saint1977

Why would the Skates employ them although I'm sure they would be perfectly good doctors? They've got no ferking money and no guarantee that HMRC won't successfully challenge their dodgy CVA. More anti-NC rubbish on this site - mods, sort it out. I'm all for freedom of speech but some of the recent posts on here and the Lounge have been very extreme in their views.

I'd agree with quite a lot of this but we do need one more CB as Martin is developing nicely and Seaborne can play there but if Fonte and Jaidi get injured we could have a problem. If said CB is right footed and can cover a first choice RB that we bring in all the better. Agree on the wide player, we don't need two now as Puncheon, Dickson and Lallana are in house and Ox-C might get some cameos there. Connolly was a star but can't see him being fit much so might be better if we can't agree pay-as-you-play to bring in someone like Jackson to keep Barnard on his toes. AP has already stated he wants back up to Rickie and proper competition in CM where Hammond had a mixed season. A RB will come in as well, I guess that Calderon was a risky investment but AP will have other options he wishes to pursue.

Is there any chance that we could just see where we are in terms of ST sales by August and how well we fare on the pitch? If we're 7th in December and 15,000 gates then yes, some of the points being made might be valid. I just can't believe people are getting in such a state.

Sensible. JibMcDo posts common sense above as well, AP and NC are probably going after a better quality of player from a smaller shortlist that are already under contract elsewhere (probably because they are half-decent and the selling club want to retain them). Semi was a free but didn't cut it, but the signings that we've bought from clubs that wanted to retain them if they could - Lambert, Fonte, Barnard, Punch - have been first class. I agree with John that we do need 4-5 players in as 2 would only get us in the play offs with Hudds and Swindon looking strong but I back this regime to get them in. 2 RBs (one that can also play DC as well), a good CM to liven Hammond up, one more quick wide player and a back up to Rickie would do it. Combined with this thread and the awful thread about Cortese, it makes you want to not bother posting here again. Thankfully the vast majority of our fans have more sense and looking forward to a enjoyable and successful season finishing in the top 2. If that happens, after the JPT last season we'll be enjoying ourselves don't you think?

Clearly NC was critical of MLT in the OS piece which perhaps wasn't needed but can you demonstrate where he's had a pop at Keegen? Benali - we don't know what happened there despite lots of third-hand rumour on here. I've no problem with him banning the Echo, it should be banned on the grounds of good taste anyway. Pardew - NC was damned if he did or didn't, he is ambitious and as some wise posters pointed out the Swiss like to do things discreetly. Didn't we all hate it when Askham and Wiseman wanted to hang on to 4th from bottom whilst helping themselves? Most expensive tickets in the league - ok, granted but we are not playing in the sheds that most lower league teams playing, we put Farton to shame which was a PL ground last year. Plus you cannot say with Lambert, Fonte etc that he hasn't invested in the squad? There should have been more warning over ST sales and the installments, I totally agree there. However, do remember that the PLC was supposedly open yet we still had Steve Wigley enforced us, effectively relegating us by August 2004. NC hasn't done anything like that. I would like to see ST priority for Cup games but I don't like the AFCB game will sell out until nearer the game anyway.

Can't see it myself Landford, he is representing ML's business interest so not sure it's that although I do agree that certain recent moves have been a bit odd. The mood from fans will pick up once more new signings are announced and also a good start that gets us in an automatic promotion spot will also help. I'd like to see the installment plan back next year although I must admit I didn't use it. NC may be testing out his audience to see what it can bear and what it can't so if we sell 2k less STs say then that might be a message. I think NC has done well so far, not perfect but no CEO is, and has gotten ML to invest so in return I've been happy to buy 2 STs and might even buy my first Saints shirt since the Draper Tools (I don't look good in footy shirts but our new one is nice IMO).

