shurlock

Like you, I hate what the prem has become and the wider culture around it, right down to being forced into small talk with ***** at the office. But in footballing terms, I wouldn't have it any other way. If the price is a few extra thousand JCLs, so be it - its not as if it comes at the expense of the proper fan. Whatever happens, the club can send out a powerful message by getting its loyalty policy right and that extends to ST pricing.

And you didn't get any satisfaction when Chaplow smashed in that opener against Man U, seeing their lot in stony silence and disbelief during that period we led?

Nah - but I do want us to test ourselves against the best possible opposition -and that's in the Prem not the NPC.

Its about testing yourself at the highest level - knowing that this is the best the country if not Europe and the world have to offer. Does it matter if it doesnt lead to any trophies?

Certainly, cant get a fatty into a black wheelie. Super-sized coffins - now that's a booming business.

Supporting saints has hardly been slumming it - go and watch dagenham being dicked every week or follow a nonleague side if that's your thing. Following us has been as much about getting back to the top table as doing my best Common People impression. Without promotion and relegation and the opportunity to progress, football loses its edge and you might as well be dulling yourself on snacks and watching an exhibition game.

Looked like a garden-variety knock - as you say, he was exceptional for the first 75 mins and didn't deserve to be on a losing side. You would have never known that he had been struggling with an injury to that point.

Exactly, seems like another bottle job thread to me, albeit a more sophisticated one. As much as I enjoy the championship -basically our relegation in 2005 rekindled the fire to go week-in, week-out, I want to be in the prem...if only to see cortese put his money where his mouth is and see where the next leg of our journey takes us. And if we f**k up in the prem, we've at least secured a cushty line of parachute payments.

Lots of mouth from you too, you bulb - dismissing and ridiculing people who were getting nervous, saying it was a virtual cakewalk. Three games to go, run-in seems a lot tighter to me.

Think he's a better interviewer than Blackmore; but may be mediocrity is just relative.

Totally agree with that, though is the implication that the best we can do is enjoy a world class player's ability for the first few years of their career -and some other deeper-pocketed club enjoys their impact when they are in their prime and use the money to keep bankrolling this hamster wheel?

Good interview - this interviewer has bit more about him (been impressed with him before). Good comment about Becher's Brook- almost shook cliche-wheeling NA out of his stride. Two can play at that game.

But Adam Lallana still has to be paid top dollar, right? He is probably the club's top earner -in this respect, it makes no difference that he was produced by our academy. The counterfactual might be that we would have had to pay Adam Lallana significantly more than we do right now if he hadn't come through the ranks/we had bought him from another club. But how much more? I cant imagine that much more....

Much easier to implement this kind of strategy once you're at the top and ******ing on clubs below. Its much harder to turn players heads when you are also the top team. And does Barcelona really save that much money by bringing players through? Its a fact that most of its players are on top salaries. After all, contracts have to be renegotiated and starts retained.

How do you rate Leigertwood's chances? What's a Mullens/McAnuff midfield like? Thought midfield was where you bossed us last time we met. Your defense seems pretty watertight, though it does seem to bit vulnerable to pace

I think you should ask your pal Jos for a retweet.

And there I was getting a massive Verbal-esque hard-on, thinking this was going to be a philosophical discussion of the social contract and the nature of personal versus impersonal authority . Internet mongboards who would have thought it. Ruler ffs.

You really don't think we're going up?!

Vicente is sheer class - would be a great acquisition. Too good to be at Albion.

Bernard Tapie and the DFCSBs would have been a marriage made in heaven.

Arguably had better options off the bench back then...Saga MK 2006/07, Guthrie, Dyer, Belmadi, Best to name a few.

Looks like TSW capos are getting a bit hot under the collar http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=023UEqSbzsE&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdUaqY0fMaw

No- they're a resilient side but nothing special. Just stay switched on from setpieces and we'll be fine.

Why? It was difficult to generate much power from a standing stance.

Vicente HCDAJFU