MarkSFC

I couldn't agree more and this is really what prompted my OP. I read through this site virtually every day but almost every post seems to descend into personal agendas/negativity or just plain drivel! Don't get me wrong there are some very well informed and articulate posters on here as well as some very good debators with some excellent and interesting views. The trouble is, most of the time the people who shout loudest (so to speak) and have the most to say are usually the most negative, disruptive and insular people. It gets very boring scrolling through their posts. Wouldn't it be great to read more good things, and have more thought provoking debates?! Bundles of humour would be better than the showers of despair!

So discuss.........

For someone with over 4000 posts to their name, you'd guess they would have mastered the art of debate and discussion by now rather than trying to put others down with supposed insults and so called funny repostes. Why don't you say nothing until you have something positive, constructive, or worthwhile to say? You may enjoy it!

LOL!

Interesting comment, have I hit a nerve? At no point did I say "accept everything no matter what". This is not my view at all. You have immediately vindicated my point by missing the point entirely. By mentioning my number of posts I can only assume that you think commenting loads and "loudest" is what counts. I wish you every success with that.

It absolutely amazes me how some people on this forum can be so negative about all things Saints so much of the time. For the only time in my short period of supporting Saints (35 years and counting) we actually have on the evidence so far at least, an owner who is very wealthy and wants to invest his own money - and not borrow - and a CEO who has a very robust, positive, forward thinking, and customer centric strategy. We also have a manager who is extremly driven, recognises the huge opportunity he has been given, is very open and honest, articulates his views very well and is finally, mainly because of the lack of preperation he had at the start of the season and because of the stupid transfer window, shaping his own team. As well as this their is money being invested in the training facilities, and a clear message from Nicola Cortese that he wants us to be leaders. And yet despite all these extremely positive actions which from what I can tell is not replicated any where else in football currently are there STILL people who moan? You are like the kid at Christmas who got the expensive toy they moaned about all year but then moaned that they wanted it a different colour. We are THE luckiest group of football fans in the world right now IMHO and rather than be decisive and negative with your comments why don't you CHANGE just like the club has and look forward positively and excitedly to each and every game over the next few years? This club has new people running it, new players and basing your expectations on previous incumbants is folly. Ok, we may not make the play-offs this year but considering everything that happened in the summer and the lack of time AP and NC had, I think even of we finish within 10 points of 6th, getting to the final of the JPT (and hopefully thrashing Carlisle!), having a decent run in the cups and only losing to Premiership teams, can definitley be regarded as succesful. Positivity breeds success and even when you need to look at what is not great, looking at it in a positive manner is what allows development and this is how successful people and teams make that happen. So, e.g. Questioning whether AP will be here is a negative question and one that if left to fester "could" create doubt in his ability which actually in the cold light of day is clearly very good. Sure, if we fail to achieve championship status by the end of next season then that's different, but I truly believe that we are at the start of what will turn out to be the the most successful and exciting period in our clubs history, so if YOU ARE MOANING and NEGATIVE NOW, WHAT IS THE POINT of supporting Saints?!! I for one would say keep your opinions to yourself for now and sit back and enjoy the ride!!

I love you bro....

all booked mate...when we getting a beer this week?!!!

Brilliant..I am flying to Dallas on 15th Feb so was going to miss it!!

I think you both miss the point.......sure 6k or so are paying but if you want another 4-5k minimum in the stadium I think the club needs to drop the price. As for our prices being worse, again thats not the issue its about attracting more fans into the ground. Its easy to get 10-12k (or whatever the figures are) at Orient, Oldham, Suthend etc, etc but getting 25k plus in League One from a supporter base that needs re-building, the prices need to encourage that. The "base" is now about 15-16k and will grow, how quickly it does that is down to mainly pricing imho. Even "special offers" for the casual supporter would help....e.g. buy 2 games and get one half price...thus meaning an outlay of £55 instead of £66. There are many different ways of marketing the tickets ( and not really effecting the "value" of a season ticket), but we'll see!!

