Badger

I would have thought his time might be better spent talking his client up to prospective buyers rather than to us.

Agreed. Bringing either Wanyama or Schneiderlin back is likely to be an upgrade in the DM dept. Schneiderlin though assumes Ralph could fire him up and motovate him, which clearly hasn't happened for him at Everton.

I'm sure Ralph knows the players in the Bundesliga, and ideally would like to see him bring in some recruits from there who have played in a strong league (although what guarentee it gives might be influenced by your view of Vestergaard and how he has adapted). Difficulty from this market is that a) they won't be cheap, b)some are already playing for sizeable clubs, who won't want to sell mid-season, c) we're not a particularly attractive option at the moment 'come, be a part in our relegation fight'.. I'd be more confident of bringing players of this quality mid-season (if we can stay up).

Might find this interesting: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Toomer

Like others my first Saints shirt was from Toomers, and the name has been closely linked with the club and Southampton ever since. I grew up away from Southampton but as soon as I was interested in football and Saints, no trip to visit family down there was complete without a visit to Toomers. Despite the distance several shirts were ordered from there and collected. A couple of Subutteo teams also. They were known as the Saints suppliers and were always associated with the club for me, advertising at The Dell and in the programme (no match was complete without a programme in those days at the princely sum of 5/). One of my elder relatives knew one of the Toomers, (may have been Arthur given the closeness of their ages), and told me of their conversation in 1976 after the Cup Final. My relative commented to Toomer that things must have been taken off for them after the cup success, and was told 'no, not at all, the club are now given everything from the manufacturer and it's more difficult for us dealing with them..' I assume "them" was both the club and Admiral at the time. Perhaps common knowledge now but a shift in the business model then. Sad that from Saints success it also saw a decline for the local supplier who had been involved with Saints for decades. One other recollection is a conversation with a Saints fan a few years ago discussing our Saints shirts from the 60's etc, and we drew up battle lines over whether you were a Toomers or a Patstone & Cox shirt person. Not sure of the demographics involved having not lived locally, but my only visit to P&Cox was when a relative wanted to go to that end of town (the swimmer, Ray Tyrell was working in P&Cox at the time .. early 70's perhaps). So it was Toomers for me. RIP Arthur, thanks to your part in my childhood and early years following Saints.

Why would Spurs consider releasing him when they're still in four competitions ? Seems doubtful to me, although if he were available then we should be in for him.

isn't Bednarek suspended ? Sounded that this was the case on 5Live.

I thought of as a David Prutton moment. One of, if not the, most influential midfielder we've got, makes himself unavailable due to a rush of blood to the head. Hope it's not as costly as Prutton's.

It's a shame that Cedric has fallen out of favour having shown he has a goal threat in him with the free kick v Man Utd the other week. But if he doesn't have the commitment or lungs, required by Ralph to play his high energy game, then best he leaves and we bring someone in who can. (Hoping we can bring the player in though).

Adkins Hull winning 2-0 at Leeds.

Given that thy've seldom featured then that's possible, although if you read original post again: Not sure what "achievements" the three you mentioned have actually had.

My recollection also.

Morgan still getting torrid abuse from his lot on their forum, and found these nuggets : ..got to laugh at the delusion there... Appears the Silva magic is wearing off as it did at Watford.

I detest spurs with a passion, but even allowing for that, am pleased they won today against the dugout pioneers.

Most would have said that when he played for Swindon against us certainly. Austin has throughout his career made a habit of goading the opposition fans, nothing new in that. Remember his time at Swindon against us in L1 ? Prime example. I think he wound a few on the Forum up. His time with us includes running past Bournemouth fans laughing at them and making a gesture after scoring. As for yesterday, I doubt he was mocking their disability, can't see he'd be that insensitive, but probably made gestures. Is that "gross misconduct" all of a sudden ?

His finishing worries me a bit but he's clearly young and needs to be given time. Having said that the young Steve Moran would probably have been a bit more composed at the same age. The Shane Long comparison has occurred to me also. But time will tell. Far better that we're discussing the potential of a young striker than a £19m Argentinian misfit.

Disagree. Villa & Leeds bring more regional 'glory supporters' who follow fashionable clubs rather than allowing genuine fans to watch their team play in the top league. Many might say that about us being replaced by the likes of the two you mention, or Sheffield Weds, Forest etc.

As his first game is v Cardiff then we have to wish him well and hope it gets off to a good start for him. Not quite sure how it should be read but several articles state the Norwegian season is over and doesn't resume until March. Is the suggestion that he is 'on loan' and might return to Molde once his time at MU comes to a close?

Or 'arry giving an interview on his driveway, or outside of his panto saying how he'd wouldn't rule himself out, and that with £200m to spend he should be able to keep them up next season.

You appear to have detracted from your own argument here. Tadic was great when he first arrrived under Koeman, and during RK's first season. His form dropped in the second season for much of it as I recall, and towards the end of the second season there were rumours that he had fallen out with RK and might have sought a move away. Agree with you that Tadic was part of our problem last season, but credit where it is due he did step up and take responsibility during our run in, and looked to have responded well to Hughes. Whatever else is said about either of them this is something to be thankful to them for.

So is he written off already then ? Assume this is Hermann, who is described on Wikipedia as a MF rather than an out and out striker by the way. Although this doesn't make a difference to how often he is selected of course, but might put his scoring rate into a slightly different context.

Realise the point you're making, and that you didn't magic up this statistic but it's hardly "all time" so much as since Opta and others have been recording this for the Premier League/geek era. If it were all time then I expect others, Paine and Sydenham in particular, would be well up on that list and ahead of most of those mentioned. It does reinforce Davis contribution to Saints though over the last six years though,which many overlook.

Hopefully we are not just basing it on his performance against us: Yes, took his chances, and that's something we struggle to do, but he won't be facing defences routinely giving him acres of space. Still if Ralph rates him and thinks he can get him fit and motivated, then that's fine, Can't see RH being told who he's going to sign by Ross.

From the early promise of a "Terry Paine" type cross which was high praise, to putting his own name of a p!ss poor corner. Quite a fall from his potential.

Good. The buggers need a shake up, and RH will sort them our although I can see a few dropping of as he decribes between now and the opening of the transfer window. Get the impression one or two may bring in letters from their mums (or agents more likely) with reasons why they should be excused from extra training.