spyinthesky

Interesting, How long did it last and did you suffer from a hacking cough plus loads of mucous.

Wonder if anyone on here is suffering? Seems like I am and it is not a pleasant experience. We have all had colds, some heavy, at some stage in our lives but I have never experienced anything like my current affliction. Constant hacking cough bringing up loads of mucous, sore throat, really runny nose, with obligatory mucous, constant background headache, tiredness etc etc. All this over the past 8 days and no sign of abating. Made me realise how much picking up such an infection could adversely affect performance levels, although Premiership players should be more capable to fight off the illness than us old geezers.

Just a bit of fun but having not much to do today, thought how challenging it would be for match commentators if a Saints team turned out with a number of players all sharing the same surname. Surprisingly it only took me 5 minutes to rattle of a list of such players (in their appropriate position) and limited to players who I have actually seen play for the Saints ie 1. Davis (Kelvin) 2. Williams (Stuart)...........Wallace (Ray) 3. Adams (Micky) 4. Williams (Steve) 5. Earles (Mick) 6. Armstrong (Ken) 7. Armstrong (Stuart)..........Williams(Osher) 8. Adams (Che).................. Earls (Pat) 9. Armstrong (Alan) 10. Armstrong (David).........Davis (Steve) 11. Wallace (Danny).............Wallace (Rodney)

Peter Shilton at a time when we had most of the top keepers in the world.

I reckon it is the Bramwell Lane curse. Remember that Mane got slaughtered after his performance there. Another Ali Dia said one poster!!

Despite the result I really enjoyed the game. Saints played really well against a top rate side and could have won it with the flurry of chances at the end. Lyanco played far better than expected and Forster showed what a decent keeper he is. Unfortunately much that I would like Walcott to come back and perform at the top level he is really not up to it. I feel very sorry for Smallbone. On another day he could have been a hero.

No Stuart Armstrong either

In my view Mo has improved a good deal since his return from Celtic. He did nothing to impress me (and others) during his first spell at Saints. His performances, whilst not outstanding, are enough to warrant him a place in the starting 11. One things that has surprised me is that he wins a fair amount of aerial duals and wasnt too far away from scoring in the first half with a looping header.

Djenepo last week, although he helped with the goal and Theo this week (my rating 3/10). Both well off the pace and really dont deserve their place on recent displays, especially Theo. Shame as I want them to both do well but there are others who should be well above them in the pecking order

Anyone see the 4 year old who, apparently, has been signed into Arsenal's Academy. Looks a bit special for his age but wonder if a club will sign prospective players whilst they are in their mother's womb?

I predicted a 2-0 away win. Thankfully I was wrong. Leeds would have been stronger opponents with their star players on the field but we have to beat what is in front of us and part from one mistake by Salisu, who was otherwise excellent, it was a relatively easy win. In fact the back four were all good and much as I like KWP, I think the naturally left footed Peraud is a better bet at Left Back. Big up to Diallo, who I thought did very well in midfield as Romeu was not up to his high standard so far this season. Redmond had his best game of the season and Broja had a physical presence upfront which has been missing. Mo also seems to be adding something much more positive to his game than when he was last here. However, what to make of Djenepo? I thought he was having a shocker then he provided a top class pass to Redmond which led to the goal. To my mind having Stuart Armestong back on the right side of midfield with Redmond moving over to the left will be a general improvment. Lastly what an excellent signing our new 18 year old right back has been. I wonder what his value is now?

I wonder if things really went tits up whether Kat would come in with a cheeky bid to buy back the club out of the money she got from Gao as she is still a minority shareholder?

As a kid I used to go to Anfield or Goodison Park if games were on when visiting relatives in Liverpool. One of my older cousins was a keen Liverpool supporter and we used to go in the one of the stands at the side of the pitch. However as a 12 year old I went to the wrong gate and found myself in the Kop for a European Tie v Juventus. As I was late in, I could only find a space at the top part of the terracing in a capacity crowd. It was frightening and enjoyable in equal measures. I dont remember seeing much of the game which I think Liverpool won. Certainly recollect people pissing in rolled up newspapers and one, fairly bevvied up supporter pissing in someones pocket without him knowing. The crowd bayed and swayed so much that at the end of the game I found myself about 4 rows from the front of the terrace.

I remember that the start of 1979 was quite cold and there was snow on the ground when we went up to Wembley to play Nottm Forest in the League Cup Final. (Football related post!!!)

