mikee

Ironically, these rule, if implemented, would make it more attractive to sell some of our better youngsters as this would generate significant revenues that could be spent buying.......errr....older players.

You know things have changed at Saints when its the fans being accused of lacking ambition rather than the board!! I'm gonna reserve judgement on next season until I see the quality of signings we make but I am optimistic that we will go all out for promotion again - and if we do, I wouldn't bet against Cortese and Adkins, backed by 30,000 passionate fans making it. Jack Cork would be a great start!

I like the sound of this and it makes sense given the way Adkins has got our front four playing (Lallana, Guly/Barnard, Lambert & Chamberlain) with a lot more movement and inter changing positions. With that attack and Cork & Morgan playing the holding roles, 4-2-3-1 can easily become 4-2-4 when in possession and it would not make us more defensive as both Cork & Morgan have an excellent passing range and the skill to carry the ball forwards. This formation also creates more space for the full backs to overlap - which is why I think we need a pacy right back. I would like to see us at least start the season with an intent to attack and impose our game, we can always adapt if this doesn't create the results. Lets hope that Cork buys into the Cortese vision and buys a one-way ticket aboard the Premier League express!

Judging by the size of our youngsters playing in the all star game it seems that we are already ignoring this attitude and adopting the "barca" way - albeit with blonde hair! The future's bright, the future's blonde.

There is an installment scheme - it works out about £22 per match (or £25 with booking fee) and requires no upfront payment. You don't even have to pay if you can't make it to certain matches! Cortese already knows that the ST is a good deal and doesn't see the need to add further incentives to attract buyers. We all have to make our own choices about how we spend our money but for me a ST is a no brainer - although I will have to stop having my hair cut to pay for it.

I think this is why we will see 5 or 6 new players coming in. When NA first arrived he tried to play more passing football rather than hoofing it to Lambert but quickly realised we didn't have the players and adapted - which is something i particularly like about Adkins. Only recently we have started to see a more fluid game from the front 4 players with lots of inter changing positions but we need better ball players in midfield and defence to get the whole team playing this way. I am excited by what adkins might do with some money and a full pre-season.

I'd love to see us go for it and try to emulate Norwich but i think that we will need 5-6 good new players to achieve that. Without significant investment I think play-offs is the best we could achieve. Of our current squad, the players who I feel can make the step up are: Davis Fonte Harding / Dickson Schneiderlin / Chaplow Lallana / Chamberlain Guly / lambert / Barnard In my view we need serious strengthening at RB, CB, CM, and good additional cover at wide midfield and strikers. With that we could well achieve back to back promotions.

I was hopeful when he joined and I remain so. What I do like is that Adkins clearly loves being at a proper football club with a decent fanbase, and he is not stubborn like Pardew was and is prepared to be flexible to get the right results. When NA joined he immediately tried to get us playing out from the back - but also quickly realised we didn't have the players to play that type of game and so adapted the style of play to suit the players he had. As time has gone on we can see he is starting to implement a more fluid style of play where the front 4 in particular can be totally interchangeable both in positions and formations. However i get the feeling that NA wants players who are more comfortable on the ball and I would expect to see a lot of changes next season assuming we get promoted this season. I would expect the nucleus of the team to be: Fonte; lallana; Lambert; Barnard; Guly; Scheiderlein; Dickson and Oxo will others positions under threat. I also think that there was a conscious decision taken to wait until next season to improve the squad substantially - probably due to inflated fees following Oxo speculation - as it will be easier to get the right players with Championship football on offer. Should be an interesting close season if we can win two more games.

I know what you mean. I am surrounded by morons who seem to be very angry and do not accept footballers making any mistakes! Most seem more interested in being critics than fans. Although it is not restricted to the Northam. You can clearly hear the frustration from all sides of the ground when a mistake or mis-placed pass is made - it is just that the Northam is more audible. Never mind about creating a Kop - how about somewhere that fans with more than one brain cell can go to stand and sing (at proper speed) and support the team?

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.