Lighthouse

When KD left the first time he was a top player, but after a year at Blackburn they sold him back for a tenth of what they sold him for. Then he came back here and couldn't recapture his form from the first spell, left, then found his feet after a couple of seasons at Bolton. Beattie got in the England team with us, but has never been close since leaving. His first season at Everton was a nightmare, he improved after that but never set the League alight. He had a good season after dropping to the Championship, but when he went back to the Prem with Stoke he was pretty average. Now he can't get a game for love or money at Rangers. Niemi did alright for Fulham, but I'd say he was the best 'keeper in the Premier League for us in '03/'04. Why can't you accept that certain players do it at one club and not another? Why does the solution have to be, "the fans are all c**ts"?

What about all the players who played well for Saints, then flopped when they went somewhere else? Kevin Davies, James Beattie, Fabrice Fernandes, Dean Richards, Stern John, Gregorz Rasiak, Antti Niemi. Even in recent times Dan Harding and Jon Otsemobor were unwanted by their previous clubs, then came here and did a decent job. If you trawl through all the clubs in Europe you could find thousands of players who've done it for one team but not another. Clearly some people are desperate to believe it's just us and that are fans are all c**ts, but that isn't the case. Some of the examples you've named are bogus anyway. Jones was good enough, he just went on strike when a big money premiership move came up. Higgy I believe wanted to live further North, Puncheon was good enough, but clearly there is an attitude problem there. Delap was sh*te for about 2 years before he left and needed a fresh start. Blackstock moved on. He was nothing special and still isn't.

Would be great news for Saints. Would crap myself laughing if they did a straight swap and Burley ended up at Bompey. Probably as good as Whiskey George will get these days (I don't think he's an alcoholic, but if he was at least he'd have an excuse).

Cheers for all this guys. Will probably do Dubai in March now (for 6 days), seeing as it looks about 5 degrees warmer on average and the Caribbean is pretty hot at the mo. According to the website, the Meridien has a free shuttle service to Dubai, so I could do that and have a couple of days out in the city. Phil, Eric; I'll come and find you out there

Wins tonight for Wolves, Everton and Blackburn, plus a point for Wigan should have put the willies up them in the league. Maybe I'm clutching at straws, but I get the feeling that will have knocked their focus off this tie.

No, a 10 point deduction did. Without it we'd have been second in all likelyhood, haven't pretty much build a new squad from scratch. By far our worst run of results last season came in August and September, before the JPT had even started. Last time we got to the FA Cup final we finished 8th in the Premier League. Says it all IMO. Edit: Here's the League 1 table SINCE the first round of the JPT last season (2-2 draw with Torquay) Norwich - 79 Saints - 71 (Bearing in mind we played a weakend squad for the penultimate fixture, knowing we were already out of it, should really be 74) Millwall - 71 Swindon - 64 Charlton - 60 Leeds - 59

Cheers for that Phil. Was looking at Le Meridien Al Aqah, which looks to be on a nice secluded beach and has absolutely rave reviews on Trip Advisor. A bit pricey, but you only live once. I'm not looking to get baked. As long as it's warm enough to lie on the beach or swim, in only a tasteless thong, that's fine for me.

Looking to try and get away somewhere hot for a bit at the end of January. Has anyone been to Dubai in January before? According to Google, the temperatures are around the low 20s this time of year. Bit of a naff question, but does it 'feel' warm out there? I.e. pleasant enough to sail, swim etc. I'll take any other recommendations on board too, although I don't fancy much spending 15 hours on a plane.

I would have to disagree with you there. AOC has been bent over with cramp in a few of the games I've seen him in recently.

Austin signs!

I say play a strong team and go all out for the win. 'Pool have just lost at home to Brum, through a last minute goal. That will have been hugely demoralising and have them looking tentatively over their shoulder (5 points above the drop zone as it stands). It could get worse for them before Saturday with Everton, Wigan, West Ham, Villa and Blackburn all in action tonight. I'd swap a few players personally, but I'd expect Adkins to go with a pretty much full strength side. MY pick: Bart FR Fonte Martin Harding Lallana Chaplow Morgan Dickson Lambert Barnard

It's all down to statistics. If young men didn't crash more than young women it wouldn't be like that. I suppose it's mainly because girls are less likely to fit nitro kits to a 1.1 Fiat Punto and thrash them around a council estate.

Well, yes obviously, but how many people do you know who have been involved in a fatal car crash? I know quite a few people my age. Probably several hundred if I ever sat down and counted all of them and I don't know anyone who has been involved in a crash where someone has died. Statistically it's bound to happen one day and I just hope it's not me or someone I'm close to. I've known a few people who have had fender benders and a couple caught drink driving (without actually crashing), but £22k for someone who hasn't actually had a crash is ludicrous. I agree with your point about limiting engine sizes for teens, but in a way that's already the case. Insurance premiums are such that only a Premiership football can afford to run something properly fast.

I doubt I could do that much damage with a £600 Polo if I tried. They must be under the assumption that EVERY 17yo driver will definitely crash and write off someone elses £21,400 car. Nuts. I'm 22 and the cheapest quote I can find has never been with the same company. I didn't start driving until I was 19. Then I got a 700cc Daewoo Matiz insured for about £900. It's tough. When I was 17 I just didn't even bother (other than passing the test). Granted that's not really a solution here.

I think Kerry Katona is currently without a club.

Speak for yourself.

Swindon is pretty much the same time from Southampton as Birmingham or Loftus Road. Unless he has a family still living in Poole, I doubt that will be a factor.

Depends entirely on who they bring in to replace him. Personally I think it's bad for them and good for us. Not that I thought Parky was a genius or anything, it's just that instability at such a crucial time of the season isn't good. The new man will have no time to bring in new January signings and by the time he will have gotten to know the squad, there will only be a couple of months left of the season. In short, could go either way, but at the moment I'd say good.

Harding. I could probably count the number of times I've seen him beaten on one hand.

Glad I'm not the only one who noticed this. Excellent though Guly has been in recent games, he hasn't quite been good enough to change the past. Perhaps the Daggers fans trousers spoke to wouldn't have been quite so over-awed if they'd seen his performance against Shrewsbury, Rochdale or Brentford. Anyway onwards and upwards. Surely this thread has run its course now.

Wasn't Chaplow one of Burley's targets originally? It's unlikely I know, but I'd absolutely love it if we could get him back. It's certainly plausible, with us in 2nd, we could be in the same league as Reading in 6 months time. Must be an option he's considered, especially if he isn't a regular for the Royals.

We're going over old ground here but the sacking clearly wasn't driven by results. There must have been something behind the scenes (and we've all got wild theories about what) which none of us really know. Was happy with Pardew. Happy with Adkins. C'est la vie.

He brings it on entirely himself. Hence he is on my ignore list. Bit of a face palm there. When has any team ever gone through a season without injuries? You only have to think back to those games when Lallana was injured and we didn't score for a month. If Lallana, Lambert, Chaplow or AOC got injured, we'd be looking decidedly dodgy again. Another winger, striker and midfielder if you please Mr Adkins.

6 goals in half a season? When we signed Lambert he'd just scored 29 for Bristol Rovers.

Christ I hope not. £1m is the going rate for a top end, 30 goal a season, League 1 striker, i.e. Lambert, Fryatt. Guly is NOT that good and there is no way Austin is worth £2m. Plus the fact Austin is a bit of a pr*ck by most accounts and may sour the dressing room. I wouldn't sign him at all TBH. I'd offer £500k for Guly and find another striker for closer to the £750k area. We don't want to get held to ransom here.