mikee

I am sure that there will always be season tickets available but we have to accept that they are viewed differently by the current regime than those of the past. Previously ST holders have been treated like kings because they bring in previously much needed cashflow for the club, also why they tried to sell them as early as possible. We no longer have cashflow issues so the current board feel that ST's already get a good deal from discounted entrance and don't feel the need to extend further benefits. So we shouldn't expect extra special treatment for ST holders in the future beyond better pricing. Personally I am happy with this if the other side of the coin is that we don't have to sell our best players (or "assets" in old speak) at the first opportunity and can look forward to getting to watch them play for our team, and making us truly competitive - providing we can get to the premier league soon.

But that stadium has only got 2 ends...... albeit large ones!

I wonder what she will look like with 32,000 people inside her?

The irony being that the only other person to reply to his thread thus far is .........you!

I don't even bother singing most of the time as I can't keep up! And some don't seem to realise that RL Soton's goal machine has lyrics. Perhaps the best way to create a Kop in the Chapel could be tied in with any moves towards safe standing areas. If this ever happens then the club could simply say that the Chapel is the designated standing area - job done!

That's why we are doing it for the Shrewsbury game as this is not covered by the season ticket anyway so no waste! will make a nice change to see the game from a different perspective. I am presuming there is no dress code despite it beoing corporate seating?

Ivan Golac Kevin Keegan Jimmy Case Chris Marsden and probably the best of all: MLT and Channon

At the end of last season, I was confident that we could win promotion this season but also recognised that Pardew needed to sort out a few weaknesses in the team, such as getting to the byeline and getting crosses in as a way of unlocking packed defences. I was confident that Pardew would address these issues and I hoped that we would move away from the long ball approach over time. The reality was that we seemed to learn nothing over pre-season and seemed content to carry on doing what we did last season but getting a better result due to no points deduction. I know that several players were injured but a manager can't rely on excuses and has to work with what he has got. I had always been a supporter of Pardew but to me it looked like his heart wasn't in it and it wouldn't surprise me if this is what led Cortese to take the action he did. I am enjoying watching Adkins quickly change the style of play to something that we can be proud of as Saints fans and can't wait for each match to come around so from that perspective I am pleased that the change was made even if the timing was a bizzare.

I love the way you say that no-one is jumping the gun amd then proceed to do just that. If we approached S****horpe for permission to speak to Adkins would it not follow that Scunny would want to agree a compensation package BEFORE this permission would be granted. Is it also not possible that Scunnny believed the media hype that Adkins was the favourite and therefore thought they held all the aces and could try it on with an unrealistic compensation package which we were not prepared to pay and therefore we move on with the other candidates. Maybe the scunny chairman does not want to be accused of blocking Adkins opportunity and is now back tracking and trying to make out that we were being unreasonable. Not saying any of this is true because we don't know for sure, but it is surely at least as plausible as your assumption. If it was true then it is the scunny chairman who has jumped the gun by believing the media hype and thinking he was in a position of strength.

Not really, it is conceivable that some of the media were simply given the nod that the new manager would be appointed next week and would provide a wow factor.

I support Pardew but the crossing situation is a tactical issue as we insist on playing a left footer on the right and vice versa - this means they have to cut inside rather than getting to the byeline. This was an issue last season and i had hoped we would have sorted it out for this season. No excuse for the full backs not getting to the byeline as they are on their favoured side but they still seem to cross from 20yds in which makes it easier to defend. I am worried that the coaching staff can't see this basic error in setup and resolve it.

I know that you believe this but surely no-one without an axe to grind would say that in the first place. These comments can only be seen as devisive and the originator must be fully aware of this and at least be looking to cause some kind of mischief. I really hope that you are not being used to further someone's anti cortese agenda.

he would have to go some to be classier than Morgan and there was nothing in the above clips to suggest he has Morgan's skill. Would be good to have 2 quality players in CM though and may allow Morgan to get forward more.

Perhaps Alpine should change his name to grumblestiltskin! The opposite of rumplestiltskin and takes gold and spins it into ****e ;-)

I think we have to get used to and accept a change in attitude towards season tickets. We are used to a culture where ST holders are gods and should be worshipped by their respective clubs. It is clear that Cortese's view is that ST's represent a great deal for consumers and therefore don't need any other incentives attached to them. I believe that the strategy adopted was deliberate and perhaps Cortese was concerned they would sell too many ST's with the additional incentives of instalment plans etc. which would reduce their revenue forecast. Perhaps these sales numbers prove he was right. Regardless of our views, we need to adjust to the fact that a ST is a relatively very cheap way of seeing your team and if you want to spread the cost as well then you will need to purchase it using an interest free credit card offer. Cortese is not going to come knocking on your door asking you to re-consider your decision not to renew.

