Badger

This bloke was linked with buying a football club in the last year or so: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Boehly https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/news/todd-boehly-chelsea-roman-abramovich-16600343 https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/la-dodgers-owner-todd-boehly-makes-a-monstrous-3b-takeover-bid-for-chelsea Probably no one as high profile.

No different to what Gao might achieve if he remains in place.

For a club of our size (provincial club, small ground at The Dell) we've had some incredible players and names playing for us, especially in the Lawrie era, Charlie George (big name on signing), Peter Osgood, Dave Watson, Peter Shilton, and from the 1970's would add Ted MacDougall.

I thought Delap gave some impressive performances when he first joined, certainly surpassed my expectations even though he cost a then astronomical £4m. He simply didn't recover from two broken legs in quick succession, and seemed to go downhill after in his time with us.

Difficult to implement due to cost, and space required. From a practical point of view... just think of the queues to use the bogs. Channeling 32,000 through this system would be chaos.

Birmingham beat Norwich to stay up.

Good website. Excellent work FF.

Correct on 1)&2). Yes. Sorry chaps, I ballsed the clue up for question 3. It was Steele's last game at The Dell I recall, and I had a vague recollection he was sent off as well as his error leading to their goal. He was sent off the previous week at Old Trafford in the Cup replay, although I have a picture of him in my mind trudging off The Dell as a forlorn figure having been shown a red card (obviously another time!). Clearly something has been confused in the 43 years that have passed since (not least a few brain cells being lost to beer in that time). Glockner did ref the World Cup final in 1970. He'd also been the ref at a Euros qualifying tie between Wales v Czechoslovakia in 1976 where his decisions led to a near riot at Ninian Park. He left the pitch with a police escort to chants of 'sieg hiel' and nazi salutes. Although the fact that an East German ref received such abuse didn't merit condemnation in the press in the 1970's

Real anorak question: Name the refs from some memorable games that have passed in Saints folklore: 1)1976 FA Cup Final 2)Who sent Best off at The Dell 3)Who sent Jim Steele off in the cup winners cup As an aside (bonus point if you like) two of them also came to international prominence in World Cups, & European Internationals. When and what for ? All were fairly high profile at the time.

He managed us to a mid-table finish in Division 2 with a record of Played 42, W14 D14 L14 , and Goals F & A also matched.

Yes.

No.

Who was the first black player to play for Saints, and in what season ?

Alan McLoughlin

My Dad and I walked back to catch the train out of Southampton after the Man Utd game in c 1973 I think. Platform full of mancs at a time they were draping themselves in tartan scarves for Tommy Docherty. Suddenly a load of singing from them and scarves aloft, we walked towards it and suddenly were face to face with Docherty leading the players towards their train. Sat in a carriage with about 6 Man Utd supporters - incredibly travelling back to Manchester of all places - although they had all the 70's hooligan regalia complete with DM's etc and had what I now know to be gobby mancumian accents they weren't too bad and gave an intersting insight into their thoughts on City, and Big Mal who'd just resigned to go to Palace. Another train story - once saw Cloughie and Peter Taylor walking out of The Dell about 6pm after a game intent on marching their squad down Hill Lane to the station (whilst in Division 2 that is).

Or: It's good though that some often unreliable sources are writing that we are looking to crack on with our transfer plans during this current pandemic. Hope they're correct that we are actively planning to recruit but we all know that this speculation leads to disappointment in normal times so I won't get my hopes up.

Black (or dark grey)

Interesting but watching that I thought he'd probably cause a few interruptions to games for refs to review VAR on some of his challenges, and end up with a few reds in the EPL especially against the protected species, Liverpool, Manc Utd etc. Confirmed at the end though, 73 appearances, 19 yellow cards, and 2 reds. Good wild kicking out at 3.08.

Ronnie Ekelund ?

I remember Peter Adamson (from Coronation St) coming on the pitch at half time v Wrexham c1974. FA Cup tie we lost 1-0.

Gerry O'Brien.

Few random memories, but not for the game: Wigan away in the cup (for the weather going up there) 1987 - Leicester at home, won 4-0, but second half played in a blizzard, which I then had to drive home in (living near Newbury at the time). 1977 Burnley at home, won 2-0, but during play in the second half they announced Red Rum had won the Grand National so crowd under East Stand burst into song singing his name. 1978 October/November Norwich at home- RAF Dog Display Team. Policeman watching the spectacle of someone running across the pitch started marching towards the "intruder" to be called off by the stadium announcer "Will the Policeman please leave the pitch, this is an RAF dog display..". Other memorable games have been alcohol infused especially in the 1980's. Sheff Weds away in the Quarter Final, and the following season going to Orient were good.

Colin Boulton (on loan from Derby).

Was the traditional away kit through the 1960's. It may have even started in the 1950's. Nothing spectacular, amber shirts (same colour collars and cuffs), black shorts. Yellow and blue was a fashion 'must have' strip worn by just about everyone from about 72/73. I first saw us wear that early 73 at a pre-season friendly at Reading. So if there's a reason to remember that match it's the first sight of our fashionable away kit. That and watching a full scale punch up on an open terrace before kick off. Remember my Dad laughing with some Reading fans next to us saying "Christ, this is a friendly..." Another thing from that meaningless fixture was watching the Saints team arrive off the coach outside Elm Park. Saw this massive bloke get off, no idea who he was at the time. Later realised it was Ted Bates heir, bloke called Lawrie something or other. Oh and Saints lost 2-0.

******** !!!