SaintBobby

Didn't want to curse us by making it sound like we're already promoted. We ain't. But it's starting to look like enough of a possibility that I'm taking an interest not only in the Championship, but who stays in the PL. Who do you want to go up and down? UP: SAINTS, READING, BRIGHTON (would like to see West Ham suffer and three southern teams in the PL would be fun - espec given Pompey's collapse) DOWN: QPR, BOLTON, WOLVES (I think Blackburn and Wigan will be crap next season, so want them to stay up as "relegation fodder" if we are promoted)

I can see us taking 5k if there's a chance that a win will secure auto-promotion or secure the title....and that does seem quite possible.

Agreed. I also can't see how Reading can get to 95 or 97 points. They can get to 94 if they beat West Ham, 92 if they draw with West Ham and 91 if they lose to West Ham. I also agree that we can't count our GD as an extra half point. If we are tied with either W Ham or Reading on points, it is a racing certainty that our goal difference is superior (if not 100%, then well above 99.99%....so 100% unless you want to measure things to about 20 decimal points). So you can reduce the OP's original calculations in terms of points needed (to get promoted or win the division) by 1 point.

What's CTC mean?

Over 90 minutes, Kelvin. Over 3-4 games, Lambert or Morgan.

Have to play to win whatever the league position. Even more so if we need points to win the championship (this is probably out best chance of a serious piece of silverware for the rest of our liftetimes. If you don't think it's "meaningful", I'd love to know what meaningful trophies you think we might win in future!) We're a decent, sporting club unlike the twisted, cheating phew.

If that's true, what's the real meaning of the transfer window? It would seem that you can effectively continue transfers after the window has closed (and while the loan window has opened) just by presenting them in a slightly different way semantically. Not saying you're wrong, am just saying what the implication is if you're right...

Does anyone know if clubs such as Bristol City or Coventry are screaming blue murder at this? I would have thought legal action should be threatened or undertaken. Although we are interested in the matter due to the rivalry, there's several clubs battling relegation who could end up going down due to the cheating by Portsmouth. Why are they apparently so sanguine?

Ah. Thanks. You answered my question a second or two before I posted it!

You serious? What's capacity at London Road? I'm intending to go to Posh and Boro away if I can - but assumed getting into Peterborough could be a big ask even for a STH (I only have 3 away games to my name this season)

Is there an agreed or suggested gathering point at a pub or bar in London for Saints fans watching the Blackpool game on Saturday (and for watching Saints games on TV more generally?) I think there used to be a pub in Mayfair called The Goat which was owned by a Saints fan and was plastered in memorabilia, but hasn't that changed hands? I'm interested in going to the most Southampton-dominated pub in London to watch the game if possible, but may just end up at the Sports Cafe on Haymarket. Any info, thoughts and suggestions wlecome.

I used three phones to keep trying to get through. Got through at 915am to be told the tickets wouldn't be on the system until 930am. After another 20 or so attempts, got through at 945am and managed to secure 2 restricted view tickets. It doesn't seem a very efficient system to me, but the people on the other end of the phone are always very pleasant.

Arse. 1-0 to W Ham.

I can claim victory on that one. I consistently predicted 2nd last season, certainly from the halfway mark.

I predicted we'd end up mid-table this season. I also reckoned Lallana looked like a hopeless donkey in his first match for us (45 mins in a pre-season friendly vs some Euro team) and would never make the first team.

You predicted last season that we'd lose in the play offs even when we were 2nd with about 8 games to go. HTH.

This whole argument is so ridiculous. Some fans are indeed "better" than others (by which, I mean more fanatical, more loyal and - I guess - more useful to the club). But we're not all the same and people, of course, have loads of good reasons for not following/supporting the team as much as others do. (living in Dubai or Switzerland or having a low income all strike me as a fairly good reasons for not having a season ticket, for example). I'm sure there are loads of us who had very good reasons for not being in the 600-700 who travelled to Hull last tuesday - but massive hat tip to those who did. All in all, if you follow the team home and away and watch every minute of every match, you're a better fan than me. I'm a season ticket holder, but live and work in London, and often can't really make mid-week games. Quite often could make mid-week games or away games, but can't be arsed. So, big round of applause to those who do go the extra mile. I don't take the view that we're all equally good fans, whether we attend games or not, whether we walk out with ten minutes to go or not etc. The OP is right that he's probably a fairly sh*t fan compared to some of the ultra hard core. If that loses him sleep at night, he needs help.

It bothers me in the same way that low attendances bother me, I guess. I respect the right of everyone else to leave at half-time and leave me as the only person left in the stands, but it wouldn't make the second half as atmospheric or enjoyable. Same goes for people flooding out on 80 minutes.

I can't remember who won 5 years ago. But if Saints win this year, I'll treasure it for the rest of my life - and much more so than coming second. On balance, I would NOT take 2nd place if offered it now. I can see the temptation - but I'd rather "twist" and shoot for first.

I think virtually everyone on here does have some sense of proportion. It's a hobby/pastime/obsession we are all pretty addicted to. I'm delighted Nigel and the team are taking it "one game at a time". But most fans don't. I'm looking at all the remaining games as something as a batch rather than thinking only about our chances against Blackpool. Obviously, anyone who has filled in the BBC predictor isn't taking it one game at a time really, are they?

Even if made tongue in cheek, it's the most accurate prediction I've seen on this forum!

Wtf? Should we only discuss starvation in Africa on this forum from now on because it's more important. Of course it's only a game. But this forum exists for people who treat that game as something of an obsession. Is that okay with you?

That was a f-ing hilarious re-read. On some thread somewhere I predicted we'd end up about 12th though, so glass houses and all that...

That's my thinking. People can come and go as they please. If you want to turn up just as the half-time whistle goes, watch the half-time entertainment and leave before the second half begins, that's your right! I can't quite get my head round the beer at half time thing either. I have a couple of pints before the game and a couple after. I can just about survive going without between 345pm and 4pm. But each to their own, I guess.

Won't the end-of-year accounts show whether Staplewood is debt-financed or not? Even if it's counted as an asset, this wouldn't feature on the P&L accounts. That wouldn't answer how big some magical pot of Liebherr money might be, but it might indicate whether or not there is one.