sadoldgit

I agree, if he had been allowed to manage the way he wanted too. Sadly we had another CEO who wanted to interfere. Still, he is doing a decent job in the Premiership now so it is ours loss, not his. Adkins is okay but I don't think he would cut it in the Premiership, not for a while anyway. The players he brought in during the transfer window to bolster the push were underwhelming and I think the play offs is the best we can hope for.

And an even wiser man replied, "Why don't you go and count them if you really want to know, you lazy fecker."

Did he say anything about a Plan B?

Ah, but we have a better CEO.........

The word "Legend" is bandied about all too freely these days but the big fella is a Saints legend for what he achieved as a manager with us. Sounds like they had a great night and the award was well deserved.

Shouldn't that be too many c*cks FC??? The simple fact is that is this was happening under Lowe this forum would be in meltdown (no matter what the actual facts of the situation are). As as has been said before Cortese is Lowe with Money. An arrogant c*ck now, goodness knows what he would be like if he ever made it to the Premiership! If he does have success then the mob will put up with him. If he doesn't ... watch this space!

But would have done if he had started on a level playing field and is now managing in the Premiership. Adkins has done nothing yet here so maybe we should compare them when he has been here a while?

Lowe could do no right and Cortese can do no wrong apparently? After the years of grief we had with a previous CEO is it too much to hope for a period when the only thing is football and the politics b*ll**** disappears into the background?

Great to keep the players that we needed to. Underwhelmed by the players that have come in but hope to be proved wrong. With Lambert still not back to his best we need another Lambert like striker and we didn't get one. This could make all the difference in this half of the season.

All we have to do now is get promoted.

Indeed, she looks like a bit of a moose to me!

Our reality is nearer Tranmere and Brentford than Oldham and Blackpool. We are probably good enough for a top 6 place but not consistant enough for automatic promotion. One of 2 things needs to happen. Either Adkins gets more out of the squad or we need to move things around a bit and bring in some new faces. No squad in any divison is that good that it doesn't need strengthening. And while we are at it, what ever happened to the Plan B ???

Pleased that we have tied up contracts for those already here but yes we do need more in, just as we did before Christmas.

Funny to think that just a few weeks back we were chewing our fingernails and wondering what the New Year would bring after the Brentford result. Fantastic start to 2011 both on off the pitch.

They couldn't afford to keep that many sports journos on staff. They have a few staff then they buy in reports from freelancers as well. I don't expect the sports editor got over excited about a weakened third division team playing a weakened Prem club. The Guardian has never gone in for a large sports covereage going instead for quality over quantity. Times were hard when I was there 10 years ago and I expect they are even harder now so they will pick and chose who gets the (limited) space. For the record I used to work in Circulation and we were always badgering the editor for an expanded sport coverage.

I just hope that Nige doesn't put out a weak team

Perhaps if there was a Champions league place at stake clubs would take it more seriously? Also I think that the semi's being played at Wembley too devalues the day itself. Shame really but at least we are still in it!

When I was a kid the F A Cup was a big deal. Since United decided not even to bother a few years back it seems to have gone downhill rapidly. We have gotten used to Prem teams fielding weakened side but now even 3rd tier clubs are at it. Okay, we got a result yesterday but if you leave out your better players you are basically saying the competition doesn't matter. We are never going to win it but a good cup run beating "better" teams used to give clubs such a lift - not to mention some welcome extra dosh. Now clubs are too scared of dropping out of the Prem or too intent on getting there that they don't worry about it any more. Sign of the times I guess but very sad all the same.

Chuck Berry

You are right about Brighton Nick, but they keep pulling results out of the bag.

We have been fortunate Ron. Making second whilst still losing 7 games shows how open it is this season. Pardew didn't have that going for him last season with the top clubs keeping clear water between them and the rest. Having said that Adkins has kept plugging away and the last three results have been excellent. We have as good a chance as anybody but I would feel more comfortable with a couple of new faces. Things certainly look a lot brighter than after the Brentford game. Can't remember too many Christmases when we won all of the games.

Still two wins in two games in the Premiership, I doubt very much if he is bothered.

It wasn't in the first half of the season Nick and the debacle against Brentford wasn't that long ago. If we are to keep this up we do need some more quality in.

When Burley joined us his stock was very high after an excellent job at Herts. A lot of Saints fans were chuffed to have got him. He had to strip out a lot of dead wood but put together a decent squad quite quickly and hada team that could score goals and win games which is something we hadn't seen for a while. We were as good as anyone in the CCC in his only full season with us. Sadly Wilde had blown the cash in one go and instead of building on a good season Burley soon lost his 3 best players (all of whom are currently scoring goals in the Premiership) and the an Exec even came out and admitted publically that our promotion push was over. Can't blaming for taking the Scotland job but let's be honest, people like Ferguson would not touch it with a bargepole and there are good reasons for that. The Palace job was never going to be easy either with no cash to spend. He has been unfortunate recently, losing points in the last seconds. That sadly is football. He is experienced and he will bounce back. Sh*te managers do not get their clubs into Europe or into play offs.

At least he got us into the play offs which was the most we had to cheer about before Pardew won us a cup. He is not a woeful manager and did a great job at Ipswich and Hearts. The Palace job is a poisoned chalice. He has achieved a lot more than the middle strand of managers in this country. What is it with people wanting ex employees to fail? It is not as if he did a Redknapp and took us down. Good luck to him in the future where ever he ends up.