AussieDog

Yeah, first attempt (and probably last..) so it needs some work, but to the tune of Ringo Starr "You're 16.." You came in like a dream, peaches and cream Skills that were so divine You're 19, you're Boufal and you're mine You're a hero, you're a star We fell in love but let's not take it too far You scored a goal, a roar went up Ooh when we cheered we could not stop You walked out of our dreams and into our team Now you're our striker divine You're 19 and you're Boufal and your mine

It's disappointing not to get all your players in for a complete pre-season, but when you consider that 2 of our existing players haven't even returned to training yet, I don't think there's any need to get despondent/angry that our transfer business hasn't concluded yet. The transfer window is always played out right up until the last minutes and I'd be very surprised if there isn't at least a couple more incoming (plus 1 or 2 more going out, either for a fee or on loan). I know it's frustrating not hearing what's going on, but if that is the way we have to do things to beat other clubs and tie up some tasty transfers then so be it So far I think we've done good business

I love being a Saints fan. I love the unpredictability and the fact we aren't (weren't?) arrogant enough to consider year on year improvement a failure. The fact that we pluck relatively unknown players (and sometimes Managers) from obscurity and get a couple years of enjoyment out of them before they move on. We now appear to be financially stable, our track record over the past 5-6 years is the envy of the majority of clubs. We will NEVER be a "big" club, although we may mix it with the "big boys" from time to time. Maybe I am just a realist, but I enjoy ALL of that. Southampton will never be a big city, and if you hadn't noticed, it's only the big city clubs that have a sustained period of success. Do you think Leicester will regain their Premiership title even if they do manage to keep all their players? I can guarantee that the complainers on this forum would still be doing the same if we had won the league because they would be moaning that we hadn't spent 100 million and weren't going to win the Champions League next year..... Lol

Money talks. I think Saints have the right approach. Every player (and Manager!) has a limited "shelf life" and its down to the club to determine what that is and to make appropriate contract offers. Its also the players' right to seek out alternative offers. I am more than happy with the balance Saints are achieving right now.

Who did he nick it from? ( allegedly...)

I'm in for a few. Put me down for the June matches when I'll be in the UK, if you can keep the interest up until then. Hmmm.... come to think of it, maybe I should have posted this on the "other" side as I tend to lurk on there more than here nowadays, but at my age and knowing my level of footballing ability (or lack of), perhaps it would be better for me to be laughed at as a member of this forum and to (try and) keep my dignity on the other..

Didn't Colin Clarke score a ha trick on his debut?

I'm not tactically very savvy... But why do we need 3 centre backs? Isn't the defensive midfielder meant to sit in front of the 2 cb's and allow them to push out a little wider and allow the fullbacks to push forward? As I said... I'm tactically naive so happy for someone to give me the proper reasons. Plus we're at home for ****'s sake. Defend from the front and get in their faces and attack! I'm so over this season already. I've even cancelled my subscription to the sports channels. On the plus side, it does mean I get an uninterrupted nights sleep at the weekends

A lot of these have already been suggested, but :- 1. Increase capacity to 45000 2. Reduce ticket prices, plus give season ticket holders a 50% discount if they purchase before the 1st game of the season AND let kids under 12 have free season tickets if accompanied by an adult. Oh... And put money back onto members cards to be spent in the ground or club shop I f they turn up at least an hour before the game. 3. Free transport within the city boundary PLUS free travel to away games - but only if we sell out our full allocation. 4. Hire the best marketing manager and get a top notch (and reasonably ethical) sponsorship 5. Arrange a tie-up with the Brisbane Roar that sees promising youngsters play a season down under

I'd settle for a relegation fight and a Europa Cup Final (as long as we win both )

I remember that game. I was in the west stand and nearly took a beating when Swindon scored their goal as I jumped in the air and cheered. I had to explain I had put a bet on for us to win 5-1

THat blue monstrosity at the bottom is poorly placed. It needs moving to the right a bit, underneath the raptor's arse