I think the matchday pricing is hindering "casual" attendance. Quite rightly season ticket holders got a good package this season, with the single Adult average of about £15 per game. As someone who can only attend a few games (as Im so lucky to work in retail!) the matchday price of £22 or £25 depending on where you sit is a little steep.It hasnt stopped me attending a couple of games so far, and nor will it, but Im sure its a big reason for others. If it was £19 or £20 I think pschologically more people would find that affordable. Only minor criticism of the new regime so far!!

Calling for Pardew to be sacked is ridiculous and would be counter-productive anyway. All those who truly believe it would be best to change the manager, I am sure have no "management" or "coaching experience". Look at the facts. AP took over a club in absolute turmoil just under 3 months ago. In that time he had to assemble his own coaching team, a completely new scouting set-up, as well as recruit, organise, and galvanise a football team. Those players who were left at the club (and still are) are either "kids" still learning their trade or professionals who had suffered the disaster of last season. Dealing with, and coaching the mental side of any sport or business is sometimes tougher than the physical actions. AND it takes LONGER. Having listened to Alan Pardew (and NC) at the Forum I have no doubt whatsoever that he is the right manager for our club for a very long time. He comes across as someone who is comfortable in his role in the sense that he knows exactly what he wants and how he is going to achieve it. You can be the best coach/manager in the world but you ultimately rely on other people and their ability and most impoortantly thier attitude. In football it is difficult to just chop and change people around because of the transfer window system. Therefore, as AP stated he is still getting to know and understand his players and this takes time, time that he and the club had a damn site less of than every other club in our division. Most of the teams have been "building" for two or three seasons, and we are playing catch up in more ways than just the 10 point deduction. It is time for ALL fans to realise and accept that this is a medium to long term project here, firstly to get back to the Championship and compete in it and then into the Premiership and beyond. Apart from building the first team up again, the business is being built up again, and unlike a start up business, many things have to be understood and changed before real progress can be established. We are lucky because we have a great stadium, and training ground and in many respects a great set of supporters. So many clubs do not have anything like our facilities and maybe never will!! It occurred to me recently that maybe our fanbase suffers from division because the "old hardcore" of Dell Fans has been complemented by a "new hardcore" of St Marys fans (ones who maybe never went to The Dell) and as such the new hardcore fans have "grown up" so to speak on the Prem and FA Cup glory of early 2000's and unlike the old hardcore, were/are not ofay with the fighting spirit mentality and togetherness factor that we did have at The Dell. These points are not meant to disrespect any individual fan or section of fans, merely an observation of why it seems to me that there is a distinct lack of patience, realism and vision amongst many people, especially on here. Just like AP is re-building our football team and NC is re-building our football club, we the fans need to be re-built to some degree. The pain of the last few years can only go away with a united fan-base who trust the new owner to put into his business the right people for the job. In time we can and will succeed and we will once again savour the Premiership and Europe BUT it will take time. One thing that apparently helped in ML's purchase of the club was the fans. If those same named people start getting impatient and argumentative and vocalise their wishes for change - yet again - then what does that say to the decision maker? There are only two scenarios under which I would want AP to go and that is if after 5 or 6 years we are not in the Premiership or god forbid we get relegated this year, and even then I would not be too sure, but you never know unless it happened. So my conclusion to my rather long post is that some how we the fans have to leave the bad past, the ill-feeling, and the natural urges to panic, in the past and look to the future positively, passionately and pro-actively. We must get behind the club and the team and the individuals and give them no excuses for failure. We must show the footballing world that we are brilliant fans who inspite of adverse times will still support their team and club as well as any other group of fans in the world would. COYR!!!

Why the **** should we empathise with the skates? Their start to the season is the best thing ever....the few skates I know have in comparison to the last 3/4 years gone very very quiet!!! Its brilliant!!

There is absolutely no excuse or place for this kind of behaviour. Football or more accurately "team allegiance" is just the vehicle used by these morons. Fighting at any time is pathetic and sad, fighting under the guise of being a football supporter is worse. Of course, people and in particular sports/football fans will always banter and debate and occassionally this will get heated BUT only a certain type of person will fight to sorrt it out....they are not welcome in society let alone St Marys IMHO. As I walked away from the stadium today, there werre a few Yeovil Fans behind me openly slagging "my club" off. Choices..1) IGNORE 2) React angrily and see how it goes from there...3) Acknowledge their points and quip funnily - stuns, silents and calms the situation. IF, I had been a moron or others around them were morons then more fighting would have occurred....instead, a short friendly conversation took place.