I'm with Hypo and DickyHale. 1976 Child is exactly that and one of the most odious posters on here. He's reacted hysterically and immaturely to middle of the road posts from myself and others which often he hasn't read properly to start with. Other posters can be OTT at times but at least they care about the club and most of them have some manners and can generally converse like a normal human being. It's posters/trolls like him that are putting people off of using this site which is a shame. I'd pay £5 if it stopped him and others like him posting on here again. Hopefully I don't ever have to sit/stand next to him at away games.

Totally agree. I'd like to see a different style of football encouraged starting in the lower leagues where thuggery is swiftly dealt with and the game is allowed to flow by referees far more which hopefully promotes pass and move. Look at Mexico last night, Argentina beat them but they outplayed them at times and they were so comfortable on the ball. Rooney's "world class" tag is an utter joke, he can score a million hat-tricks V Wigan and FC Lodz but he won't be judged as anything other than average until he does the business in 2012 and 2014. Like Owen, one good tournament and sporadic after that. Terry is well past it, look how poor he was last season. Heskey - Grant Holt or Lambert would have contributed more, we like players to appreciate fans, not play like them. I want to see chants of "you let down your country" at most of these idiots at every Premier League away ground next season, all season. Even their spiv agents can't insulate them from that. Until 2012, Wayne Rooney deserves to have "world cup flop" next to his name.

Brilliant post and so, so accurate with it. Skates forget that Venables was there before Mandaric and Gaydamak started (allegedly) messing about with IR/HMCE/HMRC. We had one or two bad eggs - Askham and Wiseman - who did the club immense damage that NC and ML are helping us recover from and Wiseman ran into problems at the FA but I don't recall them actually (allegedly) cheating the public revenue in the way that Pompey have over the years. Lowe wasn't my favourite Chairman but you have to say that there wasn't a mountain of unpaid tax when we toppled into adminstration (although the barsteward could have put us in weeks before he did) or any at all if memory serves me correctly. We took our medicine for Wilde's and Crouch's gamble and Lowe's mismanagement on a fraction of the skates debts.

Not sure about that, Varney was on big wages when he was at Charlton and this is why I suspect he has been on loan from various different clubs. Given that they've off-loaded the likes of Schmichael I can't see it given that they only recently fended off admin. Trew has put money in but much of that will have been paying down debt. I think AP will have funds but the club like to be discreet. I think we'll see lots of activity in early July.

Hamster "gets it". I am either a Lib Dem voter or One Nation Conservative (otherwise known as a wet to the Neo-Cons on here. Sorry folks, Cameron is right, there is such a thing as "society") but that is not to say that I do not come across examples from my friends and family of frontline people doing essential jobs that add a lot of value that will be unneccessarily and unfairly culled by senior managers in the public sector on huge wages inflated in the last 13 years simply because their face fits. Their needless bureaucratic systems hinder people that are trying to create a dynamic public sector that all of us would be proud of. I'd like to have seen George say "we are deleting the Chief Executive role in Local Government and instead at that level people will be responsible for 6 authorities and will not be paid any more than 150k" and also I agree with RDAs going - SEEDA have made a right mess with the Vospers site and although there are good staff in RDAs, they would be a better suited to a local economic development set-up. Not sure what value Strategic Health Authorities add either but happy to be enlightened. The top people should bear the bulk of the cuts in the public sector but we do need to educate people folks, where are your future apprentices, nurses, doctors and civil engineers going to come from? If we remove the most reactionary and backward senior managers, it unlocks reform in the public sector which is good for all of us including the staff like my friends that work in it. Remember also that the private sector relies on public sector contracts and spending - so this is something I'm watching closely, hopefully other sector grow and fill the gap with new opportunities. I want to apologise to Trousers, we don't agree politically but I went too far in my comments at the weekend. Fair play to Dune for standing up for disabled people, good on you.

By the way, I was talking about medical care and the need to fund it from tax funds! Private medicine can't help you much if you have an emergency situation.

By the way, that was aimed at Trousers. Always thought until that post that he seemed to have a brain but the ignorance was frightening. If you need emergency surgery because a car hits you, you will live (or possibly die) to regret those comments. I'm not 100% pro Unions as there are some dinosaurs but having had a successful career to date working across different sectors there are also some bad Directors and senior managers (as well as some very talented ones) who need a brake on their ineptitude. Therefore, a balance in the economy is needed.

