Badger

For which Sir Matt Busby offered the then mind shattering potential record of £200,000. Saints rejected it.Although it was public knowledge that Big Ron was disappointed not to make the move,there was no sulking,strikes or huffs to engineer the move.How times have changed.

And then on out to The Testwood Hotel,Totton for a 'lock in'.* *Not that I ever witnessed this first hand as I was well below drinking age at the time,but this was legendary amongst my father,grandfather etc.

Careful.They might read that and take offence.

I've already given my vote for Dennis,but should just also add my agreement to your comment about his international pedigree. Its been a long held view of mine - and frequently argued after a few beers - that if it had not been for Mark Dennis' off field problems,he'd have been England's first choice left back,and Stuart Pearce would not have got near the national team.

Mark Dennis;a great player and a cult hero as well. Dennis though only shades it ahead of David Peach.Dennis played his peak with Saints in the top flight whereas Peach,although a top class performer, was at his best for us in the od second division. How tragic that Steve Mills might have eclipsed both but for his accident.

Mr *Really Welsh name removed by mod* Swansea Do you think he mistook it for the Welsh Nationalists ?

I share your view of Shilton and that he had passed his 'best before date' when he joined us,as he had really peaked during his time at Forest. However the facts don't really support us as he joined us in 1982,and 8 years later - having p!ssed off to Derby in between- he was still Englands No1 in the WC Semi-final team.Shilton is the greatest keeper to have played for us. I never really took to Shilton,he was an England player who happened to play for Saints,rather than one of ourplayers who achieved greatness.If I were voting for my favourite GK,then Niemi,Flowers and Eric Martin would be well ahead. Voting for a goalkeeper from a given season then it would be Niemi who played for us in 2002/3 - ie the triple save season vArsenal.That would match any single performance of any other keeper we have ever had.

Watford will soon have the 'new manager effect'. Lets just hope it is the 'Burley new manager effect' and they go for weeks/months without their first win however.Or could that only happen to us ?

Well,lets look at the options on Rupert's checklist shall we . We've now tried the continental coach,Rupert should know that promotions from within are so out of fashion,and there is unlikely to be a ginger haired fiery Scotsman around when you need one.Leaving aside the rehabilitation of any former international managers ( of whatever sport,not limited to football of course ) there are not many new daring revolutionary facesaving routes Rupert can take. So on balance bringing in a South American to revolutionise the coaching revolution could indeed be within Rupert's way of thinking.

A novel idea has occured to me.Perhaps Jan will 'pay his own contract up ' as he did to come here !:confused:

Is this by any chance Saints related ? Either in, has Rupert has got itchy for a change,or just a vague possibility of a new man who might be available should he decide to look for a charge ?

I think the 10-to-15,000 and increasing number of absent fans, make more of a point about Rupert and the direction he is leading the club,than chants from those still attending.

Paul Tisdale.

34) Appointed Wigley

A rather sobering thought,but would Adams consider leaving Brighton for us,in our current plight ?

" what happened was.."

Yes.Another appointment from within would be par for the course,and prove - if proof is needed - that Lowe did not learn from the Gray,Wigley episodes.

Any chance he could be persuaded to bury a beetroot cheeked chairman under one of his patios ?

It is pointless even contemplating a replacement manager whilst the 'beetroot cheeked ' one is in command at the club. But await some simpleton to suggest Benali,or MLT. Probably the same simpleton who 18 months ago suggested Dodd.

Not used so often now perhaps,but a few years ago people used to constantly say "thats right" when something was being explained or told to them. There was one particularly annoying bint in Gloucester who surpassed all allowance for f^cking stupidity,and would ask a question and during the answer or reply would throw out a "thats right" in the middle of it.This lead to the obvious question, "well, if you know that to be right,why did you ask the bastard question in the first place ?".

Another irritation during a match a while back was some bloke with a limited stock of phrases yelling ' ave 'im ' everytime an opponent had the ball.This was swapped for 'go on, skin 'im ' when we had possession and anyone made a run forward with a defender nearby.

"..give it 110%.."( or 150%, or as a dickhead on X-Factor trotted out the other week one million% !!). Its surprising and disappointing though how such a 'football cliche' has become accepted in wider and even academic circles.At a parents evening a few years ago I was told by my son's teacher how he always "gave 110%".Christ,is she teaching him English ?I remember thinking - but holding back - the retort "well, lets see how he performs after half term;I'm sure he'll come back even stronger in the second half.."

Black polo-necks back in fashion then.

I have often hoped an ex-player might appear on a white charger from over the brow of a hill,bringing a billion or so quid with him...or at least introducing someone to the club with the dosh. Why can't Terry Paine divert some major investor from the South African consortium previously rumoured to be looking at Newcastle ?

I bet McCain now wished he had noticed that sooner.