Saint-Armstrong

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2362052/FA-change-laws-retrospective-punishment.html

Just seen him down here (live in Southend), in the training ground car park with their press officer and a couple of guys in training gear. I know it's the media guy as I did some work there at the back end of last season.

Van Wolfswinkel is not amazing. Hooper, probably decent enough. Did well in England and the SPL, lets see what he can do. However, if we'd signed Fer (who is not as good as Wanyama IMO) and Garrido, you'd have seen them as bang average signings.

Good video. A fair bit of new footage to keep it interesting and some amusing cut stuff. Manny Mayuka is a card.

Feature-length video of the entire pre-season abroad to-date. Features best moments of the tour and a fair bit of previously unseen footage. Video in HD from the club for the first time. Originally was filmed in HD but unable to load as HD due to internet connection abroad. I understand all club footage will be HD soon.

Even more bad taste to make a joke about something that was clearly not a HCDAJFU suggestion.

Whoops! Not for main board

Former Birmingham City and Ecuador striker dies aged 27. Confirmed by his club in official statement.

WHAT A GOAL! Take a bow Rick.

£22m is too much. No thanks.

They've played 3 games more I think.

KICK-OFF: 17:30 BST Who are Beşiktaş? Beşiktaş, whose full club name is Beşiktaş Jimnastik Kulübü, are a Turkish SuperLig side. Beşiktaş was the first all-encompassing sports club in Turkey. They compete in football, beach football, volleyball, handball, basketball, boxing, athletics, boxing, wrestling, rowing, gymnastics, table tennis, chess, card games and paralympic sports. The club was formed in 1903, 110 years ago. They are the 2nd oldest Turkish sports club that still exists in the nation. Beşiktaş are known by the nickname of Kara Katallar, meaning 'The Black Eagles'. The club last won the Turkish SuperLig in 2009. In the 2008-09 season the club won the double, winning both the league and the Turkish club. The club have a strong tradition in the league, winning it the third most times. Galatasaray lead the way with 19 titles, with Fenerbahce on 18. Besiktas currently have 13 titles. Beşiktaş have been runners-up in the league on 14 occasions. The club have won the 2nd most Turkish cups. Galatasaray once again lead the way with 14 wins, with Beşiktaş second with 9 wins. The side have appeared in a total of 15 finals, meaning their Turkish Cup Final win rate stands at 60%. Their most recent cup win came in 2011. Beşiktaş are currently managed by former Croatia manager Slaven Bilic. Beşiktaş will compete in the Europa League this season. Their best ever performances in Europe came in 1987, when they reached the Champions League Quarter Finals, and in 2003 - when the club made the UEFA Cup Quarter Finals. The main fan group is 'Carsi'. They are a left-wing anarchist group that is affiliated as supporters of the club. They're known for their famous chant of "Carsi is against everything!" - traditionally Beşiktaş were the team of the bazaar people and market traders, and favour left-wing ideology. The club and its fans are regarded as anti-racist, anti-fascist, anti-sexist, pluralist and ecologist. Where do they play? The home of Beşiktaş is the İnönü Stadium. In the past the stadium has been shared between Beşiktaş and both Galatasaray and Fenerbahce. Beşiktaş inhabited the Dolmabahce stadium between 1947-52 before moving to the Mithatpasa ground between 1952-73. It was in 1973 that Beşiktaş moved into the ground, that was originally build in 1947. The current ground underwent development in 2012, and holds 32,145 fans. What are the club colours? Beşiktaş have played in a couple of different designs. They have two prominent kits that have been used throughout their history. One of these is black and white striped shirts with black shorts and black socks. The other is an all-white kit. The club previously played in red and white, until the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. At this time it was decided to withdraw the red out of respect for the dead. Where are we playing? Once again, we will be playing at Stadion Villach Lind, a neutral venue in Austria - located close to the two club's training camps. The ground was recently used for QPR vs Udinese, which Udinese won 2-1. Saints' opponents during the training camp in Austria, Schalke and Beşiktaş played out a 1-1 draw there on Sunday. Saints then lost 0-2 to Schalke on Wednesday. The ground is an athletics ground and can play host to 6,000 spectators. It is located directly next to the Drau, a tribute river to the famous Danube. Once again, hope this is well-received and more than happy to continue throughout the rest of pre-season.

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/article/ticket-news-west-brom-away-945391.aspx

Good comments from Nicola. He may be controversial, he may be cold hearted, but he sticks to his guns and does what he thinks best for the club. But look how the club has progressed. Fair play to him. He might be a bit of a ****, but he's our ****.