Saints squad http://www.dalefarmmilkcup.com/teams/southampton.html

Depends on what sort of activity you want to do (and whether you can get transport) Drinking - no idea, but several venues a relatively short walk from the ground (between 5 and 20 minutes). Cultural - Art Gallery at the Southampton Civic Centre Sea City Museum (history of the Titanic and stuff) and/or Tudor House (800 years of Southampton history) All of those are walkable from the ground (maybe 20 minutes?) Sport Golf - Southampton Municipal is a great public course which can get very busy (and used to provide hire clubs, but you'd need to check in advance to make sure). It has both a 9 hole and an 18 hole course. It's 10 minutes by car/taxi from the airport and 20 minutes from the football stadium (under normal traffic conditions). There are other private clubs close by, but they are harder to get on and they are more expensive and unlikely to hire out equipment either. Another little gem for the more light-hearted is Riverside Pitch'nPutt course. Cheap, and they do hire out anything you need. Last time I played there, the greens were surprising good. It could be busy as the schoolkids are all on holiday (I think). 15 minutes from the airport by car/taxi and about 20 to the ground. 10pin bowling - 2 to choose from that I am aware of. One is 10 minutes drive from the Airport, in Eastleigh (about half an hour drive to the ground), and the other is in Southampton itself (maybe half an hour's drive from the airport and 15 minutes drive from the ground). There are a few Leisure Centres with various activities - just google them to find out what they can offer you. Most notable is probably the outdoor artificial ski slope (which is located right next to Southampton Municipal golf course) This is going from memory as I now live in Australia (although I do come back every couple of years)...so don't blame me for any errors or misjudgements in travelling times!...lol

You might not like the logic, but you can't argue with it. I didn't say that was what I would like to watch, but it is a fact. What it is really saying is that a solid defence is your starting point and I would dare to suggest that is the approach all the top teams will adopt. Of course, there is also the approach that the best form of defence is attack

If you don't SCORE any goals you will have a maximum of 38 points. IF you don't CONCEDE any goals you will have a MINIMUM of 38 points (and yes, that is the mathematics even though it is never going to happen). On that logic, it's more important to keep a clean sheet than to score goals

Hey Pluto, maybe you should visit Uranus and kiss yourself goodbye? (Sorry, couldn't resist the childish sense of humour. You are possibly a decent person, albeit prone to over-reactions)

But we didn't sell them when we were in league1 - we developed them and sold them as established premier league players

I Have to say the majority of all my best memories came when Saints had at least some local talent in the side. I do feel we would lose some of our identity if we were a team of foreigners. Some of our overseas signings have been no better than the youngsters we had coming through but seem to have been given more leeway (Mayuka, Forren, maybe even Gardos are prime examples). I hope Martina doesn't fall in to that category but it does seem a bit of an underwhelming signing on the face of it. I look forward to being wrong though. Players like Lallana, Lambert, are proof that English ( even if not necessarily local) talent does exist outside of the Premier League. I would rather we waste a couple of million on those sorts of players than on some of the overseas players we have gone for. Well, I'd rather we didn't waste any money at all, but you get my gist.

I don't recall using words either/or in my post? I was just commenting on how unpleasant this place has become at times. Perhaps you should try reading my whole post rather than picking out and twisting some part of it? Of course, if I had been banned here, then I wouldn't have been able to post my original comment in the first place ( it's obvious from my post count that this is not some new ID). I guess you have just proved my point about people with nothing better to do of an evening though. Lol

There's a difference between taking this place seriously and allowing frustrated keyboard warriors to abuse fellow posters because they can't find anything more satisfying to do on a Saturday (or any other) night. It's getting harder and harder to sort the wheat from the chaff at this place these days. At the moment I'm hovering between the 2 places but the only reasons for staying here is that it does still seem to have more genuine football gossip, which was the reason I joined up in the first place.

Showing my age, but she is still looking pretty fit - maybe we could ask carol vorderman For a Countdown special??

26th and 28th December are going to be interesting. Both us and Bournemouth home to London clubs on the former and away to London clubs on the latter....

As much as he has been superb for us, everyone has a price and if we got offered silly money I wouldn't begrudge him a big pay day and semi retirement at the Liverpool old folks home before he heads off to the sunshine somewhere in the MLS (and to be honest, anything over 6 or 7 million would be good business sense for someone who is already 32)

Another great season, and definitely better than expected after all the departures although I never thought we would be bottom 3 as even with all the players that left I felt it was obvious that the promoted clubs would struggle and teams like Villa, Hull, Sunderland didn't appear to have much quality. Some real highlights, both home and away, and as always with Saints, a few low-lights as well (wouldn't be Saints otherwise!). Really pleased I got back to see a few games, including the cup win at Arsenal. Wish I could have stayed for another couple of weeks and seen the Sunderland game, but hey, can't have everything I'm already looking forward to next season but I think expectations have risen and it will be very hard to keep us happy next year because we've become accustomed to progress and improvement and realistically the top 4 is out of reach for the foreseeable future (never say never!). I fully expect another big transfer window, both in and out, and hopefully Koeman will do the business again. I'd settle for a cup final, and if Arsenal beat Villa, a bit of a European adventure too. I'd better start saving. Hmmm.....Basel on the 18th of May and Wembley on the 21st? How perfect (albeit unlikely...) would that be