OldNick

Away team, thats all that matters are back row FlyingFinn, Griffo,Ooohterryhurlock, BPSaint, Baj (drogba), Saintsmadsi, Foxy, Umbongo, Front row, the9, MLTheadedgoals,Neilza, Influced.com, Leesaint, AndyPorter, Foreverredandwhite, Bugenhagen

I really cant say.I met quite a few of the group last night. The thing I took from it was that the impression I got that there is no big money backer and a consortium of small investors. The good news is we wil walk the Blue Square League. That probability is has become more evident the more I hear and read...not walking it but perhaps playing in it.

to be fair this consortium have kept it quiet to the very last minute.Quite professional if we hadnt had previos knowledge. We have to face upto the fact that we are close to Armageddon. If Jacksons bid is the preferred (?) then we have to hope it is right. it must have cost a large amount of money to get where we are and so it wont be case of lets phone up 'to have a laugh' If theo ther consortium is Salz cousins etc they have had a year to get it together and have been quite late in moving. Iam seriously worried that things are goig pearshaped at speed.

My report. The evening started with us meeting in dribs and drabs in reception. Scud was there and we saw the programme he had gone to a lot of trouble to get done. He still has some left and is still £25 out of pocket and so if anybody wants one they are a £1 and so should PM him. They are a great souvenir. Granty appeared and gave us our wristbands that allowed us through to the dressing rooms. (it was fuuny to see most of us still were wearing them when we got to Dock gate 4 after the game) The lads were chatty and after getting introduced the moment to out on the pitch arrived. Some spectators were already there and there was light applause and some cheering as we made our way out to have a kick around. Baj was soon damaging the seats in the northam with his pin point shooting.'Watch this Gaffer' he said as row z ducked. Bp (the keeper) was leaning against the goalposts picking his nails as Baj got his range. Getting tired off going up the steps to retrieve the ball baj then called on the team to warm up poroperly as on SMS it will 'kill your legs.' Baj had to be substituted with 20 minute to go as both his calves had given up...snigg##. We went back into the dressing rooms after deciding that we did have a decent selection of youth and experience. Dubai Phil and his sidekick FOS1 the highly experienced manager and coach/player were doing free kick practice and lots of other things that you see the pro's dong before games. FOS1 was a veteran campaigner.. the Somme was my understanding. (ps Fos im heading for 10k posts. Lol) With anticipation and excitement building the bell went , some of the younger players who are still at school thought it was the dinner bell but was told it was to inform us to go out on the pitch.Photos were taken as the teams were led out by Granty and Baj and there was cheer as the teams were seen by the crowd. The game kicked off, the Hamster (home side) decided to make presence felt and went into a challenge that late it took about 10 seconds.Thankfully my star midfielder was not injured and Hamster got away without being spoken to the Norwgian ref. As with all these types of games at first there is a lot of misplaced passes and it takes time for the game to settle. Then a moment of brilliance Griffo got the ball and slid the most delightful pass through for The9 to score. The home team tried to respond and Bigdavewatson was a real handful in the air for SaintsmadSi although he kept him in hos pocket when the ball was on the ground as he couldnt use his arms and big a### to knock him off the ball. The Flying Finn alongside mopped up any loose ball and also made some tough tackles. I felt very comfortable especially as Baj took a swing at the ball from 25 yards that was heading to row zz but hit a home teams hand and the ref pointed to the spot.Of course there was a lot of whining form the home side that it wasnt a pen and it was unjust but Baj held his nereve and left the banafactor standing in the middle of his goal not attempting a dive and slid it in to his right. 2-0 and well deseved. A hoof down the middle caught us napping and undeservedly they were back into a game we were controlling. Again Andy Porters endeavour and Neilza on the left were stopping any threat from the home side. Phil tried to change their formation into wingbacks but they were making little impression apart from a few hopeful long balls that were mopped up or confidentiall y dealt with by Si and FlyingFinn and if got past them Bp took the ball comfortably.Forever red and white was working well with LeeSaint and making Griffo free to take on the totally outclassed Justmike who was run ragged until he limped off complaining about his twisted knee. Considering it had been spun around so many times by my superb team Im not surprised. A cracking tackle by Influenced helped the ball break to the9 who superbly slotted the ball home. We now had the right scoreline for the play. FOS1 