Nineteen Canteen

Exactly, you don't exactly need an electrolyte replacement drink after a round of golf or game of darts or snooker. Golf is pastime like scrabble or bowls and for middle aged men to take up when their waist size exceeds their chest size.

Communist Wes? No not all but maybe an idealist who would like to see an equitable and fair system for all. Golf course's maybe built on private land but they still need planning permission and it can't be argued that they don't take up valuable land. Two courses within 15 miles of each of other in North Hampshire are still relatively new and yet the planners deemed them worthy causes and to replace valuable arable land in a time of increasing global food shortages and increasing populations mean we may no longer be able to rely on grain and rice imports. Eat or play golf because my guess is planning applications are still going in up and down the country for new courses. Extreme? Probably but when its sometimes difficult to get even minor work approved to your own property it does make you wonder how we can increase our food imports for the benefit of golfers. How do these courses get planning applications in the first place when in Hampshire near to one of the courses I was refering too the building of a new Hampshire 'green town' was refused in probably the most ideal site in the county and if we are going to give up valuable arable resources surely it's better to provide green housing opportunities for our young families than build golf courses? My opinion is that these planning applications are 'massaged' on the golf courses and there is for some reason still a masonic element to golf and the need for the British to emulate the Americans and conduct their affairs whilst hitting a little white ball with a stick over 4 miles. To make it relevant to Saints where do you think MLT first discussed the endorsement of Pinnacle? I don't know but IMO you could make an educated guess and it wouldn't be Pinnacle's HQ. IMO he probably knew more Lynam's short game than the indentities of the backers and the structure of the deal. That is why there is so much wrong with golf and that so much land is given over to the exclusive few whose primary aim is to belong to the club and not the opportunity to play golf Finally, we come to the point that membership appears to be made up by an overwhelming majority of middle aged white men and I notice no one has tackled that issue and the obviuos difference between golf and say Football, Athletics and Cricket. I don't have Um like statistics to back this up but I often buy local papers like the Chronicle, Advertiser, Gazette and the Journal and the local news and pictures from the various local clubs rarely shows any members from an ethic background. Personally, I find that worrying but sadly not surprsing. So Wes, not a communist just someone who feels the game has a place but not to the degree it has been allowed to take off especially when it has been allowed to foster it's exclusive and fussy image.

Rebecca Wood Alzheimer's Research Trust Freepost Canterbury CT1 3AA You may want to contact Rebecca and make a donation or ask for details of this year's Christmas cards. Fate can be a curious thing and after your recent comments you may want to lend a helping hand.

Would it be funnier if I had a brain tumour or early on set Alzhiemers or Parkinsons? If I get to the stage where I can't control the flow of my own urine then I guess you will know why I have stopped posting. But until that day....

When was the last time you saw the Bruce Forsyth types play football? You throw out the stats as usual Um but with no analysis whatsover. Numbers don't always tell the full story but IMO that is why you probably ended up teaching accountancy as oppose to remaining an FD. I would argue from experience that many, probabaly the majority, of that 4 million play maybe less than 6 rounds a year. The age range is from 18 to 100 and mid week where are all these 'young retired types' because they ain't playing golf. Playing football regularly for 90 mins on full size pitches is not the reserve for the man over 40 with a waist size to match but those who play football probably play 5 times more often than the casual golfer so your comparison is ill founded. If we closed a few sports centres and took away more inner city green belt sites for housing what do you think will happen to those youths who used the facilities regularly?. Time to bulldoze a few courses and see if we have a rise in sand wedge crime or open the clubs to all and add facilities for all sports.

Probably, but it's a worthy discussion so I shall keep going.

So why are all the course's empty and almost exclusively patronised by white males? We don't need as many golf courses IMO and we certainly need far better facilities that better reflect all of British society today. Why does golf seem so overtly white at a club level compared with Football, Cricket and Atheletics for instance but yet school playing fields and council pitches are being swallowed up for housing and not these posh golf courses. Food for thought.

Sorry can't believe that and I see far to many courses with far too few individuals on them and yet Hampshire is struggling to find where to build the Government's new homes quota its been allocated. Golf is elitest and takes up far to much space for too few. Flatten a few courses and build some decent local authority managed sports facilities and leisure centres with pools of a size that may help increase our swimming successes for example. A few really decent sports centres with a variety of pitches, tennis courts, large pool, 8 lane athletics tracks with full field capability etc etc would take up less room that an 18 hole par 3 let alone full size course and be used by at least 10 times the amount of people who are looking for affordable leisure facilities than the funny troused ones. Of course the other advantage you wouldn't be turned away if you were under 18 or someone who choses to wear the uniform of the working classes - jeans.

