Saint Fan CaM

Must win game. :smt043 Anyhow, Rickie will get his prize. Hopefully we'll see the JPT paraded around by the players and AP. It would be good to see an end of season message from Markus or NC setting out their visions for the club during the summer and next season. I hope we win 4-1 with Rickie scoring first. Big money if that happens. Head says a lazy day 2-1 win. Think we'll see all the regular 1st teamers so probably Fonte and Jaidi/Seaborne at CB, with Semi and Harding making up the defence. Midfield I would say Antonio or Puncheon, Lallana and Hammond in the middle. Wouldn't like to call Hammonds partner - don't think it will be Gillet, James or Wotton to start but who knows? Up front it will be Lambo and Connolly I suspect as I think Barnie has an ankle injury. Can't wait for the game TBH - seems like ages since the last one - and I'm going to be somewhat deflated at the end knowing its the last one. Come on you white 'n red saches!

I am sure I'm not the only one wondering what's happening about ST renewals this season - after all, in the past early bird has been and gone by now. Then it dawned on me - perhaps NC is holding back on ST sales because there will be disruption to some ST holders in the Chapel/Kingsland corner when the away fans are moved and there will be new ST availability in the Northam when the away fans vacate sometime after this Saturdays game. There will be lots of changes to building infrastructure, marketing blurb, tickets, stadium map etc. to deal with and then introduce. If this is the case, I can't see new ST's being made available for at least a couple of weeks into close season. Thoughts?

Great news - my vote won. (:

This is the real story.

This. And I am really looking forward to the close season and all that that brings to the club. Not felt as excited about a close season and new season PRIOR to the old one finishing for....well, years and years.

Disgusting abuse of wealth and privelage?

Might be worth a shot then?

Do I care? Vaguely I suppose. Wanted him to succeed when he was here, because I want all managers to succeed here obviously. Otherwise, he was a part of a flawed and pretty dire part of our history that I did not really enjoy. So for that reason I'm out of the Jan love-in.

The entire day out to Wembley. Didn't matter what the cup was - it was silverware and we won 4-1 - magic. And there was an almost tangible feeling that this was just a very small taste of some really great adventures to come for all us Saints under the ownership of Markus. The crowning glory to a REALLY enjoyable season.

Yeah do it - no really I mean it. That way you'll get banned and we'll have one less stupid twerp among our ranks. Just how old are you anyway? My guess would be about 7-8 years old, but even that might be offensive to some 5 year olds. LOL.

Sorry if covered somewhere else - couldn't see it. http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11700_6134536,00.html Worth a punt on this guy? Seems to be worthy based on his performances last season, but before that?

Really like the idea of Sam Vokes - always thought we should have signed him.

Not harsh and very valid point. I would add that at this stage we could well have been on our third appointment after recruiting the fitness coach as 1st team Manager failed.

110% agreed. If NC is as serious about pushing for the Prem as he makes out then we should be focussed on the club's progress, not answering a shoddy journalists story. When we sign 3-4 top new players in the summer, see the training ground improvements and refurbish the Stadium, then perhaps we might permit The Mail et al to comment on the great things happening at Saints.

Are you for real Alpine?! The only thing you should be asking of NC is to maintain stability of the squad and club when we're on the brink of a period of sustained growth and success with one of the best managers in Britain. I recognise you may need this kind of 'excitement' to sustain your interest in the club given you cannot attend many games, but really...do you really believe this guff?!? The story is I suspect a complete fabrication. Why would AP be interviewed on Radio Solent this morning talking about the clubs ambition to sign 3-4 new players in the summer if he was in anyway in danger of losing his job and/or having a poor relationship with NC? If it turns out to be true it will severely dent my belief in NC's intentions for the club.

IMO we don't need another striker to replace Lambert as we've got strikers here already in Barnard, Connolly and Waigo (assuming he stays - although that's not a foregone conclusion). What we need is better midfield options that will get the ball to the strikers feet so we don't have to rely on the 'hoof to Lamberts head' tactics. Problem is when Rickie doesn't play, we don't have a viable game plan which would be sorted out by having one or two top attacking (or box to box) midfielders.

I would agree with the idea of bringing in Ringwood bitter - good pint that. Always wondered why footie clubs don't offer grub franchises to the likes of Burger King or McD's and KFC. Not saying I would buy the stuff they serve up, but it would be a win-win situation. It would also offer them a chance to expand their range of grub with a BK-Pie or McBalti-Pie!

Don't know Chris Baird personally, but I know someone who does and it's true Chris does like the club alot. Cannot for one minute see him dropping from Europa league to L1 though can you?!

What are you talking about?!? AP will not be involved in a decision on transfer fee - that will be NC's call. Some people will do all they can to bash our manager.

I think we can ignore the £1m - they owe us money that they do not have, so will offer a player plus cash to offset. Watch out for the 'undisclosed sum'. Mullins is one of their lesser players who they can do without - we need a Hammond replacement if injured. Might be true. If he wants to put on a Saints shirt and give his all for AP then that's OK for me as long as he's not a lazy bugger. We would still need a CM playmaker as cover for Schneiderlin though.

No way. Injury prone - not quick enough. There are much better options.

Pulis followed closely by Rickie Lambert. Err, or was it the other way round....?

We could probably afford Brown and he would be a good addition, however I am less sure we could afford enought detergent to cleanse him of the stench he has accumulated while playing at Farton Park.

Spot on the money with this observation. However, there is another failing tactic and that is that the team pass it around SO much that they run out of ideas, there's not enough movement off the ball and then we lose possession when someone is caught napping or the final pass is poor. It's great trying to compare us to top Prem teams, but the simple fact is that the players we have just are not skilled enough to do this all the time. League One dictates that we hoof to Lambo's head and hope for knock-downs. Not saying it's good or that it always works, it's just the way of lower league football. Let's face it, the youngsters played some lovely football under the Dutch regime, but won very few games.

Yes, I too completely agree with the sentiment and words of the OP. This summer is I think going to be extremely interesting in terms of club and squad development. In fact I'm finding I have to check myself back a little, as I'm looking forward to the summer developments more than the last two games of the season! It is a great time to be a Saints fan now the club is in the ascendency and it feels so good to see the faith of all fans (but particularly ST holders) being repaid by Markus and Nicola. I truly believe that we will hardly recognise our club in 8-10 years time such will be the level of success - on a par with the likes of Spurs and Aston Villa at the moment and pushing for European action once again. And this time, it will be for real and not on a 'PLC style shoestring budget' where we need to sell our best players to stay afloat.