The training kit has the black badges on white and white badges on black. Those with the same colour, 'embossed' style logo is the official club travel wear.

There's not even words for it. What even... I'm lost for words.

Sky Sports sent Jim White to Austria to report on the game today. They're putting together a special feature on the game and our pre-season. Features interviews with the players and an interview with Nicola Cortese.

Adam Lallana, he does a lot without doing much. Not a reactionary thread, but today's game further reinforced an opinion I've had since our promotion. In the sense of, he does a lot of skill in areas where it's not dangerous, or in a way that doesn't actually benefit the side. For all the kickings that people love to dish out on Gaston, he's scored more, assisted more and generally contributed more to our side. I'm aware Adam suffered with injury last season, I just find myself increasingly feeling that outside of the Football League he has been a real disappointment. I find myself frustrated with Lallana insisting on slowing the play, doing the feints and drag backs and not actually getting us anywhere with them. His set pieces are equally frustrating, and why on earth Nigel Adkins made him the captain I have no idea. I'm hoping he's just enduring a sustained rough patch and will bounce back to ram these words back down my throat, but at current I am unconvinced. He needs to earn his place as much as anyone and seems to escape a lot of the kickings people like to dish out to Guly and Gaston, why is that? Academy boy syndrome? Come on Adam, step it up.

Are you forgetting that they already signed Iago Aspas as well as adding Danny Sturridge in January? They already have Sturridge, Aspas, Borini who can play that central role and they have plenty of other attacks who drift in there, such as Sterling.

Because it was obviously someone else's story in the papers, and him breaking ahead of the print to reveal the story would **** his contact off?

VS KICK-OFF: 18:00 I'm sure most people know a bit about Schalke, but if not, here you go... Who are Schalke? Schalke, whose full club name is Fußballclub Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04, are a Bundesliga side. They are the 2nd largest sports club in all of Germany, and have representative teams in football, handball, basketball and track and field. They are the 14th biggest football club in world football, in terms of revenue. Their derby match is with Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund, who are on the other side of the Ruhr. They have won the German top flight on seven occasions, finishing runners-up on another nine occasions. However, Schalke have not won the division since 1958. The club were runners-up in the Bundesliga as recent as 2010. They boast five German Cup wins and one League Cup win. They have been German Cup runners up 7 times, and League Cup runners up three times. Schalke claimed both the German Cup and the German Super Cup (equiv. of Community Shield) in 2011. Schalke made it to the Champions League last sixteen last season, before losing by four goals to three against Turkish side Galatasaray, on aggregate. Where do they play? Schalke's home is the well-known Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen, which played host to the 2006 FIFA World Cup. It features a fully-retractable roof (take note, Wembley). The club moved to the new 61,973 capacity stadium in 2001. The new ground cost them 191 million euros to build and is the 5th largest stadium of any kind in Germany. It is the club's third home, after the multi-purpose Parkstadion that they left in 2001 (which held 62,000) and was built in 1973, and the Glückauf-Kampfbahn which was constructed in 1928, to hold 35,000 spectators. What are the club colours? Schalke traditionally wear a blue shirt, white shorts and blue socks. The Club Anthem "Blue and White Forever" Blue and White Blue and white, how I love you Blue and white, forever true Blue and white is just like heaven born Blue and white are the colours we have always worn If we had a kingdom for us to make It would resemble Schalke and no mistake All the girls, oh so young and fair Would sport a blue and white ribbon tied up in her hair Mohammed was a prophet who Knew nothing of football, that much is true But of all the colours shining bright The ones he thought up were our royal blue and white A thousand fires in the night Have brought us lots of pleasure and delight A thousand friends all standing side by side Will make sure Schalke will never die Where are we playing? We are playing at Stadion Villach Lind, a neutral venue in Austria - located close to the two club's training camps. The ground was recently used for QPR vs Udinese, which Udinese won 2-1. Saints' opponents during the training camp in Austria, Schalke and Besiktas played out a 1-1 draw there on Sunday. This is also the venue for our other game against Besiktas. The ground is an athletics ground and can play host to 6,000 spectators. It is located directly next to the Drau, a tribute river to the famous Danube. I'm aware most will know a fair bit about Schalke, but I decided to stick with the previous format for the benefit of continuity, and for others who may not know all that much about Schalke.

Bournemouth: From this... To this... Port Vale: From this... To this...