WATERSIDEIFASAINT

I think AP has 2 maybe 3 games at most to get this season on track or he will be gone.I don't want that as I think we need stability. We definately need new signings very urgently as this 1st 11 needs some competition to stop complacency. I've been harping on about the 3 key signings all summer ie cm,winger and striker.After seeing todays game I would add a 4th a cb to replace Jaidi as I don't think Martin and Seabourne are ready to be 1st choice. I really hope we will go all out for the players we need and not just wait and see what happens.At the moment we have brought the fewest players in of any div 1 side,With releasing 16 we need more than 3 because as I was watching the match today I thought our bench was very limited for game changing options.I know we are a div 1 side but if we want to win automatic promotion we need more options than we currently have. Performance pretty reasonable,result pi** poor.We will no doubt end up beating Bolton on tuesday as that is typical Saints but its league points that all that matters this season.

Think we may be missing an opportunity with Pitman as he is local and I'm sure if we made him a serious offer he would be interested.Hope we are targetting someone even better. I am slightly nervous by our sit back and wait attitude.What happens if better players don't become available or don't want to come here in the next 11 days.AP has already said our bench is not good enough and without these reinforcements bought in I fear for our promotion challenge unless we are extremely lucky with both injuries and loss of form. I hope we will be aggressive in the transfer market next week and try and make things happen for our top targets whoever they are. Lets hope we get some good news soon although I have a sneaking feeling it will be a very nervous transfer deadline day with us trying to land our targets.

RIP Markus. Thank you for saving our club you will never be forgotten.

Without the 3 players we need I don't think we will go up unless we are super lucky with injuries.i think Huddersfield,Sheffield Wednesday and Peterborough all look better bets than us at present as they have better squads. We have known all summer that we needed a back up for Ricky,a winger with pace to replace Antonio unless he returns and a box to box midfielder who is better than Hammond so its extremely frustrating that we have not managed to land these replacements in time for the new season. It does sound that this years transfer window is a lot more difficult and depressed than normal from hearing a number of managers comments about it.A lot of ccc and premiership managers have been saying how difficult it is to land targets in this window. If we don't land our targets by end of August 31st I will be concerned.Is NC still backing AP in the transfer market or is the inactivity due to him being unsure on AP'S future.Surely NC & ML can see we need these 3 players if we want to be in the mix for the automatics which they supposedly desperately want this season?

I think the reason we have signed noone yet in the cm,striker and winger positions is because we are targeting ambitious signings in those positions and are no doubt competing with ccc sides for the signatures. There has been no signings in Div 1 where I have felt we have missed out. If we are to land Tyson,Danns/Stock type signings we might have to wait to transfer deadline day.Would prefer them in now like everyone else but it may not be possible yet. I am sure AP & NC are trying to strengthen the squad. If we have no signings by 1st September then serious questions will need to be asked of what is really going on behind the scenes because surely NC can see we need those 3 players that AP wants to have the right strength in depth this season

We have lost Antonio,Papa,James,Semi,Thomas,Perry,Murty & Gillett from our 1st team squad. Semi & Murty have been replaced by Richardson & Butterfield. We have Dickson covering the left hand side. So Antonio,Papa and James/Gillet need replacing which is basically what most people have been saying throughout the summer. Thomas & Perry were basically replaced in January. Hopefully a few of the youngsters like OC & Martin can also make the step up. Why was Holmes not in the squad today? Not injured again!!!!?

This team put out today will not beat Plymouth imho so we have to pray that at least Spiderman and Lambert are back next week.Now very worried about the lack of our squad depth which could derail our promotion bid if not addressed very soon. Unlike other posters on here I have been worried about the squad strength all summer and am disappointed with our transfer dealings so far this summer.Hopefully these players AP wants will arrive sooner rather than later and certainly by 31st August. Why am I worried if we make a poor start? Mainly because I think NC won't be patient and AP will be sacked and imo we need stability to win promotion this season

Has he signed for £600K!? According to our favourite rumour site Jason Puncheon has told this person that Nathan Tyson has signed for us for £600k. I'd be surprised if JP was telling a fan that we had signed him before being officially announced? No doubt we will find out early next week if this is true unless there is some news from todays game

If we added Tyson,Garvan,Boyd and Dawson to our squad we would then have the team and squad to destroy this league imo. They are affordable as we have not spent much this summer and have a rumoured transfer budget available of £5million plus. Tyson would give us the pace upfront.Will probably cost about £600,000 Noone has moved for George Boyd from Peterborough yet and we could probably get him at £1.25 million Surely we are a better bet than Crystal Palace who are meant to be after Owen Garvan.Would probably cost about £500,000 Dawson wants to leave Rochdale will probably end up at Middlesborough but would be a great capture to really give some competition in the centre back positions.Will probably cost about £500,000. With these players or similar added I would be extremely confident of us winning the league.At the moment I am hopeful but don't think we are much infront of Sheff Wed , Huddersfield and Peterborough if at all.I'm sure ML & NC will make sure the odds are more firmly in our favour come the 31st August with a much stronger squad than we have now.I may be wrong but reading between the lines of what NC says I think some major signings are still likely. All the players above would be capable of stepping up if we get promoted this season.

