Badger

Text from 'Young Badger I' - on the pitch at Exeter due a fire evacuation of the stand after smoke was seen. 'Young Badger II' - Cheltenham Town winning. All Saints fans really so a happy day so far.

Oh well, not a disaster - enjoy going to Swansea as well.

Bournemouth winning 1-0. Bless'em , keep the 'not a derby- derby' going for another year at least.

Lets not get carried away, plenty of time to throw this away again. 3-1 up there under Adkins, drew 3-3 Last season 1-0, lost in the second half. Last season League Cup - 2-0, and did our best to let them back into it. Okay we can't go on throwing it away year after year up there, hope today's the day.

So, Benitez or Allardyce ? Long term theres no comparison, but has Rafa ever been in a relegation scrap before ? Certainly Allardyce has, and has the nous to keep his team chipping away to pick up points here and there. Be intersting to see how Benitez manages this (Leicester away, and a TYne-Wear derby in his first couple of games. No doubt we'll oblige to throw them a lifeline in a couple of weeks if they lose the first two under him).

Many people , me included, say the same thing year after year, but expect to be disappointed again. Kit designers , sash aside, tend to overlook this and previous kits, but prefer to tinker with the stripes.

Pure fantasy island though. The only way to achieve that would be an American style/MSL format where the league operate a system of allocating players so that no club has an advantage of financial clout. (Assuming I've understood the US system correctly that is). Wouldn't work here. The other option to even out the system would be for the big 4 or 5 to bugger off into the European Super league they dream of, leaving the rest to play the domestic game. This has been motted for years though, although it may still happen. Talking of it 15 years ago and a Man Utd fan ( one who was actually from Lancashire as well) said he hoped it wouldn't happen because he would miss games against the likes of City (who were a lesser club then), Southampton and West Ham.

No. Fixtures at Christmas and New Year have a special place in the calender and I wouldn't want to see us lose that, or FA Cup 3rd round day in early January.

... he was bristling with anger when he woke up eventually

Thieving scousers will nick anything ...

In my first few yewars of watching Saints two players who always got stick from the Dell crowd and clearly had not been forgiven for something in the past were: Mike Summerbee of Man City Rodney Marsh Never discovered what crimes they had committed. Summerbee probably for dishing it out but not taking it back, Marsh for just being a 'blonde tart' with highlights in his hair (which real blokes didn't do in those days).

Adrian Heath John Bailey Anyone wearing that Blue Hafnia shirt ... Roy Keane Must be others.

1. Ivan Golac 2. Bit of a trick question as the first black player I think was Alf Charles, a GK in the 1920's or 30's (no doubt one of our historians will confirm). Of more modern times, 1970's onwards I think it was Osher Williams or Tony Sealey (a season or two before Danny Wallace, Reuben Agboola, and Chicken George). 3. No idea...

You shouldn't have too much difficulty keeping her quiet. She's been dead since 1979. (In future at least check they've got a pulse).

Diarrhoea

Never in doubt.

Has he been sidelined much at Spurs ?

I think Alderweirald is marginally the better defender, but VVD the better player who offers more in terms of skill, passing, and as a goalscoring threat (although TA has also pooped up with a few for Spurs). VVD has the grater potential though.* *not sure he'll be with us at that time though.

furrows

How often do ww win with "goals to spare", especially away from home? Okay Sundrland & Villa at home last season were pretty exceptional but thoses games aside our tendency is 45 minutes domination, possibly a single goal to show for it, before retreating to regret missed opportunities. I'm hoping that Charlie Austin changes that of course.

A rusty sherriffs badge that is..

I expect he'll be on Klopp's exit list at the end of the season.

Enjoyed that.... tough sh!t Nivea man.

jugs

Perhaps Wenger ought to look at the training/recovery regimes in place there but thats his problem. Didn't we once have an injury prevention specialist on the books who p!ssed of to Man Utd ? Was he ever replaced ?