Did you actually go to School or was it all too much for you? God, there are some dense people in Soton.

Argyle are a bit of a mess. I know it's only June but I can't see a decent manager wanting the politics and the gates will really drop for them next year. I'm going to say 3-0 to the Saints assuming that we continue to recruit decent players. The threats this year are Hudds (who will get automatic with us IMO), Charlton, Sheff Wed and Peterborough who will have a really good go with Johnson in charge. Can't see Swindon being such a force this time. What sort of reception do we think BWP might get (if he is fit of course)?

Adebola is a large striker but Akinfenwa is XXL. I'd like to see Adomah from Barnet who I remember reading Saints are interested in to increase our mobility and Harper from Reading would liven up the midfield. We need another CB too after Perry's retirement.

I agree with this and also SaintMikey's and Toomer's earlier posts. Build the station at SMS and get Network Rail to re-install the line. Buy up the waterfront land and regenerate the area with new businesses and some new homes - ie a proper balance not an Ocean Village debacle. An expanded SMS would fit nicely into this and the views from the new Kingsland upper level would be great of the river so we could add new corporate facilities in there which would generate new income streams.

Load of rubbish. Hughton has been told he can sign frees and contract expiry players this summer as Newcastle's wage bill is still huge and Leeds haven't got 3-4m and have just signed Paynter. Leeds are more likely to go for Simeon Jackson or a similar type of speedy/smaller striker.

I don't think it is a daft idea at all but my guess is that Town Depot (if SCC still own it) could be sold given SCC are totally kaput and facing years of grant reduction. That would create the waterside retail that NC and ML way want and may attract further investment to improve the infrastructure to support a larger SMS if that's what they want. We would need the railway link to be re-engaged and a station built almost certainly which might be tricky but NC and ML have more clout so don't rule it out. The local authorities in the area - SCC, Eastleigh and HCC - are not in the strong position they were 15 years ago and crave inward investment. If that is on the table potentially then they have no option but to talk to NC.

Yes please, very pacy and linked to us already this year in the Evening Standard.

Ha Ha, fair play JB. I don't think Woodley has been particularly constructive either and all of this hurts his members even more than it hurts Walsh. It's about time the megaphones went down and some serious talking took place. At this rate, there won't be a company to fight over. Perhaps if Woodley and Walsh took more of a back-seat role in negotiations the heat may cool and the real issues take precedence? It might also calm the tabloid feeding frenzy.

Excellent - that would pay the fee for a decent player at this level. Bit of bonus for Nicola and Pards.

Whilst I really don't agree with this particular strike by Unite which I feel is counter-productive all-round, for company, customers like you and I, and staff, you cannot be serious re: Walsh. You are joking surely? This is the big gobbed incompetent that brought us the Terminal 5 debacle and has made a pig's ear of running BA. I re-state that I don't agree with Unite but Walsh's resignation would at least give the company hope of survival and a new CEO that has the wit to prosper in a complex environment rather than a 1980s relic. Adam Crozier might be a bit slimy but he is Aston Villa or Tottenham as CEOs go to Walsh's Bognor Regis Town.

I think this will happen as it was reported in the Evening Standard this year as well plus I seem to recall people posting on here that AP likes this player. Could he be playing left-wing? I also believe that AP will move for another out of contract player in London, Adomah at Barnet. We'll face stiff competition for him, including Forest as Billy Davies likes him although whether Davies is still there next week is another matter!

I agree that Drew isn't the quickest but lots of players without pace have prospered at the top level - Sheringham, Kevin Davies etc. However, without pace you do need strength in order for a good first touch and football brain - which Drew has - to influence the game. The coaching staff here pre-Markus and Pardew were a shambles. It was obvious that he needed to increase his upper body strength after a promising first full season for us in 06/07 and that should have happened over the following summer but instead the issue and Drew's game was left to wither on the vine.