Sour Mash

I am well aware of Brazil's huge economic growth. Would you say they have more influence or power around the world than the UK? I would argue that even at our strongest, our preference was usually for "influence" rather than "power" in the majority of instances.

If we are so weak why haven't they strolled in to take them back? If it REALLY came down to it, I would back us against Argentina all day long even in this day and age. Whether it would be a battle supported politically and by the public back here is another question. And already having involvement in stuff like Afghan obviously doesn't help, we already do loads throughout the world. Our Navy is completely unsung in its efforts against drug smuggling, piracy etc, doing more than most countries do. You honestly think Brazil carry more weight in the world than we do? We are far too good at talking our own country down (I am as a guilty of it as anyone) - we don't celebrate and recognise how much we do influence throughout the world. How much do we contribute via International Development Aid? And charitable donations? There is far more to world power than simply how many guns you own, or how many $ a country has sitting in its bank.

So you can't name ten more influential countries in the world today? Didn't think so. The vast majority of world crises, be that our involvement in stuff that has been happening in the Middle East/North Africa or whenever a humanitarian disaster occurs around the world, Iraq and Afghanistan, in terms of culture, language, sport, being in a unique position of influence in both Europe and the States, as well as continued close links to every corner of the globe through trade and the Commonwealth (despite that being somewhat outdated). London is a global centre for finance. I don't doubt that China and India's world influence continues to rise and the USA and Russia remain very significant players on the world stage, or that we have the same influence we once did, but to suggest we are no longer a world power is clearly wrong.

Yes, everyone knows that China are "on the rise" and USA are weakening. But that still doesn't mean we are not a world power. Our influence stretches across the globe like few other nations. Name me ten countries that you would currently consider more influential in the world today than us?

You don't think we are currently a world power? I definitely do certainly in the top 10 if one was to make such a list.

Yep, would completley agree with that, 100% spot on. The thing is if we're looking for/needing a player that has Lambert's finishing ability AND also has pace, we're going to have to pay big for it.

Didn't hear it at Barnsley either. S***e song, but I don't know why it bothers him all that much.

I watched the full 90mins again last night and if anything it highlighted how utterly s***e Barnsley were, absolutely dire. Was far from our best performance in 20 years as suggested by some on here, plenty of good, comfortable passing football against a team of that quality was nice to see, but no reason for some of the over-excitement on here. We were a goal line clearance away from coming away with a point. And how many saves did their keeper make? Should be a MUCH bigger test tomorrow night.

We did knock it around very, very well and Barnsley showed little threat until the last 10mins or so, but we are still lack pace up-front and a cutting edge finish up front -similar to last season at times. As great as 30+ passes are, at times we could do with being a bit more direct.

Hardly a suprise is it? The white working class male is right at the bottom of the pile for politicians in 2011.

Another one missing the point of the argument - we get decent home crowds, comparable to many others and many on here speak of us as a "biggish" team with loads of potential - however when you compare our away support to both those points, it doesn't stand up. Look at what the likes of Brighton or Plymouth take away from home. Even Swindon, Swansea, Oxford have very good away support relatively speaking. For example - look at what Sunderland used to bring down to us, compared to what we took up to them?

But part of the point in this thread is how poor our travelling away support is in relation to attendances we get at home.

Don't think you'd be right on that year either........Goes to show that the opening post was correct - our away support up north is poor compared our home crowds.

As who? I don't think so.

Is Maynard actually worth this sort of money? I honestly don't know too much about him, his stats (for what its worth), don't look amazing, but he's obviously got something that has caught various club's eyes. Lot of money to pay out though.

Really? How many people would have planned to do this game, leave it late to book up on the coaches and now not go? We're probably talking 20/30 people max?

But we get much better home crowds than Cov, M'Boro or Reading. Even look at what teams like Brighton and Plymouth take away compared to us and it doesn't reflect well.

Exactly this. We lack the get up and go that other clubs have, privately booked up mini-buses or coaches doing away days, lads on the beer etc. You're also right, its a hang over from our Prem days, particualrly in the 90s, going to the same places year in, year out, usually getting well turned over. The lower leagues have helped a bit - new grounds, winning games, got the buzz back for people to get on the road and start following Saints again, plus younger lads getting the bug of doing the aways. also right, in that you can't bet being up north 700/800 of you, making a proper bit of noise, stand/sit where you want and not squashed in with some cretins that usully happens at the bigger/London aways.

Probably on my own on this one and to be entirely honest I don't know enough about the lad, but just strikes me as a bit of a strange signing, would have thought we'd have had greater priorities. I assume he'll be our first choice left-back now? Can't see him being bought for or agreeing to come to be on the bench/a squad player. Feel a bit for both Harding and Dickson, two good lads taht give 100%, but maybe neither are quite up to the best the Championship has to offer?

They usually get sent up on Coach 1 of the travel club on Saturday morning. Looking at the Barnsley ticket article on the OS, there is no mention of a cut off time on Friday to buy tickets. Also, from what I could see, no mention of it costing more on the day - depends if you want to get the game against your season ticket I guess.

Sent out recorded? Why the f**k should you have to buy another, that's a p**s take.

He beat me to it. Got G to pick mine up at the Leeds game, zero effort. Def worth giving the club a bell and getting it sorted though.

Reading through some of the news coverage on this, its hard to tell if a lot of the most serious rioters have been/will be caught or if it is mainly the opportunists that came along at the end with the chance to nick something? Most of the original rioters doing the serious damange had their faces well covered up, hoods up etc, I really can't see how most of them will successfully be prosecuted?

I'm pretty sure they said in the original ticket booking announcement that they would not issue any duplicates and all tickets were being sent out by recorded delivery? Give the ticket office a call mate and get the heads up from them.