Crazy Diamond

I think a great deal of credit has to go to Gus Poyet, he's got the most out of some very average players. That's not me trying to be harsh or insulting, it is a fact. How many clubs in this division would have taken the likes of Ashley Barnes, Elliott Bennett or Casper Ankergren? They're not exactly world beaters are they? Poyet has onviously done something right to get the best out of them and get them to play well with each other. That said, I genuinely believe had we not decided to shoot ourselves in the foot by sacking Pardew early on and not getting points off of Rochdale at home and Swindon away, we would have provided a good challenge for the top spot. Do I honestly care we've not won the title? No. Lets say we are in the Championship next season with Brighton - is anyone going to be too bothered that they won the title and we didn't? Definitely not. It's about just getting there. Doesn't really matter how you do it, although I don't want to be involved in the play-offs. To any Brighton fans watching this thread - as apparently they seem to enjoy spending time on this forum... Well done Brighton, you're up, you're champions. I don't give a flying ****. I'm a Southampton supporter and will worry about my team and my team only. As for this childish dislike for our manager and our club as a whole (apparently we're your rivals, its news to me I must say) it really does make me wonder. If our manager isn't very pleasant in your eyes then really Gus Poyet is simply a liar. You don't play nice, neat attractive football. You wanted a draw at our place and played for it, and today were time wasting when you fortuitously and undeservedly took the lead.

This isn't exactly true given you released a DVD having beaten us last season at St. Mary's and I found myself being called a 'scummer'. Do Brighton fans even know why Portsmouth fans call us 'scum'? I'd have a guess and say no, they do not. Isn't it rather childish to think three grown men are '******s' just because you don't like what they say or who they play for? Hmm. Whatever really, I'd rather concentrate on my team getting promoted. Promotion is promotion - the title would have been nice but we were probably the architects of our own downfall with our terrible pre-season training (or lack of it) and the sacking of Alan Pardew. P.S - Do the grown ups know you're using naughty words?

To be honest, name a team that has ever been 100% fair and you will struggle. It's about winning. That said, defending for 90 minutes at a promotion rival isn't exactly great evidence of this brilliant passing game we've heard so much about. The only problem I have with Brighton is it's fans and this whole selective rivalry b*llocks. They don't play us for years and as such couldn't give a toss about us, then when we're in the same division they hate us and we're 'local rivals'. It's pathetic. Grow up and jog on.

I was speaking to Peter Marinello a few weeks ago. He was a fantastically talented winger who in his own words '****ed it all up against the wall' and 'wrote the book on how not to do it'. He's living down in Bournemouth after he was made bankrupt about ten years ago. They called him the next George Best. Marinello actually turned us down in favour of a move to the Skates, who offered him a ridiculous amount of money. In hindsight he said he would probably have chosen Southampton but the money was a big factor as he was a bit of a playboy. The Skates at the time were being bankrolled by basically a crook. He got a massive signing on fee and a decent house in Southsea as part of his transfer. Marinello played against us in two derbies, I think one was a 1 - 1 draw at Fratton and then a 2 - 0 win (for us) at the Dell. He became good friends with Big Ron who was also playing for the fishy few. He said after every game, Ron would ask 'what was the Saints score?' and apparently was very, very bitter about being let go. He never really wanted to play for Portsmouth, it was again probably down to the money. Marinello said after a testimonial game at Fratton Park he sat down next to Ron at a dinner table but his feet hit something meaning he couldn't sit down properly - it was a sports bag containing Ron's signing on fee. Marinello also said Terry Paine was a dirty bastard to play against but a lovely bloke. Best of all though was what he said he remembered most about the Skates. Apparently, players stopped passing the ball to each other because they had it in for each other. Why did they have it in for each other? Because they were all ****ging each other's wives. Marinello said he knew one player (whose name he didn't want to mention) who would drive one of the younger members of the team to training each day so that he knew where he was and out of the way. Why? So he could go back to his house and shack up with his girlfriend.

It really is quite amusing that so many of our rival teams in this division get so offended by Mr. Adkins, he's probably the most harmless bloke I've ever heard! Bournemouth hate him, Brighton are riled by him, all by someone trying to be positive!

In all 'fairness', a lot of them weren't doing fancy dress - they usually dress like that for Bournemouth games. Including the bloke in the wig and tights. He's bloody annoying and just stands around shouting at random passers by. The bloke with the United scarf is indeed the famous tramp, the Bournemouth equivalent of Burping Ron of Winchester (God rest his soul). There's a few strange people at Bournemouth games it has to be said. The line between being a good fan and a freak is a bit blurred down Dean Court way...

Job done. Despite the best efforts of a Premier League referee who seemed more than happy to ignore his own linesman and a shoddy pitch, true quality shone through. The three points are all that matter today and despite the best efforts of the locals, it still isn't a derby and never will be. Come on you mighty reds.

Nope. Couldn't be. Lowe doesn't have any sideburns.

Forget Mr. Cortese, I want to know why Carlos Queiroz is in the crowd, bottom left.

