david in sweden

A lot of people look at this on a purely geographical basis (i.e.mileage), but I tend to think of Southampton as a South Coast city rather than a suburb of south London. Portsmiff and Brighton on the other hand, are far closer to those clubs.

When I was very young, Bournemouth was in Hampshire, but I believe some Local Govt. boundary changes " moved " it into Dorset in the 1960/70's? As someone else pointed out Plymouth and Exeter are hardly local, but interestingly there were quite a few Exeter fans in the Boxing Day game and when Saints were in the old Div.2 in the 1960's the games between Saints and the Pilgrims often drew the largest gates in the season (both home and away.)...as did the games v. Bristol City some years later before our first promotion to Div.1 in 1966. The games v. pompey were far less frequent than many people imagine in those days.

.and keep his arms down!

the recent thread talking about a Saints v B'mouth "derby game" is just one of a number of potential local duels next season. Of course we also played Brighton, Yeovil ...and Exeter (one of the highest gates of the season)..but after yesterdays win ...Aldershot moved back into the play-off spots in L2 ...and Plymouth are already relegated from CCC. Swindon's future is till undecided till after the play-offs, but we will still have Bris.Rovers next season, too. If things go that way we could be 9 clubs along the South coast and the West Country next season. More local interest and not so many long trips for the faithful travelling fans.

well let's be realistic Chez. very few players are good at everything. A great many cannot head the ball, quite a few more couldn't score from a free kick before the end of the next millenium, and even fewer have a good long throw. A certain D. Beckham got himself a career based on a similar talent for scoring from acute agles and the occasional penalties. Without those he'd never have got near an England cap, let alone the captaincy. Bale is my most standards still a young player, but already has quite a few international caps. Agreed he could improve, but playing in a top Prem.side is no bad recommendation and I think he may improve if he got really good coaching and not just 'appy 'arry's condescending compliments.

I think I'd go along with your suggestions. My main point was NOT that we change the whole team, but that most positions should not be totally reliant on the present squad. I think at most 3 changes..depending on ....the opposition. Gillingham are still fighting for survival but Southend are already down. My exceptions were; Lambert for obvious reasons--how many more can he score by the end of the season and Fonte because he is the best central defender we've had in quite a few seasons and we need to see others playing alongside him, besides Rahdi and Seabourne. Tafazoli is capt. of the Reserves and at 6' 5" ..not someone to be ignored. Aaron Martin was signed with a view to the future, so why not play one of them against L1 opposition ..when the result doesn't really matter so much now. If an injury crisis were to come next season at least we'd know how they might perform.

according to stats. there weren't so many of our fans on the trip upto Carlisle.in Sept ?....well done those few hundred who did travel.

The end of an exciting but ultimately disappointing season, with two games left I think it is the ideal chance to get some of the youngsters started. I wouldn't drop Lambert or Fonte, but almost any other position ought to be considered and if we have good prospects in the junior side give then 60 mins. and put the regular guy on the bench as security - in case. None of those who have been involved in over 50 games would be likely to object to having a rest - as there is nothing more to play for - but we would at least see what we have available as future prospects before AP starts the talent hunt in the summer. One way or another I'd expect to see quite a few departures come June.

Even with the terrible start in the first month, it was still the -10 that spoilt it for Saints and strange to say... none of the guilty parties got punished. In any ordinary situation the Board or the manager and his team suffered the consequences of the administration. But in our case...the Chairman and Board had gone, so too had most of the regular players..the (temporary) manager had only stayed out of a sense of duty.. and the real victims of the points deducution were - the fans !

see stats above..post #8 .LB has been subbed 12 times from 14 starts. It's part of AP s regular strategy - and put out Papa Waigo or Connolly in the last 20 mins. I don't know why people are reacting to it NOW, when the same tactic has been used since he arrived in January.

it's not allowed on this site - but see the latest update on OVERSEAS SAINTS.

