Whitey Grandad

I agree absolutely. The ref controlled the game throughout, had a quiet word when necessary and kept his cards in his pocket (mostly). I thought he got a couple on decisions wrong, but I'm prepared to accept that his opinion may be different from mine. Both officials appear to have missed Perry's handball and I was too far away to have a view about Saga's penalty claim. On the whole I would be happy to see either of the last couple of refs back at St. Marys again (and please God, never Mike Riley).

Which youngsters might they be? Where has he been hiding them?

At the start of the season I seem to remember most people on here saying that they could understand why we were loaning out our first-choice front men but that we would be all right so long as we held on to Stern John. Then he went too and the rest is history.

We have budgeted for lower-league football and that is what we are likely to get. We've fiddled about with loans in and out that have disrupted the team from one game to the next. We should forget the academy and concentrate all our resources on the first team alone, nothing else matters. Our big overhead is also our big asset - the stadium. We should do everything we can to fill it for every home game. This would give us a considerable advantage over most other teams in this division. Just imagine what we could have achieved had we started with the current team and a couple more proven goalscorers. We've paid a lot of money for them and that value has been written off. Better results could have put 10,000 extra on every home gate building on the euphoria of the end of last season, which would have paid for more than the extra cost of keeping those players and would have increased their value to potential buyers. This club is not a factory with the first team as its shop window, it is the life and soul of the City and the region and it deserves far better that this.

The situation is a lot brighter but it's still going to be touch-and-go. The form table is a good indication The important results are the game in hand, home v. Charlton and away at Blackpool & Forest. I think that we will need at least 16 points from the last 12 games and at this rate it looks like it will all go to the last day of the season.

We would have had bigger crowds if they had all played in the first half of the season.

I thought he should have held it.

You've missed out motorbike scrambling. Does anybody still do that? And a pint of prawns from the whelk stall at the end of the road.

Can we set lions and tigers loose on them?

Let's just say that I shall be going to the game with a bit more optimism than previously. I still think that we're deep in the doggy-doos but with a fair wind, an early goal and a frenzied crowd screaming their support we're in with a chance. ok, I'll settle for an early goal.

Any one of those would be enough for me, tbh. You've left out a lot of others, how about abysmal man-management skills and no-existent motivational skills? We could go on, and I suspect that many will.

Last Saturday's win has certainly improved our chances and must have sent the willies up the other clubs. Another win tomorrow and then it'll be touch-and-go until the end of the season. The game in hand is probably the most significant because there we have a chance to gain points on all those around us. We live in 'interesting times'.

As I understand it, there are two parachutes just for having been in the Premiership. For many clubs it would be financially impossible to get up and stay up in one promotion. Rather than spending every penny to try and stay up (Derby?) another way is to get promoted and then use the money wisely to make sure that the club is in a healthier state than the other clubs in the Championship. It may take two or three promotions to secure a firm foothold in the Premiership. There's an interesting article about clubs that bounce straight back: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2007/aug/08/sport.comment1 If one bounces back then the football League get the saved parachute. If 2 bounce back the the Premier League keeps the second saved payment, but if all three bounce back then the third saved payment is also distributed lower down.

1. Apart from the odd exception, they have all been terrible. 2. The first lesson for a young supporter is that there is no satisfaction in following a successful team. You have to sit through years of mediocrity and dross in order to fully appreciate the rare bright shaft of sunlight. I remember leaving Old Trafford (it might have been Anfield) after we had been stuffed as usual and one Saints follower turned to his little boy who looked completely stunned and said "that's what it's all about, son". Think of it as a valuable lesson in life and disappointment that will help him navigate the storms and whirlpools that lie ahead of him. 3. Yup, I agree 100%.

Do you mean 'who wants ham and cheese? How many for bacon and tomato?'

Exactly. You usually find that when a player returns after a long lay-off they get other problems such as pulled hamstrings.

The fee was quoted variously as 'undisclosed' and 'around £1m', e.g. http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11700_2384162,00.html We sold him for about the same apparently http://www.expressandstar.com/2007/08/10/pele-faces-fight-for-place/

If we stay up I will be very pleased, but I don't see why anybody involved with this season should be praised for their contribution to our situation.

And how much did the 'tugged shirt' potentially cost us?

We shall miss you... :smt089 ...and you'll be leaving a league 1 tin pot club.

Many of us have been saying this all season. I did notice another extravagant expense yeterday. There were packs of bottled water along the touchline. What's wrong with refilling the bottles ffs? There's a river not more than 100yds away.

I wouldn't like to pick a MOM. I thought that for once they all played like a team. The shape was good and consistent, until the subs perhaps. In was impressed by the way that the forwards and midfield closed down the opposing fullbacks. At one point in the second half there were several crunching blocks in succession which really got the crowd going. Even McG left the pitch to warm applause. For me, what made the difference was the presence of the experience and professionalism of Skacel, Euell and Saga. For sure, James could have got higher up the pitch before launching the ball in and it was some time before I realised that Lallana was playing. If Gillett cold pass to his team-mates more he could be an outstanding player. If I had to pick one it would perhaps be Euell.

Le Tissier?

If Wotte fails then Saints fail and no genuine Saints supporter could want that. The same can be said for administration. That doesn't mean to say that I like Wotte or the style of football that we have been playing this season, but if we were winning every game then I wouldn't care to managed the team or who owned the club.

It stopped them being promoted in their first season, tbh