Turkish

When Hoddle took that squad on 28th Jan 2000 it was 17th and looked doomed. We finished 15th, you might argue that's not a huge improvement but we finished 8 points above the relegation zone not in it with the same players. The following season Hoddle left at the end of March with us in 8th place. Gray took over and with the same players didn't win a game until the 13th May. The following season Gray had us in the relegation zone with 2 wins in 8 and looked doomed. Strachan came in and with the same players got us to finish 11th. Yes you're right, Strachan took over a team that had finished 15th and 10th, but it had also been in the relegation zone and only won 4 games in 18 when he arrived. Dont you think that it might, just might, have something to do with the manager? Bit like now, it might just might, also have been something to do with your hero?

Oakley, Lundekvam, Dodd and Marsden were all pretty average players. Marsden had played pretty much his whole career in the championship or league one until Dave Jones signed him when he was 30. The other 3 were all good club players but hardly great were they. Pahars, Beattie and Bridge were obviously good, Svensson had great ability but was largely underwhelming for Saints. I know you're trying to make the point that the squad then was much better therefore it cant be anything to do with your boy, but there was a reason most of those players struggled in and around the relegation zone under Gray and Jones, yet finished midtable under Hoddle and Strachan. Of course it's got nothing to do with the managers ability to get them to play as a team has it.

I remember when Strachan came in following a debacle of a start to the season where i think we'd won two of our first 8 games (incredible form compared to now) and the first thing he did was transform their fitness. Relegation looked certain when he came in, we had a really limited squad, Paul jones wasnt a great keeper, Dean Richards has left and been replaced by Paul Williams, he also brought in Paul Telfer. Our record signing Rory Delap didn't exactly set the world on fire either and of course our other big money signing during the season Augustin Delgado arrived with an injury and only played twice (sounds familiar) If took a few weeks but he turned them from a shambles into a really fit, organised, well drilled team, i think after new year we only lost 4 or 5 games and finished 11th well clear of relegation. I dont think we've got any chance of staying up this year but it just goes to show what can be achieved by a fit, hard working, solid team even if the players aren't that great.

the Ghanaian Steve De Ridder.

Hoedt was one i wasn't sure which bucket to put him in. When he arrived he had been making the Dutch squad, he'd played six time that same year and was highly rated, it felt like we'd signed a decent player. But it quickly became apparent he was a bellend who thought he was way better than he was. I guess the proof is there that after leaving us he never really cut it anywhere and ended up in the championship, now in Saudi league.

You mean it wasn't the fans fault or the players for not doing what Juric asked them too perfectly?

funny how this slump started after Pep said he learnt a lot from Lego.

childhood memories of christmas day always being christmas Top of the Pops followed by a James Bond. Then a family Subbuteo tournament.

A couple of pacy widemen, a ball winning midfielder with a midfield terrier along side him. A big man up top with a good little 'un to get onto their flick ons. Dont mess about with it! Get rid of it!! Get it in the mixer!!! Get stuck in!!!

every club can point to bad signings but there cant be many others that have spent big (relatively for us) money so badly. I remember one game when we went down last time and most of the players on the bench had at one point been our record signing. You've got the likes of Sulemana, Vestergaard, Carillo & Elyanoussi who were all big money signings for us and you could tell immediately were absolutely shite. Then there were others like Hoedt, Lemina, ABK who had something about them but were bellends (ABK stuff is rumours) and only turned up when they felt like it. How many "big money" signings have we made that have actually worked out? They generally not even been half decent, they've been shite for one reason or another.

you've got an old bloke breaking into your house and sneaking into your kids bedrooms and you're not scared?

It’s the who’s who of players not to sign isn’t it. Archer possibly has something about him, he seems to be a good finisher Onachu seems to be popular at the moment because he’s a bit of a comedy figure but that’s what we’ve got for £100m people. A comedy figure, one who might have something and a pile of shit

Surely that’ll be the case? He must know that with what he’s got to work with, the situation we’re in the chances of us staying up are very small, expect he’s agreed to an 18 month deal which would guarantee him an extension if we get promoted next season.

He appears to have mastered being able to head the ball gently exactly 1 foot wide from anywhere in the box, he is world class it.

Never a penalty it was good defending

Just not up to it at this level sadly

FFS sloppy there 3 stood around and Bowen nips in to score

And so they should

Two free headers one wide one at the keeper, should be scoring both of them

The highlight for me was the Italian Job in the afternoon, brilliant film I must have seen about 40 times but never get bored of.

Agreed that was excellent.

Yep had his best games on the right

As good a team as we could put out I guess, although I’d have gone for Archer over Armstrong, much better finisher. Glad Dibbing been taken out for a bit he’s not looked as good last few games but still decent off the bench

I didn’t think he was but I’m starting to come round to the idea, no one can be so completely thick and unaware of themselves to do the same thing over and over again. oh it won’t be long just don’t gjve him any attention for a few days and he’ll start quoting you or mentioning you in posts, he does it to me all the time. He loves the attention, very narcissistic behaviour which is funnily enough another thing he accuses others of