Stud mark of doom

Strongly agree. So much better than the crap we’ve had to listen to for the last two years.

First and probably last to have done both. First saints manager to be subject to a “first saints manager to have?” thread.

Very informative - thanks for posting. Even more pleased with this appointment now. That record is very impressive.

Very pleased. I was starting to think we wouldn’t get it over the line. Just what we need. We now have a fighting chance.

He is taking too long. He has to go. Hughes out.

Funny enough, WSC publish a fans prediction at the start of each season. A fan of each of the clubs in every league predicts who will be champions and who will go down in their division. The only two seasons to date we have been in the prem when no-one has said we will go down - 2004/05 and 2017/18. Sadly I think these may also be the two seasons when our board started believing we couldn’t go down.

I seem to remember the parachute payments are much better than last time we went down. Four years rather than two? We might need it.

Pretty sure they don’t “pay off” managers. They just keep paying them, so no lump sum.

If we go down, McCarthy will be quickly snapped up. Forster will presumably be stuck with us on a big long term contract - I can’t see anyone swooping for him?

I was glad they couldn’t check for offside in 76.

At present, the cure is much worse than the disease. I’m not sure what is wrong with the odd awful decision. They go both ways.

Re your last question, when did football hooliganism start - I read a book about this years ago. The answer was around the time professional football started, although at that time from memory, except for derby matches there would be few away fans and the ref and away team might be in the firing line. I’ve just done a quick google and found the book on google. £76 second hand! I might have to go and dig it out. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Roots-Football-Hooliganism-Sports-Studies/dp/1138777080

Away - I’ll also go for Reading in the relegation/admin season, which was also our best performance of the season (think that was colder than the souness fa cup “go at it 90%” one, but I may have just had a better coat). Home - the 3 0 home defeat to Sheffield Wednesday in mid eighties is the one that sticks in the mind.

Sadly, I think this really really awful rubbish is actually Mo Pe’s “style” of play. According to Mo Pe: "It's one point, but the draw is almost the same as a win." Amazing.

Do you have any reason for thinking the Beeb are wrong other than the rugby is on? Cheers mate.

I agree - especially as the full list includes the fourth match under “TBC” with no day given. So I think we can say it’s saturday, and it will finish before 7:45. Quarter-finals Saturday, 17 March Wigan v Southampton (TBC) Manchester United v Brighton (19:45) - BT Sport Sunday, 18 March Leicester v Chelsea (16:30) - BBC One TBC Sheffield Wednesday or Swansea v Rochdale or Tottenham

Interesting read - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41902664

He played in the 6 3 against Man U. I didn’t remember that!

Is manging the side winning at Arsenal tonight. It is the one who played for saints. Last English manager in European competition?

Cup win obvs - I’m amazed anyone thinks otherwise. Cup final appearance or relegation is a more finely balanced question. I think I might still go for cup final.

This is great news for our cup chances of course. But Wigan have now beaten almost as many premiership teams as us this season.

Is there such thing as a 5m striker these days - unless you mean someone who should never even be on the bench in the prem. He seems closer to a 20m striker to me, but that’s not saying much.

I know that’s a joke but, slightly more seriously, Theo Walcott never really became anything like the player he looked like he would be in his six months with us.

Terry Paine Bobby Stokes Ummm Hassan Kachloul Eyal Berkovich That danish midfielder Bally got from Barca Francis Benali (I did see him play for forest on loan once)

Is “incredible humility” his self assessment? Our season does make a lot more sense when viewed through a “avoid winning at all costs” lens. He has succeeded beyond almost all expectations.