spyinthesky

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

It was all down to an Aussie fan who was watching his first game at SMS. Dont think he has been back since and its all been downhill since then!!

Jaidi suggested some 'experienced' members of the U21 side were absent on International Duty. Anyone know who this might have included?

I think most/all people would agree with you However the question here is whether the attendance figure accurately reflected the number of people in the ground and whether absent season ticket holders were included, as per normal practice.

This is not an unusual event Happens all the time in football Anyone remember John Hartson trying to decapitate Eyal Berkovic at West Ham's training ground. Quite a few players tried to get a dig in on Terry Paine when he was at Saints and not liked by many of his team mates

Even the new born group this year are not up to standard

'Southampton move the ball about well but don't create much' as reported by the local Cambridge paper 469 at the game!! Our U21's won there 1-0 last season and Cambridge hadnt won for a month I blame Virgin Media. Nothing has gone right for this club since they have been involved

Cambridge Utd 4 Saints 0 Whoever is in charge ...OUT!!!

Really? The ground looked pretty full to me. Chelsea filled their end and even the Hospitality Boxes looked fuller than usual Appreciate it was a Sunday, the game was on the box and anyone who tried to get into town on Saturday along the grid locked Millbrook Rd might have thought twice about going yesterday. If the figure is correct it doesnt bode well for future, less attractive games. I dont blame anyone for not going especially after such a long run of dire home form. I will still go as a long suffering fan but dont look forward to the games now. Its a duty not a pleasure. It is appreciated that the club has been able to offer Lads and Dads reduction. However I reckon some sort of ticket initiative for those up to 21 and even 25 should be considered. Hopefully this is the age profile who will continue to support the club in a more vociferous way to make up for us pipe and slippers brigade who dont have the energy or enthusiasm of yesteryear.

What a fall from grace. One moment a top rated, English International with a decent value in the transfer market. Now not even to find a place on the bench as third pick keeper, presumably as this would incur additional payments to the player. Still whilst all players want to play, I guess receiving a very decent basic weekly wedge is a reasonable compensation.

Worrying thing is apart from McCarthy, who I understood cost around £1m (not £4.5m) when purchased from Palace as back up to Forster, the rest of the squad have probably seen their 'value' reduce since signing for Saints. some quite significantly. And this against a general increase in the transfer market.

There is more than a reasonable chance that we will start next season in the Championship. If so does that mean we have the option of not turning Danny Ings loan into a purchase? Wouldnt want him to go but would he want to stay and could we afford him?

Virgin Media must be thinking they are getting full value for their sponsorship money!!

I sent a renewal cheque off some time ago which has yet to be cashed!!

554 attendance!!!

Hit full in the face with a hot meat pie thrown by a rival fan when attending our 5-3 over Cardiff at Ninian Park on Boxing Day (?) in 1965. Still better off than one lad on our (Shamrock & Rambler) coach who got wacked by an iron bar and was semi comatose on the way home.

No place for the young well regarded central defender or the newly signed midfielder from a Swiss club?

Actually there was a Dock Strike in November 1976 when Portsmouth Dockers reneged on a deal not to accept ships from the fledgling Brittany Ferries service which had started in Plymouth. The NDLB Union agreed that if Brittany Ferries moved their service out of Plymouth none of the other South Coast Ports including Weymouth, Poole, Southampton and Portsmouth would accept it. The Dockers in the Portsmouth Commercial Port originally agreed then reneged on the deal and deputation from all the other ports, but primarily Southampton being closest, turned up in force in Pompey Docks to picket the gates. The Pompey Dockers had to call upon Hampshire Police to 'resolve' the situation and a number of Soton Dockers were arrested trying to storm the gates. One of those arrested was the brother of Bob Charles, who was the Saints Goalie in their Youth Club win over Man Utd in 1956.

I think this is a fair point. I think there was a table produced not so long ago that showed we were in the top 20 clubs in Europe when it came to revenue and players wages I reflected on this when we were struggling under Puel during our European campaign. There are regular accusations (and I am one of those questioning our transfer spend) about lack of player purchases. I dont think we do too badly on this. However we used to be quite good at spotting and nuturing talent. I dont think this is the case now and we have ended up with a bloated squad of pretty average players