Crab Lungs

Neil Heaney.

Tentatively in. I have a point to prove at LB. ;-)

Tac-tics, I'd be definitely up for that... I'll come back from Espana for that!

Giordano, the man, the legend, I thank you. Still looking out for the Saints Fun stalwarts! Never forgotten! :-)

Well, PES, I have to say that the most informed posts I have seen have been from the ones that had factored in all the lying, ducking and diving by Storrie. Granted, it's a culmination of poor management across many positions involving many people but I just cannot help but consider Storrie the absolute and undisputed culprit in all of this. For someone to have taken, taken and taken all whilst knowing (and I don't believe for a minute that he didn't have at least some inkling into what was going on - like he argues) that the **** was going to hit the fan deserves far more heat than he is currently getting right now. Worse still, he continually trumps on about him caring about the club, staying for the fans etc and pandering to anyone who will listen to him. Let's face it mate, if you really cared for the club you would have blown the whistle about 3 years ago. Since then, Storrie has had in excess of £5m and started only to bleat his innocence when people rightfully questioned his role in the clubs downfall. I mean... a CEO with no responsibility of player wages and signing on fees? Or at least 'no knowledge' of it? Possibly one the most p1ss-weak excuses I've heard, ever. I honestly believe the games 'powers-that-be' believe in general, the masses of the supporters that go to games aren't independent thinkers. In fact, I'd even bet that they consider them with mostly contempt and amusement as the riches continue to pour into their undeserving pockets. The time we've been out of the Premier League has in all honesty enabled me to take stock and really gain a 'real' perspective and opinion on football in general - something I believe I and many of my fellow fans had possibly overlooked since all we had known of Saints had been their existence was almost exclusively in the PL. I certainly don't know why for sure I believe I have a better understanding or a more rounded opinion about the game now - maybe it was the experience of 'slumming it' at the likes of Luton an Southend, the journeymen footballers and lack of coverage since the drop(s), perhaps a smattering of appreciating for what we once had... I don't know. But I do know one thing for sure and this is spoken without any jealousy or bitterness - the PL is a disgusting, moneysucking entity and a corrupt governing body. I can only hope someone pulls away the layers of this organisation soon and reveals to everyone the enormity of the deceit and corruption. And afterwards, we replace them with people more deserving and understanding of their roles, statesmen of the game: Brooking etc. I also believe that the absence from the bright lights and comparative riches has also been a blessing for many of fellow supporters, too. I think many of us now collectively recognise the Premier League isn't the 'be all and end all' of a clubs existence. Whilst I appreciate my halycon years of Beattie, Pahars et al and the wonderful football we played, another part of me is glad we no longer have the self-indulgent vultures and leeches circling over us and all the other 'colourful' characters in the game we haven't missed. I'd love us to get back to the Premier League eventually as I do miss it but I do believe that our relegation and past few years of relative turmoil has taught many of us a valuable lesson - not just about the owners of our club but also about English football in general.

I was being 'unfair' when I said last night that I would happily **** on your grave. However (!), what I've said above doesn't ring as too harsh for me. Of course you have a right to be angry, thats a given. Even I'm angry. But my anger is vented towards the people it should be - the people whom buried you in the first place: Peter Storrie and those who oversaw the gross mismanagement and unsustainable overspending. Everything seems to be directed at the Arabs and I do feel a bit of sympathy with SAF (maybe not so much Al-Mirage.) I think Al-Fahim probably came into the club with good, honest intentions but the situation simply was not repairable. And Storrie-teller continually beats him with the 'if we'd got there 6 weeks earlier' stick then none of this would have happened. As for Gaydamak, someone, somewhere must have known his intentions. Someone must have flagged it. If I remember correctly, Storrie was always sitting aside him smugly grinning when the times were good. Now the **** has hit the fan all of a sudden Storrie had no idea of the financial situation behind the scenes and for £1.5m a year must have done little than scratch his arse and smile for the cameras - well, that is what he'd have you believe, anyway. Storrie ruined your club. He was capably aided by Twitchy, Gaydamak and possibly Mandaric (judging by some of the unpaid bills still lingering around.) People with only greed at the top of their agenda with little thought given to the fans and the staff. All those snouts in one Premier League club trough, sickening. Even 'Arry the rent-a-quote c()nt is completely unbashed by what is happening and admits no responsibility. And as for the Premier League, well... they too are responsible for some of what has happened at Portsmouth, but not all of it. The PL is corrupt and quite frankly vile and when you've got the likes of all these suits swanning around creaming off the fat for themselves it makes it even harder to digest. Also, whilst clubs like Chester, Luton and even those tw4ts down the road Bournemouth suffer, the Premier League and its clubs continue to line their own pockets when just 1 or 2 million extra distributed amongst the FL would put alot of the clubs back ob the right track. Yes, some of those clubs may have been entirely at fault for their own financial problems but what of those who were not? The ones who were genuinely innocent (Luton here definitely comes to mind) but continued to be punished over and over until they were pushed to the brink of non-existence? Both the PL and FL need a shake-up, really. I can only hope that if you do implode and cease to exist than both footballing bodies are turned upside down to root out the dishonest and despicable leeches and corrupt people who blight the game. For too long the PL and the FL have operated under a cloak of protection - and it's about time they were held bang to rights. As for what happened at Saints, I don't draw many comparisons - we didn't overspend by cheating - our primary debt was that of the stadium. Saints actually handled themselves with relative dignity (and believe me, were a mess!) as opposed to Portsmouth - we thought the mud-slinging was bad down here in the summer but you lot have taken it to a whole new level. Not the fans so much, but the officials; no-one appears to know how it happened, no-one appears to have foreseen it coming - it just appeared. We continued to meet the bills and whilst there was cut-backs, there wasn't things like creditors not being paid for 2k, stadium lights, advertisements and our official site being shut down. That's embarrassing. We do share one thing in common though - no matter how many times either of the fanbases do the figures, no-one can account for where a lot of the money went. A sad indictment of the game perhaps and I'm sure the Leeds fans also had the same problem when trying to figure out why all that cash disappeared into thin air...

