Saint-Reece

Five Pre-Season Dates Confirmed Saints are pleased to announce that they will host high-flying European opposition as part of their preparations for life in the Barclays Premier League. Following their successful visit in July 2009, the Club will welcome Dutch champions Ajax back to St Mary's on Saturday 28th July (3pm kick-off). The fixture will be followed by a double-header against teams from the npower Championship, as Nigel Adkins seeks to test his men against good-quality domestic opponents. Saints host recently-relegated Wolves on Saturday 4th August (3pm kick-off), before they travel to Ashton Gate to face Bristol City on Tuesday 7th August (7.45pm kick-off). Furthermore, the Club can confirm that the squad will play two friendlies in France as part of a training camp in the lakeside resort of Évian-les-Bains this summer. The three matches due to take place on English turf will be preceded by seven days spent training in the spa town, which lays on the shores of Lake Geneva and is situated just north of the Alps. Évian, which sits close to the Swiss border, offers first-class facilities and has previously been used as a training base for a number of top sides, including Olympique Marseille, Sporting Clube de Portugal and the Paraguayan national team. Southampton will play two matches during their time in France, the first of which will be against as-yet unconfirmed opposition on either Wednesday 18th or Thursday 19th July. Saints' second friendly will see them take on Ligue 1 outfit Évian Thonon Gaillard FC at the Stade Joseph-Moynat on Saturday 21st July, with the fixture kicking off at 7pm local time. The Club confirmed last week that it will welcome Arsenal and Rangers as the opposition for this year's Markus Liebherr Memorial Cup, which takes place on Saturday 14th July. Saints' 2012/13 pre-season schedule is currently as follows: Saturday 14th July - 5.15pm: Markus Liebherr Memorial Cup, Arsenal & Rangers (home) Wednesday 18th/Thursday 19th July: Opposition to be confirmed Saturday 21st July - 7pm (local): Évian Thonon Gaillard (Stade Joseph-Moynat) Saturday 28th July - 3pm: AFC Ajax (home) Saturday 4th August - 3pm: Wolverhampton Wanderers (home) Tuesday 7th August - 7.45pm: Bristol City (away) Ticketing details for Saints' pre-season fixtures and further information on the Club's summer schedule will be announced on saintsfc.co.uk in due course. In Profile: AFC Ajax Amsterdam giants Ajax previously visited St Mary's in July 2009 to contest for the Ted Bates Trophy in the first match played following the summer takeover of the Club by Markus Liebherr and Nicola Cortese. Saints went ahead through Joseph Mills, but the Dutch side quickly drew level through a penalty from captain Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan striker, now of Liverpool, added a second after the break to put his side ahead, before goals in the final ten minutes from Siem de Jong and Marvin Zeegelaar completed a 4-1 victory for Martin Jol's men. Ajax, now under the management of legendary former defender Frank de Boer, clinched their 31st Dutch championship last month after ending the season with a run of 13 consecutive wins. Included in their current squad is their much-coveted captain Jan Vertonghen, who has been linked with both Arsenal and Tottenham this summer. Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen has a growing reputation in the game, while forward de Jong has followed on from his goal against Saints by regularly finding the net for Ajax, for whom he was top goalscorer in 2011/12. In Profile: Évian Thonon Gaillard Football Club Evian TG were founded in 2003 as a result of a merger between FC Gaillard and FC Ville-la-Grand, playing their first season in the fourth tier of the French football system under the name of Croix-de-Savoie 74. The club yo-yoed between the Championnat de France amateur and the Championnat National before undergoing a further merger in 2007 when they incorporated local team Olympique Thonon-Chablais to become Olympique Croix-de-Savoie 74. They returned to the Championnat National in 2008 before changing their name to Evian Thonon Gaillard Football Club a year later following investment by Franck Riboud, president of the Group Danone. Riboud then became honorary president of the club, with Les Croix de Savoie going on to quickly achieve back-to-back promotions and reach the top flight of French football. The club's first-ever season in Ligue 1 was a success, as they finished in ninth place having replaced manager Bernard Casoni with Uruguayan Pablo Correa in January. Les Roses currently boast the likes of Sidney Govou - an experienced striker with 49 caps for France - and former Liverpool midfielder Christian Poulsen in their ranks. In Profile: Wolverhampton Wanderers Wolves will next season resume life in the Championship after being relegated at the end of three consecutive campaigns in the top flight. The Molineux outfit have appointed Norwegian Ståle Solbakken as their new manager this summer, with the former F.C. Copenhagen boss due to officially take charge on 1st July. Saints last faced Wolves in the 2008/09 Championship season, with the Black Country side doing the double over their relegation-bound opponents. The Midlanders will be keen to keep hold of the likes of Wayne Hennessey, Matt Jarvis, Steven Fletcher and Kevin Doyle following their relegation from the Premier League. In Profile: Bristol City Derek McInnes's side will hope for a better 2012/13 season than their previous campaign, during which they flirted with relegation before securing their Championship status in their penultimate match. Despite their disappointing year, the Robins did manage to become one of only two sides to beat Saints both home and away last season. Second-half goals from Albert Adomah and Nicky Maynard consigned Adkins' men to a 2-0 defeat at Ashton Gate last November, while Stephen Pearson's late goal gave City a 1-0 success at St Mary's a month later.

