Dibden Purlieu Saint

I think this league has changed dramatically since 1996 as well though, don't you?

This is it, it's all hearsay and conjecture.

Unfortunately I agree

Nice, like it

Not really clutching at straws no. That's not the point I'm making in my first post, and I'm certainly not advocating what Wotte has said, I just really can't make sense of a lot of the double standards on this board. As said earlier, I think he'll fail, and this is just me playing devils advocate.

Agreed, there isn't anything explicit I'll agree, and it is an assumption.

Match report from Pearson's first game, doesn't sound like we were much good then either, and similar mistakes were being made with 'astute selections' then... S****horpe 1 - 1 Southampton Maybe this will be the piece of good fortune which turns Saints' season around. In recent weeks there has been an increasing feeling that things have been going against the team who just needed a break to set them moving. Finally they got it, just when it seemed they might slip to a morale-sapping and potentially costly defeat at the division's bottom club. With just under four minutes on the clock, referee Jonathan Moss stunned everyone by suddenly stopping play to consult his assistant before pointing to the spot to give Southampton a penalty. None of the Saints players had appealed, even the away fans tucked close behind that goal did not shout for it. But this top picture by Echo photographer Paul Collins clearly shows a shirt tug on Stern John by Andy Crosby. It was one hell of a spot by the officials who had the courage to give it when it would have been so easy to have let it go - as Arsenal found to their cost with a shorts-tug yesterday. Such fouls are rarely given in the penalty area and the fact that this one was both seen and awarded was enough to suggest that things are now looking up for Saints. Equally commendable was the courage shown by Gregory Vignal who had no hesitation volunteering to take it. With Andrew Surman off the pitch and Stern John having missed his last kick, the Frenchman stepped up to the plate and drilled into the bottom right corner, sending the keeper the wrong way. Saints then almost won it at the death as Bradley Wright-Phillips latched onto Adam Hammill's ball through the inside left channel and skipped past the keeper at pace. But the angle was just too tight and he could only hit the side-netting at the near post in injury-time. That would have been a little harsh on S****horpe who were already feeling a sense of injustice, not only at the penalty but also at being reduced to 10 men on 54 minutes. Wayne Thomas slid in forcefully on Matt Sparrow who took evasive action and tried to leap out of the way of the lunge. His awkward landing on the defender was seen as a stamp and he was red-carded, again seemingly on the word of the linesman. But if the Iron felt aggrieved at those decisions, Saints were equally unhappy at the penalty award against them five minutes before the break. Jhon Viafara's lunge on Martin Paterson was certainly clumsy but they were adamant there was no foul. Justice appeared to be done when Kelvin Davis dived to his right to make a fine save from Andy Crosby's firm spot-kick. Unfortunately the rebound came back out to the defender who lashed it into the roof of the net from close range. In fairness, it was no more than the home side deserved as they had had most of the play. Saints were clearly lacking confidence and did not manage a serious attempt on goal in the first half while needing a save to his left by Davis from Paterson. They also escaped three times in a goalmouth scramble which ended with Geoff Horsfield scooping wide early on. But there was little of real note in a scrappy first half which saw both sides struggling to find any real rhythm or fluency. Although they struggled going forward, Saints could take heart from a much more solid defensive performance and they look to have a decent foundation to build upon. Ian Pearce and Andrew Davies looked a strong pair, giving the keeper good protection while Vignal and Thomas shored up the flanks. Saints still stuttered going forward but the new manager showed he is not afraid to take positive steps to change things around from the bench. The introductions of Hammill and Wright-Phillips were designed to exploit the space created by the numerical advantage. Initially it may have seemed a strange switch to replace Thomas with Wright-Phillips but it made sense because it was something of a waste having the big defender as the extra man down that right flank. Gradually Saints began to build up a head of steam helped by the extra man and a growing self-belief. Even so they still managed only half chances as a resolute defence kept them at bay until the unlikely penalty award turned the game and possibly the season.

Do you want to back that up with evidence?

So you're telling me that my comparison between them both being disciplinarians and both not having experience in the Championship is untrue then?

I agree that Wotte slagging off the fans is not on, but we weren't marching on the club at thee same stage last year so you can't say that Pearson would have said similar if in the same situation. Don't forget, Wotte's first 2 games ended up with us coming back to snatch draws. Does this not show belief, or because it's Wotte it has nothing to do with him? I'm not saying he will be a success by any means, in fact I think he'll crash and burn, but I'm just playing devils advocate here.

Right, I'm probably going to get castigated for this, but I'm not sure that Wotte is that different to Pearson. They've both taken over at roughly the same time, both seem to be disciplinarians. The only difference is that Wotte seems to be a thoroughly dislikeable chap, but maybe that's what we need. Pearson had next to no experience playing or managing in the Championship, probably a similar amount to Wotte. By all accounts we played well at Bristol City last week, and were unfortunate. Perhaps, just perhaps, we may do alright under him. The issue is that if he has the same record as the mercurial Pearson, we'll go down, and he'll be blamed. Fickle fans eh. Personally I think we're down, not because of the managers, just because our team is not good enough player for player.

I certainly think it would be interesting for the board to float the idea with the Season Ticket Holders, what's the worst that could happen if they asked?

I've got to say, even if we get relegated I really don't think we're going to go into administration. There will obviously be a loss in revenue through a loss of fans, but I really think we're down to the hardcore go no matter what fans already, so you're unlikely to lose more than 3000 a game. BUT there will also be a big offload of high wage players. As long as we have enough to service the mortgage and the interest payments I don't think we'll be put into admin, as the bank will accept us staying stagnant within the overdraft (eg not paying it off, but not borrowing anymore). Don't forget, all these realists were the ones that said we were going to have to sell all our best players, or go into admin February 8th.

Sorry Alpine, forgot to put it in the title, I don't give a **** about you or what you say. I would love it you just went over to the TUI, and left us to be.

lowe out.

And that was WGS fault full stop, if only he hadn't been such a d!ckhead.

...to this forum. It has become so boring and benign following it's constant reincarnations since SF. All we have on here now are wind-up merchants, and people that don't actually care about the club, they just want an argument. The debates are boring, the same points get trotted out time and again, and it's just no fun. Is it just me that feels this way?

Agreed. Although I wouldn't have kept Pearson on I also wouldn't have brought in the Dutchmen.

Thank God someone brought it to my attention that some think we should have kept Pearson on at this club, otherwise it may have passed me by. Personally, if it was my choice I STILL wouldn't have appointed him as I think he is a limited manager.

Not able to listen. How we playing? From someone who is objective please...

Sorry, I just read my post again and just thought 'DMG'.

I really hope for your missus sake that YOU don't make a face like that...

Bob@barclays.co.uk

We would have the fattest, laziest team in the Championship. Be good from long range though.

Women have no place in a football as far as I'm concerned, unless it's to help out with our award winning catering.