Red

I thought Hidaria (sp) was their stand out player by a mile - caused us all sorts of problems and was literally all over the pitch! Worth a bid in Jan ??

Thought it was just my iffy stream - completely agree! I thought there was a requirement to play in the away strip a minumum number of times as well?

Irish radio does not give a monkey's about Saints, so don't expect them to research a Saints story! With Long (one of their own) joining it might change somewhat in the future - but not holding my breath.

Agree - I meant even further, in the sense that what has already been invested is not quite enough. According to various rumors we did try and sign some really great players but it did not come off, so hopefully the intent is still there to get some better (if not great) players in?

Just may be why we are trying to sign one (AT?). Also whilst disappointing, it's better to have the poor display now so Kat and the Ice Man back RK before the transfer market closes.

Allegedly the same amount Spuds bid for Morgan Perspective springs to mind !

If nothing else, you have to question the wisdom of an owner giving carte blanche to an employee?? Either it did not happen, or we have a very very naive owner (which I find hard to believe). Get over the NC bashing for crying out loud. Chairman/CEO's are hired to "play with the owners money" - that's the whole point! Most likely is that KL wanted a change - which is absolutely her right, and NC did not want to be part of that (also his right), so a parting of the ways - all perfectly normal in the daily business world. So why the need for conspiracy or trashing NC??

If nothing else, you have to question the wisdom of an owner giving carte blanche to an employee?? Either it did not happen, or we have a very very naive owner (which I find hard to believe). Get over the NC bashing for crying out loud. Chairman/CEO's are hired to "play with the owners money" - that's the whole point! Most likely is that KL wanted a change - which is absolutely her right, and NC did not want to be part of that (also his right), so a parting of the ways - all perfectly normal in the daily business world. So why the need for conspiracy or trashing NC??

My last post for 24 hrs, but do you want a wager for who gets most Irish caps between CS and SL? Might have to wait a few years, but I am up for it! Can just make it a fun thing and not serious if you like? Remember Ireland are (rightly) building for the long term future and taking short term pain (investment) for longer term gain, whilst England always think we were "unlucky" and will win the next competition - which we will not, unless we adopt a long term plan / strategy. Still, good to have a good debate rather than the usual insults on here - enjoy the season!

Robbie Keane Kevin Doyle Conor Sammon Anthony Stokes Simon Cox Kevin Doyle From "top of mind" as it were, sure there are more - not saying I necessarily agree, as I am not an expert on Irish football (or soccer as they like to call it :-)). Just that I live in Ireland and of course we discuss footy (my comprise description with the locals!). Perhaps my initial comment on SL was a tad harsh, but getting excited about signing a "workman" type forward at £12M is going to get some time to get used to, particularly when it costs me circa £300 a game all told to attend one home game!

Should be £3M when he reaches 10 caps for Saints! Don't think he will get that many - he is utter tosh. I live in Ireland and no one can believe he gets in to the Irish team, never mind play for a PL team. You employ a striker to score goals - simple! Not to be a fast donkey! How people can be happy from talk of potentially challenging for top 4 (or even the tittle) to being happy at getting SL - let alone at £12M in less than 6 months is totally beyond me - did I just wake from a coma for the last 5 years??

Could anyone listening on Solent, please provide a few brief updates, for those of us that not in the UK? Many thanks

Ignore them mate - I for one welcome any news, ITK or otherwise - it is a forum after all. Thanks for posting, no need for the abuse, if you don't believe it then fair enough, but why the need to deride every post / poster? Why can't people just grow up and make their own minds about what to believe or not without trying to be "clever" on a forum??

Why??? Personally I could not give a flying fig about ANY player that does not want to play for Saints any more - what ever the justification! If they move on, then they are not part of a team I support, and could not give a damn about how well they get on at their new club (which I do not support). I support my team, not individual player !!

Out of interest do we know within reason that Spurs have actually made a bid? It seems fairly certain there is interest but an actual bid (that matches our valuation) I am not sure. There is interest from Arsenal too but no actual bid. Maybe that's why it was easy to say no to MS? But he sees it as a broken promise because we did not accept Spurs first (probably derisory?) bid, if indeed there was a bid at all?

Me too - obvious we failed to match his ambition, but of course all our resident experts knew better! Would take him back in a heart beat. And for those who say it wasn't his money he was playing with, don't think KL did too badly with her investment under NC, and could have done so much better if only she was prepared to invest for the longer term. Well just take your money and go please - rather be owned by someone with no money but gives a damn about SFC!