Jordan Sibley ‏@jordansibley Not had 1 for ages, time for a teaser Announcement on http://saintsfc.co.uk in morning. 1st correct guess wins these http://pic.twitter.com/HTMhDB6P Hide photo Reply Retweet Favorite

Fourth Official ‏@Fourth_Official Jay Rodriguez will undergo a medial with Southampton tomorrow #Saintsfc Expand Reply Retweet Favorite

BBC Solent Sport ‏@solentsport #pompey administrators PKF confirm that Football League have assured Pompey will start season in League One - & without points penalty Expand Reply Retweet Favorite

apparently so, many think it's too much for someone with no PL experience, hopefully if this goes through it could be a masterstroke by NA and NC.

Richard chaplow ‏@Rchap04 Morning,a lot of RUMOURS flying around on my future,I am still a saints player and it's somewhere I want to stay 4 a long time! #saintsfc Expand Reply Retweet Favorite

Jim Lucas ‏@JFBLucas Radhi Jaidi will be taking up an ambassadorial role with #SaintsFC to develop the club's links in Africa. More on http://www.saintsfc.co.uk soon.

Voted!

A nice little article , talking about the FA's new setup and our academy . http://www.footballfancast.com/2012/04/football-blogs/shouldnt-we-be-tapping-into-this-talent-rather-than-making-him-the-fas-elite-developer

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~2649581,00.html

Adam Blackmore ‏ @bigadamsport Reply Retweet Favorite · Open Expecting a #saintsfc coaching appointment on the official website in a bit. Reaction @solentsport in morning and LKO after 11pm tonight

Lambooo againnn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lambooooo

Matt Slater @mattslaterbbc Reply Retweet Favorite · Open Pompey administrators: Our initial analysis of #pfc financial position has revealed situation is more serious than many expected...To put it bluntly, Portsmouth FC has a Premier League cost base but only Championship income. HOW LONG HAVE WE KNOWN THIS FOR ON HERE?!?!

10:44 Comment From Corporate Ho I've got a feeling the Football League won't want to punish us further for their failings with the FAPT, so even if we go into admin, they'll bend the rules for us and not deduct us 10 points

Neil Allen @pn_neil_allen Reply Retweet Favorite · Open Etuhu, Lawrence, Norris and Varney out. Halford, Ward and Rocha big doubts. Leaves 11 fit outfield #Pompey players including Kanu & Webster. Hmmmm.. I suggest they play their academy players.. oh wait, they got sent home didn't they?! Quality over Quantity really isn't working for them is it?!

Neil Allen @pn_neil_allen Reply Retweet Favorite · Open #Pompey to ask FL for permission to bring in loans with up to 7 players out for Barnsley match. Leaving him with squad of 11. Wow. Unbelievable...

billy sharp @billysharp10 Reply Retweet Favorite · Open @ChrisDRFCBoyd shallow little boy hope ur proud of urself

billy sharp @billysharp10 Reply Retweet Favorite · Open Gutted I missed the easy chance shud of won it for us.never a pen never touched him.big @joshooiveld20 got me out the crap. #wontsleep2nite

West Ham United FC @whufc_official Reply Retweet Favorite · Open West Ham United: Green, O'Brien, Taylor, Faye, Reid, Tomkins, Noble, Collison, Faubert, Vaz Te, Cole

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~2609848,00.html

Totally agreed, last season I was one of those who thought Harding was immense for us, but since we've had Fox I feel like he's definitely a step up from Harding. Yes, he's not as willing to make those runs forward, but as a defensive player, his defending is definately better than Harding's and this season whenever I have seen Harding play LB, (when he was RB against (Forest???) he played well, granted) he's been sh*te and cost the team with leaving spaces in behind or backing off far too much and letting the winger/full back get a cross in and they wreak havoc sometimes. I think Fox is a solid LB and too many people have too big a love in with Harding where he can do no wrong. As this is the Post Match threadI shall throw in my view, I agree with most. This Team is back on the up, a performance reminiscent of our early season, apart from we could've been more ruthless infront of goal, and I definately thought Guly put in a shift, as did the two CM's and Lambo. Well, everyone was on top of their games, I'd like to see Connolly's 'Goal' again, but yeah, we outplayed a form team for 75 minutes of the game they never looked like scoring, didn't make possession count really and I didn't even realise Austin was on the pitch!Also, Sharp and Lambert together is going to be a tasty partnership in the run in. I can't wait too see them score sackloads. Bring. It. On. COYR'S!!! Cannot wait for Tuesday!

Richard chaplow @Rchap04 Reply Retweet Favorite · Open Great signing for us, proven goal scorer, grab a oar pal! #saintsfc

Yessss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jealous? Of you lot? LOL.