If I remember rightly, there was a lot of speculation it was going to be Mark Yeates who had a good spell on loan at Colchester from Spurs.

Sarmiento and that Urugyuan that earned Redknapp some readies.

Again, the whole 'let's cross that bridge when we come to it' response is one I'd probably go with. On the other hand, it's nice to dream about a time when we're not playing the likes of Rochdale and Dagenham & Redbridge... Personally I can't wait to be shot of League One. I'm not for one second suggesting we deserve to be higher up, I'm very much a believer in the whole 'no team has a right to be anywhere' way of thinking, but this division is starting to wear a bit thin. The amount of postponements because clubs have poor facilities or antiquated means of staging fixtures really is bordering on unacceptable. It's a good division this year in as much as there's one or two teams with financial clout, ourselves, Huddersfield, Brighton and Peterborough, which means there's a few (relatively) decent players on show and some fairly exciting football (our recent game with Peterborough whilst not being the result we wanted was a bit better than games like we had in the Championship, 1 - 1 with Crewe for example) isn't always far away. But beyond that there's not a lot to be enthusiastic about. I would quite like to be going to places like Elland Road or the Riverside again, and the sooner the better. If it means we go up and spend next season simply consolidating, I don't think I'll have too many complaints. Anything but dropping back down here again.

I remember when we first went down and hosted Plymouth, they went absolutely mad at the final whistle when they had a 0 - 0 draw and walked around town afterwards as if they owned the place. Can't say I'm too sympathetic for their current problems, given that game and how they moved in on SaintsForever and acted all Billy Big B*llocks.

Absolutely terrible. You never know, had his health been better he could have been in charge of Bradford today. Very sad, thoughts are with his family and friends.

Yes, and this board isn't for Brighton & Hove Albion fans who think it's a good idea to start a thread that demonstrates how much of a moron they are, so clearly there aren't many rules at the moment. Where were you with these threads when Brighton were a terrible side with no hope? You certainly weren't here. And I take it that you're ignoring my questions because you're embarrassed. That's fine mate. I would be too if one of my fellow fans had to go on a forum to ask where to pick up mature women.

A simple statement from a very simple person. Let me ask you this, who out of Southampton and Brighton have played in Europe? Who out of Southampton and Brighton spent 27 years in the top flight? Who out of Southampton and Brighton have won an F.A Cup? There's three questions to get you started, but I'll give you a hint. It's not Brighton. Is it not embarrassing you've not had a ground to call your own for God knows how long? Is it not embarrassing your club have achieved so little in a lifespan of 110 years? Is it not embarrassing you choose to spend your time on this forum asking stupid questions every now and then. Are they so bored of you on your own forum? Is it not embarrassing that you have fans that post things like this? http://www.northstandchat.com/showthread.php?120012-Milf-hunting-in-Brighton-Is-the-Junction-still-a-hotbed

I'm afraid I can't use PMs owing to my lack of a paid account on this forum but yes I'll sell it. Drop me an email at i9036508@bournemouth.ac.uk.

I've actually got a match worn shirt from the 06/07 season. The player in question? Rudi Skacel. Am listening to offers...

I've got myself an interview with Brian O'Neil! Now, given I was born in 1989, his playing days were a bit before my time. So, does anyone have any questions they want me to ask him? Thanks for your help Duncan, very much appreciated.

Or at least I would, if I had permissions and all that kind of stuff to send one. Hmm, one wonders how we can do this. This is also my last post I'm allowed today. All going well isn't it! Basically I'm trying to put together a documentary on life after football. I've got an interview with an ex-Saints academy kid who had to drop out of the game after snapping his achilles tendon and went into a different line of work, I'm in contact with a football development centre in Dorchester who take on kids who never made it and develop them a bit and try to find them clubs (like the Hoddle Academy in Spain) and ideally would like to speak to one or two ex-pros. I've thought about getting in touch with Mick, Manny Andruszewski and maybe a footballer turned manager. The documentary is an academic project and won't be broadcasted, though I have had interest from a freelance documentary maker who regularly pitches to ITV etc. Your thoughts? I think I can receive PM's so drop me a line. Cheers.

FF - Yes absolutely, will send you a PM.

Sorry to dig up an old thread everyone FF - I'm trying to contact some ex-Saints for some freelance work I'm doing. Don't suppose you could help me out a bit could you?

I'm a journalist and the quality of the Echo's sports team absolutely disgusts me. We're fighting for every job out there and yet the sports writers, a loosely applied term to those that work there, have got their job and their own byline and use it to produce absolute crap. There are probably hundreds of people who are looking for a role in the industry for every job at their sports desk, so it's extremely frustrating to know that such amateurs are occupying those jobs. Newspapers are dying on their collective arses, especially the locals, and it's little wonder when such shoddy products are on offer.

Met him a few months ago - says he prefers Portsmouth these days because he's a good friend of Pardew's and didn't take kindly to his sacking. Quite what it had to do with him, I don't know.

Best of luck lads, that's all I can offer. It's not going to be easy!