Saint Pete

You seriously believe there would have been no opportunities for JWP to move to another Premier league club over that 20 year period if he had wanted to push for it?! If he managed to secure a Premier league deal when we got relegated, he certainly would have had offers when he was a regular starter as a teenager under Poch or when he was regularly banging in free kicks or appearing for England. If you want to get angry at judas players who force a move at the first opportunity, there are plenty of better candidates than a player who stayed at the club over 20 years that's for sure!

I think it's more than a little unfair on JWP to say he "jumped at the first opportunity" when he stayed at the club for over 20 years!! Many players who have achieved international status would have moved on long before he did so I felt at the time he had earnt the right to move on and try to maintain his status as a Prem player. That said, I don't think it is right to go back to him at this point as he doesn't seem the same player now that he was a few years ago. I do feel we need to keep some experience in the middle of the pitch though and have some concerns that we may end up light of that if the likes of THB and Downes move on.

Good stuff, totally agree with them, why should Boro automatically get a free pass to final when they were beaten over 2 legs? I read the judgement from the "independent" panel and it doesn't even address the decision to reinstate Boro in the final, no justification given at all, just assumed that was the only option, no consideration for other alternatives. Also opens up potential legal action from Wrexham. And I think Hull could also include in their legal action should they lose the fact that their preparation for the final has been seriously disrupted by having to prepare for 2 different opponents until very near the final, another advantage on the Boro side.

Why from Southampton? It is EFL who are responsible for deciding if playoffs are replayed.

And not only that, results achieved by players shown to have dived for penalties should be reversed afterwards with points awarded to the other team or reinstatement of teams in Cup competitions.

Agree with you there. It is part of the manager's (and more senior club management's) jobs to make sure they and everyone else knows the rules. If it's gonna be our excuse that Tonda didn't know the rules because he is an inexperienced German, then we will make ourselves look even more pathetic and incompetent than we have so far.

So we have no right to a fair appeal on what a proportionate punishment should be?

Regarding the appeal, would we have any legal argument to go to court to get some kind of injunction to stop the game being played on Saturday as we are not being given any time to prepare our appeal? Decision on Tuesday and appeal on Wednesday feels unusual and unfair no matter what you think about what we have done.

What are Hull FC thinking of this? It's Wednesday morning and they still don't know for certain who they will be playing on Saturday or even the kick off time. So they need to prepare their plans for 2 teams now rather than one?! Bizarre situation and I would not be happy at all if I was Hull manager. I am a little suspicious that this is all being managed in Boro's favour with their influence at the EFL. In all likelihood it will be Boro now but they are keeping Hull in limbo for as long as possible. If Hull don't end up going up, I would think they may have some kind of claim against the EFL for how this has been handled?

Great news fro Ross and well deserved. Interesting that McBurnie hasn't made the squad despite 17 goals in the Championship this season. Clarke obviously doesn't fancy he has the quality for international football, but you could certainly argue that for a couple of the other strikers making the trip as well!

If Stephens can show he is fit, he should come back in in my opinion. Wood should be commended on the job he has done the last few games but I feel we looked more solid with the THB/Stephens pairing. The only other change I would make from Boro home game is Downes in for Charles, who will obviously still have an important role coming on later. Would keep Stewart in up top, thought he had a good game on Tuesday, Larin to come on later.

Could be fun to watch to be fair! The yanks would love it, might result in a late change to the rules in the World Cup?

I know there is stuff out there that says he went to Villa but can't honestly think all this would have gone this far if the guy Middlesborough caught is not even a current Saints employee or contractor. Surely??!!

I get what you are saying but I think I practice as the charge will have been proven for that to happen, the attitude will be "if you can't do the time, don't do the crime". But worth a try in atguing that I guess!

Totally agree with you about Hull, I have been thinking the same. Massive game for them and a great achievement for them. They are completely innocent bystanders in all this and now their fans, team and club have to live with all this uncertainty, hassle in making their travel plans etc. What an utter mess and shambles.