spyinthesky

Any one 'in the know' have updates on these four? Is Bella Kotcha actually training or at home counting his Euros? Looks like Edozie is back in the room after his transfer to Belgium seems to have fallen through. I guess Dom Ballard will be off on loan again or sold as he is not in the 29 man squad in yesterday's programme. Any snippets on who Joe Aribo is talking to?

Question is, if Dibling is not sold do we have funds to buy in a midfielder, right back and GK?

Just a thought, when we were last in the Championship we scored a last minute equaliser in the first home game v Norwich (albeit with a dodgy pen) in a 4-4 draw with Norwich

My random view of the 'experience'. * Our sponsors P&O were offering up free ice cream before the game. Well done. * The pre match fireworks were a waste of time in the sunny Southampton weather. * The Referee was poor. Why disnt he send Maclean off for the brutal foul on the wee man and then shoving Fernandes? * Give Wrexham fans their due, they keep up their support throughout the game. * Our fitness levels have improved significantly under Will Still. * Bazunu 8/10......could not be faulted and deserved credit for the crucial save near the end. * Sugawara 6/10...a middling performance. * Welington 6/10...got forward a bit more than Sugawara. * Edwards 5/10... I think we have the making of a decent there but struggled against the robustness of Keiffer Moore and gave away a silly pen. * Capt Jack 8/10....One of his best games for us. A couple of important clearances and the winning goal. A proper Captains performance. * Quarsie 7/10........Still a bit raw but a committed performance and his pace and long throws could be beneficial. * Robinson 7/10.....Did well after his move up from the U21's. If we had bought him in for a couple of million I would have thought this represented good value. He will have dips in form but a star in the making (hopefully) * Charles 7/10.......A steady performance with more to come (hopefully) * Downes 6/10......Didnt reach the high standard as previously in the Championship. Lucky not to get a booking for a number of fouls early on. More to come (hopefully) * Armstrong 5/10.. Plenty of effort but a bit unfortunate with a couple of chances. Not a central striker unfortunately. * Wee Man 7/10......I was concerned about his selection in the middle of the park. He did OK when moved to the flanks and put in a decent shift. Subs * Manning 8/10.....Fantastic free kick and cross for the second goal deserves a top mark. * Downs 5/10....Yet to see anything of note from him from the Brighton game or his cameo today. Hope for better. * Stewart 5/10....Too little time to make an impression. Like to see him lead the line and provide more aerial presence. * Fernandes 5/10. Similar remark. But we all know what a good player he is and hope he stays. * Archer 5/10.. Yet to impress me. Hope I'm wrong. Just so nice to win a home game but the trip to Portman Road will be a decent test.

I watched second half of Chelsea v Leverkusen who had Nathan Tella in their team but pretty anonymous. Chelsea looked really good with a large squad full of expensive buys and decent youngsters. The gap between the Prem and Championship grows larger by the day. If we do go up and allowing for the fact that money would have to be spent on our squad it would be another struggle.

I may have said this before but having had a chat with someone 'in the know' at SMS, the club are prepared to sell Dibling for the right price but really want to keep hold of Fernandes. Of course this depends on Fernandes and his agent accepting this strategy. It will be interesting to see if Fernandes plays tomorrow.

Interesting that no mention of the Ladies team. No problem for me but may be for others.

Re the local company debate. Just to provide a little historical context, The Peninsular Steam Navigation Company was formed in 1837 by Arthur Anderson & Brodie McGhie (both of Scottish descent) and three years later the company merged with the Peninsular Steam Navigation Company (P&O). In 1840, the merged company started the first Deep Sea operation out of Southampton with freight & Passengers using the SS Tagus. Arthur Anderson has a road named after him in Southampton. So, to my mind, this means that the P&O company have strong links to the city, especially as the cruise side of P&O have used Southampton for their Office and Shipside business for decades. . There has been some confusion, expressed by one or two on here with P&O Ferries who are now owned by DPWorld. However P&O Ferries was originally part of the wider P&O Group back in the late 1960's and the company went onto to purchase European Ferries who owned Townsend Thoresen who many of us older members of this group will remember running services over to France from Southampton.

