david in sweden

This is a similar scenario to the one that Lawrie Mc Menemy had in the early 80's. Of course he signed up a lot of Engalnd /and former internationals. Mick Channon was already an regular international, but it really started with the earlier signing of Alan Ball (first time) and teenage Steve Williams found himself playing alongside his schoolboy hero (from Arsenal). Other youth team players like Hebberd, Waldron, and Graham Baker found themselves in a side with Charlie George and England CH Dave Watson. We'd already had the hot shot duo of Boyer and MacDougall, then came the legendary signing of Keegan, and Steve Moran (then only 19) scored 18 goals in his fírst season playing inside forward beside Keegan and Channon. The signing of England keeper Peter Shilton and full back Mick Mills became part of the famous FIVE England captains squad we had in those days, and the youngsters kept coming.... Mark Wright, David Puckett, and Reuben Agboola. The additional signings of Joe Jordan, David Armstrong only continued the formula as Lawrie Mac. signed more experienced players at the same time as he continued introducing more youngsters like Danny Wallace and George Lawrence. APOLOGIES FOR THE NOSTALGIA, but the point is these youngsters gained enormous confidence from playing alongside these legendary names and certainly played well above themselves in order to keep their places. Now that we have seen Saints as the best side in L1 ...and now top of the CCC, even at this level the confidence must be sky-high and the clubs mindset is so fixed that new players coming in will really benefit from playing alongside the more experienced. Of course we're not talking about international players in the first team squad, but I expect to see more than a few of these lads coming into the squad before long and getting themselves accustomed to first team football alongside some of the best players OUTSIDE of the Prem. We've seen the likes of Walcott, Bale and Alex OC making the big time - even at 16 -17 years old. Don't think there aren't more to come.

tbh ..I really thought they would go unbeaten for a bit longer having had the impetus from last season, but I'm in no way disappointed. It's learning curve like everything else in life but ...(like everyone else)....hope that we stay up there till seasons end. Of course, it's great to see such flowing football but maybe sometimes we take the "skill thing " a bit too far and get a bit too coc*y....nevetheless being top of the pile feels GREAT - doesn't it ?

Interesting family comment about Michael Svensson. My wife's aunt was a local school teacher in Småland (now retíred), who had a class when Michael Svensson as a pupil. She remembered him as a friendly / outgoing lad who was a good " stödkamrat " to a boy in the class who had learning difficulties.... said he was a helpful and loyal lad. Nice comments, I thought !

we seemed to have missed " St.Patrik "... a guy i've had occasional conversations with who lives in ...Alvesta ???

this must be referring to the 1959-60 season (we were later promoted from the old Div.3 ) (The regional old North /South leagues were abolished two years earlier). we had a lousy start, and were 15th in the table with two draws and one defeat, then we took off. After first ten games we had won 6 drawn 3 and had only 1 defeat. goals 33-22. and were third in the table. The standard playing formation (listen to this one Nigel..was 2-3-5 ) ....that's 5 strikers ! GOALSCORERS ?..Derek Reeves had 14 goals already (including 2 hat-tricks) NOTE: finished season with 39 goals. George O'Brien (former Leeds Utd. Reserve) had scored 7. (He left Saints in 1965 having scored 180 goals-club record).Terry Paine and Tommy Mulgrew had scored 3 each.....not bad eh ? Those were the days! Hope we break a few more records. The 59-60 side didn't have an international break in those days, but we proceeded to lose 3 of the next 4 games, before recovering good form with a 5-1 win over Swindon. went top before Chrsitmas and were never headed for top spot after February. Scored 106 goals v.75 and won League by 2 points ahead of Norwich. SOURCE : In that Number.

either it's a " typo" , or they haven't updated it since he was a junior player ...!

that is still a decision out of our hands...

your own fault..you don't think there's any meat in those things - do you ?

as these are the remaining games from the original thread, it seems that we have a good chance of winning more / all ..if we can overcome the problem of teams coming up against us from the start with " spoiler tactics ". The real success will be exactly what alternative formation NA uses to break down the opposition in the second halves of such games where we aren't in control. Any 95-minute game plans seems out of the question these days...?

yes I had the same thought whilst writing the opening text #1

I'm inclined to think that may have been the reason why Fontaine DIDN'T sign ...?

seems to be a new Adkins phrase at SMS. of course older fans will recall names likes Steve Moran, Tony Funnell, MLT, Nicky Banger, Marian Pahars, Jo Tessem who all seemed to make a real impact by scoring goals when they came off the bench. I even recall that Bradley Wright-Phillips seemed to score more goals when he came off the bench than when he started a 90 min.game but this season we are setting yet another record. Not enough that our (to date)34 League and League Cup goals have been scored by ..12 different players.. and 7 of those goals have come from on-coming subs. I didn't believe it myself until I looked back, but here they are; Forte v. Torquay LC Lambert v. Swindon LC Chaplow v. Birmingham Lallana v. Preston LC Schneiderlin v. Burnley De Ridder v. Cardiff Holmes v. Watford At last we have bench players capable of changing a game when the right player is put on.. ... yet another well done Nigel !

