Nineteen Canteen

What medication would that be and do you even know what medical issues I have as oppose to what has been assumed by the majority on here? Or is this just another unsolicited insinuation about my private life to avoid acknowledging the points I have made. Clearly most posters on this thread don't actually read what I have written or are selective at best. Everything, I have written is based on what MLT has said recently which has confirmed my thoughts of him as a player thoughts that I am not alone in having. The main crux of my argument is that he wasted his talent as an individual, why, appears to be open to debate but the fact remains he didn't get or take the opportunities that would have elevated him to football greatness on a global scale. We can debate all we like but the facts are indisputable. For me his ego and arrogance have only come across in his recent intreviews and the book title and not to mention his alleged complacency in endorsing the Pinnacle bid. I don't think any player should act as if he is above the advice of his coaches and hearing him give his reasons why he didn't consider moving into a coaching role was enlightening as it was disappointing and perhaps his attitude and belief that the team would play rubbish wthout him was actually not a great personal trait to have and quite divisive. Could you imagine MLT playing for Man U under Ferguson who has tamed far greater players with even bigger ego's than MLT. We can't imagine it and although we all applaud him for his loyalty IMO he gave it to us for all the wrong reasons - IMO it comes across that he wanted the easy life, an attitude that would get slated today. We were therefore lucky as a club to have great player who was content to play out his career at SFC and I enjoyed his goals as much as the next fan and have the video and DVD to prove it. It seems to grate that I wouldn't select him as my footballing hero at SFC (which was my main point to start with) but IMO you cannot compare his achievements with those of Mick Channon or Keegan and Ball for that matter but what Channon has achieved is unique I believe at least to the level he has achieved in both his chosen sports.

The local loon UP has been saying pretty much what Cheeky Monkey has said but unfortunately I am not as erudite and have to deal with idiots like you and your little clique forever moaning about trolls. Are you sure it was a player MLT was alluding to in the ladyboy/hotel incident?

My views would stilll be the same but only those who know me can judge if I am a 'wanchor'. I'm liable as all of us to do the odd stupid thing now and then and people may call me that in jest if I don't get there before them but I would be surprised if it was said as you imply.

Was Ted Bates the greatest footballer ever to grace the club? Ted was ambitious and achieved as a player, manager, chairman and president. MLT had more talent in his little toe than Ted Bates and wasted his potential to be a footballing great through arrogance IMO and very little hard work and that was another reason he didn't want to move into coaching because he didn't like being coached FFS! It's amazing how ego can at times get in the way of ambition and thankfully Ted Bates was devoid of ego.

You seem intent on wasting your 3 posts a day on stalking me. Flattered I'm sure and was begiining to think you may be connected to Crouch, Corbett, McMenemy or Mike Osman. If you are and looking at your deluded username you may need more help than me.

See post 96, it was obviously a different era but Ted Bates gave his life to a club and a man who always put the two words hard and work together and clearly after his playing days MLT didn't pick up on that did he? I got the impression he thought he could swan into the Chairman's office off the back of someone else doing the hard work. Still, excellent news he is still good friends with Lynam as if we need a kick in the teeth. I don't respect somebody just because they have a god given talent I respect people for their contribution, drive and personality and how they choose to use that talent long after the opportunity has passed to rely on it.

I have on numerous occassions recognised the role of Ted Bates at this club as the man is without equal. What is sad is that they ruined the statue in his memory that Crouch was allowed IMO to extract a little PR capital out of funding its replacement. Once again though Tame you don't allow facts to get in the way of your fiction. I'm doing ok btw and thanks for your concern but remember it wasn't me going around accusing strangers of being Lord Marland.

A bit like Matt Le Tissier's international career...sorry wrong thread, but I hope you get my point.

I agree the French are not exactly mugs at picking out talented players and this is very disappointing news. As someone has already mentioned this opens the door for Wotton but maybe Gillett will get a seat on the bench. If it had been Stuart Pearce advising Lallana to leave then who would care? Some disappointing reaction's and once again shows a lack of patience and need to build a team with young players of real potential.

Northam firstly thanks for replying minus the personal attacks. So we agree MLT was not the fittest player we ever had which for me is a major issue in accepting him so easily as the hero others have. You talk about pay being commensurate with contribution which should be true but even in the real world often isn't. Also to be a football player their are some basic rules you need to have in your locker along with boots and shin pads and that is a high level of fitness. Had MLT been fitter he would have played much longer and not largely ignored coaching advice as he admitted on the radio. In hindsight because of his short career as a result of his own shortcomings I feel short changed. My views have been sullied by his involvement with Pinnacle and his book and take issue with the title as it could be viewed two ways but unfortunately listening to him I don't view it as a swipe at the opposition more the football hierachy, and club management (at times) and unintentionally the fans. He gave us a lot but not everything he could have. I mostly agree with your 'definitely' list especially, loyalty, greatest goals and most gifted. With regard to his contribution to the most successful outcomes I don't suppose that would be difficult if your manager tells the rest of the team to give the ball to you and I'm sure if we went through the archives we could find other equally influential match winners in what is a somewhat subjective argument. The most admired player by others? Again subjective but during and since his playing career then I would agree but with ex players such as Ball, Keegan and Channon and then going back before that (on which I can't comment on account of not being alive) then I am sure we have equally admired players from different eras. My Uncle always talks about Charlie Wayman in revered tones but how do you compare his era with MLT's? Association of Football Statisticians listed their top 100 players a few years back and MLT did not figure and the only ex-Saints who did was Keegan. These lists though are subjective but in this case they based it on playing honours which I suppose is the most fair way even if Gary Neville get's in because of it. I have never disputed MLT's contribution only the fact that based on his comments it could have been more and more importantly for longer. As a playing hero for me? Mike Channon is a fine example of what talent and hard work can do for an individual and I admire his career and life far more than I ever will admire MLT's despite his wonder goals which no doubt would figure in a top 100 but those moments of bliss are offset by an overwhelming sense of underachievement and he could and should have been in that top 100 by the AFS.

