spyinthesky

There was talk on another thread about the characters shown on the banner Is this time to consider an update? For the uninitiated the current photos show: Charles Miller (the leading light of football in Brazil) at least I assume that is the case!!!! Ted Bates (who was more high profile as a Manager than a player I would suggest) Terry Paine Mick Channon Kevin Keegan Peter Shilton MLT SRL As a supporter for more years than I care to mention, I would also suggest: Charlie Wayman (never saw him play but everyone of my Dad's generation reckon he was the bee's knees) Derek Reeves (the club's record goalscorer in a season) Ron Davies (our top goalscorer in the Highest Division in a season) Francis Benali (not for his playing ability but for his commitment) Lawrie Mac (for the cup final and work in the community) Bobby Stokes (for the cup final goal) There have been lots of good players in recent times and perhaps Jose Fonte (and possibly Kelvin Davis)would qualify as exemplifying what is good about this club.

We should be looking at a figure around the 28-30k mark due to the prices and general 'feel good' factor atm (and that from me a glass half empty merchant West Ham sold out for both their prelim games

Agree with most of the comments expressed on here re Jose Probably our most improved player Just to think there was speculation a season or two back that he would be off to Swansea (?) for £2m -£3m!! Worth far, far more to us than that at the moment

So assume: KEEPERS Steklenburg Gazza Davis Foster RIGHT BACK Soares (Martina) (Yoshida) LEFT BACK Bertrand Martina Targett (Yoshida) CENTRAL DEFENCE (Right side) Fonte Gardos Stephens (McCarthy) CENTRAL DEFENCE (Left side) Maya (Gardos) Turnbull MIDFIELD (Holding) Wanyama Reed Davis JWP MIDFIELD (Forward) Clasie Juanmi Ramirez ATTACK (Wide) Mane Tadic Long Rodriguez Isgrove McQueen ATTACK (Central) Pelle (Rodriguez) (Long) Gallagher

I went to the Ticket Office at 10.00 hrs today Longest ticket queue at St Marys I have been in which bodes well for ticket sales However the message board outside the ticket office has incorrect info on the KO and date of the Everton and Newcastle games

Indeed btw what is the latest on our 'star man'!!! Mayuka?

With apologies if this has been covered elsewhere but if the club had been able to keep hold of Clyne and Morgan and persuade Toby to stay, as per their declared intention, then their net outlay would have been around the £10m - £11m mark. As it is approx. £35m/£36m has come into club coffers from the Clyne/Morgan deals whereas the five signings so far have probably cost around the £18m/£19m mark. So based on theses assume figures there is around £16m/£17m in the transfer pot to fund additional purchases (based on a nil net outlay**) or £28m if you allow for the projected Toby purchase. We all hope for a central defender of some substance but it seems unlikely that the fee would be in excess of £17m, so the club will be in profit from this years transfer deals. ** This doesn't allow for increased wages, agents fees or transfer levies.

I can Each club has their own place in the football hierarchy Celtic and Feyenoord are big clubs in their own right but we have the financial clout to attract their players Spurs sold Bale and would sell Harry Kane if a bigger club came knocking just as Liverpool had to sell Suarez and Sterling

Wonder what we would have got for Morgan if he had left last year?

Thought both keepers did well in the two half games yesterday Felt sorry for Dom Gape in the second game, totally out of his depth. Also the enigma that is Gaston Ramirez still fails to live up to his potential There was one occasion when he lost the ball in the inside left channel just in side his own half and basically gave up chasing back as the opponent in possession ran towards our goal. Will put J Rod's decision to shoot from well outside the box when put through down to rustiness but you would expect a £12m striker (Shane Long) to have taken the ball round the keeper rather than screw wide when well placed and similarly Dusan Tadic should have hit the ball first time for his chance. Still perhaps if Mane had scored with his free header in the first game we wouldnt have conceded straight away and could easily have reached the final As it is there has to be big improvements in forthcoming games

I don't normally look at he Official Saints site but thought I would see how the departure of Toby and Clyne was covered. Couldn't see anything. Is that normal? Also I would have expected some sort of comment from Ralph and Less Reed but again nothing. I know I am not alone in feeling a sense of deflation after the highs of last season but, as a fan for many, many, years, a roller coaster ride is to be expected. Real shame about losing Toby A.