Really? If that was the case I think Mr Liebherr would walk away and give us up as a bad idea. Then what? A club with a clean slate and no debt would be open to those with very little initial investment, say £500,000, to come in and ramp up the debt for another cycle of trying to buy/gamble promotion only to crash and burn. Don't always agree with Chapel End Charlie but we are being a tad stupid if we think 19,000 represents a good turn out of Saints fans given the Brentford's surprising level of support and we have also played Millwall who must have one of the strongest away support in this league. Where have all those fans gone who were so desperate to attend last season's home game against Charlton when the the horse of our own destiny had bolted? Oh no we must save our club, we must do all we can. oh what a sad day for football and this great city blah blah. Rich bloke comes in and buys the club and gives us a platform from which we can help ourselves build a future and surprise 10,000 fans no longer seem interested. Sometimes you can't help thinking they will ultimately get what they deserve. Could be interesting when the likes of Wycombe. Hartlepool, Tranmere, Walsall and Stockport come to town to name just a few.

Is that where Bruce Forsyth has his cryogenic team situated?

Millions? Hope you are not suggesting that over 1 in 50 of us play golf in this country and you are talking globally. Americans only play it as otherwise for such an obese nation many would never go outside.

The same strategic leadership that made it a fortress at times - see TDD's post above. I agree though Wilde ruined it by showing all the attributes of the worse kind of plastic fan not to mention those who indulged him and afforded him the opportunity. Get over Lowe, Robbie your consistent harping on about him suggests to me you are suffering from Stockholm Syndrome or you are simply a tad immature but probably not for your age.

It's not the ground it's the spoilt, impatient and unrealistic fans who no longer fill it.

The kid is probably use to it to be fair. It's the trousers and the one gloved hand. Why can't golfers be allowed to wear normal casual wear then Bizzle may get a game? A ridiculous past time I suppose requires ridiculous clothes and why should a hobby that still tries to thrive on exclusivity take up so much land for so few. Bulldoze Wentworh and put in some much needed social housing in the county - just as an example, seriously would anybody really miss golf courses?

I take it you don't know the answer then Mike? Kayne looks an exciting prospect and the little I have seen from him he seems to have the ability to address the pace and imagination issues many have spoken about.

Does anyone know how he is recovering from his injury from last season and expected date he may be considered for selection? Looked a very bright prospect for the brief time that we saw him and had some much needed pace and strength on the ball as well. Given Lallana's star is rapidly fading and question marks over Thomson we badly need McLaggon back and to interchange with Mellis if possible who also showed some nice touches and movement yesterday. First half we were far more productive down the left than the right where we were to casual and lacked purpose. I think McLaggon can do a far better job. Given up on Lee Holmes who seems to be collecting more sick notes than Darren Powell use to - what's the ongoing saga with Holmes?

I do agree with this and think Pardew won't be given him many more opportunities. Everytime he got the ball yesterday you knew after about 15 minutes he would give the ball away with a poor pass or run with it until he was dispossessed. He's a young professional playing of his reputation as an 'exciting academy prospect'. To me he has the look of another academy statistic. He was very lucky to stay on 2nd half as Mellis showed far more promise and wouldn't be surpised to see him start with Thompson at the next league game - difficult to judge how Pardew will use the Birmingham game.

Lazagne....?

So Le Tiss only got paid £4k a week so what? In his prime £200k pa would have been a nice salary and to earn that money in the real world would require some major blood sweat and tears even today. Like real life if MLT wanted to bump up his salary like most careers the best way to have done that would have been to move and I'm sure he could have easily trebled his salary. He chose not and that's fair enough so why mention it, he made his bed - his decision and he certainly doesn't need our sympathy because he could have easily done something about it and come back later if he loved us that much. Naive again IMO.

Wes when I met my wife I wasn't asked if I wanted to check my basket before proceeding. I stay up late whats the big deal, I've also posted at 5am because on some days I get up early. Seriously you have no right to be smug.

I don't think he does Steeeve and I don't think you do either.

AS Dibden alluded because even if I don't make those comments a reasonable post by me will still turn confrontational because people will try to undermine me or a pick a fight based on my past views or personal issues or anything else except discuss r god forbid agree with me. Toomer, I'm not bleating or moaning about it (although the rumours about my private life is out of order IMO) and recognise that at times I may deserve it but thats the risk of posting openly and honestly. What is interesting is that I'm attacked by some overtly smug and 'knowledgeable' individuals who really shouldn't be throwing stones in glass houses and who clearly need to get out more or even register with match.com.

The ball is the wrong shape for most in Wigan's catchment area. Certainly the one team more than any other who deserve to be relegated from the Premiership, they have less plastics than we do!

I have nor problem with not agreeing with me but can I suggest that instead of trying to work out my imaginery agenda why don't you explain to me why my opinion is unfounded? Telling me to eff off confirms what i believe tbh.

Wes, you are very smug and it's no surprise your biggest fan is Um Pahars, which perhaps is not surprising. Perhaps you should start taking posters opinions in the spirit they are intended instead of spending hours researching if their comments can be undermined with your minute dissection of every syllable. With our 'hopeless' start will you soon be banging on about entertainment and trying to justify another boycott?