Hopefully Owen Garvan.Would be a great addition to our midfield imo

We must be looking for at least 4 players to sign if you take into account what AP has previously said.He has commented on a back up striker for Ricky,the need for more quality and back up in central midfield and we obviously need a right back.I think he will either bring back or replace Antonio aswell.If Bart and Connelly don't sign we will need at least 6 players so I can't understand the people on here who say we don't need any signings or just 2!!? It would be good to have the rb and cm in next week for the Switzerland tour.Pre season has started by the way.They were back on thursday and I could see them all training as I drove past Staplewood. With these signings added to a strong squad I would put us as clear favourites for promotion.At the moment both Huddersfield,Sheff Wed and Peterborough would run us close with their current squads(a lot is likely to change yet though) If noone is interested in Boyd ,Maclean and Mackail-Smith from Peterborough or can't afford them then maybe we should dismantle their squad as surely we are a better bet than Peterborough!?At the moment Peterborough have kept all their best players and strengthened. It would be good to at least start to get some players in as AP said we would be stronger not weaker (which we currently are as we have no back up in various positions and no rb) at the start of next season.Still plenty of time but would be nice to hear of some signings sooner rather than later

Have we bid just over a million for Brian Stock? Anyone heard any rumours on this? I see a few Doncaster fans seem to think he is on the way to us from other rumour sites for £1.1/£1.2 million.Would be a great signing if true. The other 2 midfield names that seem to keep being linked are Chris Lines and Matt Oakley.

So with all these names linked to Saints who do people reckon we will actually sign. I think that Calderon and Dickson look extremely likely if reports are to be believed. Other names that I have heard from a variety of different sources which appear realistic are Lines,Hunt,Mullins and Jackson.With Lines,Hunt and Jackson it is their fans as much as ours who think they will be joining the Saints. Leicester fans also think Matt Oakley may be coming back to us. other names to chuck into the hat who I haven't seen directly linked(other than the mad Football rumours site) but may be possible Harper,Stock,Bailey,Racon,Le Fondre,Antonio(returning)& Paynter Real long shots imo are Adu,Surman,Danns,Austin,Vassell I think we will sign at least 7 players and if rumours are true that Wooton is off to Exeter and Holmes to Bristol Rovers then even more possibly. My guess is 1rb,1lb,1cd,2 mid,1winger,1striker(7 new players).Could be upto 10 if Bart and Connelly don't sign and AP decides he wants cover/competition for rb spot. AP and NC will want an exceptionally strong squad to make sure nothing is taken for granted next season and we have good back ups in every position.That is why I think there will be more additions than some people expect this summer if the right players become available at the right price. It should be an exciting summer and I expect a surprise signing (big name for Div 1)

If we can afford back up for all positions then why not sign Dickson.As long as a right back,central midfielder are signed and either Antonio & Papa return or replacements are brought in then I will be happy. If AP then decided to bring in another left back,central defender,goalie and winger to provide extra squad depth and competition then that will be great as long as the whole squad is pulling in the same direction and you don't have a load of players causing trouble as they are not in the first team. I still stick by my prediction that we could see as many as 8 new signings this summer to have a really competitive squad especially as we could pick up 5 on frees!? ie Calderon,Dickson,Adomah etc

We want players who can play at the top of the ccc(Ap has said that).That is why so many players have been released.Yes some of them could do a job in this league but I would not want 1 of them in our first team squad in the ccc if we are going places. We will bring in quality signings as AP has serious money to spend if he needs to. Do people seriously think we can't attract a better right back than Semi & James!!! I think we will bring in 2 right backs.Calderon plus 1 as he will want back up and competition for that place. Also think we will sign another central defender to replace Perry & Thomas.I am sure one of the reasons AP played Martin for the last 2 games was to see whether he could potentially make it to see whether he needed to keep Perry,Thomas or Lancashire.As Martin played well he could then afford to release the others. I am staggered that people are panicking as AP has already said we will have a far stronger squad come the start of next season. We need to know the results of the play offs and all the players available on frees before we start making too many transfer moves as players like Bailey,Racon,Robinson,Austin & Paynter could all become achievable targets if their sides don't go up. It's going to be an exciting summer so lets enjoy it and stop panicking that we have released a whole load of players that are not good enough for the standards we aspire to.

