Minsk

My guess at the starting 11 and subs (assuming Holmes is still injured): ----------------------Bart------------------- Butters-------Martin------Jos------Harding SDR---------JWP----------Cork-----Dickson --------------Forte-------Barnard------------ Subs: Dovey; Frazer; Dean; Morgan; Isgrove; Lallana; Lambert (If Barnard still not ready to play, replace with Guly - If Holmes is fit then him to start vice Dickson, who would replace Isgrove on the bench) Hmmm, if MLG is correct about Reeves starting then probably him instead of Barnard. A shame as I was really hoping Barney would be making a comeback by now. Unless, maybe, SDR AND Jonno will be the wide players and Reeves will play alongside Barney - that WOULD be interesting and would probably terrify the Palace fullbacks).

Minsk in full agreement with Alpine shocker!!!!!

Well, that was an utterly cack 1st half. The worst of which was Fonte's hand-ball; utterly disgraceful!!!!!

Yep, I'm sure he scored against Blackpool on Tuesday.

I fully agree with this. Pickle night was always one of the best ones. When were you based at Rooke? I was there when the boarder properly opened; prior to that only people living (or based) in ib could cross it. We had to get a special card stamped every month. I was based there July '83 - Apr '86 - at that time I was an AB(S) and worked in the MDC. I was also married accompanied and lived in Edinburgh House.

Thank you for answering without insults and name calling; I'll ignore the sarcasm. I didn't think registered users could send PMs. Anyway, it seems its just your opinion and no source or ITKness then. To be honest I will be surprised if we do sign Maynard in Jan. I think it more likely that we will go for JRod or Sharpe again.

How do you know this? Source? And, whilst you're here: 1. Are you still apprehensive? 2. Do you still think Akins and his staff will underestimate the opposition? 3. Do you still think Adkins is tactically inept and will be proven to be so by 'more experienced' managers such as Allardyce, McClaren, Sven, etc? 4. Do you still think the likes of Lambert, Lallana, Guly, Richardson, et al, aren't good enough for the Championship? Just asking genuine questions.

Glad to hear you and yours are safe, and that you got your stuff back. Also, as you say, the police also have a good lead to finding the ar5ehole. However, don't bemoan the fact he ran away. Far better than than him being a drugged up, knife wielding, nutter. Things could have been a LOT worse. Although you may not feel it at this time, you had a lucky course of events: You woke up He ran away A police car was nearby (figure the odds) They gave chase (add that to the above odds) He ditched the car leaving your stuff behind None of your family were physically hurt (although they probably have been psychologically) I hope the police catch him, and soon! Also, as Um said (and as I'm sure you have already thought) look a good look as to how you can make your house more secure; if only for the mental wellbeing of your family.

Happy birthday Phil......... from me, NIGE and ALL THE TEAM!!!!!!!!!!!

Jos the Boss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Get in there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Never seen Saints play on my birthday; probably because it is in the first week of July.

Take her for a meal at St Marys; upgrade to hospitality. You know you want to! As for the score - head says we will lose, heart says we will win, so I think I will go for a draw in the prediction league.

Didn't realise that. I have it here but hardly ever bother check what is on it. I shall do so now though.

The crown was my brother's favourite haunt. In fact, I think he also used used to 'work on the door'. He is in his early 50's now, I am too young to have used it. I do remember the Golden Eagle though. As for the 'Skate' thing: I am an ex-matelot and yes, the locals hated us and called us Skates - so it really riled them to be called it back. Oh, those were the days, a Saints supporting matelot living in Skatesmouth - what fun that was!!!!! And as for their attendance yesterday... hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha........ I thought they were supposed to get an extra 5000 because the Clot had left???? hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha........

I too would like us to sign another 'out and out' striker, and expect Nige to do just that in January (Sharpe or Maynard, would be my guesses of who he will - once more - target).

Did we? I guess that would be dependant on your definitions of 'fit', 'first team' and 'striker'. In my definition all of the following are strikers, as they are more than capable of playing up front and have all scored goals for the our first team: Lambert, Connolly, Barnard, Guly, Lallana, de Ridder, Forte Of those 7 players four of them started the last game, whilst Barnard was back in full training but the manager chose to leave him (and Forte) out of the match-day squad (in order to get another couple of weeks of training in during the international break). Leaving only Connolly out due to a slight strain. I am pretty sure all the above will be available for selection on Saturday. As for Eastwood, I don't think he will really add anything to our squad. I expect Adkins will make another attempt at Sharpe in January.

