Micky

Exactly - lifting the embargo does what? It allows them back into the market place - it gives them back thier 'flexible friend' - it allows them to dig an even bigger hole of debt - it allows them to effectively trade beyond thier means once again - it allows them to give false hope to thier supporters. Ok they could bring in loans and frees - but that still adds to the wage bill (you know the one that they have struggled to meet recently). Perhaps the PL really have lifted it just to allow them to shoot themselves in the head.

This whole idea has been ripped off from that groundbreaking carrier that is Ryanair. They are pioneers of this lie flat travel concept - except they want to take the seats out completely and 'flat pack' thier customers into the aircraft in a standing position, like bloody sardines. Real forward thinking, quality driven carrier, honest...!

Never mind who runs Saints Twitter - can somebody just explain what twitter is for us (old) dumb users. Ta in advance.

Dear me - if true - that really is sad, I know there's no such thing as a free lunch these days, but a premiership team unable to pay to feed the staff sort of takes the biscuit (NPI). Mind you, if the caterers are resigned to doing this to settle outstanding debts, how long before representatives of Lens, Watford, Chelsea etc turn up to reclaim players that have outstanding monies owed - desperate times call for desperate measures...!

Thank god for the OP - we are in danger of losing the plot and being dragged down by our 'obscession' with that lot down the road. Lets not lose sight of the bigger picture - give me the three points from Brentford, these are the bread and butter games - they are the games that are going to have the most impact on our destiny. A cup tie with those down the road is great - but we need to make inroads towards at least challenging for a playoff place now - the league is the priority.

In most peoples eyes, oh so very true. Perhaps though you should discuss this with one of our other most esteemed ex managers - he would have a very, very different view.

Would wish George all the best if he ends up at Reading. Nobody starts a new job in life with the intention of failing or making a hash of it. I'm positive that GB had the best of intentions when he started with us, perhaps that waned during the second season as we started our downward spiral - but that is not totally down to the manager. Why people wish to throw cheap shots with reference to percieved personal problems is beyond me - would they be so readily accepted if they were being recieved, probably not. Not our best manager over the years, by a long shot - but equally, not our worst. Good luck for the future George.

Exactly. It's weird though - here we are lanquishing in the third tier, midtable whilst the Blue Few are still in the big league - but would one single fan want to swap places. No chance. It's so good to be a fan again - if we miss out on the Paint Pot, and the play offs, and get beat by Pompey, it will do nothing to dampen my enthusiasm now. We are on the up either way, the owners, manager and team are all cause for celebration right now.

Strange how only a few months ago the good Dr was telling everybody how Pompey could draw thier fanbase from right across the south of England - millions of people. Reality seems to have hit home, even most of the local community seems to have deserted them and the Blue Few get Fewer still... Happy days if your a Saint.

Looks like the 'Hardcore' are getting restless too: http://boards.footymad.net/forum.php?tno=424&fid=203&sty=2&act=1&mid=2123130250

What he should have done is: dropped the Milton end and parts of the north stand ... because it just ain't used...!

Ahhh so good to see that you have trawled the Board and revived a real classic of a thread - I like your taste, I really do...! Please refrain from the rant though - if it's taken you this long to work it up, it could prove fatal. Relax and breath would be my advice..!

Nice sentiments, but it would appear that there are some of our fans (mongs) who cannot wait to get in there and twist the knife: http://www.fansonline.net/portsmouth/mb/view.php?id=222420

Quality place that has bred quality people...!

Nice story - makes a real change from the normal 'fans in fight' headlines that we are used to seeing. Well done to those that 'made it so', just a shame that the press don't get to hear and report on the good side for a change.

If nothing else they play offs have got to remain a target for the team to strive towards reaching. Personally I think it's out of reach this season - but you never know, if others falter and lose form we need to take advantage. If we finished 6th and got promoted it would almost feel better than running riot and winning the league outright. We are a decent side now - our second half of the season should give everyone a good indication of how good, and how we might do next season.