Conversion to equity does not mean KL has lost or "spent" her own money in the conventional way, rather that she has made a longer term investment in the club. When / if (although almost certainly when IMHO) the club is sold she will make a very handsome profit on investment (e.g. Saints sold for £150M, £50M invested = 3 x return on investment, not too shabby! BTW, I am just talking generally to illustrate an example, no idea of actual figures, but you get the general idea). Converted equity = shares in SFC owned by KL. So whilst grateful to both ML (totally) and KL (somewhat), let's not run away with the idea that they have made a massive loss, unless of course SFC is suddenly liquidated with no salvageable assets whatsoever! What I don't understand is why KL still wants to retain ownership and yet at the same time lower the ambition? Of course it's her call, but I believe she could have sold this summer at around £150M to someone prepared to invest to move forward and moved on to a business she is really passionate about. I believe (with or without NC it would have been possible), and if she really wanted to protect her father's legacy, then fair enough only sell to someone who was committed to taking the club forward. But instead KL wants to hold on to SFC as at best a mid table PL club - why?? If it is purely return on investment, football is the very last place to go. The reason most of the rich invest is because (just like us regular fans) they have a passion for the sport and are prepared to (and most importantly able to) indulge that passion even if they lose some money in the process! Just cannot figure out KL's motivation - any suggestions?

Really??? I mean seriously - hating NC is one thing (although blaming him months after he resigned for current events is an interesting concept - might want to think about why he quit in the first place), but blanket labeling your fellow forum members as you do, says more about you than NC. It is after all a forum, where you discuss and debate things in a civilized way, allowing for different views without the need to resort to insults etc. You are entitled your your views, and so are other posters on this forum - it is a forum for opinions - why have it otherwise? Is there really a need t insult people who do not share your view? There are a lot of people's view's I do not share, but I consider their point and in doing so challenge my own and often it helps my own conviction, but I would never consider an alternative view as you have above. Democracy is built on a freedom of self expression.

Ha ha - very good Yes, you are right, I meant "alludes" (too much wine!), but maybe eludes is more appropriate! Anyway ever the optimist - UTS!! (or is it UTD&YS - Up the Dutch and youth Saints??)

I don't think it's "too calm", as much as he very much eludes to it's not his decision / call on who is sold - "it's up to the board". Get the feeling he is not happy but it would appear his contract does not allow him to dedicate transfers, just recommend who is bought and sold. All IMHO of course,but much more of this and it would not surprise me if he walks - pretty sure he will not be short of other offers.

Unless of course you meant it in jest Angelman, it which case I humbly apologise - bad day and all that!

Yet another perfect example of why I post so little on here - always a smart a r se around. What on earth has a charity ukulele world record attempt (attended by, wait for it, nearly 4,000 people of all ages) got to do with raising funds from corporate events?? Do kindly enlighten me - I am clearly missing something? Perhaps we charged each ukulele player a grand to enter the ground???

Don't be a "See you next Tuesday"!

This discussion seems to be very much focused on shirt sponsorship, which is an important and possibly largest part of commercial revenues but it is not the only one (BTW, company I worked for had a shirt sponsorship deal with Villa nearly 20 years ago at £1M per year, so you would think we are comparable with Villa and could achieve more presently?). We are poor at corporate events - match day hospitality, using St. Mary's (or even the new training facilities) for corporate events, team meetings, accommodation (out of season) - I now work for a large American multinational and we regularly hold company events in UK/Europe for several thousand people at a time, and the Yanks love good old British history / heritage, so it would not be too difficult to put a package together that could net Saints circa £200K per event (themed around 100+ year team founded by a Southampton "Saints" Church team etc.). Corporate gifts are another idea - we spend a huge sum of money for customer gifts, but I would not get anything from the Saints shop - it's just not suitable, and mostly very cheap (quality not price). There are many other ideas that could be explored - the "Saints" brand could really be built in to something special - appreciate we might not be able to copyright it but I don't think we would need to.

What game were you watching? Must have been a different one to me! Yes it was a very poor England performance but within that Johnson was England MoM for me - only one who did not make a mistake, went forward at every opportunity and bravely set up the goal. If only Baines had done the same. I believe we have much better right backs, and did not agree with him being selected for the world cup squad, but in all fairness, Johnson is the very last player you can blame for today's defeat - either that or I have completely lost the plot :-)