Badger

And who was a local bloke, and as far as I’m aware, popular with the support

Depends if we feel he can cut it here, and the terms of any deal. Buy back option at specified price, or large % of any sell to on.

I’ve no real axe to grind with Dragan given what he has put into the club. He’s a successful businessman, clearly has a good head on him. His only blemish to date is those he’s been (or chosen to be) surrounded by. He seems to have the right intentions for the club and the decks appear to be cleared, so fresh start. Just hope Spors lives up to reputation and is an upgrade on the last recruitment regime. Selections of Still, and one signing, a 19 year old with limited experience, there is some way to go though. Await the Solent interview. If nothing else it’s a refreshing change from Gao’s vow of silence.

Keeping it football related, didn't he occasionally turn out for Melchester Rovers as well ?

HMRC usually have the final say.

Presumably Trump will be in the presenting party at the WC Final ?

1994 was a shit World Cup. Wonder if lessons were learnt. probably not.

Genoa. Hope this isn’t on the legacy advice of the scouting team Spors put together there.

I think in a parallel universe where Bazunu hadn’t been injured we know how that low, to the left hand corner, shot from Dan James might have ended up … (Await MLG with a ‘butterfly effect’ post, or whatever it was called …)

Not football, but rugby, Jeremy Guscott ( Bath and England). Towards the end of his rugby career (late 90’s, probably early 2000’s ) he worked with a construction company in Bristol. They would use him for marketing and PR. They came into our office in for an appointment, we were expecting two of their team, but they brought Guscott as well for full PR overload. This move rebounded on them a bit as after leaving our Director commented “If I’d known that …was coming I’d have sent a memo last week for us all to wear our Gloucester ties). In the interest of balance though, I’ve since heard a couple of stories about Guscott’s involvement, and he comes out of it with credit and as a decent bloke. Reputation intact* *(apart from having played for Bath, which is seen on par with how Saints view PO postcodes, in these parts).

Some good names there. Donna Hartley was a bit of a local ‘pin up’ as I recall. Interesting snippet about Frank Worthington. He certainly fell out of favour rapidly in 1984 ( story due to his off field antics).

I’ve not met either of them but from what I’ve read and heard from people who have, both are really decent blokes and likeable (despite their connection down the road). Primus I think was head of Christians in Football (may have been wider .. in Sport ) and was always very dignified when discussing his faith etc or representing them. Claridge was a decent summariser on radio, and again given his roots I thought quite fair in commenting on Saints.

Except when they play England who’ll treat us to a 1-0 yawn fest

Peter Rodrigues served me a pint once. But as it was his pub at the time, King Rufus, Eling nr Totton, it wasn’t entirely random or unexpected.

Interesting observation from his time with us. Relatives in Wolverhampton liked him as player when he first arrived there but didn't have a good word to say about him, and his off field conduct. They believe that was the reason behind his departure from Molineux.

Climbing a bit of a social and intellectual ladder over the past 20 years then Hatch ? Might be worth checking you’ve got those the right way round, and sounding out your libel lawyers before commenting again.

Nice story. On club shop visits on non match-days at The Dell and more recently St Mary’s I was walking through the car park and came face to face with David Armstrong, and Jose Fonte. Both were walking towards their cars but had the everyday decency to pass a quick hello, or alright ? I was an adult at the time, so it was nothing great or special but I was impressed that despite their success and wealth they still had a basic decency about them. Quite a contrast to some of the arseholes who think supporters are beneath them. (Quashie treating fans as if they’d walked something in on the bottom of their shoe). Always impressed by David Armstrong (RIP) and thought he’d make a good manager one day, but not a career path he wanted it seems

Other pub sightings: Steve Moran, and Frank Worthington (different times).

Not sure it’s a ‘bumping into’ but a sighting. As a child in the late 60’s/possibly 1970 I was sat in a pub for a meal with parents and family. Terry Paine walked in. He was enveloped by a large sheepskin coat (standard for the day), although even as a kid it looked two sizes too big for him. In those days if you saw a teacher on a Saturday in their private life doing something as trivial as shopping it was considered something of note. To see a professional footballer was in a different stratosphere. My Dad did explain that off the football pitch, the pub was one of their best known habitats. ( Years later revealing more stories of Big Ron at closing time).

So we’re poor at recruiting in the first place, and poor at moving players on. Seems to be a consistent thread here. Hope Spors changes things.

Most fans will have a strong view on the kit their teams trots out in, mostly based on ‘tradition’ and maintaining that. I’d like to see a more traditional kit, and if it is going to pay homage to the 1976/7 shirt then should do so fully. That said I wouldn’t look to wear it myself, though understand many others do. This I don’t follow, as to why a grown adult wants to have a number and someone else’s name on the back of it. It’s an age thing I’m sure but I see plenty who I’d put in the ‘old enough to know better camp’ doing it, sometimes older than me.

In principle it’s a good move having an experienced head in the coaching set up with recent first hand knowledge of players at that level. If used fully he should be going to Still/ Spors with the obvious candidates ( eg off the top of my head, Johannsen, Fellows - even if we don’t get them). But I expect he’ll be shown a spreadsheet and diagrams as to why the player isn’t suitable … and £3.5m on an unknown has better growth potential

Might depend who else we bring in, but does have a feeling of familiarity to it.

Careful. Might be closer to home than you think. And our saviour.

Expect they’ll trotting out the “British citizen” card when he’s detained somewhere.