JackanorySFC

Any genuine football fan that has half a brain should be praying that Arsenal do well. An extremely well run club owned by a mixture of fans, wealthy benefactors, "old money" and institutions that have cash reserves due to refusing to pay over the odds in both transfer fees and wages in the face of disgusting criticism from all sectors of the media desperate for faux outrage and controvacy. They support their managers judgement, play young British players (a couple created by us) in a style of football that is quite possibly the easiest on the eye this country has ever seen domestically. What are the alternatives? 1- Leverage a load of debt and pay huge sums for average players like LFC and have your club taken away from the fans like MUFC 2- Get some petro dollars in aka City and Chelsea and turn the game into a vulgar arms race Arsenals "other way" is the only hope that clubs like ours have of being successful long term, Wenger's ability to not only finish top 4 but constantly reach the latter stages of the Champions League playing their style of football and (most impressively) with their unparalleled net spend deserves the utmost respect from football lovers and fans of clubs that genuine aspire to dine at footballs top table, and get there on their merits, like (I hope) a few other Saints fans out there. Still hope we smash em home and away though :-)

To be fair to the Guardian they don't have a huge amount of resources. Hardly anyone buys it, less than 190k a day which is shockingly low (only the Indy sells less with about 70k a day). They do a superb job with their loss making website though, get match reviews up there straight away and their main sports writers are decent. Selling so few papers simply means they have to rely on PA match reports for most games.

Have you tried the Football Ramble? I personally like the Guardian's, the Times is ruined by Marcotti being annoying but the contributors (except for Cascarino) are excellent. However the Ramble is quality, big following and 4 chaps that know their football and are pretty funny too. Don't expect much about Saints, more for football fans in general that like a laugh and genuine knowledge, if you want Saints stuff there is one out there focused on us which is OK(ish). I've listened to a few other clubs one's just to see what they are like, the best by a mile is the Tuesday Club (Arsenal's with Alan Davies), properly funny imo and listened to by supporters of loads of clubs. I spend a lot of time on the train......

Out of interest, what will happen to the Labour party if the Jocks vote for independence? Surely they'd have no chance of getting voted in for a generation at least without their Scottish MP's?

I'm only talking abut the chaps I know. A couple of front office brokers, a fund manager and one that does something incredibly complicated with pensions acquisitions for HSBC that I don't understand despite him explaining it to me 5 or 6 times. Don't know the big hitters that dictate strategy I'm afraid my friend, just the fellas that put the hours in. I'm glad you mentioned that though, as people like he chap I quoted clearly don't understand the different roles Finance Sector workers do, instead ignorantly labelling them all "City types". The CEO's and Exec Board members of RBS, Northern Rock, HBOS, Lehman brothers, the other failed banks and the morons in the Labour cabinet that encouraged the risk taking should certainly be held accountable for what they did. Any right minded individual would agree with that

Keep digging weirdo....

Bang out of order and totally wrong. Gifted children are far harder to teach, as by definition (you clearly weren't a gifted child or you would have noticed this) they require more work and longer, more detailed lesson plans and 1-2-1 time. It's not just the top kids that miss out but also the bottom due to Schools obsession with C+ grades, teachers are directed to focus on the borderline kids. However, most decent teachers use their own time to help the lower achievers (despite often difficult home environments and attitudes) and enhance the most gifted. Teachers are amazing, hard working people. As are nurses, engineers, scientists and other people that all work far far harder than me with more stress and responsibility. Just a simple fact that the City workers I know work way harder than them, I couldn't do that but I'm grateful they do as each of their tax contributions amount to more than mine and 10 Teachers contributions. That's just a fact.

Lol, seems I have a stalker, however for the record: Murdoch is an excellent employer that rewards News Corp's thousands of tax paying UK staff well and offers market leading commercial products that no one is forced to buy. Just wondering, why since 2008 have the traders, fund managers and brokers I know earns less each year since 2008, perfectly in line with their falling profits/ earnings? Do you know a single City worker that has lost their business money and kept their job? Seriously? I don't. Although tbf this year is the first when things are looking up, City very confident right now it seems. Which is good news for the au pairs, gardeners, nannies and cleaners they employ.

Not really, she disagreed with the strike as she appreciates having a job and a guaranteed pay rise every year along with a decent pension. She had no choice, her school shut down for the day, leaving parents across Hampshire having to take time off work hitting the economy. So again, the school shut down, she disagreed so did our Christmas shopping and saw loads of other teachers and admin staff in Winchester doing exactly the same thing. I'm proud of her, on a rare day where she wasn't dealing with hideous beurocracy, horrible kids, worse parents and a system obsessed with turning C/D students into B/C students, ignoring the gifted kids, she could have sat on her a*** all day but instead saved me a job and went into Winch sorting all our shopping, as I hate Christmas shopping!

Have you ever met a "city type"? I know a few, they earn mega bonuses paid based on the PROFITS they make their clients/ trading company. They are also, by a long long way, the hardest working people I know (I'm good friends with a intensive care nurse, my misses is a teacher and know plenty of engineers, scientists etc). Never take holidays, work 16-18 hour days, miss their kids growing up but tell themselves they will retire at 40 (which I personally doubt, and even if they do I expect their kids will resent them anyway) and live under extreme pressure. You need to understand that bankers that lose mony lose their jobs. It really is that simple, the idea of bankers getting any more than a donut when they've lost clients money is unbelievibly nieve. Anyway, you want a bogeyman to blame so knock yourself out pal.