in Mid march on snow-covered, bone hard pitches so there wasn't much good football to watch, but lots of democratic Swedish results like ....0-0, 1-1, 2-2. A tough start for last years double champs. AIK who took 6 games to get their first win, whilst Stockholm favourites Djurgården (who only just missed relegation last year) managed only their second win against newcomers Åtvidaberg - who did score their first goal..having conceded 10 in prev.6 matches. The best looking Stockholm side at present is Brommapojkarna (the academy based side who have 5 teenagers in their line-up,) who are sitting mid table despite the unusual goals count of 3-3 ..after 7 games.! There aren't many familiar names left in the Swedish line-ups. Many of the former internationals have retired and top profile Henke Larsson (former Celtic / Barcelona) is now training div.2 side Landskrona. Of those names we know only the .. soon-to-be 34 y.o... Anders Svensson is still a leading name with Elfsborg, while former Prem. player Erik Edman is part of the new-look league leaders Helsingborg, closely followed by Malmo and newcomers Mjällby.We can hope that with better weather we might see some more entertaining football but at the end of April we still have sleet showers and night frosts to contend with . Roll on the summer. We've nothing else to look forward to as Sweden didn't qualify for the World Cup Finals this time around.

.....if the rumoured move for Gareth Bale to Man.Utd from Spuds for £20 million goes ahead...? I know that Marcus isn't short of a billion or two..but I'm sure banker Cortese would like some more money in the SFC account . I wonder if there was a sell-on clause..when we sold him for a paltry £5 million ..? Anyone know ..anything ?

This is another of those "domino stories "...one paper publishes it and then other journos read it and re-write it themselves... as if they had an exclusive source.... Bu**sh*t. I say

.and then the FA will discipline managers who speak out and criticise referees....:smt026....just think if Alea Ferguson had to put up with our refs. from League 1.......... He'd be on a touchline ban till he was 80 !

There's more to a local derby than geography. Man.U v. City ..yes but ..against Wigan ..not really! B-mouth v. Yeovil ..OK ..thats a local derby in my book.

...it might not have been very much of a foul, but the way he disputed the decision got him a ten match ban ! Thats the bit I recall. If MS continues to do that he'll be real bait for refs in future.

Have to agree with you that 3rd goal is one of my favourites, he swings a leg at it ...and the ball seems to hang in the air forever.

He was for an U23 spot but was ill before that game and never re-surfaced as a contender. Shame Great club man ...AND... the "only" So'ton-born player ever to be a (regular) captain of the side. St.Mary's School, later apprentice 1970 then pro in 1973. Also managed to play in half a dozen different positions during his career. A loyal one-club man, Nick is also the 3rd in Saints history for most apps. Paine 811, Channon 602.... and Nick Holmes 535. (1973-1987)

James was a regular squad member before his injury and its taken time to get fit again. Alan Shearer once said ..there is a lot of difference between being " fit enough to play " and being "match fit "...and he hasn't played in a competitive League game since we lost at home to Swindon and he went on as sub. for Thomas. I don't think James necessarily was better or worse than anyone else but that 25 minutes obviously didn't achieve the extra midfield superiority that AP wanted. We needed more up front and Papa Waigo and Connolly have a better strike record and IMHO might have gone on earlier..as time was ticking away. If not James, who would you have taken off instead ?

I only wanted to cheer him up ..'onest guv '.

TALENT ..? Are we supposed to have that in L1 as well ? We only get one MLT every generation, the rest as Lawrie Mac always said ".....are the roadsweepers". Prima Donnas are much less frequently come by.

Make sure that Alpine reads this !

a good point, but MS has to learn that this is football and not boxing. two red cards for the same type of offence in such a short time is ominous for the future. It isn't a matter of questioning his ability, or skill but playing with 10 men isn't fair to the rest of the team. He must learn to control himself even in provocative situations. Sadly... I recall the David Prutton outburst(s) ..and the fall-out afterwards..no more of that thank you.

absolutely! That " destroyer " role as I called it, is vital to have in every team. Very UN-glamourous but necessary. More recently ..Paul Telfer was another such. Chris Perry han't disgraced himself when called upon, either. I wouldn't put Wotton in the same class as Jimmy Case, (who was still first team choice at age 37..and only lost his place because Ian Branfoot only wanted to hear his own voice in the dressing room)...but Wotton has developed into a good club man (like Doddsy was ). No frills.. but willing to die for the cause and with red and white running through his veins .