Hallelujah...! At last, there are realists here. Was beginning to worry - but agree with the OP totally apart from the 'guaranteed' promotion place next season. If it were that easy - everybody would be a football manager. Many have been here and many have found it very difficult to get out. After all of the turmoil, this season has been an absolute blast, good owners, good manager, good players, good facilities and good prospects. Yes, we are set up for success, but nothing in this game is a given. I'm happy to go with the five year plan so long as we are making strides forward.

I think that one of the sticking points is that if he plays a certain number of games for Pompey it triggers a claus in his contract entitling him to another years contract at the club (which they probably cannot afford), and therefore they don't want to pass that trigger point. Therefore he is not getting games for Pompey, which in turn is ruining his England chances.

Big ask in my opinion - especially when you get round to the squeakybum bit of the season.

Yes, but how many managers did they go through until they found the one...? How long did they take to find the one that eventually delivered the 'Instant', in many cases - lots of years...! Whose to say that giving somebody a little extra time is not the way to go? We could take managers from many of the clubs that you mention - but that doesn't mean that we are going to have instant success does it? Why do we have a 5 year plan - which we are agreed that we do - right? If we sack AP in 12 months time - does the 5 year plan become a 3 year plan with the same ultimate goal, thus putting twice the pressure on any new manager? N.B. I agree to your additions in your previous post about the dangers of losing good players who may not want to play at this level for too many season - but that is a problem for every other manager in this league - it is not exclusive to us. If anything, if we believe everything we read on here, we are 'minted' and therefore we should be able to hang on to such players - although again I don't think it is quite that simplistic.

Ahhh I see - sorry it's late. And, if that did happen then this board would most definately be in meltdown...!

Not too sure that every successful club has done it at all. Yes I agree that you have to find the right manager at the right time - but that is much easier said than done. If your happy to set non negotiable milestones and targets and then sack people as soon as they fail to achieve them on the 18 month mark sobeit. When you look at the farcicle situation at QPR recently I guess you have given your guy a fair shot at it. Personally I think stability is needed right now - we are a League 1 side now and if we are still here in 2 years time then I would be happy to see AP still at the helm so long as we are showing progress and knocking on the door. Personally I think that '18 months and you're out' is just a little simplistic and knee jerk in some ways.

Do you know what these milestones are? Did you make the May 11 one up? At the end of the day we have all heard of the '5 year plan', which is to reach the promised land within that timescale - that is the ultimate goal. Whose to say that we dont spend another 3 years in this league and then achieve the goal with btb promotions? Job done - but unfortunately most of us won't have stuck with the 5 year plan, another manager will be in place given another 18 months, bringing in his new staff, buying the players he fancies, blah blah blah - have we done this a number of times before...? Nothing wrong with ambition at all, nor realistic milestones either - but nothing, absolutely nothing in this game is guaranteed - and we should all be aware of that.

I sincerely hope you are correct - personally I think this season it's a big ask. If we do manage to get in there we could win the lottery - honestly I don't think that we will. That makes next season very, very big - everybody will be expecting nothing less than promotion one way or another - won't they? What if AP and the team don't deliver? Where are we then with the 5 year plan? Don't get me wrong - I would like to stay with it, so long as improvement is shown season upon season. I wonder if those expecting 'instant' will stay with the management and team as well though?

We all want it - we all crave it - the bottom line is so does every other club that plays in the league - therefore we can't all have it. Nobodys sneering - simply pointing out that success (promotion, playoffs) may not be 'instant'. We may have to sit a while, consolidate and build a team to deliver promotion. Other teams have been here, probably thought it would be easy to get out and have taken longer than they would have liked - we are no different. Yes I want success, yes I crave it as badly as the next fan - it's just that I'm realistic enough to realise that (irrespective of the club / party line) it may take longer than most on here seem to think. Yesterday - we without doubt dropped 2 points. When you have three points in your pocket in injury time you shut up shop - you win the game and become sucessful - we didn't do that, we were not sucessful.