came on for the last 10 minutes of the half ,a phantom injury (what a surprise!) to one of their team and his old football brain calmed their team and their defence was more solid as he made a screen in front of them. Then disaster struck,from our corner a hoof set up the home team 2 on 2 Andy Porter did his utmost but the ball broke kindly for Granty and his attempt that was such a scuff that it took a divot out of the penalty area the ball bounced into the ground and then upwards over the onrushing keeper who had it covered unti lthe ball took an unusual flight.There was a flurry by the home team and BP had to palm over the bar a tremendous effort by Bigdavewatson (?) Leesaint, Influenced and Foreverredandwhite were controlling midfield and we kept the initiative until H/T I was very pleased how things were going, although not only we were to lose top striker the9 who had caused problems all game but our c/b pairing at the break and with trepidation i realised that we had OOOTerryhurlock and a thin and wiry Norgegian Bugenhagen to take their place.The centre of my defence that had been so comfortable even against a good centre forward and now we had a new pairing. My fears were allayed immedaitely as OOhTerry although not a lithe as he once may have been took control and totally overpowered the home sides forwards. Bugenhagen was alongside him and made a couple of very strong and timely tackles. FOS1's old head had realised that they were not going to beat us with silky football. He would call it a good raking passing game although to the educated it would be hoofing to take advantage of our less speedy centre half. Bp was forced to do a little tidying up but in general when I put Bugenhagen into sweeping behind the more solid OOhterry things setttled again with UmBongo and Nielza both coping with any threat coming down the flanks and the skillful MLTheadedgoals linking well with Influenced who was the leader in midfield with tenacious tackling and a will to win. Foxy was linking with Baj and it looked like we were going to regain our 2 goal lead as a chance opened up for Baj but unfortunatley it went begging. I went to the ground holding my head in despair.Baj lay prone but got up limping and Drogba came off for a few minutes milking the crowds applause before going back on again. Bravely he tried to carry on but his head ruled his heart and he dejectedly came off.Andy Porter came on and I switched Griffo up front alongside Foxy and the threat was back again. It was only bananafactors ability to sweep as a keeper stopped the enevitable 4 th goal. The referee had been obviously been nobbled by phil as he booked Infuence for disssent much to the crowds dismay, and didnt notice the underhand trickery by my opposite number in putting on a sub during play without the referees permission (Bigdavewatson) and although i howled my displeasure he ignored the fact. With 3 minutes left with the game open we broke away Griffo was surley going to get to the ball before their keeper but his boot managed to whack the ball over our defence for their forward to be clean through on goal, a scuffed effort seemed to everyone (fans and players alike told me afterwardsthat it looked as though it was going well wide) that it was missing and the keeper left it confident it would go for a goal kick but it hit the far post and rebounded out to their forward who had the easy chance to stab home 3-3. This was just a minute or so after Baj had sportingly said to me he hopes they equalised as we were there for the day, i answered in my best gutter English that i didn't hold to that, something like 'I dont agree old boy' The lino now joined in to the fray and as i passed him the brown envelope that had fallen out of his back pocket with Air Mail Dubai across it he failed to flag the onrushing hoike forward who slotted home the unfair winner although he did take it well. A crestfallen away team had the victory taken from them and a minute later the ref blew for time. The home side tried to celebrate but they knew they had a hollow victory and it petered out and there was a very sporting shake of the hands with no overhypeing thier victory. i must admit had we won the celebrations would still be going on now, as i think 1 or 2 of our side had practised routines. As i walked back into the dressing room it was amazing what pride i had in my team. On the night not 1 of them had shirked a tackle and had given their all.We had been strangers only 3 hours before but we now had a bond and friendship that had grown in those few hours. I went and did an interview for the dvd but couldnt get back to my team to talk to them and enjoy the comraderie that had grown.It is with a tinge of sadness that the team that I had seen grow was for 1 night only and hope that we will do the same again.The Greys I salute you, no quarter given and unlucky to lose on the night. All of them were tremendous not 1 could not be proiud of their display and if pushed I would put Influenced as my player of the match but there were so many it is harsh to choose. Thanks lads.The Gaffer

