MarkSFC

Well said!:smt038

I agree that he will have no input on policy he merely implememts the operation of selling the tickets in all his time at the club! The communication around STs this year is the let down. Personally I think the price are well within acceptable levels and certainly value for money compared to the product we had last this time last year. I think there may be some over reaction due to the £125 rumour which makes the prices seem expensive. In reality they are not. I also think that by raising the prices this year the price jump to Championship prices next year and then to Prem prices the next year will not be so painful!!! A sensible approach in the medium term!! As someone once said you can't please all the people all the time!!!

This really is a bit of a PR flop....and I would bet it is down to Luker or someone else, rather than NC directly. I suspect figures were discussed and agreed and then DL (or a.n.other) were tasked with the public announcement and delivery of ST sales etc. I would expect an overhaul of the "Supporter Services Department" any time soon......

It is a shame but he hasn't played well this season, partly due to injury. I do think he should leave Arsenal and find a club that will play him off a main striker as I think he is much better through the middle. Maybe even somewhere like Bolton and play off Davies, or even Liverpool alongside Torres and Gerrard. He's still very young!

£14 or £17 a game (depending on purchase date) is extremly good to watch the best team in League 1! Sure, the lack of instalment plan is likely to lose a few people but c'est la vie, if you can't afford it or get the credit another way then why should the club risk themselves? The £2 surcharge on matchday is a fair thing to help reduce queues but I don't think the £3 fee for purchasing on the phone or online is fair. It does mean people have to make decisions on attending games earlier in advance in order to get to SMS or WestQuay. I just hope that the opening hours are longer than 9-5 in order to facilitate more in person sales without surcharges!!

The way I read it is the £27 ticket is Centre seats bought on matchday. If you phone up or go online to purchase at any time you will pay a further £3. As they have said, the £2 surcharge is to encourage pre matchday purchase from the ground or shop, and the £3 charge I would assume is to cover cost AND to encourage pre matchday collection to cut down on queues at the office. Makes total sense as hopefully people will be in the ground a bit sooner drinking beer eating food and building up the atmoshere (as well as the revenue!!). I can understdnd the frustrations re installments but as you have until Aug 6th, potentially that 3 paydays for most people to find (individually) £328 even if you don't have any already saved!!! Not really an issue I would think but I can certainly understdnd if you are buying for a whole family!

Cast your mind back to how you felt this time last summer just for a moment.... It was a dark time, administration, relegation and quite literally panic from the masses!!! For weeks every concievable outcome was discussed on here, in the papers, around tables in pubs, at home, at work, in the street, on tv....it was a depressing and scary time. Liquidation, a fans takeover, the city buy SMS, fake sheiks (well, fake bidders!), a new club if needed, these things all reared their ugly heads. Then, on one sunny incredible day in early July...salvation, our messiah arrived and the light at the end of what had seemed like an extremely long tunnel suddenly shone in our eyes...it "nearly" blinded me!! Relief crushed despair, hope trampled on fear, excitement blew away the depression and in walked Markus Leibherr and Nicola Cortese. Remember how that felt. Nearly one year on and the turn around is amazing. For one we have our club, alive and kicking (bl**dy hard too). More than that we have an owner who despite his public silence (which I actually like fwiw) seems to love this club. We have a CEO who is clearly a visionary, highly driven, and utterly ruthless. We have a Manager who in a very short time has changed the mindset of the team, through excellent man management and shrewd acquisitions. We have plans in place for a "best-in-class" training ground and academy. We also have ambitions to provide "best-in-class" hospitality and catering through the new Halo company. We hear that there are plans to improve the facilities within the stadium. We also anticipate for (probably) the first summer ever not losing any of our best players and instead adding more quality to the team. How does all that feel? All of this hugely positive and progressive change in little under 12 months is more than anyone would probably have wished for this time last year. Unfortunately though expectation is a fluid concept and one that will change from day to day, from person to person. In May last year I "expected" us to be saved but did not expect a billionaire. After the takeover and the appointment of Pardew I expected comfortable safety. After the signing of Lambert and listening to Pardew at the Solent forum I expected top half at least. When we signed Fonte and Puncheon I expected a play-off spot. I now expect us to win League One next season. Although we didnt make the play-offs I think the achievment of the football team is excellent, it just happened to be one of the most competitve League Ones in history...but for those ten points!!! When I look at how my expectations change it does not surprise me that other people set theirs according to the situation we are in now. It is how ever good to have a point of reference in order to rationalise your expectation. On that note it amazes me how critical some people are that season tickets are not on sale yet. Im sure there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for this, which Im sure will be revealed, but the debate over this is incredible!! Take yourself back to this time last year....did you miss out on you season ticket for 2009/10?? Last year when we needed the money, the administrators couldnt sell them (which is why it puzzles me that PFC can sell thiers, but thats a totally different subject!!), and people moaned. This year we dont need the income (how great is that?!!) and people moan because all they see is their world! Chill....Remember the big picture....its getting better and better week by week, month by month, and definitely year on year!! :smt038

