Lighthouse

If Wham lost both we'd just need 8 points from 7 guarantee promotion, pretty much relegation form. If we beat Blackpool we'd need 5 If Wham lost their next game on Friday 6th we'd need 2 We would go into our game on Saturday 7th knowing a win would GUARANTEE promotion. Now who is that against? That's a fair few ifs, but it would be a complete fairey tale.

Current points needed to guarantee promotion is 14, but it could be 8 before we've even kicked another ball. A bit of a long shot but possible.

There are pros and cons to every result. Wham will have played their game in hand (trip to Posh Tuesday) by then so that will be clearer. Even if they win they're still a point behind Reading. This is the situation as I see it: Reading Win - would leaves us furthest clear of 3rd place, so perhaps our best bet for outright promotion. Would definitely put massive pressure on Wham and BFS for the rest of the season and would continue their run of poor form Draw - the most points dropped in total, with only 1 each not really denting our current lead, even if we lose at Blackpool. Would be the best result if we're hedging our bets with the other 2 teams. Wham win - puts them 2 points above Reading and is probably the worst result for us. On the other hand Reading have a tough run in and if we can get 2 more points than them over the next 3 games, we can get promoted by beating them at St Marys in April. Tough call. If Wham dont beat Posh I'd take a Reading win. If they do win I think a draw would be best. Poll mods?

Did what we had to today, looked comfortable without really getting going. Donny only ever came for a point and were looking pretty good for it at half time, but we managed to break them down through patience and determination. Lots of positives to take from that. I thought De Ridder looked good and Barnard looked sharper than he has done in previous outings. Great to have so many options going forward. Not sure I've ever seen a player take a throw in stood on the pitch before, but well done Diouf that was fairly interesting. No real bad performances today. Butters crosses seemed to be very high, slow and easy for the 'keeper, but he was solid enough overall.

Was great to see SDR finally getting a start in the first team. I thought he was pretty good personally. Didn't get a lot of the ball and wasn't really on the same wavelength as Butters, but we he did get it he was dangerous and always running at them. A few decent crosses, one which the 'keeper very nearly fumbled at the near post. I think I'd stick with him and give him a run of games to prove himself. Certainly better than Chaplow, Puncheon and Guly have looked in recent games IMO.

To Marian's old tune: We've got Jos, Hooiveld Jos Hooiveld Ooooooooh Jos Hooiveld.

Hypo has a point. A lot of people were underwhelmed when Jos signed but nobody wrote him off. Expressing an opinion which later turns out to be wrong doesn't make you a bad person. Eurosaints comments whiff a bit of childish pointscoring. A lot of people were underwhelmed when Jos signed. A lot of people were underwhelmed when Romain Gasmi signed. You win some you lose some, refusing to change your opinion based on new information, that's what makes you a complete muppet.

Sha la la la la la la la *clap clap* Who the f**k is laughing now!?

I often find there's a big load at the start, then a few more deliveries 10 minutes later. You need something to fill the time inbetween. Having said that, I once got carried away playing Angry Birds and spent best part of an hour sat on the throne.

Correct. In the worst case scenario, with Reading beating Wham and both teams winning all their other games we'd need to beat Reading and 4 others to guarantee promotion. If Wham beat Reading, we'd just need to win all our home games and lose all our away games to guarantee promotion.

Went last year and certainly got my money's worth, 4-4 draw having thrown away a 2 goal lead twice. I don't think I can take many more games like that this season but a draw wouldn't be bad. FWIW I parked on Oundle Road behind a pub. Can't remember the name, but there were a few car parks along that road, about 10 minutes walk away.

There was a minutes applause before the West Ham game last night apparently. If that happens at St Marys on Saturday I will refuse to join in. He's not even dead, it's just ridiculous.

I'm perfectly light, just look at this smiley -> See, told you. However, we could beat both Pompey and Reading 8-0 and this 'joke' still wouldn't get within 5 miles of being funny.

Given West Ham and Reading still have to play each other, I think it might be less. If West Ham win their game in hand, we're 5 poinst clear of 3rd. If we lost to Reading and Wham won their fixture, we're still 2 points clear of 3rd. If we lose the fixture when Wham and Reading play each other, we're STILL in the top 2 whatever happens. That's the worst case scenario, so if we were to win the other 6 fixtures and lose those 2, we're still guaranteed promotion. If we beat Reading... If Wham won their game in hand - 8 points above 3rd Reading beat Wham (worst case scenario if we beat Royals) and we lose same weekend - 7 points clear of 3rd, equal games played. So 5 wins (including the one against Reading) would see us up. This assumes Reading and West Ham both win ALL the other games, as well as the above mentioned worst case scenarios.

Voted Jos, but wasn't there. Only about 300 people were, of which about 10 probably post on this site so this poll is a complete none-event really. Still fun though.

Do you guys remember when the 'Saints will finish 17th' thing was actually funny? No, me neither. For me it's always been a very tedious wind up by one incredibly sad mong of a poster which everyone seems to delight in talking about. It's almost as funny as Skacel signing, ho ho ho.

Lee has been very good since he came in, perhaps better than expected. For whatever reason Adkins prefers Lambert and Guly, probably because Guly offers more movement.

I had us as Champions on 88, with the others on 86 and Reading ahead by 1 goal. I was pretty stingy though, didn't have us winning any away games and only drawing with Reading.

Just seen the goals on SSN. Fonte crossing for Hooiveld I think Jos might be my man crush.

And their remaining home games are Brighton, Brum, Hull and Reading. Not easy by a long way and Bristol is their only easy away game.

Going through all the scenarios in my mind, this one has me pretty excited... Reading only have 2 easy home games left, Palace and Forest. Now assuming they were to win them both, we would just need 1 more point in our remaining fixtures than they get in games against Blackpool, Leeds, Saints, Wham, Brighton and Brum (4 of those are away). We're soooo close.

Brighton 14 points behind now, with just 8 games left. They would have to win 5 of those games JUST to get to where we are now. I think we can safely rule out a late charge by Seaguls, Boro, Brum or otherwise, even if it was pretty unlikely before.

That was an absolute Carlsberg of an evening Get the f**k in!!

Reading have lost. FT at Hull What a night!!!!

How sh*te is Boro's defence. F**k knows how they got a point. The boos ring out at UP.