SoccerMom

Perhaps it is some sort of bizarre psychological ploy to put the opposing team/fans off their game. What next for Manure? Black Lace? Rene and Renata? Suggestions on a postcard....

Not just you - the man didn't die until the following day, and he had been conscious, so there may have been no reason to assume his injuries were more serious than whiplash. It's a tragedy for everyone. We all do things that divert our attention from the road, drive when we're tired, angry etc.

Positives from someone who used to live in London: City - housing not so expensive, great for kids, plenty for them to do and places to play outside, good childcare, good public transport, council has some green credentials, relatively good state schools, close to wide open spaces, good cultural amenities, libraries and sports facilities. Club - relatively affordable to take your kids to the footie while still supporting a local team, players still accessible, excellent community links so kids of all sizes, colours and creeds can get involved in football You have to see things in the context of the rest of the country - Southampton may not be what it was, but it's a damn sight better than south London. Oh, yes, and as far as it having nothing to offer celebrities, maybe that's why Dyer had to go to P*** to do his thieving...

Yes, but given that Davis was, too, the guy must have had considerable momentum. No question he still needs to grow into the role. I don't think that fullback is always a natural position for a kid. Bale might have been super-talented, but he still got turned over more often than not. Bear in mind that if Rudi hadn't come back (excuse me, been allowed back) into the squad, we'd still have a choice of AS or Fish at left-back. I hope that Fish is still in contention sometime as I think he is truly gifted and a *real* LB. But we would need Thomas to come back into the centre, as more than two kids at the back is (as we have seen) suicidal.

Yet again yesterday he showed that he can cross as well or better than anyone else in the team - given the opportunity and a bit more experience he could be a great asset.

Fingers crossed that Cork will be next.

Davis was OK? Um, didn't he actually save the draw with an outstanding tip over the bar in injury time - after having been treated on the pitch a few minutes before? Didn't he save Perry's behind in the first half by taking on Long (? was it?) and get stamped on in the process? Thought he had balls of steel yesterday. Would agree about McLaggon - I just hope that he won't go the way of Lancashire and Fish and buckle under the pressure.

Well, much of his success in the Reserves last season was in partnership with Baseya, wasn't it?

Oh, so maybe it was just Paterson being slow into the box.

Normally I would have said that he's way too slow to bring on the subs, and makes some odd choices, but today I thought he got it right.

Not really - it was a fantastic atmosphere. Best singing I've heard for weeks.

Don't think so - at least not at first. If it had been, Paterson would have had a goal in the first twenty minutes - but DMG was on his own. Again.

That must break your heart. I think there's something about being about the same age as the players, feeling all the passion that you can tell they don't feel. I bet if my kid were old enough to play for the club he'd be just about as disgusted. And perhaps if the players showed any pride in the shirt, your lad wouldn't be nearly as down about it as he is. But how does anyone develop any pride in a club anymore? Players are traded like so many cattle - overpaid and underskilled they may be, but to them loyalty is only something you can buy at a price. Players like Kelvin - who really does seem to *want* to be here, regardless of pay or position - are few and far between. And who knows what pressure is put on players by their agents? Agents? When did that happen, anyway??? My kid, as I said somewhere else, is still desperate to keep going to Saints, even though he knows, and says, they're rubbish. To him it's not about winning, it's about caring about something, it's about spending Saturday afternoons with me, it's about running on ahead to buy a programme, getting that first sight of the pitch, sharing a cup of tea, and walking home looking at the rest of the results on the phone. He's too young to understand about the money and the loutish behaviour (of the players, not the fans....) You don't choose these things, like you don't chose where you're born - if you love going to the footie, you just go. What am I going to do to keep him a Saint? Not moan about losing all the time (it's not the end of the world), wash his kit as many times as it needs (he's been wearing his new away shirt for two days now, and is determined to wear it tomorrow to his gran's, and Sunday for the match), keep taking him to meet the players at open training, laugh with him when he mocks the glory hunters, and most of all keep taking him to matches.

That happens anyway, doesn't it?

So, ladysaint, it's not much, but hope springs eternal if you wait long enough. My nipper said to me, as we were walking back last Saturday, "Even if we get relegated to League 1, we'll still go next year, won't we? Please?" He's not going to give up on the club, and he's only 8.

Hope he manages to leave with some dignity. The couple of times I've met him he's seemed really genuine, knowledgeable, and dedicated to his job. He's not a bad bloke, and TBF we don't even know if he's a good manager or not - and we'll never know unless he's actually allowed to pick the team...

Hope he does better than he did against Watford? QPR? Reserves last May. Lallana gifted him at least a dozen sitters right to his feet in the box and he wasted them all...

I thought you meant Jermaine Wright. Now, there's an idea...

Radio Solent (BBC) 96.1 FM Radio Hampshire 107.2 or 107.8

They did a long, long time ago. Maybe esercito russo e janco?

Oh, Art, Happy Thanksgiving to you, too. Wouldn't want to think of you being bitter.

Back at you, TT - from one of those that has "spurned" that nation for Blighty... Will be having a non-traditional meal with the family (no turkey, ta! not since the year my sister forgot to turn the oven on), but it's not the same if you can't collapse on the sofa and take in a game afterwards. What am I saying? There is always Sky+, but I guess no one will want to relive our last telly encounter...

Good idea - might be more entertaining!

:D And remember, as has been said in my family for a long, long time: If Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.

Agree almost completely. Although I still think that the squad has real quality, it's just (mostly) really uncontrolled. Like pedigree puppies.