Long Shot

What is the point of the weather forecasters - especially the idiots at BBC South?

Perhaps you should get in touch with Dougall - Saints leader from the 60s. Now there was one mean man. Hard as the proverbial and well respected up and down the country. He is still around and I hear he is into dog breeding now, but if you are after a few wild stories he's the man to contact.

In all honesty what is there to get excited about? We have 2 unpopular chair people, no money, dwindling crowds and little chance of promotion. We have had 18 months of idle speculative crap about being taken over. Fans are fed up and a lot of them cannot forgive Lowe. I feel sorry for JP because I think he is a decent man - lets just hope we can string a few wins together starting at QPR, we need a swashbucling run to rekindle interest.

I don't think it is so much to do with Scotland's woeful performance but more Burley's ridiculous comments afterwards that have so irritated Scottish fans. And I know how they feel because Burley was just the same during his last 12months at SMS. He gave up once Jones was sold but did not have the decency to either resign or at least roll his sleeves up and give it a go. I won't go into his alleged personal problems but imo they are now coming to the fore and are why he seems to have completely lost it when it comes to managing players.

I think it a bit rich to accuse Um Pahars of manipulating comments and information. To me his call is usually spot on. If you want to talk about misinformation then perhaps you too should be careful. For your information Pearson was given a 18 month rolling contract when he joined us with a window in the summer for both sides to withdraw (which Lowe took advantage of), so technically his contract was not "not renewed" as you put it. The reason Pearson was shown the door had nothing to do with finance - the decision was both political (he was a LM/LC appointment) and idealogical (JP fitted into the total football/use the young'uns concept while also conveniently accepting Lowe as DoF).

Quite agree - give me Daddies every time. Is OK sauce still around?

At least Bournemouth Saint has thee guts to come on this thread unlike the millions who were praising Burley to the rafters this time last year.

I agree. I don't think any manager wants to get involved in the financial aspects of ingoing or outgoing financial negotiations but all would like a big input in selecting who is targeted or offered for sale. In 1957 Saints and Ted Bates took a youth side to Old Trafford to play the Busby Babes in a FA Youth Cup-tie. Saints won 3-2 and afterwards a complimentary Busby sought out Ted Bates to congratulate him. Ted always remembered one piece of advice about directors from Busby "let them have their say and then do what you want". Not many managers would get away with that today - and certainly not JP!

I never forget watching him on tv during the Rovers Cup debacle. The camera flashed to his face as he was getting ready to come on as a sub and for a moment I genuinely thought Dodd and Gorman were bringing on a fan from the crowd, he looked so fat.

Nah - I used to be a little envious of you with your dodgy crooked benefactor but not any more. One day (I am hearing soon) the walls of Jericho (Fratton park) are going to come tumbling down and the fallout will be a lot bigger than anything Saints have had to put up with. Your debts will see you finished for good. Say goodnight ****!

True words - one other reason Pearson never stood an earthly was because he was a Crouch/McMenemy appointment.

And then come back 15 months later in tandem with the QS, taking over the reins again

Rupert will always get stick due to his previous track record. It will take at least promotion (unlikely) before many even start to forgive.

Yes yes yes but you can't employ a carpenter and then ask him to use someone else's tools. Would Eric Clapton chose to do a gig with a borrowed guitar? Would Picasso have painted out of someone else's studio or had his models picked for him. Would a captain take off with a plane he hadn't done the safety checks on? I could go on but hopefully you get my drift. I think Curbishly and Keegan have done the right thing. If the football decisions at a club are to be run by a committee concensus then don't bother appointing a manager.

I thought it was a debating forum and also I was not aware we are not allowed to start uncertainity on here? What a strange post St Landrew.

Interesting hearing Redknapp's views today. He said he turned downed the Newcastle job because he did not want to work with a DoF but admitted he could see why they are becoming needed. I think the success depends on the relationship between the manager and the DoF. If it is lopsided then it won't work. If there is no mutual trust it won't work. I would be interested to know more about how Ferguson sees things because as far as I am aware he (the manager) takes all footballing decisions and for me (being old school) that is still the preferable way.

Perhaps Crewe are the wrong comparison (made because of their Academy success) but the trouble with comparisons today we are in a whole new ball game. Progress always was the Premiership for sure but because of what is has become do we want it?

I have read with interest LeGod's 2nd Coming's excellent thread on the state of football in this country and the greed of the Premiership and was struck by how many posters now seem to almost want to avoid competing in the top flight ever again. Certainly if you lose the soul of the club you love to an anonymous billionaire who turns it into a calling card onto the world stage where is the pleasure and the pide? With all this in mind perhaps a poll along the lines - do you want promotion to the Premiership and its riches a la Man City (A) or would you prefer to be in the CCC, solvent and watching local lads play half decent football a la Crewe (B)? There was a time when the 1st Div/Premiership for me was the Holy Grail and I regarded it as our rightful home but things have changed so much in the last few years (even days) I am not so sure. Against Birmingham in the Carling Cup last week I felt the exhileration I first experienced as a nipper on the Milton wall watching Mick Channon surge down the wing, I felt the same thrill when I first witnessed MLT's first little shimmy when he sent Man Utd crashing out of the League Cup. Surely that is what it should still be about? So how about it Mods? I sense a turning of the tide. So, I vote for option B

I think having enough money to pay off our debts and to be able to hang onto our youngsters for long enough to enjoy them will do me.

Yes good article - I wonder deep down whether the true City fans are really that pleased. Personally I would like just about enough money to pay off our debts and be able to keep hold of any youngsters long enough to enjoy them. It still pains me to see Bale hurtling down the Tottenham left as he was on Sunday.

I think Lowe will have to give him a fair crack of the whip if only for financial reasons plus it would be unfair to sack a bloke because a bunch of players he didn't personally choose to bring to the club didn't perform. I think Lowe's target this year is to avoid relegation and stay afloat financially. The future without a takeover doesn't look wildly exciting.

No he didn't but like someone else said he would have done. We have L Mac's return to thank for that as L Mac told Askham get rid or we go down. Branfoot as a man was a very nice bloke and was always prepared to spend time talking with the fans etc etc. Just wasn't up to the job and remains another of Askham's follies.

Of course he has.

But Dyer admitted it?

Stirring sentiments and I know where you are coming from but...... Lallana puts in a decent 3 months and he will go in January. Surman was being discussed with Reading without him even knowing. Unfortunately football clubs are now run or owned by men who's are driven first and foremost by finance and there appears to be no going back. Unfortunately.