spyinthesky

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

Really? If so that is not a bad performance from our fans. There are quite a few seats near us not occupied by those who regularly attended in the past so will be interested to see if the seats have been taken by day trippers or new season ticket holders

I think I am not alone in thinking we have desperately missed a proper target man. Austin may have fitted the bill a few years back but he is a busted flush now Ings, Gabbi, Long are not target men but old fashioned inside forwards.

Any idea how many have been sold?

The worry is that it is not only the poor Prem results but we were taken to the cleaners by B/Mgladbach, outplayed in the first half v Ceta Vigo (when they had their first team on the pitch) and spanked by Derby. OK these were only pre season games but the pattern is there and there has been somewhere near £50m spent on transfers with no real sign of improvement at the moment As has been said consistently we have a bloated squad of quite average (at best) players, all on very decent wages and an owner who has mortgaged the club to pay for its purchase. I suppose these challenges are always going to face a club of our size and stature but I feel worse about the situation now (having experienced such a good upward trajectory in recent years) than when the club faced similar challenges in the past

Bit of a hypothetical question I know but would we have been better to have been relegated last year and had a clear out of overpaid and frankly average players than this season (which unless anything dramatic happens is going to see us go down to the Championship). If the worst happens this season some of our 'saleable' players are going to be worth less in the transfer market. At the moment I can see us struggling to get results against the poorer sides and being absolutely destroyed by some of the big teams. It will be akin to looking forward to going to the dentist before each game.

I am well disappointed. This side would not cut the mustard in the Championship Midfield will be overrun, central defenders with no pace and Long upfront!! God help us!! Yoshida omission is a strange one. Disappointed with Hughes selection. Hope I am completely wrong with my assessment!!!

Good news. Bad news - he's probably off soon!!

Toro Mierda!!!!

Of course the Manager has to take flak for poor performance of the team. However this is the third Manager who is struggling with our squad of well paid 'stars' Puel and Pellegrino both adopted careful strategies whereas Hughes is trying to push on a bit in an endeavour to score more goals. Unfortunately all three Managers have suffered from a lack of quality of the playing staff. Was it dear old Les that said we had one of the best midfields in the League a season or two back. I would seriously question that statement and the lack of quality in this area of the pitch impacts on the deficiencies in central defence and upfront.

Has anybody been to Genoa? Quite apart from the distress caused to those who have lost loved ones, I wonder how life there will be affected by the loss of a major arterial route through the city?

For my sins I thought it was generally OK Contrary to majority opinion I thought Les Reed came over OK but Ralph, as expected, was fill of waffle

That team was pretty consistent that year and played in the FA Cup Semi Final v Man Utd. As I recollect Williams, Kirby and Burnside were all signed early in the season when results were poor and their combined impact was more or less instantaneous Think only Knapp, O'Brien, Paine and Sydenham are still with us.

Good turn out at Botley Crematorium for Cliff's farewell appearance today. Ex Saints in attendance included Dennis Hollywood, Jim Steele, Mick Judd, Ian White, Tommy Hare, Gerry Gurr, Roger Fry, Bill Beaney and Don Taylor (ex Physio). Both Saints and Chelsea (his first club) sent nice floral tributes

Supporting a club that has not won many trophies this has always been a cross we collectively have to bear. However I have been very fortunate to see a number of great players in Saints colours. Amongst them Le Tizz is a shining light. A great talent, loyal and a nice man off the pitch. Bearing in mind his talent, his loyalty and involvement in the community and charities, it is amazing to me that he has never been honoured officially when you read about some of the ne'er do wells who have been honoured

Shame that our dear friend Cuca Martina (who can forget the screamer v Arsenal amongst the generally 'average' at best performances in a Saints shirt?) will not be in consideration for the annual 'one point at best' visit to Goodison Park. Apparently Everton were looking at a £2m transfer fee (yes £2m!!!) for Cuca but have now settled for a loan arrangement, if some Championship club will come in and do the business.