My missus is a Teacher, she got a 1% pay rise this year (on top of her regular pay rise due to going up a experience level). Last time they had strikes (December 2011 I think) she went Christmas shopping in Winchester and bumped into loads of other teachers doing the same thing. BTW - being a Teacher is a seriously hard job, hugely pressurised and hard work often goes unappreciated.... No need to strike though IMO.

How have you got on buying tickets? I've set up an account (pretty straight forward), chosen the block and type of seat, gone to pay and says I can only pay via Bank Transfer, wouldn't be a problem but their drop down menu only has Dutch Banks on there. Basically no Credit/ Debit card or PayPal option? Annoying as it's seriously cheap and they have an internet discount option on there (laughable when you consider we charge extra for this "service")! The same tickets on ViaGoGo are double due to their admin fees. I arrive out there next Thursday am so may have to hope decent price tickets are still available and go straight to the ground to get them.

Excellent, just seen too they are playing top of the league with 4 wins and a draw in their first 5 games. Will buy/ print the tickets now, spotted a few for 19 Euros in with their Ultras in block 423, would be rude not too....

Cheers. Seems a lot of European Clubs do that, was exactly the same set up at Napoli and FC Koln. Also, their website has an option of printing the picket off, with a barcode scanner I can't understand why we can't do something similar and save on admin and postage costs?

Help needed if possible (maybe better in overseas or General Sports area?). I am in Amsterdam over the weekend on 14th/ 15th September for an exhibition. Just did a quick check as it seems Ajax are playing at home against PEC Zwelle and they are a club I've always wanted to see play (err Ajax, not PEC) in a Stadium I've wanted to do for a long time. Tickets seem available and cheap on their website (approx 20 Euros for the cheapest top tier seats). Just wondering if the best way to get them is by buying and printing them off or is it better to get them at the stadium/ in the City Centre? I'm staying in the Ibis City Centre (by Central Station), so I assume it's easy to get to the stadium from there? Been to Amsterdam a few times (for work and pleasure) great City so looking forward to getting some football in too if I can. Also, any recommendations of a pub likely to show the West Ham game on the Sunday? Not many Sports bars from what I have seen over there, but probably looking in the wrong places (at the wrong things;-). Thanks for any help. Up the Saints!

Top video that. MP still has some serious skills! Clearly a strong relationship between Osvaldo and Pochettino, no coincidence the video editor left the bit in about house hunting for 3 months, plenty of other positive quotes to use but that reinforces how long/ strong our interest has been there for. Also, must add how much I generally like the uncovered videos, to be opens a door to inner workings of our club that I've not seen before. Seems a great team spirit right now. BTW, who is the bald fella MR that is acting as liaison for Osvaldo?

New players outstanding. Young players from Academy also had excellent games. Good decision to bring Gaston on for AL, the guy is a genuine game changer. Lambert my hero. A lot of credit for the club in terms of progress made over the summer, clearly improved - very optimistic about the season ahead. If we can also overturn the Mackems next week that will be a big 6 point swing in our favour YoY. Great time to be a Saints fan!

Rickie is my hero.... What's that nutter SaintTony saying now? Hope he avoided the Itchen Bridge like....

Nutter. Genuine nutter.....

Ha, I'm going to the same bar as Weds for that reason exactly. Owner thought I was a loon the way I celebrated SRL's goal, invited me back for today on promise I get boozed up again. As I say, not a problem...

In Fethiye, Turkey, sat by my pool about to get up, showered and out. Have discovered Al Jazerra, every game on, awesome coverage. Have found a bar willing to have us on. Will cost me 6 pints of Efes. Not a problem.... Up the Saints!

Go watch an England game in person, watch one of the fully paid up "top 4 player that couldn't give a ****" players like Jack Wilshire play his heart out then tell me he doesn't care. Disgusting and every bit as ignorant as the 99% on here that complain our players get no recognition as no one watches/ gives a *** about players from outside the biggest clubs. Blame the media for expecting bigger things or the Spanish for setting new standards. Most (not all admittedly) of our lads at least try, hate it when people write them off without bothering going to games and seeing the effort they put in off the ball. Like some of our more outspoken morons on here that slag Saints off without actually going to games and getting info from dodgy streams. Up the Saints Up the England GSTQ

Fair enough, can only go on what I've seen. Think he's alright but nowhere near Champs league quality and looked genuinely shocking against Wigan (as ineffective as against us to my memory when Fox marked him out of he game(s). Reckon he'll be frustrated this season and not start more than 15 games. Happy to be proved wrong as that'll be good for England.

Agree. Thought he was a show pony against us in the Champ home and away, at the time Lallana looked a far better/ skilful/ game changing player IMO. Actually felt a bit embarrassed for him on Sunday getting robbed every time by the Wigan LB, to imagine having to face RVP/ Giggs etc after fannying about avoiding the early ball only to be easily dispossessed was genuinely cringeworthy.

Some decent points in there I agree with if I'm honest. At least you've been, seen and done it. Unlike most morons on here that can't see beyond their club side as they are too busy tweeting fake football agents about Osvaldo. Modern football at its worst, will no doubt be all over the ferries at the Euros in 3 years time making it harder for the regulars with a new found sense of patriotism. Only clubs you don't see represented abroad are the scousers (not fair on EFC really but you get my point), the day we turn into England hating republicans like them is the day I am ashamed to be a Sotonian. Luckily we are well represented abroad, unsurprisingly by a hard core that do every Saints game home and away. These people are football fans first, Saints and England after that (in no order), "club before country" types tend to be the sort that get their fix from Sky Sports or Internet streams in my experience. Up the Saints Up the England GSTQ