Saint Fan CaM

Not a straightforward game to analyse…but we won! Didn’t enjoy much of the game really until 10 minutes from the end and then bingo, we score and get the bit between our teeth. I really thought my 0-1 prediction was going to come true, but thankfully it didn’t. Anyway, first thing to say is fair play to Baz, Manning and Stephens - despite mediocre performances generally, they were all there when they were needed. Baz did seem to have crisp packet hands for their pen as he reached it but flapped, he made up for that with a crucial near-post save at 0-1. Manning scored the free-kick of his life to put us one up and we all thought that was that at 1-1. But no…out of nowhere in a goal mouth scramble Stephens kept his nerve and slotted it in - I guess that’s why he’s Captain. Top of the league for a little bit. Deserved three points. Feels good.

Got a horrible feeling it’s going to be 0-1 Wrexham. 😖

It would be easy to think that given the overall results of the last three seasons, however they’ve also made it known that they want to increase the size of the stadium and develop around the ground to increase revenue. You don’t do that if you’re in a downward trajectory towards the lower leagues - you have to inspire the fanbase with a very good, consistent product - one that can be believed in. The good news for SR is that Saints fanbase appears to be very robust despite the setbacks of recent seasons.

That’s good news. My subs run until October - hoping they’ll re-surface before then.

Indeed. I just hope the club back him to ensure the squad is of sufficient quality to allow his ideas to take root and blossom.

Very much looking forward to the match today, albeit somewhat nervously. I really don’t think Wrexham will be a pushover and I reckon there will be nerves among the Saints players. I just hope we can score goals…we need a win to kick off the season.

These events are more about massaging the ego’s of entitled supporters who feel the need to get ‘closer’ to the club and/or have their voice heard. That said, it was a slightly better set of questions this time and less waffle. We got the answers that the questions deserved frankly and all of the panel did OK in that context. Regarding Stephens, while I feel he would not be greatly missed as a first team starter, I do sympathise with the management’s decision to keep him around to help steady the dressing room. Three years may seem like a long time, however IF we get promoted that’s two years on entering the PL. Assuming he’s either replaced by a better PL level player or better still sold, it’s a win-win with two years on his contract to get the best return. As they said - this is in the shadow of FFP and us needing to cut our cloth in transfer dealings this year. I think the response regarding Dibling and Fernandes was frank and to the point. Show us your money or F-off…the players are ready to play for Saints if that’s what transpires. However, that surely leaves Spors in a tricky place - does he bring in a playmaking midfielder or not? I hope he doesn’t gamble and leave it too late. This team needs goals and lots more of them.

Love that the club writes ‘confirmed’ with a lock and key, as if Fernandes and Dibling are untouchable and will still be with us at the end of the window. Meh!

Yeah rumour has it that the coach said “you can leave the club Antonio….break a leg”. So he did.😉😂

You look at that list and it’s easy to understand why we were relegated. Somehow Saints supporters have to muster the enthusiasm to watch another season of this bunch of losers (excluding Shea, Welington, Fernandes, Quarshie and Downs). It’s shocking to see the likes of ABK still getting a squad number!

Discounting pre-season, how many games lost on the bounce will this one be? 😉

It’s obvious he’s gone and it’ll be to Everton unless they get gazumped at the last minute. It feels a bit sickening that one of our best young talents goes to a team we should be rivalling in the Prem, but by the same token they are exactly the level at which Tyler could make his mark. Given the advanced talks let’s hope it’s done quickly now so we can invest in a couple of much needed creative midfield players to take his place - that’s going to be a very difficult task and not cheap.

You little tyke! Bet you rolled your eyes when you posted that fake rumour too right?!? 😉🙄

OK fair enough - I just think we shouldn’t discourage posting of this kind of info (if it’s genuine of course) and waving the BS flag may put off future posters.

Yeah of course, but based on posting history I don’t think he’s BSing which is different. If posters get hammered every time they get a sniff of a rumour this place is going to become more boring than it’s already threatening to be! (The transfer thread that is).😉

Is there really any need to call BS on a fellow poster just relaying possible info? Good discussion topic in the absence of any other excitement to be fair.

For want of a more accurate emoji - it’s bad enough Saints being used as some kind of player laundering machine, but seeing these player movements has little to no interest for me (and I suspect others) in terms of ‘Saints Summer Transfers’ which is the title of the thread. Perhaps there should be a separate thread that discusses these inter-club movements…or perhaps there is already? 😕

Highly unlikely we’ll see Romeu back here, however I have to say him coming in would be a huge boost for the club and the particularly the fans. Probably one of our most influential midfielders of the last 15-20 years in my view. He would improve the squad immediately…just the type of signing required. Sadly a pipe dream.

It doesn’t look terribly positive so far, but there’s many here that will insist the squad is good enough for an auto slot! Rude awakening incoming.

Fixed it for you…(a more realistic view). 😉

Things have moved on significantly since then, particularly for them. There are huge expectations for them to get promotion this season and however unlikely that might seem, there are some astute individuals involved in the club that will utterly believe it’s possible because they’re used to being winners. While on paper we’ve got a better squad, it’s a squad used to losing, particularly under pressure. The footballing World will be willing them onto a ‘shock’ win and of course an away win in their first Championship game will make for great headlines. Difficult game to call, but I hope that for my first game attending for months Saints will provide a convincing home win. 2-1.

Oh OK, so it’s highly likely that we’ll not make anyone in the current squad ‘suck it up’ and play for us when they want away. Especially when the evidence shows we’re more than happy to sell our better players and weaken squad quality.

I was referring to your assertion that we make players ‘suck it up’. List the times we’ve done that, because I’m struggling to remember seeing any formal proof that’s happened in the last decade and certainly not since Kat sold us out.

Because that’s what we do right? 🙄

It’s going to be embarrassing I think, perhaps less so if they take pity and play a few of their kids.