JRM

Think "On the March" fanzine or maybe the Ugly Inside had a front page "FINANCIAL CRISIS AT PORTSMOUTH, VENABLES WANTS HIS POUND BACK"

Didn't he buy Portsmouth for £1 ?

Not sure on that but I was enjoyed the lyric "I can plough and milk a cow, drive a great big mower, what I want more than anythings to be a strawberry grower"

I'd like to see this sung more, great song deserving of more recognition

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Watching the coverage of West Brom v Ipswich the other night they were talking about the intense fixture list between now and 1st January , another 9 games to go in a short period of time where injuries and suspensions can quickly change things and the need to have squad players ready to come in, in theory as one of the wealthier clubs in the division that should help us rotate without significantly weakening the side but it never seems to quite work like that. Is it 5 bookings in first 19 games = 1 match ban? We must have a few close to that. Looking at fixtures Leicester, Ipswich and Leeds will win on Wednesday night so we need the 3 points just to keep up.

Currently the longest unbeaten run in the football league, I think this pretty much guarantees defeat for us

Don't know much about Bristol City, results seem inconsistent, Pearson had them very well organised defensively (they've only conceded 18 goals in 17 games compared to us conceding 27 in the same time). However Pearson has been sacked and replaced by Liam Manning who had been doing an excellent job at Oxford with quite different tactics. Manning sounds similar to our Russ, favouring a possession style of play, having worked for City football group and also having a spell managing MK Dons.

It's a good point and to be fair we've always had songs about out rivals for last 40 odd years, I remember growing up in the late 80s early 90s going to away games hearing classics: If I had the wings of a sparrow My old man said be a Pompey fan Fratton Park is falling down, falling down We are Southampton the pride of the South, we hate all the bastards that come from Ports-mouth I used to like hearing from.the back of the away terrace - somebody give me an SSSSS OOOOO UUUU TTT HHH Remember the "I can't read, I can't write but that don't really matter....." was that a song for our rural based fans? don't hear that anymore , probably a sign of the times and disappearing green belt in the SO post code region

We do love a song about a library, I remember Cambridge away last season bloke behind me sang almost non-stop about them. Started off with: Football, in a library, football, in a library Before moving on to the same song but with a different tune Do do do , football in a library, do do do football in a library I had a mate who supports a different club tag along for the evening to visit the ground, gave him a good laugh, he still texts me occasionally asking if I've seen any good football in a library recently.

Of course there is! Doesn't mean you lose every time but certain teams just have that affect. Everton away , any game v Rotherham for example. I'm hoping those stats show law of averages we are "due a win" against Bristol City. Games against them always seem to have a lively atmosphere, they've sold out full away bit few weeks ago so should be good crowd in under the lights.

WBA look an excellent side, wouldn't want to meet them in the play offs

Agree, Edozie is a nothing player, offers no defensive cover, we had a couple of opportunities to hit them on the break but choose not to, that's down to Martin.

Huddersfield were terrible so it is a terrible result , especially having been in the lead

Smallbone dropped out of Ireland squad with an injury, likewise Che Adams with Scotland, Sulemana returned from Ghana not clear if injured, any news on those players?

The fact the Rotherham keeper had to try to stop the game tells you how slow the response was.

Did we play a behind doors friendly over the break? Anyone know if Stewart played and how he got on?

Wasn't there some financial corruption involving Liverpool Council and the new Everton stadium? Ironically I think we'd be doing Everton fans a favour helping to relegate them, think they'd love the Championship. Got to laugh at stories like this , MPs thinking they can influence the appeal.

Aren't there home fans next to us in the same end still? Used to be their most vocal section, surprised if its just left empty now.

Nah come on , 1984 Highbury for that alone we could enjoy their relegation and subsequent financial implosion, I think they would also deserve it for the match fixing 1994 game v Wimbledon where Hans Segers had received sufficient payment to ensure a Toffees win and survival that day

Drag on for ages and feels like we have them so often, September, October, November, not ideal for a team like us with lots of call ups

Yep, Everton will portray themselves as battling against the odds in the face of adversity but really they'll still stay up quite comfortably I think, some really poor sides this season

Cumulatively yes but I'm not sure Shilton got more of his England caps at any one club rather than Saints. I'm sure someone has the stats but wouldn't surprise me if he had most at Saints ,probably close with Derby and Forest

His final ball could be better and shooting needs some work but I definitely prefer him to Edozie , you can see opposition defenders out of position trying to cover for the full back that Sulemana keeps beating