Everything Cortese has done so far in regard to planning and development of the club has been exciting and/or very progressive, and in-line with the "best in class" philosophy he is working to in every aspect. No public statement in regard to season tickets so far, is a little surprising but from his point of view, probably not number one in his list. He released them in July last season and there were no issues so you can see why it may not be. As setting prices and selling tickets is probably the simplest of tasks I suspect something else is happening that affects this!! I think NC is a visionary and so I imagine the so called delay will result in excitement. Rather than a really cheap price if ticket like the mooted £125 price point (which wouldn't actually gaurantee high attendances), I reckon there maybe some sort of "125 years celebrational gift" for ST holders. Some special picture or something of both financial value and desirable. And if so this may explain why STs aren't on sale yet, as the product is being sourced and made!! I wouldn't be surprised either if the club would liketo move the "singers" to The Chapel. IMO this would create a better atmosphere, especially when the ground isn't sold out. Having the singers effectively in the middle of the home fans, rather than on the end, as they currently are, will actually encourage more singing from those that may not currently do so as it will spread!

The "criminal" aspect of the charity probably appeals to Pompey....kindred spirits!

There's a post on OSFacebook stating that an announcement will be made Monday and STs will go on sale Tuesday....from someone that "appears" to work in or knows someone in the ticket office! Make of that as you will!!!!

Reading this thread indicates the gulf in standards and expectations of fans. If you are happy with Harding fair enough but I dint expect him to perform as the best LB in L1 for all 46 games. He started poorly but did become more cinsistant. He is not that great! Anyone who is better is great! Mills is at least a season or two away from being good enough and by then it will be the Championship. Any doubters on whether we need another LB, ask yourself this "if we were playing in the championship this season, is Harding good enough to be in a title winning team"? That is what AP is building for now. As for the priority of signings, this is a ridiculous argument. Hopkins has said it all really! I'm sure that it works more like this; AP: Nicola, I want to sign "x", "y", "z", "a", "b", and "c" NC: How much will that cost including fees and wages? AP: maybe 8-10million? NC: why 6 players, and who are they? Etc, etc, etc!!!! NC gives go ahead on agreed players and financed and then AP goes and gets them , in whatever order happens!!!

What if.....Adam Blackmores "source" passed him in the corridor at SMS and the passing cinversation goes something like this: AB: Hey "source" how are you? Where's Markus, I havnt seen him today? SOURCE: he's not coming. He's not happy. AB: Not happy? SOURCE: No, look, Adam, nice chatting, see you later, got things to do. This can easily be interpreted as Markus not happy (fill in reason) and so isn't here. Equally can be interpreted as Markus is not here (reason-no flights cos of ash) and is unhappy that he can't make the last game of the season to celebrate with the fans and his team. Which makes a better story for media with no real stories and dare I say it, their own agendas?

What a fantastic statement by NC!! He certainly holds no prisoners and will not allow anyone to undermine him or the club regardless of previous heroics! Love that! In regard LeTiss and Lawrie they should know better than to listen to idle gossip but Im sure would only be answering approaches by The Echo for thief thoughts!! It's great that NC mentions "alan and me" several times and that they have fun! We truly are very fortunate to have Marcus, Nicola, and Alan at our club and no one should forget that. I know people on here come from the "what if (worst case scenario)" point of view will warn of failure but that word does not even enter Corteses mind. Sit back and enjoy the ride everyone, it's going to be amazing!!!

Ever since ML saved us last summer Nicola Cortese has spoken only of success and building on and off the field for the premiership. Much has been made of the money spent in January and that this must have effected the timescales by which Pardews first main target of getting to the Chsmpionship had to be achieved. Purely on a business level this is very unlikely. From a football business perspective and within the scope of "The five year plan" this move is ridiculous. Within that plan X money would have been talked about and budgeted, certainly with contingency built in. From the position we were in last summer at point of takeover, the money spent will certainly be within budget and is definitely not a huge part of the overall figure required to achieve the goals of The five year plan. Sure, making the play-offs this season would have been great and sure maybe expectation may have increased but that merely demonstrates how good a job Alan Pardew and his fellow coaches have done both in terms of recruitment and organisation. Unless something really untoward has happened behind closed doors I can see no reason why a highly professional person would go back on his decision of 10 months ago and sack AP. Of course, if we do not go up next season then I fully expect a change. If something has happened and AP does go I don't actually get why it's taken so long! Also, the replacement will very definitely fit in with the vision NC has for the club so Cotterill does not fit! Unlike some I am expecting positve news over the coming days and weeks concerning ST prices, plans for SMS, the 125 year plans, a possible Sporting Director (quite possibly Lennie Lawrence, knows AP and Les Read well), and of course a few quality signings!!!