Wrong...they all have someone who will look after the business side of player recruitment and retention. They just change the title, CEO, Chairman, DOF, Sporting Director, etc etc. Agree....a lack of "intervention" seems strange but sometimes intervention is not actually what players need to see or hear. A change of "tact" on Pardews "on the run coaching method" (i.e. during performance) showa a good level of flexibility on his part. We do not know the discussions he has with his team...a good, decent coach will do what is best for individuals and a team...sometimes "less intervention" has better results. This clearly didnot work last night BUT his "more intervention" method did not work on Saturday. He needs time from everyone...especially us impatient fans who want success NOW!!! I must admit I was not excited initially by his appointment but everything he say has a freshness and openess about it, coupled with a high level of confidence and contentment in his own ability. The fact he spent time with Alex Fergusson displays a charcter who is always ready to learn and seeks opportunity. He will succeed with us...............lets hope the players do quickly, otherwise it will be an even bigger change of personell than is/has happened.

Dave, I think you are worrying about nothing. When Cortese said the SD will sanction transfers, I interperate that as the SD has the final say on fees, wages, length of contract and whether that fits into the overall budget or not and make the "business decision". AP will make the "football decision" on who he wants, how they set up, preperation, etc......for me no conflict or confusion. I think the set-up will allow AP to devote all his time to the first team and his management team...and the SD will allow NC to devote his tiem to the company as a whole in regard to strategy and planning etc. The fact that the SD is "football savvy" to me means he is likely to be more along the lines of a Peter Kenyon than an Ex manager/player. Chill out and enjoy the next few years and TRUST the new people...I know trusting the owners/directors of our club has been difficult but times have changed.

love it!!

After so many weeks of reading negative stuff, slit your wrists stuff, build you up let you down stuff, I thought it would be great to have one dedicated thread, where you ONLY PUT A POSITIVE POST UP. Even when I read a negative post on any of the other "good thing" posts, I just give up.....its done me in. So....in order to keep this feel good factor going, can everybody post at least one POSITIVE OR OPTIMISTIC post on here so that I for one can keep the buzz going!!!!!!! Thanks everone for doing so............. Mark :D:D:D:D:D:D

True and I doubt AO is meeting them in there to discuss. I suppose I should have been more specific for those that need it, and say that we have to trust their decision making. Panicking everytime a rumour surfaces about something someone doesnt like is a waste of energy, and directing it towards an executive of the club just smacks of self-importance . IF, something actually happens that does not sit favouravbly with someone, then fair enough...moan all you like on here or in the pub. But that takes us back in time and for once it would be great to read positive, optimistic things on here....at least until the first **** up(which I hope is years away!!!!

If Oldknow reads this ever, let alone during these early days and weeks I would be very disappointed. As much as I enjoy this site, using it to guage opinion from your customers is very naive. If AO or anyone else now running our club/business feels the need to geuage opinion to make decisions, from a group of faeless and (mostly) nameless people then they are not in the right job!!!!!

I wouldnt get too concerned with any prices listed anywhere in regard our new manager. The nature of such lists is that form is virtually irrelevant and people bet with their heads/hearts or on pure speculation. This vreates a very instable market and huge fluctuations, when usually no-one knows much. By the time they do, the book will have closed!!!Bookies hardly ever lose on these markets.

Simply not true. The initial prices of any "book" are based on the knowledge an opinion of the bookmaker (and sometimes geographical factors). Prices will change as money is bet and significant changes can happen when small amounts of money go on large prices, and particularly when the bookmaker hasnt taken enough on the book. The bookmaker works to an "overound percentage" which usually varies between 105 and 120%. This indicates the likely profit based on equal stakes. I have never seen a 200-1 shot gambled down to 12-1!!!

I suspect that MLT will be Chairman of the Football Club and responsible for that part of the business. TL or A.N. Other will be CEO for the business.

TL has stayed he was approached so 2 would make sense

I'm so trying not to get excited. Possibly one of the best childhood memories when he signed and as for "that goal" I was standing on the Milton. Glory days that may never return but the next few years COULd be as exciting for different reasons!!!!