Stanley you could also look in the mirror on that one. We all put up stuff at times that shouldn't do. I dont think we will hear anything today. Think about this there are 2 bids on the table 1 may well be shaky, if we then only have 1 hope and they are not solid the club is finished.It is getting close to a typical SFC moment.

If it was as Alpine has made out then he might have got 2 or 3 goals that may have made the difference.A different setting and he may have clicked, he would have definitely put himself about and may have created chances through that.

I met Marc Jackson last night and he came across as a decent man who really does have a passion for Saints. Personally all you who are having cheap shots at him should take a look at yourselves. Time will tell if he is all talk (but he part of a group who have put a written bid in and so proof of funds must be there) but what have you and I done to get a consortium to save us? I have done nothing, I have sat here hoping somebody else would come forward whilst the likes of Jackson have worked to get an investor in. Take the p### out of him call him Cherry pip scoff at him being a so called photocopier salesman but if he and a few others didnt have the nous to get up there and do it SFC will die.

if you may recall it was a 80 yard hoof by your keeper clearing up us through on goal that sent your bloke through to score unjustly.We didnt have the big lump at centre forward that you did Bigdave watson (he was good) to play the longball

Just back from the game still too angry to talk about the injustice and total undrerhanded trick that Phil pulled off.Brings back on a player without the refs permission and the game still in play who sets up the winning goal.It was not a sub it was a mugging and the ref made that Norwegian one against Chelsea look top quality. I will give a more thorough report tomorrow

Arc at her, the Rodent has spoken, get back on your wheel

Lol, Fern Britton does have a sense of humour....as an aside is there |St Johns Ambulance brigade there as well?

3pm today filling up with fuel in Salisbury and Stuart Pearce is there as well. It was 100% certain it was him.

To be fair LC RL and MW asked questions about what their intentions were for the club longterm.They of course didnt know the financial meltdown would happen.I assume they were confident there were other options

lol

If Drogba was playing they would run out of adverts to show

Is it because we haven't any funds to pay to keep them at present? We have to release anyone whose contract is up

My appearance is adding to the gate

Hindsight, the coventry fans I know are not happy and suspicious of their motives.When they failed to answer the clubs questions I suspect the club felt there werre others interested.

Im 1 of the few who thought it was outrageous. We have had refs do the same to us and you understand why people lay one on them after robbing them of probably the last chance to get to the final I dont understand why Hiddink didnt bring on more subs to kill time

Well Im out of pocket by the time Ive bought the Smarties for the Girl Guides ,pay for Shirleys varicose veins and the cleaning up at Freemantle express

Its a £5 on the door Robbie

Team news I have posted the starting line up on the match thread

Team news As I have no worries about the opposition Im going to publish my starting line up early, not the normal done thing I know but we are in comfort land. GK: bpsaint RB: Andy_Porter CB: Saints Mad Si CB: The Flying Finn LB: Neilza RM: forever a red and white CM: INFLUENCED.COM CM: lee_saint LM: Griffo ST: Baj ST: The9 On the bench, you lads will get 45 minutes though RB: Um Bongo CB: ooohTerryHurlock CB: Bugenhagen CM: MLT's Headed Goals ST: Foxy

Did it say how long the holiday was for? The renegotiation for it was from 2005 why was that then? i would have thought the bank saw we had more assetts at that time and probably wouldnt have been interested at that stage. To go to aviva with cap in hand may well have made them nervous it may not have been the besst thing to do until it was obvious we were in financial difficulties. LC did well to get that agreed but I still dont have the faith in him you do.He was too keen to appease fans.