dune

I have not received an email. Sort it out Mr Luker, the firm that runs Saintstv is clearly telling you lies.

Moan moan moan. Talk about Manic Depressives United. Forget the past and look to the future!

Hello Rupert.

It looks like the Trusts website has been hacked. http://www.saintstrust.co.uk/news.php?id=217 http://www.saintstrust.co.uk/news.php?id=218

Standing will never come back.

I'm all for free signings, but it would be nice for us to splash a bit of cash on some players purely so i can brag about it. If we spend nothing i'm going to have some egg on my face after bigging Mr Liebherrs billions up to non Saints supporting mates.

No player is free - we still have to pay their wages! There are many good bosmans who are free agents simply because their club can't afford to pay their wages. It makes perfect sense for us to pay good wages for free players because we can afford to do it.

If Rasiak and Saga go it'll be because of their attitudes. I have absolutely no problem with them going because of this. Alan Pardew is really getting to grips with the job fast it would seem. He is showing the squad who's boss and this is long overdue. Lawrie MacMenemy was like this and it's just what we need. Now that money isn't a problem for us Alan Pardew doesn't have to pander to the ego's of jumped up players. We can afford to replace them.

Rupert Lowe and Michael Wilde aren't welcome. Rupert Lowe may well be connected in the county set fraternity but Mr Liebherr is in a different league socially. If and when Rupert Lowe shows his face there will undoubtedly be a reaction from fans which won't escape our new owner. I expect Mr Liebherr is already well aware of the feeling towards Rupert Lowe and he will want all memory of the man cleansing from the club. Positivity and optimism is the order of te day because this breeds success. Having Lowe at games is harking back to days we'd all rather forget. From Mr Liebherrs point of view it'd be bad karma to have Lowe's face in the crowd. The last thing SFC need is negative chants when Lowe is spotted - Mr Liebherr will want positivity and for that reason he'll not want Lowe showing his face.

I've been to enough pre season "training sessions" to know they are just run outs. The results mean absolutely nothing. Don't fret.

In the 80's and early 90's. We were particularly strong in getting in North East players. I think Lawrie Mac was a big factor in laying the foundations for the strong scouting network.

He said he'll be looking at the big name players and if they don't put the effort in then they're out the door. He made the point that a less skillful player that works hard and makes the effort is more important than a skillful player that doesn't work hard. This is bang on the mark and applies to any job or profession. He strongly criticised the scouting network. SFC used to be second to none in this area and it's crucial that this is sorted out. I understand the finacial constraints for the previous 2 or 3 years, but i feel the youth policy of the previous regime would have been a major factor in the disintegration of our scouting network. We'll soon be getting back to being a conventionally run set-up run the way the manager wants it as oposed to the way Rupert Lowe wanted it run. This can only be a good thing. I really like what Alan Pardew is saying and the way he says it and in him i do believe we have the man to lead us through the divisions.

From reading the thoughts of Reading fans he seems a very good signing for a club in our position. There's a real buzz building around the club now which is fantastic.

Ideally he'll live locally and take a leaf out of Gordon Strachans book by visiting the bars where players drink. James Beattie and Kevin Davis and then BWP were a problem. What's the situation like now as regards Saints players on the lash?

I agree with this. Just look around at the mickey mouse clubs in League 1. They'd love a player like Rasiak.

I agree about the pace, but strongly disagree that he's not a target man. He's got the same build as Beattie so should be a very effective target who holds the ball up. It's up to Alan Pardew to get the best out of him.

From what Nicola and Andrew have said it'd seem that Alan Pardew is going to be allowed to manage the team without interference from a chairman who knows nothing about football. This is a sea change from the last decade and is very positive. Whether AP is the right man for the job only time will tell, but all the elements are there (board unity/fan unity/player unity) for him to have the best possible chance of making this work. Fitness is the most important factor in giving a team of average ability the edge in any league. It was this factor that made an average Strachan squad raise their game. Discipline is vital to achieve fitness, but it's a balancing act.

Matt Oakley?

I dont think Rupert Lowe would ever do anything illegal and the allegations made seem to suggest robbery. There are other ways to skin a cat such as combining the chief executive role with the chairmans role, making sure his fellow board are made up of his friends that will say yes to his salary/bonuses demands. But who cares? Rupert Lowe is old news.

Saints 1 - 2 Ajax

I think he's a good safe choice for manager. Not a Keeganesque choice that gets the pulse racing, but a manager who knows the ropes. I'm happy and now we can at last start preparations for next season.