He is likely to go to AFC Wimbledon imo.All their fans want him and he goes to quite a few of their home games.He obviously has a strong affinity to Wimbledon.I know a few of their fans who were hoping we would release him.Thet are also hoping to sign Ben Thatcher. Don't think he will retire yet.

I think we will be more busy in the transfer market than people think with 6/7 players probably added to our squad. 2 right backs,a central defender,2 midfielders,1/2 wingers and 1/2 strikers.If Bart doesn't sign another goalkeeper.So could be upto 10 additions!!Think we will sign a few promising youngsters who don't expect first action straight away. Happy with who we have released because I think better will be available than all of them with the amount of players being released this summer.Also plenty of teams are desperate for cash so we could be able to pick up good players and cut prices. Will be a very interesting summer

Well we seem to be linked to everyone outside the premiership at present but certain names seem to keep coming up. Stock Arfield Mullins Oakley Danns (Midfield) Ward Hunt Spurr Calderon (Defence) Jackson O'Donovan Paynter (Strikers) would be some good signings there if we landed a few of them

We should sit tight for about 10 days and see who will be available elsewhere before deciding our retained list other than releasing the ones like Pulis we definately dont want. I would look to keep Connelly and get Antonio in(if possible) but possibly not offer anyone else a contract who is currently out of contract even Bart & James. We only want to keep players who can do a job in the ccc the season after next hopefully.Would you be happy for Bart to be in goal against a top ccc side? I think we will be able to bring in 2 or 3 frees from the ccc and premiership.We will then look to sign 3 or 4 players for serious money ie £1 million /£1.5 million. I expect us to possibly be looking at players like Stock and Danns in midfield and players like Hooper and Jackson upfront.Think we might also look at some of the play off side players from the teams that aren't successfull like Bailey & Racon at Charlton and Paynter or Austin from Swindon if they dont go up. Would not surprise me if we sign a young up and coming back up keeper,2 rb's ,1 cd,2 midfielders,1 winger and another striker maybe 2 depending on Connelly

So we could now pick up Neal Trotman as a back up centre back for nothing?Plenty of people wanted him signed in january on these boards.If we can't get Elliot Ward then it might be worth considering as he was pretty decent here for most of his loan spell.Or can we attract someone better!! There will be some decent players available on frees from the ccc so we should definately try to get rid of players like Molyneux,Forecast & Wooton this summer (pay them off) if at all possible as well as most of the players out of contract. Lets add 4/5 real quality players to really destroy this division next season

AP was praising Darren Ambrose as the best player on the pitch today.With Palace's money problems you never know !? Owen Garvan from Ipswich maybe another realistic target as apparently he doesn't get on with Roy Keane according to Ipswich supporting mates. We will no doubt try for Neil Danns again but he will probably end up at QPR. Brian Stock could be a realistic target this summer? I expect 3 or 4 real quality signings for this league who would all hold their own in the ccc

I thought players like Thomson and White are also out of contract and heard that there are 17 players out of contract this summer? In making the decisions we need to think can we get a better back up young up and coming keeper to challenge Davis than Poke & Bart? Can we find a better right back than Semi & Murty? Can we find a better central defender than Perry,Thomas & Lancashire? The only player I would definately keep is Connelly.I would love to keep Antonio and maybe Papa. I think we should give Mcglaggon another season as he was very promising before his injury last season.Lets not regret releasing him too early without giving him a chance. Thomas will have to take a large paycut wherever he goes in the current recession.Noone will pay him £8k per week.I will trust AP's judgement on him and Perry to whether he offers new contracts or not. So what does AP do with 5 players who imo are not good enough and are unfortunately not out of contract this year.molyneux,Forecast,Holmes(too injury prone),Wotton and James(jury is now seriously out on James).Any chance of paying some of them off and then ripping up their contracts? There will be loads of players available this summer including lots of frees from premiership and ccc as many teams try to reduce costs and many clubs will consider offers for good players to balance the books.Puts us in a brilliant position to take full advantage and get some very good players here for div 1 and ccc level.That is why I would only sign Semi as a back up as we can certainly get better

Is Pulis out of contract this summer?I certainly hope so as with Molyneux. We need to get rid of the deadwood from our squad.Shame Forecast isn't out of contract aswell!!

Hopefully all the top players will stay.The only one I have a slight doubt about is Schneiderlin.I think Fonte,Lambert & Lallana will all still be here. I think there will be more signings than people think and hopefully a mass clearout. I would sign a new young up and coming goalkeeper as back up to Davis A new right back possibly 2 is essential would not offer Semi a contract Another cental defender to replace Thomas & Perry. 2 central midfielders to replace Wooton,Gillett,Pulis and James who should all be released Back up wingers(1 would be signing Antonio) 2 strikers if Connelly isn't retained and Waigo signed So I predict at least 6 more players added to our squad for next season

Good servant but I really hope he is not with us next season as he is not good enough