Thats a good point. FWIW, any of you have read 'Broken Dreams' will definitely suspect there are many, many skeletons in the PL's and indeed the FL's closet... http://www.amazon.co.uk/Broken-Dreams-Souring-British-Football/dp/0743440331 Maybe Pompey's obliteration will at least force all these nasty, unethical practices and people out of the game and into a hostile spotlight...

I wish I could... but I'm in Spain

Its absolutely amazing at how all 'outraged' and 'surprised' they are about it. It's not as if the implosion wasn't on the cards... a team full of internationals on £50-£100k a week at best, 20,000 crowds? And whilst the Premier League are accountable for the last two morons who passed their 'fit and proper persons' test, what about the accountability of Storrie et al? I don't see much mention of the REAL bad guys...

Well in that case I'm Jason Bourne.

Hahaha, fair one. That said, you're not 'paying' for it as such, or contributing money towards it?

Got to give credit where it's due, I'm afraid. That said, I'll send my love and give him a thrust for you, sweetcheeks. x

Hreidarsson wants answers: http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11674_5911494,00.html And Pompey possibly 8 days from adminstration: http://www.tribalfootball.com/portsmouth-eight-days-away-administration-616441 Apologies if this has already been posted, only been able to skim through the thread today...

You are without doubt my favourite 'roomie' I hope, that wherever you reside these days, that you have a chair solely dedicated to philosophical thoughts. Back on topic, I've rephrased my original appraisal (booooo!) - it should have read 'best piece of journalism from The Echo in years) which, incidentally, I believe it was - and ****ing hell, they've printed some tripe....

Er, would I upset you if I told you that I wasn't in fact Dan Kerins?

I hope not :-o

I thought this was deserved of its own thread because of how well-written and how it would relate to so many Saints fans. The Echo has taken some rightful bashing over its conduct in recent weeks but Dan Kerins continues to write thoughtful, insightful and enjoyable articles devoid of politics and resentment towards the club. http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/view_from_the_chapel/4884495.Saints_v_Pompey___why_it_matters_so_much/ One of the best pieces of journalism I've read in recent years (EDIT: from the Echo!) Dan Kerins, keep up the good work!

I thought this thread could be justified as a 'branch off' the other 'this shirt is yours thread' http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/news/4884757.Flybe_ends_Saints_sponsorship_deal/?ref=rss Bloody hell... he makes it sound like they saved the club :-o

Just when I get myself all stoked up about the skates along comes one who is decent and throws my emotions into spasms.

And another thing... all their fans whinging about the alleged asset-stripping. You reap what you sow, folks..

What rallyboy says is spot on - it's theft now - and it really is. I just had a thought though... assuming they don't have any football debts* like the Premier League have said then surely that must mean they only owe HMRC and private creditors (Gaydamak, Chainrai etc) - and therefore that could be their route out of the mire? * even though they must have - all the defaulted repayments to clubs across the globe in Dec?

I've definitely got angrier and more repulsed at Portsmouth's behaviour - especially towards their existing staff. Now that they have signed four players in the window with wages probably in excess of £100,000 per week whilst failing to pay their current staff on time for the fourth time this season. I honestly hope that this horrible, cheating, odious, cretinous, revolting and disgusting football club (and its owners) disappear from football altogether - but only after we've nailed the last nail in their coffin. I can only hope that HMRC reel those c()nts at the Premier League in as well as they lifted an embargo that should never have been lifted - tantamount to releasing a serial rapist in a woman-only prison because he promised he wouldn't "touch anyone" Their behaviour has been nothing short of despicable and as a club they are rotten from the top down, right down to that c()nt with the bell. And don't get me started on their chief exec - possibly one of the most disgraceful human beings in football. The sooner you go bust, the better, Portsmouth. I would happily p1ss over your grave and do so with great pleasure.

Typical attitude of an odious little club. I really hope they f()cking rot after we dish out their final humiliation.

Guys, I don't know if you've seen this but: http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/newshome/PFC-Ltd-is-causing-me.6031437.jp LMFAO Seriously, when the fook is the hilarity going to end!? (credit: Ric)

OK, I might get flamed for my original and somewhat innapropriate headliner but here goes: Saints boss suffers Danns syndrome :-o (SFC fail to secure transfer of Danns much to Pardew's frustration :-o) One expects an infraction.