Wasn't Carlos Edwards also a Trinidad & Tobago international? Good player from what I can remember, would describe him as a marauding winger, good pace and likes to run at defenders.

Just shows what a joke football and many footballers have become! I have confidence that Cortese and Pardew will spot the mercenaries and keep them away from our squad, our players need to have the right attitude to bring us success and being money focused in League 1 is crazy. It may though mean that we will have to shop mainly in the lower leagues and abroad until we are getting close to the premier league. We can treble players like Jacksons wages without breaking our wage structure - or would that make him a mercenary.....?

must not click on this silly thread again must not click on this silly thread again must not click on this silly thread again must not click on this silly thread again must not click on this silly thread again repeat 95 more times...

If Cortese had the mis-fortune of reading this site, you could forgive him for not wanting to let you know where the team were going for a couple of weeks of relaxation and training / team bonding. I should imagine that your vitriolic, not to mention, schizophrenic, campaign is justification enough for all of the actions you are berating him for.

Well maybe this doesn't invoke any passion or patriotism in you but for me this is the key difference between club football and International football, otherwise England are just another team and the World Cup is just another tournament - an attitude which is, I am afraid, too prevailent amongst the current England squad.

I don't think you can compare Saints and England really, not at the moment anyway. It appears to me that the England players are so well looked after and protected from the real world that they have lost their hunger and desire to succeed, and any patriotism for playing for your country has been replaced with professionalism. Some players don't even sing the national anthem - my favourite part of any england game - and those that do hardly display any passion for their country. I understand the general point that the closer we get to the PL the more mercenary our players willl become. In the past this hasn't been too much of a problem as we haven't been able to compete with the bigger clubs but we are perhaps expecting that things will be different this time around, which is a double edged sword. For me the key is to research potential signings in much more detail and understand their motivation for wanting to join, if it is about money rather than glory the club should steer well clear, even if this means we miss out on lots of good players. We as fans will need to be respectful of this and not give the club a hard time for not signing every good player that becomes available. There are already signs that this may be the attitude we adopt with not signing players like Calderon and I am quietly confident that Cortese and Pardew will spot the mercenaries and will continue to invest in the academy to produce quality homegrown players who are committed to the club long term. The largest salaries should only be given to players who have performed for Saints as a reward and to ensure thay are happy to stay long term. Not really worth worrying about it too much at the moment as we still have a big journey to get there and as someone said earlier I am not going to let future worries get in the way of a great ride!

Renewed mine yesterday and bumped into my mate who sits next to me who was doing the same! We have a few newcomers who want to sit with us in the Northam so hopefully all of these people not renewing will give us a chance to grab a bigger group of seats together. Every cloud has a silver lining ;-)

Whilst I don't agree with the anti-Cortese agenda of some on this thread, it does appear that Cortese either doesn't understand the value of ST holders, or actually thinks that a ST is a benefit to fans rather than the club and should therefore be restricted and controlled. This goes against the traditional football club view that you want as many ST holders as possible and it is better to take a lower price now guaranteed rather than hope that people turn up on the day of games at a higher price. I think it is this principle which some many are finding difficult to cope with and i do think that many will let their ST's lapse because of this, which is a shame. I do hope that this is just a lack of understanding of the football business culture on Cortese's part and not some statement of intent for the future. The problem may be who does Cortese turn to for this kind of guidance?

Nah, just made that bit up to impress people! From what i remember of the game, I think Beattie scored a cracker but can't remember who else scored - apart from me of course.

C'mon turkish, we all know where a woman should be whilst her boyfriend is watching the footie..... knelt down in front of the sofa, to one side of course so the head doesn't block the view! Otherwise why would women have eyes in the back of their heads;) In fact one of my fondest memories was on honeymoon at the Banyan Tree in Phuket, romantic dinner on the beach, booked the intimate moments package for when we returned to the villa, turned on the TV looking for porn only to find something even better...... Saints beating Man City comfortably 2-0 with a totally dominant performance whilst being pleasured by the new wife:D Of course the honeymoon is well and truly over now but the memory is locked away in the bank forever:smt110 So please don't degrade women by suggesting they have no place in football:smt018