Romeu was indeed at the training ground last week so we can all speculate on the reason

Away from the actual game, it seemed rather odd that around 20-30 Brighton fans were in the Itchen Stand and had to be escorted to the away end in the first half. Seems rather strange that they were able to access this amount of tickets in the home section.

I think Wrexham will look for consolidation this season and maybe a crack at the play offs if things go well. Birmingham seem to be well fired up for a second promotion. It certainly is going to be an interesting season.

There is a good chance that Dibling could turn into a very decent player in the future if he can play against the ball as well as with it. However with a potential £40m+ in the bank and with Jay Robinson turning in arguably higher levels of performances than Dibling, albeit at a year or so older, then the transfer may be the best for all concerned, provided any money released to the transfer fund will be spent on decent players.

Sorry if this has been mentioned earlier but has there been any report on the morning game v Brighton, which I understand we lost 1-0 eg who played etc etc

Looks likes a second bid is likely from Everton. It seems fairly certain that a bid of around £30m would seal the deal. That said, it seems that Everton are also looking at Fellows from WBA to fill in their quest for a right sided attacker.

Looked Ok to me. All pitches are so much better than the standard when I started watching as a nipper.

I have it on fairly good authority that the club would prefer that Fernandes stays and would accept a decent offer for Dibling to provide funds for new players. However Fernandes and his advisors want him to move on to bigger and better things, which is a shame.

First half it was men against boys. We were totally outplayed and if Brighton had kept their first 11 on for the second half it could have been more. That said, Baz had a faultless game and did enough, hopefully, to mollify the criticism many people have placed upon him. Stephens was solid too. The change to a back three was down to Still and a big up to him for this. However playing Fraser as a false nine was a mistake first half and something that Still needs to forget. Jay Robinson put in another impressive performance when he came on. Quarshie is a work in progress but has a decent amount of raw material to work on. I thought Moses Sesay did Ok for a 18 year old making his first appearance at SMS. We appear to be fitter as a squad than last season. My team for Wrexham is: Bazunu Edwards Stephens Quarshie Sugawara ** Charles Downes Wellington Armstrong Downs Robinson ** I think we need an upgrade at right back

Will CB Fry be fit for the Wrexham game at the Antelope Ground?

News from Liverpool is that Saints have turned down Everton's £27m initial offer but there is indication that the club remain interested and are considering a higher offer. I had a good source tell me that TD had bought a house to the west of Southampton but I guess that doesnt mean too much as this be used by his family or rented out as he is likely to earn more than enough at Everton to cover the cost of purchase.

Centre Backs ..........Malcolm Waldron, Reuben Agboola perhaps??

Bob Charles, born in Bursledon, was an England Youth 'Keeper (I think) then played 26 games in the 1959/60 season, so a regular for one season. Gerry Gurr was another young 'keeper that came through the ranks after signing on from Guildford City. Both of these are quite tenuous and it does seem that the club can develop lots of talented outfield players but not a decent 'keeper.

Apparently there are 14 Sports were males and females can participate on equal terms. Sumo wrestling is one that is not included.

If he is Russian and does sign. will he refuse to play in away games when our strip is yellow & blue?

I went along with my uncle a couple of times to watch Saints Ladies when they were a top team in the female game but could only play on public pitches. Not being unfair to the team at the time, as they were the best in their field and, of course, they were amateurs but the standard was not great. The move to professionalism has increased the skill levels significantly particularly in the art of goalkeeping which was quite abysmal back in the day. If any one is interest in the history of ladies football have a look at Dick, Kerr Ladies who played in front of 30-40,000 crowds back in the 1920's until the FA put the mockers on female football.

You cant beat Guido Carrillo