spyinthesky

Successive Managers have to take their fair of criticism and many would argue that under Hughes we dont appear to be fit. However the main problem, as I see it, is the total incompetence in the transfer market in recent seasons. The majority of supporters would have highlighted to need for a (taller) understudy/replacement for Cedric and a proper target man, at the very least. Meantime we have also got 4 Championship standard central defenders and one I am (Hoedt) I am not so sure what level he is at plus £50m of 'talent' either out on loan or sat at home counting his £60/£70k a week wedge It is nice to know that Willy Waffle (aka Ralphie boy) reckons we have a strong 'roster' with no need to strengthen in January. I suppose the good news is that no other club is going to come knocking for any of our players unless we are offering up 'Black Friday' discounts.

Shows how weak our roster is when a lot of hope is placed upon an untried youngster coming off the bench to score

68 Saints fans in a crowd of over 900 had to suffer another dispiriting result

Saint Mickey You are a very nice person understanding the contribution Mr Scudamore has made to English football I would be happy to contribute the odd coin to ensure Mr Scudamore avoids poverty in his old age. I think the likes of Wolves and Fulham should be taken to task for questioning the £250k per club contribution. Perhaps our club should suggest upping the contribution to set an example. I am sure many of us season ticket would be happy to pay an additional £50 or so per person to help this deserving cause

Any update on Gallaghers injury?

I wonder if the club will publicise the results of the recent survey? As a season ticket holder I received a survey to complete but wonder whether members were also asked to comment? I must admit the questions seemed to concentrate on how much extra season tickets would be prepared to pay to watch games at SMS. Based on comments from those around me, the vast majority of regulars are resigned to giving up their season tickets next year irrespective of whether we remain in the Prem or not. I have also heard reports form those who pay a significant premium to watch from the hospitality area and the feedback is that the commercial dept are suggesting a significant hike in prices next season to cover nicer seats and some irrelevant extras. This seems to have gone down like a lead balloon. It has been noticeable for a while that only a small % of the 47 boxes are actually taken for the season so the pricing structure allied to the fare served up on the field and as food in the hospitality boxes has deteriorated in recent times. I would say that the majority of supporters are thoroughly cheesed off with what they witness going on both on and off the field and this does not bode well for the future.

I really sympathise with your post I enjoyed taking my lad to away games (noting that we only won one ie the JPT Final) and watching home games when he was a season ticket holder last season. However he has been unfortunate to only really being able to follow the Saints when they have been relatively **** poor. At least I have been able to keep him away from following one of the so called big teams which must be a challenge for many Saints fans with kids

Interesting to speculate how many season ticket holders would give up their tickets if the club offered to buy them back at a % loss to the supporter. I'm daft enough not to be interested but guess there would be many who may be due to the ongoing dross being churned out each home game

Understand these are now on sale. Wonder how the PR dept will promote them? 'Take the opportunity to follow the Saints towards a top ten finish'????? Presume they will sell like hot cakes once Ralphie makes one of his motivational speeches!!

Spot on comment We were poor in pre season and this 'form' has continued into the League. I actually think this squad is really only Championship material and will be reduced in any quality we have when relegated next season

GM I am not an expert but know people who process customs declarations so will ask. I presume that tariff free trade within in the EU allows for straightforward processing of paperwork but for non EU goods there are a host of different tariff arrangements to consider and ensure payment before release of goods. Non of this is insurmountable mid/long term but it has the propensity to cause havoc in the short term

GM It would be interesting if the 2 million(ish) cruise passengers (who are counted as 1 million in/1 million out) had to declare a weight figure so they could be added to the tonnage figure but they are not. Passenger figures have a separate category in DFt stats. I will try and find the breakdown of the 10 million tonne figures but think it probably works out as: 1. Containers 7 million (cargo carried in 1.7m TEU boxes) 2. Vehicles 1 million 3. Port Bulks 1.2 " (ie scrap/grain/etc etc) 4. Wharf Bulks 0.8 "

It seems he may be starting. Very best wishes to the lad and hope he makes a spectacular success if he debuts. However it comes to something when the club has to involve an untried youngster in such an important game when the rest of our expensive 'Star' strike force is not thought good enough. Shambles!!!

I THINK THE ARGUMENT HAS GONE OFF TRACK A BIT AND HAS FOCUSED ON COMPARATIVE PORT TONNAGES. THE UNRESOLVED ISSUE, AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, IS WHETHER GOODS (PRIMARILY JIT) THAT FLOW QUICKLY THROUGH OUR MAIN FERRY PORTS (MAINLY DOVER) CAN CONTINUE TO BE MOVED WITHOUT UNDUE PROCESSING DELAYS

GM Depends on how you break down the cargo figures.~ The rule of thumb has always been: 1. Oil & related products apprx 25 million tonnes (via Fawley & BP Hamble) 2. General Cargo Ie non liquid bulk) apprx 10million tonnes (included within the 10 million tonnes is +/- 800k tonnes of bulk material (mainly imported sand and gravel and exported scrap) from the river wharves on the Itchen and the Lafarge facility at Marchwood. btw there is no cement handled. The sand and gravel goes into the cement plant on the Itchen to be used in the cement processing procedure. Apologies for being pedantic on this but many years ago I was involved in submitting trade information to the Dept of Transport and I doubt if the stats have changed that much in recent years.