At least i apologised Wes and beginning to wish I hadn't bothered. I won't be so naive next time.

LOL- Um Pahars informs an administrator to 'behave' because they support a poster's right to post an alternative view to his own. Thanks TSWF for a platform that supports the views of all Saints fans and their right to challenge the majority without fear of 'cliquey bullying' or trying to damage an individual by ridiculing or escalating rumours about their personal life.

I think we should accept that MLT is the football version of Marmite and clearly Redknapp didn't agree and he too must have seen and heard about some great players growing up in a footballing dynasty and playing the game in an era (to quote MLT as if he played 30 years ago) that players are continually assessed via Prozone and the competition for places at a club level has intensified globally. I think Souness is talking out of his backside when you see some of the players involved in the Champions League. Doing it in training is one thing but in a match situation another thing entirely just ask Mr Wu.

Jeff Kenna doesn't surprise me when he gave Paul Telfer a name check on the radio as a decent player. Glib? Does that surprise you given the title of the book and his ambivalent approach to his career. A half -hearted effort that from what in essence is a half-hearted player and person who by their own admission has never put the two words hard and work together. If he had he may have written a more engrossing book himself as oppose to the 'may hours' recounting his stories to Graham Hiley in order for him to do the hard work. I will caveat the pharse 'half-hearted' as he was blessed with genius which made him a great player but nonetheless a half - hearted great player that you can't help thinking he knew it and as a result prevented him from being the global footballing great he could have easily been. The comments from his ex-colleagues such as Shearer's actually makes you wonder how much truth lies in their jest, MLT was blessed with talent but from what I have heard recently we was quite ignorant or lazy towards coaching with more than an air of arrogance. A player who was quick to criticise others about his England career but not do anything about it himself and one who towards the end was carried more than he contributed and was fortunate in the early days to have a manager like Ball who made it easy for him. Is Beckham for instance more talented than MLT? No but talent alone doesn't win anything and in the long-run players can become an unwelcome luxury and millstone around a team's neck. Thank you CM probably one of the few honest and balanced reviews of the book we will see on here which is not surprising given MLT's status but as I said before reputations have to be earned and maintained in equal measure and I think this book has short changed fans because of its title, it was written by Hiley and it seems not to tell the real story behind the player and the 40 pages of padding at the back? MLT said it was for the fans to have their say, was it? I think it's more to do with arrogant ego disguised by his benign and quite boring persona IMO. Nice bloke and all that but hardly a character of the game or someone who worked their socks off to reach their Pinnacle.

Don't worry about it Nick I appreciate the info. In any event Watford would not be that unbelievable with Smith going to Pompey and Rasiak doing ok there last season - it all adds up. Look forward to you confirmation.

No doubt if I had access to their inbox their would be many more messages of support.

Careful Wes when you strat talking about boring people ad nauseum. I give out an olive branch and you're back on the insults if we did what you suggest in your last sentence no one would post. We all love Saints and everything it. agreed? Yes, right lets all **** off to the Muppet show and look at tits.

and why not you do that role on the motoring forum

LOL - as long as you are not going to play the Crouch I'm going to have a hissy fit at an AGM role, that was a Mertonesque reply.

I take it Wes you didn't take my apology the other day in the spirit it was intended? I agree that DW should take this via the pm but it doesn't help when posters accuse me of things I haven't done and therefore need to defend myself.

a) sometimes IMO b) Not always IMO c) sometimes - I have pm's to that effect from quite a few people. or d) the many fans who do not use the forum and who out number us by at least 10 to 1 and whose views are perhaps a little less passionate shall we say.

People who respect me and my right to an opinion who may hold completely the opposite view tend not to throw around insults and personal abuse like confetti and therefore we can exchange comments and friendly banter. Unfortunately there are others who do exactly the opposite and then get upset if I respond to a verbal kicking.

No just honest and not frightened to say what I really think.

Don't forget please let me know when you are doing a sponsored event as I would like to donate through justgiving.com or however you collect the sponsorship. I think our next one is the Bournemouth 10k parade run in October, I say I think as we may have to drop out because of another commitment tbc. Anyway, look forward to sponsoring you and no you don't need to mention it.