Depends on the purchase arrangements I always understood that the land alongside the Itchen was owned by the Council and most/all of the businesses are on Leasehold arrangements. The Britannia Wharf area is likely to be on a long term lease to Cemex and will come with certain covenants. I think the asking price is £1.4m so not an astronomical sum for Saints. Long term the Council want to gentrify the whole of the western side of the Itchen which should increase the value of the land. Meantime there will be day to day noise from the Aggregate Business next door to consider.

I wonder if you have any idea how thin the profit margins are which most companies have to work on? They are generally very low, especially if companies are working for the big supermarket and other consumer related trades. There used to be quite a number of small, often family owned haulage companies, who could make a living using second hand trucks and not giving too much notice o compliance etc etc.. Up until the recent issues haulage companies could not justify giving large increases to drivers as the additional cost could not be recovered from the end user. And, of course, there were very few younger people coming into the haulage business which is predominantly white, middle aged, with an occasional sprinkling of women but very few (if any) drivers from ethnic backgrounds.

And me. My Dad's generation really believed that the Saints Board didnt want promotion to the top division (Div 1) as they didnt have the funds to survive. This belief came after the team surrendered a very comfortable points advantage in the latter 1940's and missed out on promotion due to goal advantage. They nearly did it the following year then dropped down into the old Third Division when I started going regularly. From then on I enjoyed watching a free scoring team which eventually made the top division in 1966. Although we have done pretty well in comparison to many bigger clubs most of our time in the top division has been a struggle. All that said, if someone had said to me, as a nipper, that I would watch my team play regularly in the top division, with a team often full of international players, follow them into Europe, as a Second Tier team watch them beat one of the country's top teams at Wembley in the FA Cup and move from a cramped and outdated stadium to a modern all seater, I would have advised them to keep off the booze. To be a proper fan you have to mix the highs with the lows and that what irritates me with so called 'fans' of the top 6 who have missed out on the hard times and become very vocal and irritated when things go wrong at 'their' club, often situated miles away from where they live!!

Anyone listen to Edwina Currie on the radio giving advice how to get a pay increase or a company car? All seems very easy in the Conservative bubble expounded by Boris the Buffoon and his like minded buddies. I think the way forward for us all is to follow the example of politicians in general ie put up with no increase in basic pay but shaft their employers by fiddling expenses (tax free!!)

Inflation in building materials and labour is now well beyond RPI figure of 4.8%

I had a mate who worked in the Foreign Office when Boris was in charge. Worst Foreign Secretary ever in the mind of many who worked in the Dept!!

Fair comment. However what I would like to know is how my life will be affected by the requirements to get to net zero eg the costs involved and the inconvenience. For example not so long ago I was told driving a diesel car was the best option, now its not. People were told that cavity wall insulation was the way forward and there were Govt incentives to progress this. Now there are cases where it has been incorrectly installed or it has been deemed inappropriate. One of my neighbours had roof insulation sprayed on the inside of his roof. It has cost him 1,000's to replace it as the roof began to sweat. And, of course, there is the cladding issue. Are Heat Pumps/Hydrogen Boilers/Electric Cars really the way forward?

I have been watching Saints for 60+ years and here is my suggestions based on players who wore a Saints shirt rather than how they went on to further their careers which means that the likes of Shearer and Bale miss out,and how they may fit into todays style of play with decent pitches etc . Also have left out the likes of Osgood, George and Ball who were excellent players in their prime but may were just over the hill when they played for Saints. Honorable mentions to those in brackets Those in BOLD nailed on starters Keeper Shilton (Niemi) Right Back Golac (Dodd/Mills/Liveramento/KWP) Left Back Statham (Bridge/Dennis) Centre Half Richards (Wright/Watson/Alderwiereld) " " VVD (Svensson) Right Mid Channon (Paine) Centre Mid Le Tizz (Ekelund) " " Steve Williams (JWP/Wanyama/Case) Left Mid Danny or Rodney Wallace/Armstrong/Mane) Striker Keegan (Ings) " Chivers (Davies/Beattie)

I wonder if anyone has suffered from this enhanced version of the common cold circulating at the moment. A couple members of my family have been struggling with it for at least a week and it is proving difficult to shift. Covid tests have been negative but it seems our ability to get over colds may have been compromised by masks and segregation last winter

It is noticeable that the figures quoted are 'estimates'. I wonder if the shortages are directly related to LGV/HGV drivers within Category C & E Licences or involve C1 + E, and C1 which is the base LGV licence which covers Transit vans and small box trucks? There are significant numbers of Light Vans being imported into the UK at the moment to satisfy the increasing demands for Parcel and Food deliveries and there are quite a few shortages in this field to.

I'm a bit concerned about Collins Dic. Has anyone heard anything about him recently?