Now that makes sense to me too Dune..I've been saying the same thing since January 1st.

and in a way I'm quite pleased..if you're all convinced it OK to stay the same style of play. . Let's carry on playing the same football...come rain or shine...gale force winds at Middlesbrough and mud puddles at Bristol. It's just that I've always lived in an organisational world, where a Plan B is just about as important as Plan A. BUT...If you're all confident and happy...so am I . The MODS can close down the thread as resolved ...whenever they want. It's just that I want a plan B, Nigel...or maybe you've got one already?

yes he older..and it reeks of the Prodigals return, but were not talking about a 3 year contract..or even one year I suspect. If there is any chance that he could be back in case of ....!! then get him training for free and let NA make a decision.. 3 months deal is OK to the New Year..if OK then extend to seasons end. If he's even a patch on his best form then he'd be good cover for Lambert in the event of ...*!!+# It really is a no-brainer, but if we have to be without Lambert in the side we have no big man up front...'cept maybe Guly.

I really don't think it's a issue. There were "issues" between them prior to the Liebherr buy out when I think Pinnacle unfairly influenced the Administrator into " ignoring " any other bids, and bought itself some time which cost us the loss of two players- Surman for one, through enforced transfers in order to keep paying the staff. The Liebherr bid was (according to reports ) already on the table in May ! The Sun interview doesn't seem as clear as it might have done, but it doesn't say that NC cites MLT as a " scrounger," either. but likely "some others ". Unfortunately Spelling's unwanted comments have made a mountain out of a molehill, and it's best left alone. MOVE ON ! next game is Wednesday, right ?

Nigel had noticed that, too ..that's why we bought Jack Cork - isn't it ?

I thought the same , "Hughie's "... He probably doesn't have a Black & Decker drill either...(what is the world coming to?)

No-one, not even his worst critic (whoever that is ?) can deny that Nigel's record-breaking start to the season has left many fans both surprised but delighted at the sight of the fast-flowing football that NA & staff have produced from the team so far and the great run of results. The big question is going to be.. what sort of game plan does he have for the winter, when piches get torn-up and players are ankle deep in mud by February. Of course, SMS had a perfect playing surface and some might say it's as good as the track at the Rose Bowl, but many other grounds, especially some " up North " won't look as inviting as St.Mary's come New Year and the " Southampton style " might not be so easy to replicate. What sort of ** alternative style-of-play.. should be considered, given that the beautiful sight of one-touch football and sublime passing is likely to get stuck in the winter mud? Suggestions? ** assuming of course that we have the same squad available... come January.

well said that man !

very few goals are scored by individual efforts, or a player running the ball from his own half and putting it in the net. CMS was good at Peterboro' because of... the service he got /assists ..but without the same players around him, he may well become an " ordinary striker "...if he has to play in another set-up. We can see by seasons end. No-one has suggested that we did / didn't bid for him, but if so maybe he didn't want the deal? ..who knows, more likely that NA decided he wasn't right for our set-up ...and didn't bid at all.

IF we ASSUME that The Sun quoted Cortese correctly..not something they are noted for ...Cortese did state that he had issues with MLT and LM. I ASSUME that he was referring to their tactics in trying to defer the Liebherr offer, when MLT was fronting the Pinnacle debacle...but the Sun doesn't state that MLT was expecting " freebies" ...but it does allude to " others " un-named who did. The " freebie " culture is far too widespread, as quite a few MP's found to their discomfort recently. Why should footballers - even legends, be different? I'd be first to admit that MLT s contribution to SFC was UNIQUE, and he was paid well enough for it, that he could refuse offers from " bigger clubs ". So why should he ( or any other " legend " ) not be expected to pay for a ticket which many long-serving fans break the bank every week in order to watch the team. No one has put into print that MLT demanded " free tickets " and there is no reason to suppose that he did. This seems to be a wrong assumption that Jeff Spelling, amongst others has forwarded.

LM (or anyone else) aside.. Cortese was right to object to the "freebie " culture. It is said, " there aren't any free lunches..." but it sounds as if there may have been an " understanding " amongst a lot of people that former players were worthy of a free ticket , or two ..or three ..or TEN? maybe under former administrations. Going back some time, there were some unsavoury stories about players "selling " Cup Final tickets that were actually destined for their family / friends. Or maybe their " friends" ....and a load of " camp-followers "....and some WANNABE's (?) ..I'm sure there must be some experience from correspondents here that might prove that the " freebie " system wasn't just limited to former heroes, but was far more widespread than previously known. ? If Cortese buys his own ticket, he sets a good example..if he buys tickets for his guests, thats right too..if someone has a Corporate " Box" they can entertain who they like...thats right. Beyond that..you pay. I've been a fan for ..50 years. My father bought my first ticket, after that my pocket money, and wages paid the rest. The only time I didn't need to pay for a ticket, I was someone else's guest and they paid.