Brussels Saint

I thought it was 1.5m euro by the end, and as you say most of the add-ons you guess have now been met

The general thinking has been that our current squad did not cost us that much (relative to stated ambition) to put together in terms of transfer fees. I've often thought this was not the case remembering quite a few players who fell into the 1m+ bracket and if you add it all up, I bet its pretty substantial. As such below I've compiled a basic list from memory. Feel free to edit it where I've made an error. Based on what we've spent could you not argue that actually being top should be expected? Davis -1m Richardson - 450k Fonte - 1.2m Hooiveld - 1.4m (If he does actually sign and based on current estimates) Fox - 1.8m Chaplow - 50k Cork - 750k Schneiderlin - 1m Lallana - Free Lambert - 1m Guly - 1m Hammond - 400k De Ridder - 900k Harding - Free Connolly - Free Barnard - 175k + duff youngster Butterfield - Free Martin - 90k + Bag of Balls or something Bialkowski - ? Dickson - 250k Holmes - Free Punch - 300k? Seabourne - 250k Stephens - 150k Total = 12-13m Approx Might also be more interesting to compare this with what they are actually worth if we sold them today.

As always we want big name/fee signings and success on the pitch, but will moan like hell at selling the Stadiums name, ticket prices, car parking etc. Considering how we almost learnt the harshest lesson about spending more than you earn, I personally hope we never put our club at risk again. If it means changing St. Mary’s name to something corporate or charging us 50p to take a wizz, so be it. I know there are some fans out there who will say they prefer to keep the club traditional in style and it’s not all about big transfers and success (and credit to you for that), but unfortunately I believe you are in a small minority. Most fans want to watch their team play with great footballers and win, the rest is secondary.

I have theory about Forte and why he is at the club. Yes he can be a potentially useful impact sub, but never was likely to make the grade even in that restricted role. Anyone else think he may be most useful and signed as a player, to effectively test our defensive formations against blistering pace on the training field. If we are playing the following week against quick strikers, I imagine it would be useful to accurately represent that in defensive sessions with the first choice back 4. As NA states, "its a squad game" so perhaps Forte's most important contribution actually happens behind closed doors.

I believe this is known as "Rule 1"...........

How fit is she?

Interestingly in today's Echo, Tony Mowbray is quoted thus: “Effective is probably the best word for them. “They know their strengths and they play to them and the support they have spurs them on. “They can pass and have mobility, but they’ve also got Rickie Lambert and his physicality caused us problems. “Against any team this year, Rickie Lambert on a diagonal against most teams is a threat. Think this is a fabulous quote and something that should give us great heart to keep this run going. The one concern I have would be an injury to Rickie. He does seem so important to the way we play (more so than Lallana) as we have no other player who does the same job. Lose Rickie and perhaps we will need to change our approach.

FA Cup Final Day often falls on my Birthday (May 16th), though not the last time we were there. 76 I have no idea as I was only 2 and probably more interested in poo than football............(clearly a plastic)

It will be good for us European based expats as we will be able to buy the football direct from sky, without having to go through huge complicated procedures to make it appear we are actually not based in Europe. Apart from that, I agree, there will not be much change.

I think it was Alan Pardew when he was here who said no one cares about the FL, the Prem is everything (or words to that effect). He's right of course outside of our narrow Saints supporting view. Football in this country in general is about the Premier League, thats what kids in playgrounds, guys in the workplace talk about. To not want to be there for me does not make sense. I grew up supporting Saints in the top division in the 80's and that is where we belong, its our level. Plus I actually like all the overpaid, foreign prima donna's, say what you like about them, but the standard of football and entertainment they produce is fantastic.

To be honest I had no idea he played in the CL with Copenhagen. Maybe we have found a gem. Anyone can find themselves out of favour at one club to perform at another. My feeling is that if he's got it in him, NA will get it out.

I really like the way we do this, it makes so much sense. By having our players tied to contracts, even if we deem them perhaps not quite good enough for the Prem, their value is worth so much more in the transfer market. I'm not saying Hammond would be one of those who we would ship out if we go up, but if we wanted to, the club is in a much better place to get maximum value than if he's in his last year.

I think he will be with us for a good length of time. The only one we have to worry about is Liverpool. It's the team he supported as a kid (and probably still does) and he I guess would consider it as the pinnacle of club managment.

Gents this is a really good thread, so lets not get into the tit for tat, it's about owning up to your own idiocy not pointing out others (and lets face it there is a fair amount out there). Alps' first post was in the spirit of the thread, so best to leave it at that. Another of mine....... "who is Chris Marsden, what's the point of having him in the team, I don't get what he brings" Tool! Alps, come on, prove the goaders wrong and add another of your own!

In our Champ relegation season, I saw a photo of Michael Svensson winning a towering header in a pre season warm-up (against Celtic I think) and wisely commented "don't worry we'll be alright". Just call me the Oracle. Btw bit disappointed this thread has only 14 replies. Come on TSW regulars you ALL have made yourself look an arse at some point. Fess up, its carthartic!

Listen Deano, he's Italian right and they like it in the side of the cheek like this. Btw what time is your yearly performance review tomorrow?

This is a fair reasoned post. We are having some difficulties defensively at the moment, but today surely that was more down to having 3 new heads across the back 4 rather than a critical situation?

Probably is a double standard to be honest. Thing is, currently the Don is cool so we want him in (well most do, i know he's not eveyones cup of tea), whereas Lowe was never someone fans warmed to even when things were going well. Personally I think its a good thing to have a chairman who the fans like and has developed a bit of a cult following. We are fickle though, so i hope (and suspect) NC knows this and understands his role is to drive the club forward.

Still play-offs for me. As Alps mentions though, I think a long injury to Lambert, Lallana or Fonte, would see us drop to 7-12.

Woodgate & Hargreaves. Think both are great players, but wages and them never willing to take a step down meant no chance. Also massive risk re injury.

I actually quite like this cup as it does give those not currently in the first team a chance to play competitive football. This only works of course for teams (like us) who have 2 decent performers in each position. Our current back up team of: Bart Butters, Jaidi, Martin, Dickson/Fox De Ridder, Schniederlin, Chaplow, Holmes Barnard, Forte Is actually not a bad team and probably would survive relegation from the Champ. I know some of those are injured for tonight, but the point stands, we are pretty competitive and would expect to win with that team.

Gents, you think you have it bad, try most of Europe. Most Belgians pay this: 50% taxrate on almost everything. Additional 15% social security 21.5% vat 12.5% stamp duty You get some good tax breaks for things like kids and mortgage payments, but trust me in the UK you take home a lot more than most of the continent.

I remember that it was originally pardew who said that Beckford would make a great pairing with Lambert. Out of all the current proposed crop of strikers being linked, i would have Beckford over all of them.

I think we tend to over analyse most of this because lets face it we don't really have that much info other than snippets, heresay and rumour. My guess: Fontaine = failed medical (of course his agent would deny it) Gorks = we never really wanted him, but kept as an option (especially if you listen to adkins post match interview where he states we want CB's who are comfortable passing the ball out from the back, hardly Gorks strength) Jemal = this is the interesting one, as it seems we really wanted him, but its not clear why it did not happen. (personal terms/player attitude maybe) None of which strikes me as a major issue. However I do agree with Phil, if we don't get a CB in who is better than what we currently have, we will have not achieved what we needed to in this window. I say this despite being delighted with Cork, Fox and De Ridder. Cork was the most important signing, but a new CB is second only to that.

Received these comments: "not bad for 2nd division GB" "Not for me ... but u never know ...."