David Strover

You'll have to bait the hook better and cast further to catch me!

I know nothing about this rumour and doubt it's veracity to be honest. I have to be totally truthful here but I do in fact know Steady Eddy and have known him since the age of around 14 or so - I'm 46 now - he is a full on over 30 year Saints fan and up until recently a season-ticket holder and not a Pimpey-Mole or a troll.

Wrong, wrong and again wrong. It almost certainly comes from the Universities in this country England (Great Britain) not the USA and if not that an interesting theory (not proven) is reproduced below: The closest-sounding modern word relating to soccer is "sock" this raises a couple of interesting points. The modern word comes from an old English word spelt "socc". More interestingly this was not a snug, fabric covering as it is today, but back then it meant a light shoe and it comes from the Latin "soccus". The word "socc" to mean "shoe" first appeared in 725AD. Whiltst Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned in Carlisle Castle in Tudor times it is documented that she watched the game of football, indeed her retinue played for two hours "strongly" and "skillfully". On a contemporary map of Carlisle Castle is has to be noted that certain fields are labelled "Castle Soceries". Old map showing soceries - maybe origin of soccer? So could this be proof that in medieval times the game was also known as "soccer" and played by those wearing "soccs" on ground known as "soceries"...

Ian Turner use to work down the refinery - I think he was a pipe fitter or a pipe fitter's mate. All the Saints team used the Mill Arms occasionally (Ted MacDougall owned it) and David Peach often used to work behind the bar (very nice bloke) and a lot of the Saints team used the Malthouse. Which included Kevin Keegan at the height of his Saints career who sat next to my mate Shaun and he had to be told this after Keegan left. Steve Moran tried to chat my then girlfriend up big time as did Alan Ball to my mates girlfriend along the lines of 'Do you know who we are?' to which the answer was 'Nope' when they told them both girls still didn't know who they were - that deflated the egos a bit! I've played football against Peter Osgood (he kicked me - I used to play in goal) and Ian Hutchinson. Sundance has proved by one simple post how small minded and how little real Saints knowledge or indeed love he has.

This is where you prove without doubt your football ignorance. I was around in those days and I went to the Final and I can tell you for a fact that the odds for Southampton to win were absolutely ridiculous considering there were only two teams playing and football pundits were predicting a five or six goal win for United - that is a FACT. Southampton beating Manchester United in the 1976 FA Cup Final was a bigger shock than Sunderland beating Leeds United but for some unknown reason it hardly every gets a mention in the media. Nowadays of course under the current regime Bristol Rovers, Rotherham United, Mansfield Town or East Gasworks Lane Paperboys XI Reserves beating my club in a cup competition isn't even considered a shock! Those you don't learn from the past are condemned to repeat it - look what happened in out last relegation season. Now I wonder who was the chairman in charge then?......

You won't feel guilty when the score comes in.....You'd be surprised how short a time it takes before you don't miss the ritual at all.

Southampton FC are going through something (or are soon about to) that the club has never gone through before particularly in relation to the way football is now structured. The 21st century game has nothing to do with the 1940s or any other footballing era so comparing them is like comparing chalk and cheese and as pointless. Unless something changes soon we, whatever our views, will see the death of this club in it's current form and whatever replaces it will never, ever be the same. If you are happy with that keep on whistling and shouting 'la-la-la'.

Southampton 0 Reading 3 2-0 down at halftime, in fact 2-0 down inside the first fifteen minutes.

They asked to be taken out of the ground?

They asked to be taken out of the ground?

Perhaps some on this forum should heed your words then because I remember the main objection to Billy Davies possibly being made our manager was he was an arrogant ****!

Perhaps some on this forum should heed your words then because I remember the main objection to Billy Davies possibly being made our manager was he was an arrogant ****!

I might be wrong on some of these because I'm using my memory not research! Other records (since a league club) we could maybe beat or equal this season?: Worst defeat: 8-0, possible but ultimately unlikely but you never know. Worst home defeat: 6-0, this one could be at least equalled this season, we are that bad. Longest run without scoring: I believe this is seven games but I'm not sure. This could easily be beaten this season. Most consecutive defeats on the trot: I'm not sure of this one but I think it's six or seven. This will be beaten this season. Worst attendance: Some where around 1,040 versus Port Vale. Unless something really drastic happens can't see it being beaten - this season.

