Badger

CM is the big question mark for me, most other positions I think we can safely state our best line up. But two of Downes, Jander and Charles, with Bragg as another option (perhaps in addition to), seems an embarrassment of riches for Tonda to select from depending on the opposition and rotation for fitness. In January Downes seemed down the pecking order, but not any more.

Except he remained in place for another week.

I was going to post a picture of her from the article to canvass opinions of where she is on the 9 Pinter scale

Saw this https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cq59yvy6v0eo Union Berlin sack their manager and appoint a women as their interim until the end of the season. Should this be a concern for us ? Would Tonda be interested at this stage of his career?

Only listened to a brief snippet and intended to go back to it, but if I heard correctly he talks about sacking Adkins in November and having a 10 day break before the next fixture. My recollection was sacked in January, a day or so after a creditable 2-2 midweek draw away v Chelsea, with a home fixture on the Monday night v Everton.

Not to mention to enable you to get into the fucking stadium. From a self confessed dinosaur

It’s easy to just calculate the points we might have had if Tonda’s results are projected over the season but as you say, might not have worked that way. And his appointment would have been surprising. Coming into a different country and set up to get things going might have been too much at once. Instead of which he had a few months to see the club, settle and put his ideas in place. Had he been appointed in the summer then, there would have been big questions asked. But personally I wouldn’t have found it much more underwhelming than Still. I’d have preferred Cleverley to Still, although Rohl had been my preferred option. (After a poor start Cleverley has turned Plymouth round. Fully expect he’ll be back in the Championship in the next couple of years with Argyle or elsewhere).

No idea why that might be. His interviews tended to be a slow motion wreckage. Did he ? I couldn’t see the attraction in the appointment when he was first linked, and any interviews reinforced my view that it seemed completely disjointed. Seemed quite a leap in faith to think he’d get coherent ideas across. Tonda has been a breath of fresh air by comparison.

Probably a fair assessment. For me then turning point was probably the fall out with Koeman.

Glad you wrote that as is was also my recollection that Martin Tyler used to do some of the commentaries on our matches for what was then Southern Television. David Bobin I thought always covered Saints well and seemed enthusiastic about the club, more than the others in the region. Was he a Saints fan ? Probably easy to enthuse about us then, great football, signing Keegan, and Lawrie was a dream for the media. Bobin seemed the Adam Blackmore of his day, and appeared to have a good relationship and insight with the club.

I still share your pain and anguish over 1984. One of my worst moments when that little runt scored near the end. 1986 was a different beast for health reasons as well, stood there nearing the end of normal time thinking I just want someone to score and finish the match rather than another 30minutes. I felt numb to the resuit. Chelsea in 2018 or whenever we didn't expect anything from that match with some of the crap we had in the side, and the Leicester SF doesn't really exist in my mind. Stamford Bridge 1976 and Villa Park 2003 were of course on a different stratosphere. Just hope we can experience the euphoria of those two again.

Come on Saints, 'win it for Ballboy' among other things.

Perhaps a bizarre and unlikely prospect, but if Forest win the Europa League,and are relegated they could be competing in both the Champions League and Champiosnhip next season.

Didn't Millwall achieve that after they played Manchester Utd, c 2004 ?

No worse than from towards the back of the away stand at Palace a couple of seasons ago. Out of interest were you standing when that photo was taken ?

I’m into something good .. seems appropriate for the feel good factor he’s given the club. I remember some singing it at Brentford last season. Good song, but don’t think it caught on given the feeling towards Russell M. Tonda on the other hand deserves the songs and support.

Yes it is, which might detract from reading too much into it. Interestingly, all three (Man City, Chelsea, and Leeds) are away from home so might the choice of day for the fixture not be determined by the home club, and possibly Police there ?

Manager no ‘head coach’ crap But if he gets results as head coach and is happy with that so be it.

I think this was a key factor in the turnout, a general sense of us being crap and no great belief or enthusiasm.

And if an extra time 10,000 all buy a pair of foam hands for every home game …

You’d like to think not, and in ‘normal times’ it might be considered low risk. But there was a bombing at the Boston Marathon a few years ago, so as a high profile event I’d imagine it will be closely watched.

Might be a bit of extra overtime for other Plods being drafted in. Don’t they often bring in from other surrounding forces if need be ?

Occurred to me that if our Blackburn match is rearranged for next Tuesday as suggested, the same night as Skates v Ipswich we could have the unusual situation of both Saints and Skates wanting each other to win.

And the other at Fortress Fratton.

I remember that, and it didn't enter my head or those around me to leave despite the result. I remember Saints running past the Man Utd fans after 1976, to a mixture of V signs, and polite applause. Saints fans less charitable to Forest in 1979 and at one point trying to pelt them with coins, such was the state of the game and mindset on the terraces back then. Not sure when all this changed and the lap of honour stopped, but I recall late 90's/early 2000's being appalled by Man Utd whose post match celebrations didn't involve any commiserations with opponents that day or lap of honour but to stand around jumping around like a girls netball team. Another element of Cup Final day being stripped away.