I really want Ramirez to thrive, I really do. He definitely has talent but makes doesn't try hard to show it. No more than average against RB Leipzig tonight and on £40/£50k a week?

Agree with this I had reasonable hopes for Stephens and Turnbull but both poor Also non of our U 21's showed anything positive against the equivalent of a German Championship team in existence for about 5 years Unfortunately on this showing non of our youngsters are ready to make the step up

It would be interesting to know exactly what the Council can do for the cruise ships, or what Carnival expect I think the Council did pull out all the stops to get the Carnival HQ based at West Quay rather than the option of out of town and Whiteley. Understand that David Dingle, who is the top man at Carnival UK, follows Pompey

Southampton Council has always taken the view that the cruise liners are already here so they don't need to do anything, which ****es off people at Carnival HQ If you look elsewhere, especially Liverpool, their Council are chucking substantial tax payers cash at trying to woo cruise ship operators to their port. Question is, as a local councillor, do you allocate funds from an increasingly tight budget away from essential services towards a commercial enterprise or leave this for ABP to provide the right facilities for cruise ship operators ?

FF Crossroads!!! That brought back some memories. Coming home from school and later work and religiously putting on the TV to watch wooden acting on a balsa wood set. The feeling of guilt watching such rubbish was overridden by the expectation that it couldn't get any worse and it generally did. I guess modern day Pompey supporters must suffer in the same way. At least it didn't cost anything to watch Crossroads!!

Generally a bit of an eyesore and often wonder what risks people take to plant their tags in dangerous positions That said, when I was younger, graffiti had a message rather than being rather meaningless like today A couple of Saints related ones I can remember were: 'Roxy Saints Do the Strand' - in Priory Rd (St Denys) 'Docherty Shut Your Mouth As The Cup Is Coming South' - Think this was in the Portswood area (This was turned into a chant at the '76 Cup Final) At the Charity Shield game v Liverpool in 1976 there was quite a large spray painted message on the side of one of the Wembley stands saying.. .............'Harefield and Thornhill welcome Weston ******s'......... Obviously a bit of local ill feeling abroad that day!!! A good one at a church not far from Anfield A poster said ... 'What would you do if Jesus came back? Underneath some wag had written...'Move St John to inside right'.... Couple of general ones were: 'Cut The Call Up' - on the external concrete way on the downside at Soton Central (for many years) 'Dubcek Lives' (I think this is correct) on a wall going to the 'White Swan' pub at Mansbridge (that was there for many years too) Apologies but above is only relevant to those of a 'certain age'

That's a bit of a worry I had a tip from a decent source at St Marys that Cabaye was a strong contender to replace Schneiderlin if he goes but it appears Cabaye would not be a like for like replacement I couldn't remember what type of player Cabaye was. The other bit of news from this source is that a deal with Charlie Austin is getting closer to completion but this only reinforces speculation elsewhere on the forum

I saw in play in an U21 game v Watford and he looked a cut above However there is a big step from U21 to a regular start in the Prem

Thanks for all who responded Can anyone remember a game recently: 1. When no additional time was played? 2. Obstruction Free Kick was awarded? 3. Keeper was penalised for the 6 second rule?

Good spot Ironically the home results are exactly the same as the away ie W 7 D 5 L 4 Meanwhile there is some suggestion that Sepp Blatter may be looking to continue his crusade to help football in under developed areas of the world and Pompey is high on his list

Cat. We should all blame you for the recent run of miserable results at Fratton Park Saints League/Cup record at Fratton is P 16 W 7 D 5 L 4 F 24 A 20 in comparison the results at home are P 16 W 5 D 5 L 4 F 32 A 22

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