I might be wrong on some of these because I'm using my memory not research! Other records (since a league club) we could maybe beat or equal this season?: Worst defeat: 8-0, possible but ultimately unlikely but you never know. Worst home defeat: 6-0, this one could be at least equalled this season, we are that bad. Longest run without scoring: I believe this is seven games but I'm not sure. This could easily be beaten this season. Most consecutive defeats on the trot: I'm not sure of this one but I think it's six or seven. This will be beaten this season. Worst attendance: Some where around 1,040 versus Port Vale. Unless something really drastic happens can't see it being beaten - this season.

There. Is. No. Alternative. Or so we keep being told......much to my annoyance.

We could try someone up front who can actually score goals regularly......oh sorry.

'Fraid not. He was the linesman that missed Beatties offside goal for Everton in the 2-2 draw the season we went down.....he didn't get too much stick about that in the pub (so I heard).

Having not come through our 'admired' 'first class' academy I suspect he just couldn't cope with our smart, football-first Dutch tactics - being English and all that.

We'll lose 2-0 or 3-0 - we have no one who can score and our tactics are inept. I know the referee for this game personally - or I used to. Roger East I used to play football with in fact I still have film of the game when we won the Minnows Cup in the Commercial Houses League! Funny thing is he is (or was) a Saints fan and used to go to the Dell and all his uncles and family used to as well.......

That fecking OS gets more and more depressing every week. The nonsense that is spouted on there beggars belief. I know that it is essentially a propaganda tool for Southampton Football Club but some the recent outpouring coupled with the complete rubbish spoken by the head coach/tactical genius really has to read twice to check you're not reading something from a footballing version of 'The Onion'. This is so depressing. Do you think they really believe the stuff they write - especially our Dutch friends or are they just having a laugh at our expense?

Their imaginary friend doesn't like us that is plain to see.

Surely someone can create better tactics with the same bunch of players and drop non-performing players (McGoldrick)? I don't believe there is not another manager out there that can't do that!

I'm at home really sick lying on the sofa and when the text-ticker came up with Southampton 0, Nottm Forest 2 my reaction was this: 1. I knew that was gonna happen. 2. I wonder who'll win Strictly Come Dancing tonight? For the first time in absolutely ages I wasn't particularly upset....then it twigged I really don't invest emotionally anymore. Win, lose or draw it's all the same to me - I still look out for the results. I guess the next stage will be I won't even know how they got on a Saturday night! Oh well back to Ice Hockey full time I suppose!

****e! Cutting costs by reducing all the services and hiring cheaper people to work for you can be done by anyone who doesn't really care what people think. A 'cracking' businessman/woman turns a business around by making the product an attractive proposition that people want (i.e. pay to watch regarding Saints); make the customers recommend; make the press sit up and notice and make so attractive people want to invest. This might involve taking a risk with your own money. Which of the above two has Lowe done? I've sat here for some while reading pro and con comments on the man and his amazing statements (we might be considered underdogs against Manchester United - what a genius) and I am under the opinion he does not really care about the supporters or the football club just the stock-market and the share standing and he is the world's worst at delegating staff. His appointments have been virtually nothing short of appalling and if you are a good businessman you make sure your managers are good at their jobs and competent. IMHO

How long have you been supporting Saints - two weeks? We have a long history of not winning many games - how about the least amount of wins in the last ten years - historically and accurately we will probably lose this game. I always go with the logic but having said that football doesn't always do this. Just because I think we are crap, just because I don't think we will win does not make me some how a lesser supporter it just means my view point on Southampton Football Club different from yours - not the rest of my life which you know nothing about just Southampton Football Club. I would like to see Saints win 5-0 with the press raving about the demolition of Burnley and highlights being shown left, right and centre......ain't gonna happen though - probably.