david in sweden

GREAT ! a new question for a pub quiz... " Which league club were promoted TWICE yet didn't pay a transfer fee in a period of 7 years ...? " Congratualtions Exeter, now you're in the big time !

you've lost the plot, I think Alpine..... Barnard is cover for Lambert / Lallana ....and Connolly was cover for Saga.... ..now that Saga has gone... we need cover for Connolly 'cos he's injured... ...they say Michael Owen is on the move ..so maybe.... :smt103

Our ONLY international ..and he's be LOANED OUT !!!!!! terrible !! AP OUT

I don't really bother myself too often about the impatient types on here, I've been a fan for 50 years.and have seen most things happen to the club, but when we at least have a chance of achieving "something " this season , I think we should have " both belt and braces " at this time .

That would be ironic (if true) as we Paid about £2.5 mill for Prutton in the beginning.:smt036

Naturally, even the very best players still need coaching, but I think it's silly (when some others on diff. threads) have started to criticise Barnard as a waste of money... 'cos he hasn't scored in three outings...(as if the 15 or so goals he got with Southend didn't exist.:cool:) It takes time (to gell) that we don't have right now and we must have the right type of players to help improve the side / provide injury cover. (you can be sure SOMEONE will have a go at Puncheon-if he doesn't score a hat-trick on his debut - but I bet he'll give a lot of assists this season)

a number of others have voiced similar comments previously, but the three points was useful on Saturday, but hard-earned against a bottom of the table side who ought to have been (and already has been) demolished by a number of L1 sides not as good as us. Good job it wasn't Leeds. Thank goodness for Lambert's backside ...and a forward who can score from 2 yards out..otherwise we might have been sitting with ONE point from Saturday.

...we need all available options till the end of the season. Everyone will talk about play-offs until it's mathematically impossible..we are still in TWO cups, but most of our new players are cup-tied from one, or both competitions, it's not so rosy as it might seem. Injury list includes Murty-long term, Harding had flu-now better, maybe not 100%, Hammond OUT, James OUT, Connolly OUT, Lallana OUT.... Getting over an injury is one thing, recovering match form is something else. The midfield can't take any more casualties, and players like Mills, Lallana and James have taken a couple of years to get established are doing well, but are by no means AUTOMATIC choices. The remaining Academy/Reserve players on the books scarcely have 20 starts between them, and at best can only expect to make up the numbers on the bench. As long as we have an owner who plans long term, and money is not a issue, we can sign who (and as many as we like)...they'll be big sort out in the summer ..one way or another. BUT we can't afford to be without our key, experienced players if we get within sight of a 6th place, or a trip to Wembley ! Let's hope the rest can stay injury-free.

Nice to hear about talent - even at that age. Some "sage football-type " wrote years ago, that if youngsters don't have it by the time they get to teenage- then they won't make it. A bit of an over-exaggeration I suppose, but close to the truth. Occasionally, a Theo Walcott will appear as a late developer but very rarely. Good luck to your young talents though, they've got a long way to go. (Michael Poke was on Saints books before he was 12... and 12 years later, he's out on loan...too good to let go, but not good enough for the first team.)

you're not alone..A lot of people need a new mindset in that area.

under 8's... eh ? ...obviously one for the nursery side.

A couple of pairs of jeans and an I-pod !

I agree that they both look exciting prospects, but both are playing at lower levels and you can't put inexperienced players into a side that isn't hitting top form already. I'd much rather go for Danns,we need dependable midfielders and he has a better background (and at least Forte would know where he was on the pitch).

If the administrator is doing his job..he will have to sell anyone who he can get money for...even the tea lady ..if she makes good tea. After monday he can't sell anyone and the club will get £0. selling Moses, Danns and other could bring millions and pay salaries and taxes..thats his task!

.and especially if they gave us our 10 points back. The only people punished by that penalty were...the new owner and the fans.

friday pm. reading other sites it seems that Huddersfield has already signed TWO other players yesterday, and Preston have pulled out of the deal ..(if that gossip is to be believed ).

eventually yes, but i'm not prepared to write him off yet. If he did go I'm sure an L1/ L2 side would take him for another year, he has good skills and he's not that slow either. I bet he's enjoying these cup games

well,Chez he is a former player and with better luck would have become a first-teamer, I'm sure. The local bit doesn't bother me ..I'd feel the same if it was Pereployotkin (excuse spelling)..another excellent Academy player who we lost because of the Home Offices' weird work regulations. (now, a Latvian international BTW).

There's no doubt that Niemi's quality ..rather than Jones' lack of it ...meant that the Finn was usually got to be first choice. Ironically, they both played in the FA Cup Final..and prompting the now legendary pub quiz question: "Which 'keeper played in an FA Cup Final without conceding a goal, but only got a losers medal ?" It was of course Paul Jones.Arsenal scored whilst Niemi was in goal, who later in the game pulled a muscle and was subbed by PJ..who despite keeping a clean sheet, only got a losers medal.

Language courses needed for the rest of the team ....!

depending on your generation ..you're probably right . If you were a bit older, you'd have to say that at times Peter Shilton looked totally unbeatable..and his 51 caps for England (during his time with us 1982 -1987) goes to prove that.......but I agree that Niemi was a bit special.

I am (sadly) not a regular visitor, nor am I a beer drinker BUT I have noted that this issue comes up on some thread or other quite regularly. However, common sense would dictate that in the remaining period before the "beer contact " runs out...that a survey of sorts might be made amongst fans. As there are around 12,000 season ticket holders (?) and another 5-6K regulars , the majority of whom probably enjoy a glass of something at HT... Why not have a poll (via match programme ?) or on the OS ... to get some input of the fans favourite tipple. Even this site might be one source of stats, though it is hardly typical of the entire fan base, so not to be taken as "gospel". My experience of polling /stats. is that even a small sampling of data can be fairly accurate and many election pollsters get very accurate results based on a few thousand responses. Just a idea :cool:

Lots of people remember Arron Davies time with the Saints Academy,(in the Walcott, Bale era) until his subsequent move onto Yeovil. Some Saints fans were sad to see him go but he made good progress there. A later move to Notts Forest looked good for his career, but successive managers have ignored him and he was on his way back to Yeovil on a free transfer UNTIL they discovered that having played for Forest and then being loaned out elsewhere..he can't complete the move, having already played for two sides in one season! This has effectively scre*ed the lads future till August and he is forced to be unemployed until the end of the season because of the FA ruling. There may have been some logic to the original regualtions, but in this case it has worked against him. Being "unemployed" may not be a problem for top players on big salaries who have a " buffer " in their economy, but I think it's tough on Arron, who surely wasn't in that sort of salary bracket. Hope it works out OK for you, Arron.... good luck !

Agreed Nick, but in one way, even if true it can do no harm to Cortese's reputation, let's face it ..what ordinary person would turn down AC Milan for a League 1 side?. I was beginning to think that words like honesty and loyalty had been deleted from the dictionary. Thanks to the Echo for highlighting our Chairmans dedication.

...Elementary, my dear Watson ..(sorry Wotton).