When Wigley was forced to start best and Blackstock against Everton? (IIRC) I can recall watching and thinking that Best would have the better future of the two. In fact, I posted just that a few times on previous incarnations of this site. However, I was firmly in the minority. This became even more so after Dex kept a clean sheet for 10 minutse in goal and Leon unwittingly deflected the ball into his own net (followed by missing a penalty he should never have been allowed to take). Well, both are still young so there is still time for either of their careers to take a turn for the better or worse; time will tell. In the meantime, I am absolutely certain that many people on here do not judge players by their ability just on whether they like them or not. Oh, and not just players but managers as well. Where is St Lard and his Adkins bashing friends?

We have a winner........ (IMHO)

Very strange indeed. In fact, Man City didn't plat at Notarf in 1999. They beat the Skates at their place in '99 and then drew with them at Notarf in '00, on their way (City's) to being promoted to the prem. Incidentaly, the Skates almost relegated to L1 in the '98/'99 season, staying up only by goal difference. Still, let's not let the facts get in the way of a positive spin article for Mr Dubov and the phew.

He is the only person I would rather see there than the Clot!! He could then manage (excuse the pun) a hat-trick of relegations!!!!!

Indeed, hyprocrisy of the highest order. However, I shall humour him..... It was widely publicised when they joined that Kitson AND Lawrence were on 20k per week; hard to understand how they can survive when compared to Ben Haim's 38k mind you. Then there are the reports that Ipswich couldn't match the financial offer they made to Norris and nor could Derby or Blackpool match how much they are paying Varney. Therefore, I believe it is a fair assumption that neither of those are being paid in coat buttons. Also, I doubt Halford would have taken much (if any) of a wage drop to leave premiership Wolves in order to enjoy the delights of training on a school playing field and plying his trade in front of a half-empty skip every other week. To name just a phew..............

Bringing in a permanent signing is completely different to getting in some premier league youth player (or one unable to make his parent club's squad) on loan for a few months, which is what was mentioned in the OP. It would be completely demoralising to whoever was pushed out by such a signing, and bad for overall morale. You say there are question marks over Barnard, and to some extent I agree, but surely there would be question marks over whoever we bring in? Unless it is someone like Wellbeck, which is not going to happen. Of course we would look lightweight if we had a few injuries up front, which team wouldn't? And if we were to suffer such a fate then that would be the time to bring someone in on loan. You can only have so many fit players on the books you know. or would you rather we had a dozen strikers, a dozen CBs, a dozen fullbacks, etc, on our books, just in case? I am still waiting for one of those who want us to bring a loanee in to say who it should be and who should be dropped from our first team squad, as they are deemed not good enough for it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying we shouldn't improve our squad. I would certainly love us to sign a player whio would give us power and pace up front in January. If we could get him now with a view to making permanent in January all the better. But I am against bringing in a Man Utd/Chelski/Citeh/Any Other team's untried youth players of has beens just for the sake of it.

Hmmm, Lardy, you never did answer these questions. Anyway, are you still apprehensive?

I don't think Adrian was asking who Jake Sinclair is; I think he was asking, as I did, 'who this premier league hot-shot gauranteed to score shed-loads more for us than anyone currently on our books' is that we should be signing now, even though he can't get into/isn't named in his parent team's squad (as, after all, we are only the divisions top goal scorers and with the highest goal difference - so we clearly need someone and it won't at all upset the apple-cart by dropping one of the guys who has been doing the business for us so far to bring in this player on a short term basis - according to some).

I don't think the 'Angel of the North' or 'The Fourth Bridge' are that well known outside of the UK. They certainly aren't over here. When I have asked my students to mention some Iconic British symbles they have mentioned things like: The Beatles A Bowler Hat Kilts ManUre/Liverpool/Chelski Shakespeare The Queen/Buckingham Palace Soldiers in bearskin hats as well as the London landmarks you mentioned and Stonehenge.