Kingsland Codger

No, not a dream. I can recall Portsmouth being referred to as Scum back in the 70s.

Given West Ham's physicality, it won't be Tadic's sort of game, either. Harrison Reed would manage well, though.

Many thanks, as ever, for your thought provoking articles. Your piece on Harry Redknapp was ... hard-hitting

Your reply above and post at the start of the thread has prompted me to check my incoming email again and although the email clearly states the ticket will be posted to me, the words "SmartCard Activation" appear underneath the details of my seat number. So I shall take my ST with me on Saturday.

For the Ipswich match I purchased my ticket online and well in advance - the same seat as my ST. I received a confirmation email saying my ticket would be posted to me and a ticket duly arrived through the mail a few days later. For the Palace match I purchased my ticket the day they went on sale and in exactly the same way as above. As before I received an email saying my ticket would come in the post ... but so far nothing.

Is there a sporting chance this fixture may be switched for TV?

Around the start of the season someone cleverly suggested a song for Nathaniel Clyne to the tune of Fog On The Tyne. Can't say I've heard it St St Mary's - has it featured at any away game?

How many of us will now have the agonising choice of either missing the match or missing church ? Mmmm ... thought not.

Whereas conversely ... http://www.footballformguide.net/form/barclays-premier-league

And in the FA Cup Final, too.

Depends how one defines "played", I guess. Featured in 13 Saints games (and 1 international) - won 10, lost 1, drawn 2 for Saints. A couple of these appearances have been as a sub in the last couple of minutes. http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=56827

A trip to Barcelona is but the first part of the chunky costs coming our way. It's the trip to Tokyo to win the FIFA World Club Championship in December 2016 that I'm saving up for.

And in cricket, Brian Johnson (RIP) once made an unfortunate spoonerism with the fast bowler Asif Masood. Describing the bowler's action, the great John Arlott (RIP) said “Asif takes a step and then like a butler who has seen something he should not have, takes two steps back.”

And another French rugby player who deserves a mention ... Jean Condom.

Wasn't Townsend providing the off-screen punditry supporting Martin Tyler's commentary for the Aston Villa game on Sky in November?

Had a close up view of the Hoegh Osaka from the ferry on the way to the match yesterday. The cricket pitch in The Brambles will never be the same again.

Yesterday, in the second half, Long was constantly looking to make a break towards the Kingsland/Chapel corner and challenge Mings, their left-back. Mings was on a yellow and Long clearly had him for pace but although he was making the starting run, the ball was rarely played to him. This made me wonder about the fitness needed to make a very fast break over a 10 metre stretch time-and-time again. He was taken down (no penalty given) and was awarded a foul just outside the box for a free kick when the original contact looked just inside. He did his bit yesterday and should be encouraged rather than criticised.

I like his no-nonsense approach to defending something tricky - when in doubt stick the ball into row Z. Not so much in evidence today but several times against Arsenal when under pressure and alternatives were not immediately obvious he played 'safety first'

Some great memories already mentioned, so I shall add winning his first cap for France.

If you are inside the 6 yard box and in an offside position you are, at the very least, causing the goalkeeper to consider your presence and are therefore interfering with play.

Similarly, Schurrle was way offside for Hazard's goal and although he didn't have to jump out of the way, he was inside the 6 yard box and therefore he was definitely interfering with play.

Fabregas's foot kicked Targett's leg; free kick to Saints ... but the ref missed it.

Extension to point 1 ... Buy a large Union flag and hang on house ... upside down.

Are we going to receive a hard copy ticket through the post or will it be added on to my ST?

Edward I - a Great and Terrible King by Marc Morris ... http://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Terrible-King-Forging-Britain/dp/0099481758 The Most Dangerous Enemy by Stephen Bungay - A History of the Battle of Britain (with the 'most dangerous enemy' being the UK) And for an-allied-airman-on-the-run-in-occupied-France story, try Perilous Moon by Stuart Nimmo which tells the story of his father's escape after being shot down in the late spring of 1944.