured, leaving me with a few youngsters I'd picked up to carry the can. What a relief staying up is though! I had already signed a few Bosmans, which I'd done in the hope I could stay up as the wages in the CCC would have been crippling. Now the board have given me transfer money for the first time since I started the game, and a huge wage boost to boot. I'm looking forward to next season, especially as I've just got Ched Evans on a Bosman (although with huge, stupid wages). Whether I do well next season is dependant on loan defensive signings. (I'm useless at purchasing defenders. At the end of the season, my best team was: David Grof (21 year old keeper displaced Sjanic mid-season and kept him out. Attitude problem though.) Marvin Elliot (Better in midfield but a solid right back nonetheless and captain) Nedum Onuoha (A loan, but top notch. Best defender all season. Shame I couldn't get him permanently.) Glauber (Man City reserve. Pretty poor, but has height. Seems to be popular as everyone wants to sign him. They can have him!) Lesley Fellani (Unknown Haitian left back. Signed him on a free in the CCC as cover and has made the position his own, even allowing me to sell Surman for millions.) Nathan Dyer (Hasn't been as good in the Prem but still won me games.) Castillo (Great stats, good player, but better in the CCC.) Richard Hughes (Free from Pompey. Best signing. Player of the year two seasons running) Ismodes (Pacy loanee winger, and goalscorer. When everyone's heads fell mid-season, he was still topping the average ratings charts) Danny Wellbeck (Man Utd youngster. Promising future with my team, but not the finished article yet...) Vonlanthan (Swiss attacker. Top goalscorer with 10 goals. Shows you my season!) Boy I struggled, but I have a big squad so coped. A big squad is everything.

In fairness, we'd all feel pretty gutted if we went into administration, took the points deduction this season, and then got enough wins to stay up anyway. :-)

I see Forest are after Dexter Blackstock from QPR. Would be something if we could beat them to it. Still...

If we survive, I am going to dump on the long walk in front of Windsor castle. I've already puked up on it, so going one further shouldn't be too much of a problem.

If, which in this context is the biggest word in the world, IF we can pull out the results, then looking at the fixture list I think Barnsley (despite games in hand) and Norwich could go down. In my mind we're down with Charlton, and viewing the season as a whole, we possibly deserve to be. Then it's one of four. I still think Blackpool could be in the mix come the end of the season, but ultimately Barnsley have the toughest run in, and they could also come down. Still, while there's hope, there's a whole ton of praying to be done. Thinking we'll beat Charlton next week would be foolhardy - they'll be just as up for it as us. A win would certainly give us a pleasant boost though.

Well we'll see. I'm not filled with hope looking at the fixture list, and it remains a case of beating the teams above us, and hoping we pick up points against those higher in the league.

Aside from thinking we've been down for a while (irrespective of the cute patch of form in February), it was three points or bust against Blackpool, and we didn't get it. While mathmatically not impossible, I feel it is beyond us. Can Norwich please come down with us. I won't hear the end of it from my missus if we go down and they stay up.

I was tempted to say "Avoid relegation" at the beginning of the season, as apart from strikers, the rest of my team is quite good. I solidified the defence, have a very good young free keeper called Sasa Sjanic, and have a good midfield with Dyer flying down the right wing. I couldn't get a decent striker in for love nor money though!!! In the end I plumped for "attempt to avoid relegation" and now I'm glad I did! I do want to keep my job as I reckon I'll be able to ace the CCC next year, although the wage bill is a cause for concern. Still, If I go down, I flog the costly players and use the yoof.

Having got Saints promoted through the play-offs, and still with jack all money, I signed a few bosmans and hoped for the best. I now have no money, am miles adrift of getting out the relegation zone (although I am 18th thanks to two crapper clubs, Fulham and Derby), and have a wage bill spiralling out of control. On the plus side, the scouts have being doing a great job looking for youngsters, and am convinced when I go down that I will have a great young team in the CCC. If I keep my job...

Under Alan Ball, and with Ships and Flash up front, we were seemingly winning every game at one point. I remember being on holiday in Mablethorpe (for my sins), and there was a bright sun shining, I was lying on a beach with a radio and we won 3-0. That was a happy moment for me. The whole point of football is to win and get three points. There's no better feeling IMO, especially stringing a few wins together. How drunk would we all be if Saints went defeated until the end of the season... :-)

None of that means anything to me, however I can't afford to bet anyway after a disastrous Cheltenham. :-(

They say that having sex helps start labour, but when my pregnant wife found out she went mental. NB:This is a joke. I am neither married, have children or cheat. Yet.

:-D True, but £60 is a lot more money than I've lost previously! Betting ain't for me. :-(

Burn the house down and claim on't insurance.

I can't drink today thanks to work. Ergo I hope Irish people get a shamrock up the bum.

Friday - relaxing, got my passport sent off which was a load off my mind, ate a Subway, thus doing my bit for Comic Relief. Then watched Comic Relief, drinking whenever anything educational came on. (I was quite drunk). Saturday - Went to Thorpe Park, queued 2 hours to go on Saw, was right at the front then it broke down for the day. Called it quits at 3pm, came home and listened to the Saints match. Sunday - Up at 3am for work at 4:30. Forgot it was a Sunday and wasn't due in until 5:30! Arse. Did recycling and enjoyed the sun. All in all, better than usual, 6/10.

Lost £60 last week. Not a single winner, and very few places. (Thanks Denman).

At first glance, I thought this was a very worrying back four! (And that you needed medication!)

We've a week to prepare for Blackpool. In professional football that should be more than enough time to refresh them all. Keep the same line up.

Put quite simply, we need 9 points from our next 3 games. Sounds impossible for Saints, but Blackpool, Charlton and Watford are the teams we need to beat in order to stay up. At a push, I reckon 2 wins and a draw would suffice. Any less and we'll be all but down by the last day.

I sold Schneiderlin which was something I was loathe to do, butin the summer following the first season I signed some good free transfers but on high wages and so needed the money. PS, the budget adjustment is brilliant. Sod transfer fees when you can get quality Bosmans.

arse

Had a last minute punt with the last £1.13 in my Ladbrokes account on Chapoturgeon and won nearly a tenner! W00t. EDIT: and so I'm now using my newly acquired £9.04p to bet each way on Green Mile in the 1405. Fingers crossed!

Only horse I'm punting on today (each way) is Tidal Bay. Tomorrow I have betrayed my gut instinct and bet on Denman over Kauto Star. Odds of 7-1 to win the thing seemed too good to miss.

pile of buttcracks. Five minutes left?