Tom & Gerry

He should be able to manage the one year that is the norm for this job.

Who can tell how good they are going to be? We once got an up and coming bloke from Grimsby, took us down in his first season. Don't know what happened to him.

Leslie Thomas - writer Jonathan Medas - writer / broadcaster Philip Hoare - writer http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/city-slicker--southampton-1600603.html

I was at the 1976 cup final and so many other great games, the 6-3, the 9-3, the Dell last game there are so many. But there are also many headlines that we have read, seen on tv or heard on the radio that have had us in a frenzy of excitement or with our heads in our hands in despair. There are sad ones like the deaths of Markus, Ted, Ballie, Ossie and Bobbie that have shocked us, and bad ones like winning 3-0 at Everton and still getting relegated, The resignations of Souness and Hoddle and the return of Rupert. Here are a few of my favourite good ones. Waiting for the teleprinter on Grandstand after hearing 3rd Division Saints were 2-1 up at Half time at 1st Division Man City. There was no way to get any further news. Then the result came through Man City 1 Southampton 5. Being at the County Ground and seeing the Echo headline "Saints sign Tony Knapp" - a major show of ambition at that time. Having the radio on in my site office at work when Peter Osgood signed. Although we new Saints were in for him it was expected he'd go to Stoke. Coming out of work at 5.00 and turning on the car radio to hear the news on Solent. Hearing an interview with Kevin Keegan and thinking I must heve tuned to the wrong channel. Then hearing him say " and that's why I've signed for Southampton" How did the car stay on the road? How did I get home? the car must have driven itself.

How about this for a scenario. I'm not ITK and this is pure speculation as they say in Manager speak. Suppose a Premier league club had put in a bid for Ricky/Adam/ Morgan and it is perhaps a little surprising that we have not heard of one. NC could have said to AP you have a choice a) we can sell and reinvest in new players b) we can keep the player to his contract but he will be unhappy and we might have to let him go for nought at the end of it. c) We can offer to pay the player(s) premiership wages to stay but that means we can't afford any more signings. AP may have plumped for c) Plausible?

The bloke dressed up in red and white with the team names on his back who used to get the "Boys" terrace on the Milton Rd (could girls go in there?) to chant "2-4-6-8 who do we appreciate S..A..I..N..T..S.....SAINTS"

3rd April 1963 - There didn't used to be much singing at football in those days, the Liverpool kop had just got started and Spurs had there "glory, glory Halleliujah". All we had was "2-4-6-8 who do we appreciate". Any how it's full time at the Dell and Saints have just made the greatest come back in the history of football ever. Unless you were there you won't believe me. They have come back from 3-0 down with 17 minutes left against a top division team to draw 3-3 in the FA Cup 6th round replay ( Saints were in the 2nd division) When the equaliser went in the noise was unbelievable - imagine the MLT last ever goal at the Dell but with twice as many people in the ground. That is not my lump in the throat moment however. There is now a lull as we await extra time and the crowd try to draw breath and take in what they have just witnessed. I hear a banging sound, at first I thought it was a thunder storm brewing, it gets loader and then I realise it's the West stand stamping their feet ( the West staand were normally very quiet- imagine the Chapel but twice as bad) and then for the first time I hear those imortal words........."oh when the Saints" That is my lump in the throat moment. Football changed forever that night.

3rd April 1976 The Shed End Stamford Bridge. The players celebrating, the fans celebrating - Saints were in the FA Cup final at Wembley.What an atmosphere. Having been to the 1963 semi final - the worst day of my young life till then and having been relegated in '74 Saints had seemed to be on the way down again. I had almost given up hope that Saints would ever get to Wembley in my lifetime ( no play offs or JPT in those days) but at that moment my football fan's ambition had been fulfilled and sweet revenge against the Mancs was just around the corner.

I'm not bothered about the goals he's scored for anyone else but I will admit 9 for us is not bad for a player I consider to have been struggling and lacking in confidence in front of goal at times. I don't think I'm alone in thinking this otherwise Pardew would have picked him every week. Maybe he's a bit like Beattie in that he doesn't look like he'll ever score again for weeks then hits a purple patch when he's more confident, I can live with that. If he lacks confidence because he's become overawed by the better quality players with much better touch that he's now playing with then we've got a problem. We'll see.

He's going to have to score a whole lot more to win me round. If he does that - score 25 goals plus for us next season he can wear carpet slippers for all I care:)

How you can like someone with boots that colour is beyond me:o A couple of nice goals and a few tap ins but mostly unproductive is what I've seen. You've obviously seen more, I hope you're right.

I'm a bit anti - Barnard. It's probably the colour of his boots. He does run about a lot but why does he fall over every time the ball comes to him? any way Ormerod was better so was Saga probably.

It's a bit similar to 1960 really, They had done well but were now on big slide. We had done badly but were now on the up. What was the score that day ? Hmm let me think, oh yes I remember ............. 5-1

I heard a Poopy fan on Sky say it wasn't that big a game as it was only against a 3rd Division team. In truth both both teams should be 2nd Division and that makes it pretty even. If you can remember anyone can beat anyone in the Championship.