Tom & Gerry

Echo says Ian Evatt

Over the years we have been compared with many clubs who in the short term appeared to be doing better than us. This was especially true during that long period when we were in the Premier league. More often than not in a year or two that club was relegated and we were still in the top flight. Where will Norwich be compared to us in three years time? If it takes us a couple of years or so to build up to the Premier league and stay there with the right signings surely that is better than going up for a year and then sinking without trace.

I've got my tickets for the Nuffield

I liked it. It was nearly always wrong but so what, so are the people at games who think they are in the know. It's part of football I wouldn't advise reading all of it just the last day. It wasn't particularly informative but it was entertaining.

Really, If it's a choice between paying the heating bill or watching Wigan, football may not be the priority it once was.

Ok a slight exageration but I can forsee crowds of well under 20k for some of the lesser teams if costs are too high. Not what we used to get in the prem.

Let's hope we keep winning long enough to get there then. Still it's a bit depressing that we will all be watching the matches on Sky by then, St Mary's will be mostly empty but at least the corporate areas will be full.

The policy seems to be less hardcore fans but paying more. It might work for a while as long as we keep winning and floating fans come but bills are going up and wages are not so don't be surprised if there isn't much loyalty from supporters if we have a bad run.

Is it? Even in football there has to be a tipping point where bad customer relations have an influence even if the team is doing well. It might start with people not arsed to go to the preseason friendlies or the early league cup games, less likely to buy a shirt or a programme but it will in the end have an effect.

When you increase the prices for some of your most loyal and long serving customers by 70% and just put it in the small print and don't offer any explanation or express any regret that you have had to do this then it's not very good marketing is it?

Let this be a lesson to you, your sins will catch you up. When I was 7 or 8 my Dad used to take me in via the Adult entrance. He would pursuade the gateman to let me be lifted over the turnstile to get in for free. Later when I was 16 and working I still went in the Boys entrance for a while. So now I'm 61 and I'm getting my just desserts. I know we were lucky and maybe 54 years of watching Saints isn't enough for a concession, but don't be too angry with us. If you've been entitled to something and it's then taken away you're not happy whoever you are and whether you can afford it or not.

Happy Birthday to the Greatest centre forward that the world has ever seen. Onward Saints supporters marching as to war with the boot of Chivers going on before, Melia is our schemer pushing from behind, DAVIES IS OUR LEADER SCORING ALL THE TIME

I get very nostelgic for the days when this club used to make "unrealistic" signings ( Ball, Osgood, George, Keegan, Shilton etc) and ok times have changed but I wonder what our strategy should be now if we are to reach the Prem. and compete there.We can try to sign young improving players but at some stage we will need players with Premier league experience. Should we not be trying to introduce one or two now or should we wait until we are promoted and then have to change things more radically ?

We need pace but there are times when an experienced older head is required as well, thinking back to the influence Alan Ball had on our last promotion to the top league and of course Jimmy Case when we had a lot of emerging youngsters. There is the problem of fitness and players looking for a last pay day but how about Patrick Vierra. He is the best of that type of player I can think of and shortly out of contract at City.

I don't know who's worse, the people who leave early or those that want to go on the pitch. it just shows the small club mentality of some of our fans. You don't see pitch invasions at Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge, The Emirates, Anfield or any big club. Sorry to be boring.

Look out boys the Saints are coming through, and it's all over now baby blue B. Dylan

Never mind the rights and wrongs of whether you should get a yellow card for taking your shirt off the fact is you will and so to do so is imho totally unprofessional. I watched football for about 40 years and never saw one player take his shirt off after scoring so you can celebrate in other ways. I'd fine any player that did it 2 weeks wages. To do what Stern John did and then get sent off for a second yellow in a crucial match was absolutely criminal.

Still think momentum is everything,1 loss and the doubts begin to creep in even though on paper we can afford to lose tonight. If it was any other team you would say they were home and hosed, but this is Saints. Just keep winning Boys.

I know everything is going well and 12 points should do it but we've got to get them and I think we will but no Chamberlain, Lallana half fit, no back up in central midfield, what team will we be able to put out against Hartlepool 2 days after Brighton. I can't be calm and relaxed until we've crossed the line.

Just get this over as quickly as possible Saints. Relax? If we lose tomorrow I'll be terrified

Lunnis Hiron Walsh Claridge (There might be a theme here)

He was right to start with Williams but should have taken him off for extra time. The following week we easily beat Everton 3-1 in the league with Alan Curtis playing making it an even bitterer pill to swallow.

It will go to the last game of the season, you know it will, it always does.

I agree there are exceptional circumstances and these are usually fairly obvious, but I don't remember there being a minutes silence for instance for Tom Parker, Derek Reeves or Tommy Trainer all of whom made huge contributions to Saints, but that of course was before Cortese was Chairman so there wasn't the fuss.

This game is our cup final Oh Shi*