S-Clarke

I think people need to reign in their expectations for our transfer targets. We will not be signing the top players from teams that finished in the top 6 this season. Based on some of the suggestions I've read on this and other forums we're going to have some very ''underwhelmed'' fans this summer.

No surprise really, Cardiff should have been promoted last year with the squad they had. That's 2 season in a row they've thrown it away at the death tbh.

Peter Clarke alongisde Fonte would be immense.

I want him to stay because he's one of our best players and will be key for us next season. We'll be weaker without him. People said the same about Bale and Walcott but I bet you'd give your arm and leg to see them in a saints shirt now.

Sounds like a plan to me. People are forgetting that we don't need to sell in order to buy.

Prob 2.5-3m, that's the sort of figures Norwich were throwing around in January.

You should work for BBC/Sky! Their lack of research is shocking, the amount of times they've said ''he'll be a bargain free for someone.."

He will leave, Ferguson pretty much confirmed it 5mins ago and Mackail-Smith is on the pitch waving goodbye to the fans.

That's why I'm glad we avoided the playoffs. Being one of the best teams over the course of the season counts for nothing. Huddersfield froze in the semi's last year and I have to say they froze for the majority of this game as well. Very little from them. From our point of view we have a very weak team following us up, a team that will be even weaker when Mackail-Smith goes. They will do well to finish mid-table next year.

A midfield of Carrick and Park, against a Midfield of Xavi and Inesita. Only one winner. Never seen such a complete team before tbh.

I can imagine him being like that. He's massively driven and if he's been entrusted with a pretty hefty budget (which i'm pretty sure he has) then he's sensible enough to use this properly and not throw it at players left right and centre. He's building up this club in the right way and I'm pretty excited.

5-1 against Walsall, he stormed straight out of the ground after the interview too. Must have had a few issues that day...

Ah ok sorry - In that case, I see where you're coming from. I thought I'd see us win a league this year, but it wasn't to be.

Heard a bit of it too - I actually hate the guy and I really hope we give him the two fingers when we go past him on the bus.

I reckon west ham. I can't see him ever coming back here.

I don't understand why people are getting so heated about Lallana not being picked - I'm a club man and this helps my club as he'll be fitter for next season.

Exactly and it seems to be expected that we will do it - anything else than back to back promotions will now be seen as a poor season....which is wrong.

True, I know what you're getting at - but I think it's asking for trouble if we start getting expecations of winning the league....

Seriously? We have a 5 year plan to get back to the PL. 2 years of that plan are now up. So we have 3 years to get to the premiership, if we don't do it this year we'll do it in the next 2 years. I dont get why people are putting so much on next season, it's really a bonus if we get anything from it.

Because they'll still have a pretty decent team, even after the mass exit of their ''big names'. The likes of Jack Collinson, Mark Noble, Frank Nouble, Hines, Sears, Stanislass, Tomkins etc (sp?) will probably stay and that's a pretty decent spine to start with of young players. They won't struggle as much as people are saying, they'd be quite a decent championship team IMO.

I think he went to Italy on a loan, may be wrong though.

Blessing in disguise for me. Not bothered at all. Gives him a summer to get over his niggling injuries and come back fresh and ready to take the leauge by storm.

I'd expect Bothroyd to be picked up by a relegated team, or even a promoted championship team. Could prob do a job in the prem tbh Chris Burke isn't too bad a player, not sure how he's been recentley though.

This is what i mean, expectations are being raised to stupid levels. Mid-table is fine for next year. I'm not saying that's all we strive for, but it's not a faluire if we don't get promotion or top 6 next year.

I just hope we don't get idiots calling for change if we're not challenging next season, that would really be a bonus if I'm honest. There's no harm in going out and trying to get promoted but it's not a ''must'' for next year at all and the last thing we need is expectations raised to stupid levels before the seasons even started! Mid-table is fine, anything else is a bonus.