Badger

What’s stopping a few just turning up for the day by other means ? Won’t have tickets for the match but could just still spend a day here

Newcastle were prepared to pay £27m for Trafford. I think Saints should have extracted more out of them as they seem desperate for a keeper.

Any idea who they want as GK ?

Not impressed by £4m loan fee. Seems a pittance given Newcastle’s wealth, even allowing for them paying his wages.

Didn’t the EFL force the sale of Reading, eventually?

Yes, seems to have left without the outrage created by Nivea’s message

Despite all the niceties and wishes for him I’m afraid this is likely to remain the lasting and prominent memory I have of his time with us; Sorry Jan, but would have been comical if it hadn’t been us, (Goal at Rotherham went some way of repaying it .. but not as funny !)

Must admit I hadn’t realised he’d been with us that long. Normally you’d be full of praise for the long service. But it’s a strange one with Bednarek despite 8 years, he’s been one of our stable players, nothing spectacular. Signed at 21, shame he didn’t have a Fonte or VVD to help him through early stages. Has never really stood out, didn’t have the height (of Toby, or VVD), and clearly didn’t have the pace of some of them. Full international (about 70 caps) for Poland, a good international side over the years, so no slouch. But difficult to decide if he’s been a victim of us being shit, or a major contributor to that. Perhaps his most consistent year for us was in the Championship, although still looked susceptible to pace. Good move for him though, hope it works out.

Quite a nice and dignified response (even if written by his agent before someone says it).

Strasbourg. I assume this could be a Joe Shields inspired move then if he’s still part of Chelsea (as owners of Strasbourg). Edozie always seemed to fall within the ‘all fart and no shit’ category for me so pleased to see him go. But hope we have a healthy sell on % should he ever discover an end product.

What is exactly is the advantage for Newcastle in going for a loan ? Apart from handing him back if he’s crap. We’re not talking mega money going into or from this years accounts.

Perhaps they haven’t. But they’ve not had the resources to replace them. Or the willingness to do so from above.

Wasn’t he a Saints fan born in Netherlands ? But why can we not go out and buy a GK, experienced and made for the first team, not another ‘might come good’ protege ? GK is not a position to piss around with. Seriously wonder about our club and the people involved.

BOGOF ???

Yes fair enough, but at least they kept it under wraps until they’d won it. It’s the mindless jerks who start trotting it out at quarter finals and even in group stages that get on my tits.

We were also linked. Google search today mentions Rangers as being after him

No mention of “coming home” bollocks either

A lot of them are. More so than most of the blokes (although some of the girls purposely seem to lapse into ‘bloke football speak’ ). Michelle Agyemang has spoken well in interviews when I’ve heard her.

Wonder what the viewing figures in Scotland are like for this. Nicola Sturgeon … are you watching on the box ?

Pleased for them. Great going. Hampton and Kelly take the headlines but great team effort. Deserved their success.

He couldn’t make it. He’s at a Pizza Express tonight

I’d agree with your interpretation but I think the ‘tapping up’ is bypassed as clubs are - as I understand it - able to speak with the agents, but not directly with the player. Nonsense of course, but seems to be the way of the world.

Gone are the days of having a bid accepted before speaking with the player. Now the negotiations seem to be in place with the agent before the players club are made aware of the interest. I remember Lawrie whilst our DOF (mid 90’s) saying that clubs would be talking to agents about their players who might be available in 12-18months time.

This may seem a bit pedantic and somewhere on the MLG spectrum but I don’t think he ‘promised’ signings, just that there were three positions that were prioritised for replacement without looking to sell first. The MF from rumour was the Armenian bloke who wasn’t interested, leaving us to look elsewhere.

There are lots of things that have caused losing interest in the game over the years, especially the greed of the elite, fawning coverage, and many owners of clubs. Legohead - and that style of play - has contributed to it, but not the only factor.