Bale definitely went for his career and the money but fair play to him now....he's been sensational this year. Surman I think (or maybe it's a bit of hope) went mainly for the greater good of "his club" in a time of absolute desperation for money. I'm sure he would have prefered to stay but circumstances prevailed. Money certainly drives the vast majority of players but I sincerely believe Llalana will be with Saints for many years. He will get his financial rewards ad we progress through the five year plan and beyond, and as Pardew pointed out to him last summer, if he stays here he will get promotions on his cv (and the odd cup!) and money cannot buy that!

Atmosphere would not have died....too many people on hear hung up on having the away fans next to the main singers.,...dare I say it, probably everyone under20/25 who know nothing other than St Marys!! FACT....fans will sing wherever the away fans and when a team only brings a couple of hundred they won't make any difference anyway. It is home fans that make the atmosphere NOT the away fans wherever they sit....FACT

This rumour mill is worse than last summer and we are onlytwo days into the close season!! Remember this, speculation and controversy sells media. The totally professional way that NC goes about his business must really wrankle with the local reporters andthe only stories they can generate are hearsay and Chinese whispers! Virtually every it of "news" concerning Saints will bereported first on the official site and therfore "exclusives" are few and far between. This is not something papers in particular like!! There areeven those on here who think that FACTS will be stated on here first! I for one hope that the OS is always the source of thefactsand sites like this will bea source of rumour and banter and that the rumours are treated as such. Supporting Saints has never been straight forward but for once oursummer could be one of excitement, building the team and squad for the promotion challenge next season. Instead, all this negative gossip reminds me of times I hoped would not return for a very long time!!! FWIW I do t belive the rumours about ML or AP and hope Im not proven wrong!!!!!

I find all the talk about AP possibly being replaced indicative of the "want everything yesterday" world we live in! 10 months ago we didn't even have a club for sure and although the appointment was met with an underwhelming excitement (probably partly to do with the rumours of "bigger" names such as Keegan) IMHO he has done fantastic job and more importantly will continue to do so for years to come. Managers just like most people in life get better at what they do over time. His history at other clubs both good and not so good make him what he is. We have WON 83 points, 5th best in the league and only 3 off 2nd. Considering every other club had weeks and weeks of more preparation, the situation he came into at the club then he has done as good if not better than any other manager in the league - Paul Lambert excluded. The years of changing manager for whatever reason eventually cost us dearly and after such an exciting and enjoyable season anyone who thinks we should change now really is short-sighted. Let's reflect on a foundation season that will allow this club to be built back up to a force in thr Premiership....with Alan Pardew in charge!

It would be good to hear from our "saviour"!! Asimple message of how he has enjoyed the season and maybe some comment regarding ambition! Having said that, I love the fact that our wealthy owner is comfortable enough to let someone else run the business so that (from what it seems) he can just sit back and enjoy being a fan as much as the owner ( or custodian as NC once said, which says it all for me!) maybe a comment from Markus will just become an annual event, much like the Queens speech at Christmas, but in this case one I actually look forward too!

even money we finish top 3 is surely one of the most nailed on bets you could ever wish for!!! Put your house on it!

Assuming we do end up winning our remaining games we would have actually won 88 points. Looking back over the last 15 seasons this total would have won the division on 3 occasions and acheived 2nd place on 12 occasions! 78 points would have made the play-offs on 11 occasions. I think this proves just how competitive League 1 has been this year and what a great job Pardew and hid team have done.

He was simply class. The season we finished runners-up was because of his goals but ultimately had he not got injured at Christmas we would definitely have won the league! Who knows what could have happened then! I remember meeting him when I was about 13, it was at Bitterne Bowl when my junior league had a presentation evening and charity event when ALL the squad turned up, Lawrie Mac et all! I was sat with mates waiting for the presentation to start and Steve Moran walked over to our table and asked if he could join us. As a fan and only 13 I was awestruck and hardly said anything! He spent the while evening at our table talking Saints when asked but joined in our celebrations when we picked up out trophies. A top top bloke and a top top player. I wonder if he remembers?!!!

Well said!!

In 5 years time I expect us to be in the Premiership, possibly building on the first season back. I hope that Pardew is still manager and I am convinced totally that Cortese and Leibherr will still be driving the club forward. I expect our training facilities and academy to have gained a reputation for excellence around the country, if not further afield. I hope that St Marys has either been expanded OR plans for a brand new 45-48000 seater state of the art stadium are in full flow! I hope that within 5 years one of the BIG clubs have hit rocky ground, much like the skates, simply to refresh the order of things. Clubs will always need money and big money at that and I hope within the next five years regulation is in place to limit the level of debt a club can rack up and in turn rely on turnover and benefactors. In five years time I hope we are talking about the next five years with as much optimism, excitement as we are today!!

I remember from the Dell (and prefer to the full version) "you reds" with the you extensuated!And it's still a great chant at corners!