rshephard3

Agree, good article. He never claimed it was full of crazy new insightful facts so not sure what people expect. Even the opening part explains he is considering the possibilities based on SFC's decisions over the next few weeks. If the £17 million for Lallana is an accurate figure we'd need to push that to £25 million IMO.

Why would he rather play in the Europa league? It's Champions League football that these guys want, not just any old European football. And thus, SFC can offer the same as Everton or Spurs. And I don't think someone like Welbeck will have his door being knocked down with Champs League managers trying to get hold of his services.

Glad I'm not the only one. The only upside is that, when we plan to leave the house around 8pm I normally have time to watch the first half of an evening kick off (in my coat with my shoes on). Pistorius took things too far though. IMO.

I don't know if anyone can help but here goes.. My mum loves going to games but lives in Australia. She is in the UK when we play Utd and everyone I know at SMS is a ST holder, therefore no extras available. If anyone has a customer number with some home games on it and can't make Utd game could they please PM me? Happy to pay for the use of the number if that's what it takes, just can't see any other way to get the old dear in the stadium!

Agree with this completely. Even the players who are fit enough to be starting at the mo are very tired against good sides after an hour and understandably so. Currently not enough strength in depth for a second wind in these games to relieve a bit of pressure on the regular first teamers. Remarkable season, been the better side for long periods at OT, Etihad, Anfield & WHL.

You're right, spoken to TO and at the moment there are no plans for ST holders to purchase extra tickets period. Depending on volume of sales up to 17th April a decision will be made whether ST holders will be allowed to purchase any extras.

Presumably ST holders wishing to purchase for friends/family will just need a few customer numbers from other ST holders who don't require any extra tickets and can purchase in the first window.

Absolutely demolish Carlisle you mean. At one of the lowest points in SFC history. Lets not unnecessarily self depricate now.

4 years ago this midweek, we scraped past Hartlepool 3-2 at SMS in front of 18,000. It defies belief that anyone but an absolute jester can have anything negative whatsoever to say about Southampton FC right now.

Exactly. Given the circumstances we have found ourselves in before this game, only a mad fan would understand weakening for this cup game. Needed our strongest squad at all costs, even if it meant weakening for a league game. Anyone arguing otherwise is just on a wind up (or on holiday for the quarter/semi final dates this season!). Who cares where we finish between 7th and 12th?!

This is the biggest thing for me. An article on the OS explaining that we're going to weaken at Sunderland, probably get dumped out and concentrate on the league and I would be disappointed but understand. Today is just sticking one up those poor sods who made the journey after a night of storms in tough road/rail conditions. If we're going to devalue any competition we enter, the fans need to know before tickets go on sale IMO.

Correct. Liverpool it will be. Had a feeling about it all day. Would love to smash Brighton in their cup final at the Amex though.

Agree, £8m reinvested to pay a huge chunk towards someone like Begovic would be for the greater good. What was Allardyce expecting by by the way? £500k and a packet of crisps? Stupid, fat ignorant dislikable man.

To be honest, at the current point in those lads careers, if having those players unavailable means you can't win a game then you're relegation fodder. They have a squad that is no better than bottom 5. They also have a manager who uses most other teams plan B as his plan A as far as long balls are concerned. Their chairmen have allowed a once proud youth system to continue to deteriorate in the persuit of short term hoof ball premiership survival windfalls. In conclusion, I'd love them to go down.

Even if brought in "over his head" he is a professional goalkeeper. With every other young player we've tried since I've watched Saints you can see quality and gaps in their game. Noone can honestly say this about him. It's harsh truth but this isn't Sunday League stuff and he's already costing us places in the league come the end of the season. How old does he need to be to be able to command his 6 yard box?!

We're going to this one and personally a bit worried about getting turned over. The support for their manager at Anfield was emphatic and I reckon this fixture has come at a really bad time. For me, other injuries aside, Boruc has been a huge loss and Gazza just doesn't have any goalkeeper qualities in his locker whatsoever. Anyone at the past few games will agree. With Chelsea & Everton to come after that we need the points and truly hoping the lads can prove me wrong. I'd take a draw while we continue to work towards getting the squad fit.

Agree. Can't command his 6 yard box, let alone the whole area. We had a League 1 keeper (at best), a Championship centre half and a Championship left back on the pitch. It's hardly a surprise, therefore, that we continued our recent relegation form. First 11, top 8. Squad as a whole over the course of a season, 14th.

Neil Maddison. With David Hughes as Assistant Manager. Hopefully a rebuild of the Dell will ensue. A couple of seasons with our current squad will see the best players picked off by the big clubs and a slow decline will set in. The media will placate us but get all excited about how the so called 'big boys' can't kick a ball straight at the Dell because of plucky little Southampton and we will turn Manchester United over 3 consecutive seasons. A strong fiesty little left back will prompt wild celebrations and t-shirt sales by finally scoring after millions of appearances for the club.

Totally agree. Jol finished 5th in successive seasons (some achievement at the time), Redknapp made the CL and still ended up being forced out and AVB had the highest PL win percentage of any manager. They have fans who boo every week if their team are not in the top 4 but don't have a big enough stadium to consistently compete sustainably at the top of English football. Why would hugely respected big hitting European coaches take that job for any reason other than working in London and taking the money?

I was there. And I sung. And sir, you have reminded me of a game of football so bad that I had shunted the whole day as far from my memory as is humanly possible. I thank you.

Made me chuckle on an otherwise boring day at work. I was interested to hear that Newcastle were contacting other clubs and suggesting a mutual ticket discount to subsidise to a level of £20 an adult ticket and getting the same deal in return when their fans take to the road for the away game. Seemed an excellent idea and one which a lot of clubs had agreed to. As yet I don't believe SFC have responded to Newcastles suggestion.

We're taking the ****, we're taking the ****, we are Southampton, we're taking the ****. From bottom of league 1 to top 6 in the prem in a couple of years? Lets revel in arrogance. Lets enjoy punching hard against huge football clubs. It's such a Dell sized mentality to avoid arrogance, know our place and be subservient to the top 4. I say what top 4? What hierarchy? I can't wait to have enough credits on my season ticket to have priority on tickets to the Nou Camp in a Champions League semi final showdown in 2015.

Spafftastic. These are the best Southampton performances I have ever seen in my life. I love that we are scaring teams. Fulham looked a league 1 side of old cloggers today. Long may this continue.

@TaylorandBesty: Have you ever just sat staring at Louise until you realise you've got a semi on then had to sort yourself out in the shed? #AskHarry Hilarious

Good post. As mentioned above, it amazes me that Morgans run could not be deemed an exciting enough moment, despite the wayward shot. A United player would have got a "that's why you're champions league" pat on the back. From being at the game, it is like some kind of propoganda machine at United. From mumbling the opposition teams players out so you cant hear them and thundering out Utd's to the constant "but we're at OT, we must get a freekick" ear bashing of the referee, yesterday just reminded me why I have a thorough dislike of United (not celebrated like that since Ricky's goal Fratton). Luckily their whinging is getting more and more of a token gesture this season as it impossible to mask the cracks in their waning team.