Saint Fan CaM

I think this is a good signing whether Richardson was injured or not TBF...loads of experience, although perhaps his pace is a bit flat now - we'll see. I think it would have been wrong not to have had proper competition at the RB slot. Well done AP.

Congrats on the new born. I know a couple of guys with very small Dicks. Does that count?

Oh dear. Foot. Mouth. Extract. lol

All the ITK'ers have been rounded up and buried under the new ticket machines. HTH.

I think Alpine has made a reasonable point and doesn't deserve the abuse frankly. I think many of us could say we are perhaps a little disappointed that we've not signed players to key positions already when we see other teams like Weds getting their men. But then they've not been in this division for a season and honed a 1st eleven team such as the one we've got (and indeed added to). So yes, I am a bit disappointed that we've not heard anything so far. However, there's another three weeks to go before we need to concern ourselves and I feel sure we'll see the gaps being filled. What gaps are there though? I don't think we'll see another RB as Harding has proved himself more than capable at RB and LB. At CB we've got Seaborne and Martin as back-up and so I don't think we'll be adding to that. At CM Wotton is not enough, so I do think we need a quality box-to-box player. At RW and LW we've got AOC and Holmes as backup, not to mention Mills who could do a job at LW. In terms of strikers, there's just the possibility of a Lambert stand-in and I still think that might happen. So I think that if we see anymore signings it will be a maximum of 2. Or perhaps 3 if the Richardson rumour concerning his dislocated shoulder is true.

I found this particularly encouraging and interesting...Holmes it would appear is putting his career back together and showing he has something to offer. I don't believe he's a make-weight for Lines - much more likely that he is being lined up as a supplier to Barnard and Lambo and I reckon we might see him predominantly on the right wing, but he has the ability to cross with both feet without cutting inside always. Technically he has what it takes - just needs to prove his fitness. Perhaps he was given the opportunity last year to have a quiet season to recouperate - the tackle he suffered was pretty awful TBF.

Brings a lump to me throat every time I see those vids. Just a little reminder about what a class act this club is in a fantastic City. As residents and supporters we are blessed. Good OP/thread....bring on the new season!

Suspect there's more to it than first meets the eye. Can't see how democracy can be upheld when relegated teams are not going to bite the hand that feeds them.

I had severe sciatica and so went to a private chiroprator in Warsash. While I was in agony, they ripped me off £60 for a "consultation" and didn't once try to manipulate me to ease the pain. They just took a whole bunch of details and then got me to sit on a bench and raise and lower my leg a series of times...i.e. to stretch it. I didn't pay the bill - they threatened court action - I paid £20. I then went to a Fareham NHS clinic where I got pretty much the same advice - no manipulation either, but this time is was free. In summary then, it's a licence to print money. What I wanted was a physio or something to loosen the knotting muscles from my ass cheek down through to my calf. I sympathise with you entirely - pain killers, anti-inflammatory drugs and careful low impact stretching exercise is the way to go which you can administer yourself.

League is everything this season. However, there is no reason whatsoever why we cannot win every competition we're entered into. Because we are The Saints.

Well my comment didn't rule him out of NPC - I was just saying that he is defo good enough for L1, but not good enough in the long term, e.g. Prem. Having said that, I do believe that even fully fit he might struggle in the Championship as his injury seems to have knocked the shine off his game.

Driver/owner of the MPV.....OUT FFS!!!!

What a pathetic thread. That is my primary opinion. It is also my opinion that NC is doing an exceptional job, based purely on the fact that he gave me the most enjoyable season of Saints football at SMS for a decade and while there are other minor +/- points that's all that counts in my book.

This was mentioned on the Switzerland thread, but given his importance, thought it meritted its own thread. It's a report on below website that he's dislocated his shoulder. Could be a significant issue to the squad and indeed the start of the season - IF true. Anyone heard anything firm about this? http://www.charltonlife.com/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=35590&page=1#Item_0

TBF I said "did have"! However, I don't think we've seen anywhere near the potential he had when he came here. He was cynically cut-down by an opponent in just about his 1st proper game for us because he was running rings and from there on he's not got back to his optimum form. My feeling is AP + his coaching staff have seen the lad work his socks off to regain fitness and is giving him a chance which is fair enough - might be like signing a new player - certainly good enough for L1. Ultimately I suspect he will not be in any longer term plans, but then he'll be in good company in that respect.

Holmes did have something about him - namely a far bit of pace and a wicked cross and that was at CCC level. He should be fine at L1 level if he can keep fit and if there's any doubt about his stamina, check out the reports on his swimming in the Swiss canal where he kept up with and then beat Harding who's no slouch in water. So yes, I do think he's in AP's plans.

Aha. Not a good start in terms of winning mentality I suppose, but then I remember this time last year seeing Saints get whipped by Salisbury and look at the season we went on to have. Not a time to worry - we'll just be well adjusted for Reading. (@:

Thank goodness for that...didn't mind them whne on TV, but wouldn't want some prat blowing one of those near me at SMS.

It will give me great pleasure to see the youngsters give H&W a good spanking. However, Pulis can fook off back to Daddy - how he has the nerve to call himself a professional footballer I don't know.

You may be right - it may not work. However, if in any walk of life a potential acheiver was to think - "mmm, better not have a go because I might fail" - their destiny would be pretty much mapped to failure I would suggest. All we can comment on at the moment is the strategy and the deployment of that strategy. We are seeing small signs of how Cortese is succeeding and I believe we will continue to see (on average) a steady increase in success as Saints rise back to the top - across all areas of the club in fact. No more mickey mouse pretence - real genuine positive steps from a extememly professional organisation. Very exciting indeed, unless you're a person who has some kind of an agenda against Cortese and his team (not a dig at you BTW).

I would respectfully suggest that your expectations with regard to the clubs ultimate strategy are somewhat low. What if the players do not want to leave Saints because (a) the club is held in VERY high regard by the football world, and/or (b) they do not need to go elsewhere for more money (or perhaps by that time the bubble will have burst anyway)?? The course we're set on to achieve with regard to growing our own players bears no resemblance to previous regimes in that the strategy will be to keep the better youngsters and to sell those that do not meet our high standards - not the other way around. Chalk and cheese.

Oh dear - the depths of your despair know no bounds! This is about the FUTURE - not now...not even about when we're in the CCC probably....but more like in 10 years time. Chill a little and believe in the strategy because it makes emminent sense.

Another piece of the jigsaw that will see Saints as a major force in English football, falls into place. In 10-15 years time, I think we shall see an England side made up of a good many Saints players. One thing that has stuck in my mind about the World Cup is the fact that Spanish top league teams are made up of 77% Spanish players. I think it is definately a case of watch this space regarding Saints producing young talent and the plans appear to be so ambitious that previous regimes wouldn't even have conceived of the heights aimed for. Actually, in 10-15 years time we could be the envy of European football clubs. I believe!

Not so sure about Danns - whenever I've seen him play he seems to get a bit lost positionally and he's not one to put the boot in where it hurts...and he's not a playmaker to the best of my knowledge (but glad to be proved wrong). Tyson it seems has lost his way where he is and needs to get fitter (both of which I feel sure he can correct here). If we were to sign both of these guys, I think the squad would be pretty much complete. Sign Carlos Edwards per other thread and we'll have a very exciting CCC level team that could tear this league apart.

I like the look of that, but I'm not sure Harding will start ahead of Dickson in the LB slot.