Kingsland Red

Queueing for a couple of extra tickets for the Stoke game today, I was wondering how many season tickets we have. When we renewed last July I thought the ticket office mentioned a cap of 19,000. If this goes up to say 22,000 , with 2,500 away supporters that only leaves 8,000 on general sale. Stadium expansion it is then, hopefully like on the DVD we got with this season's tickets.

With the influx of proper football coaches from Spain etc, I think the days of media darlings like Harry Houdini, Martin O'Neill,Fat Sam etc are drawing to a close.

Probably already posted, but the delicious irony of Cardiff City, the club cheated out of an FA Cup final win by the team that the Skates couldn't afford, getting promoted to the Premiership the night the Skates drop to the fourth tier. That's justice right there, irrespective of what Old Nick wants !

Again both of these were before NC / Liebherr days.

I obviously want Saints to push on, but as Sunderland proved on Sunday, a lot of success is based on confidence and being made to feel successful as well as all that analysis stuff.

No loyalty, more 'together as one'; the spirit of Southampton, etc that we experience every week watching a team put in the effort we expect as fans. No more BWP / McG / couldn't give a sh*t players here anymore. It will always be this for me rather than the Sky / Gary Neville / Talksh*te ability to produce after the event statistical analysis of players that are playing under instruction anyway.

I realise the modern game suffers from analysis paralysis, and I am probably a bit old school, but characters like Jos are the backbone of our club. I can roll with the punches as I know this man is one of us and will always give 100%. That is all.

Reading about Andy Carroll over the weekend, Liverpool don't want him , West Ham can't afford him etc got me thinking about our reliance on other club's players in the Liebherr era. Although we have loaned out many players over the last few years , apart from Papa Waigo I don't think we have loaned anyone in for the short term fix, and I'm not even sure Papa was a loan signing. An example of the confidence with which NC runs our club over the long term ?

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/opinion/abused-and-pilloried-every-step-of-the-way-but-the-trust-band-of-brothers-proved-them-wrong-1-4999058 His comparisons are brilliant,like a GCSE essay. The poor fellow has lost the plot, if he ever knew what it was in the first place. It's a football club Rodney, you plonker.

Well we go to Swansea which should be a great game and then have WBA at home. Both should be attractive matches to watch and we know the opposition will have to work hard to get a win. I would not want to watch West Ham on a weekly basis, they are a similar team to Wycombe when we played them in Div 1, but with a stronger, fitter 'player'.

It could / should be the first time since 2006 that we have nothing at stake going into the final few games. No stress like against Manure, Derby, Sheffield United, Walsall, Coventry etc. Add that to all those games in the 1990s, at the Dell against Everton etc and the games at West Ham and Palace and we have certainly been put through the wringer. I'm going to be like an armchair viewer, stress free enjoyment sitting back in my Kingsland reclining plastic seat with all my chums from many years of suffering. Nah, probably not, we'll find something to get stressed about - Fat Sam, Di Canio, Pulis,any ex-Skate etc.

If Gaston does a proper pre season, and can build up his stamina to play the MP level of intensity , added to his undoubted ability, he could have a great second season at St Marys.

Closure, but will always enjoy following his own fortunes like WGS etc. I think he has greater potential than Reading though.

Cortese proved his ambition extends beyond the average Saints fans' expectations, which have been developed over many years of relegation fights after Lawrie Mac left.

Exactly, what a mascot !

Sun Tzu - The Art of War: If ever NA has the opportunity to know the enemy as you know yourself then tomorrow is his chance. I doubt though that he has his army set up as he has too many square pegs in the Reading side to play his way.

If you can live through Sheffield United with ten men , or survive watching the relegation scraps of the pre Strachan years, you are a man my friend and will be able to withstand any post 80th minute battering.

Couldn't give a sh*t what Le Saux says, like Redknapp Junior, he will always be tainted with the stigma of being in our team relegated with 'Arry, I'm afraid.

George Burley was a proven manager with a track record.The media also like "Arry. It is the media love in with these guys that hide the fact that for the amount of money they p*ss away (O'N at Villa and now Sunderland ) their real record is poor.

Nicely put Rallyboy. I doubt we will be competing with any club from Portsea Island on a level playing field for a few decades, so let's enjoy the last phew weeks of their demise.

I think the whistle had already gone when Kelvin made that save. Brilliant team effort and all hands to the pump in the last 15, but we're used to that over the last few years.

No idea, seemed OK and I must admit I was a bit worried when Kelv came on, but he did well except his usual changing the direction of attack (defence?) with his kicking.

After seeing Adkins interview after the 0-1 surrender at Anfield he seemed content that we were 0-1 going into the last few minutes. MP would have gone for the jugular. NA, being the decent bloke he is, showed far too much respect for the opposition, MP's team goes for it.

It would seem we need agent Lee Holmes to strike. Good to know we have plenty of ex-Saints scattered across the leagues to ambush them, after our huge turn over of players during the "lower league days"

It is Jeff Stelling's sons who are Saints fans, and both are good keepers in the Tyro League age groups at our club.