Interesting exchanges on the position of Dover in relation to UK trade. I was at a Conference meeting back in May in London. Attending were representatives of the Port of Dover who explained that the movement of primarily intra european goods through the port is virtually seamless under current EU arrangements eg documentary checks are extremely rapid. Based on past experiences, relating to strikes in France, any hold up in cargo clearance procedures has significant adverse effects on the flow of vehicles. I cant remember all the detail but seem to recollect that even a one minute delay in processing paperwork would delay movement of cargo and this would lead to queues either side of the Channel requiring constant fall back to 'Operation Stack' on the M2. This would obviously affect movement of cargo on both sides of the Channel. The concern expressed by many at the Conference that the flow of cargo carried by regular RO/RO carriers across the Channel is largely 'Just in Time' goods eg parts for the car industry and other manufacturing industries in the UK. Food and medicines are other important goods we rely on for our wellbeing. There is the option to disperse the reliance on the Dover/Calais crossing by spreading movement of RO/RO goods through other suitably equipped UK ports )possibly along the east coast) but there would be challenges involved undertaking such reorganisation quickly and there would be additional cost implications caused by the change in logistic arrangements. With regard to Southampton, most of the trade seems to be more deep sea (ie primarily inbound containers from Asia and cars outbound to US, Asia, Australasia etc, although there are some Renaults inbound from France and Spain and Ford Transits from Turkey) so there should not be any significant issues caused by delays in clearance. However summing up, I am surprised that a Govt Minister (ie Dominic Raub) had not been briefed on the importance of the Dover/Calais trade connection. Quite worrying.

Agree that unless things change dramatically we are Championship bound. I can see a wholesale change in personnel from top to bottom and it is interesting to speculate which players will be sold and those who will remain. I reckon that the likes of McCarthy, Cedric, Bertrand, Lemina, Hojberg, Redmond, Ings Forster, Gabbi, Romeu, Carillo, Boufal, Mo and Claisie will go for (much reduced) combined fees north of £100m Perhaps Gunn, Targett, Stephens, Ward Prowse, Davis, Bednerak would be players suitable for the Championship (hopefully at 50% of their current wages) with Gallagher, Reed and Hesketh (possibly McQeen once recovered from injury) and would provide the base for a very average lower tier side although this would depend on how good the summer recruitment process is. Not sure about the future of Yoshida (probably sold abroad) Hoedt, the new central defender who's name escapes me, Austin and Long as I think none of them are worthy of their wage packages, even if relegation clauses are in their contracts and the club may have to suffer the cost. It certainly concerns me that a relatively strong Saints side were outplayed by Wolves Res on the Carabao Cup last season and Derby completely outplayed us in a pre season friendly. I suppose the only saving grace is that whatever the situation we may actually see more wins in the Championship than in the Prem

Some suggestion of a broken leg, poor lad

I'm due root canal work on Friday but dont know what will be more painful, the dental work or watching Saints suffer an ignominious defeat at City.

On paper we should be in a comparatively better financial shape should we go down than when relegated under dear Rupert but this will depend on the whims of our Chinese owner. I would expect the big earners/better value players to leave and those remaining have to take a 50% or so wage cut. The problem is, based on current displays, I am not sure we would set the Championship alight with our current squad. Also I suggest that our current squad of 'youngsters' are far less able than those who turned out in 2008.

Harrison Reed - doing well at Blackburn apparently. Scored yesterday Josh Sims - Non playing sub for Reading yesterday Sam McQueen - " " " " Middlesboro " Jake Hesketh - Played 60 odd minutes for Burton Albion following his solo goal at Fratton Pk midweek Jake Flannigan - Doesnt seem to be playing for Burton. Presume more injuries, poor lad. Jordy Claisie - Seems to be doing OK with Feyenoord and scored a cracker recently. Guido Carillo - Not setting the world alight at Leganes ??? Boufal - Scored a decent goal for Ceta Vigo recently, otherwise not sure how he is doing in general terms. Of the above I can only see Harry Reed returning to us (if we go down). otherwise I reckon we have probably seen the last of the above mentioned players plus dear old Fraser Forster who has probably got a part time job painting ceilings to supplement his relatively low basic wage.

Josh Sims is on loan at Reading and was an unused sub in their game at Swansea yesterday!!!

Good shout

Ironically before kick off the players were on their shooting practice routine and more or less all the players hit the back of the net in impressive fashion, even Shane Long!! It was as though they had all been put on intensive training midweek. Come the game the efforts were rank especially Gabbiadini's long range shanks and the less said about Long chance the better. Think the character in the Monopoly costume could have done better

Sparky was on the 10.00 am Red Funnel sailing over to the IOW today Rumour is he is on the short list for the Managers vacancy at East Cowes Vics