OldNick

Your last sentence is as regrettable as any of Stanleys. I love reading all the Liberal stuff about how they are ashamed of our Empire. If it wasnt for the wealth of our Empire, you wouldnt have the lifestyle you enjoy now. It was due to people who rightly or wrongly went about the world developing commerce and yes there were some majpor downsides but dont sit in your ivory tower thinking you are not enjoying some of the fruits of it. The British Empire gave lots of good to the world as well as bad. Forget not that some countries even now shouldn't be able to rule themselves. Would it be better that the rule of law to our standards still be used in Zimbabwe or in other states? If it wasnt for the Empire Germany would have invaded us with ease and that the war would not have been won. It was due to us to be able to get people who saw us as the motherland to fight alongside us. They were not press ganged, but were proud to be part of the Empire. it is easy to pick all the faults and use that to beat us. No Empire and we would be in the same category as Greece without the tourism and weather.Iceland would be probably on par.

So the 'Saints fan' who made the complaint has caused our club to be destabilised and effected the players mind set in an important period , great. I do not condone the players but some people gob off and then run off to mummy when they get a reaction.

James was nullified by having to watch Teale. Saga was not up to his frorm as he had been so far, I just hope he can regain it quickly

If you say that the Plymouth game was nobodies as it is hard to say who had the control on the day, but typical of saints others have the manager arrive on the day and they win (eg Notts forest) but we lose.We indeed lost 4 and drew 1 of the previous 5 including fa cup and so would have been low in confidence after the poor appointment of D&G. NP did ok hestill took us to the brink, although it was great that day when we were saved

That is true

i understand all that, but the germans would have 'educated' the children and through the schools would have erased these things. Not correct of course but the Nazi's would have sorted it in time. By now we would have had 3 generations where the young would have been brainwashed and t would all be cleaned, a bit like 1984. As for things that happened and soldiers on the streets that was a mistake by politicians at the time of the uprising early in the 20th c. At that time the IRA had lttle support as soon as they were arrested then the mood changed. I think the bloke who just has been jailed in Iraq for throwing the shoe at Bushwill be seen as a mistake long term

fair comment, and its quite good getting these news feeds.Wel done to thought to do it.

things that happened 300 years ago is not my responsibility.There are problems in the world that are kept going hundreds of years on , its ridiculous. There are just people who need strife so they can get their way...does that remind you of anything closer to home?

great realistic post IMO

Saga has done well but the last few games has lost his spark again.Lets hope it is reignited saturday and he chases like he did when he first came back.

Very true, Surmans miss is hardly up there with Pruttons at WBA. Yes we expect AS to score but I think as much a defining moment could be the ball coming back off the post, or SU injury time winner.Each in their own way could be crucial at the end of the season. To my mind the biggest factor was not the Jan experiment , but not stopping it 4-5 games earlier, Wotte in charge then and perhaps we might not be fretting so much now.

Duncan I believe if he keeps us up he deserves higher praise than NP.In the context that a new manager in under LM and LC was always going to get more leeway than a Lowe appointment.Wotte didnt even get a days honeymoon period. Fans like NP for the way he united the fanbase, that was his major plus IMO.I wish we could read back to this time last season and see if all those who worship him now were at that time asking for him to have his contract extended for 3 years. i doubt there were many threads on that then. It is said that he took on a demotivated squad, but they were only 6 points from the play-offs.He did an adequate job and if we had gone down I suspect the majority of fans lauing him would be distancing themselves now. Wotte is not gods gift to managment either but he inherited a team in a lot worse state of demotivation than NP did. The fans had turned completely against the whole club and the players were feeling the wrath of fans , and getting booed off many times. I understand Um's point about being in the background but Jan was in charge of the tactics the style of play and all the other decisions a manager makes. I suspect many have held positions in companies where they can see the manager making right ricks but not being able to change them until they got the job. I hope Wotte will save the day, I know RL will have got out of jail to a degree and that will irk some but surely the club staying up is all important not some getting one over RL. The summer then may bring a change of leadership, I dont know but IMO if Wotte keeps us up he deserves 100% to keep his job.In fact even if we go down, because we need to try for once to keep the club moving as one. NP has left,the majority of fans were against it including me but the things iam hearing about the new regime should give us hope and that is what I want.

i dont think so.

Chez I think the important word is 'could'

oooooooooooooooTerry Hurlock. I didnt mean just you and you are right you did offer to help.I do like the enthusiasm.

Is this a fair assessment of how we got through managers?, IMO it is fair Souness walked out, said to be unhappy at transfer budget, (RL denied that he had been told any budget) immediately walks into benfica job.No interview process just straight in..odd that Dave Jones. Now tell me how RL could have kept him on? We have the Mc Donalds family centre, Ford acadamy (at that time) parents deciding whether to send their young lads to play in our acadamy, the players having their own kids, and then the Police drip drip of new offences being aimed at him. Even the fans who were supportive, in the main started to question as the 2nd raft of 10's of offences were published.No company would have been able to have kept him as manager, and at least we offered to support him during that time. Hoddle. Do i need to say more? Gray. He had the opportunity to go with the rest who GH had taken away but turned him down as he was loyal to the club. RL rewarded that loyalty by giving him the job.i wasnt too impressed but there is nothing wrong in rewarding loyalty.RL was decisive in replacing him when things were looking bad. WGS again he stated when he came that he would only be here for 3 years as he promised his wife so.WGS a man of his word carried that out.The news of him leaving destabilised the club and we couldnt get someone ready and it was all public , the results went on a steep decline, relegation form in fact.RL wished for GH to return, i like many others voiced our disgust. Sturrock, was a brave/reckless decision similar to keane/Ince appontments.PS has statd recently that the pressure was too much for him and so he resigned. Left again in the lurch Wigley was installed. He had rave reviews what he had achievedin the reserve set up, and glowing reports from the playing staff. Hit by a terrible run of injuries (a very unlucky period in time, 2-1 away at Arsenal in the injury time and van Persie hit a fantastic equaliser, Niemi injured pre the vital WBA game and his replacement makes 2 howlers and we only draw)he is replaced, perhaps too late but still over 20 games left. HR an exciting appointment, the fans in the main were overjoyed we were to be saved, and should have been. Basset/Wise caretaker. Showed nothing that they could improve things and after his outburst shwed why Wise would not be the man for us. GB again welcomed by the fanbase.Left under LC again walked out on the club, no fault of ours. NP taken on a short term contract(not immediately negotiated for longer by regime of time). Did adequate job, saved on last day, but united the fanbase.RL decides he wishes to use his own appointment . Jan under severe financial restraint, for long periods nearly worked.left too long before being nudges. May I also respectfully add LC had 3 managers in less than half a season that makes his percentage even more ridiculous, so it is not quite as simple as you make out. Wotte???

I think it is about numbers as well.It probably has been costed and organised as 16 per team max. We may get 30 a side and that causes other problems.

I dont know how many years they have yo-yo 'ed, but their fans have been used to playing 2nd tier football. I dont think that any fanbase supports the board, but perhaps there may be a few fans who decide to buy tickets and the strength of who is on the board. Perhaps they feel empathy, but under LC did we feel a surge of that? I suppose the closest we got to that was when a lot of fans got into a froth when MW arrived.There must be other reasons, what they are I dont know, but Ipswich also get a good following as well.It must be the air down there

Coming in being a Lowe man is a terrible disadvantage IMO.Wotte like other 2nd or 3rd in commands had very little say.Jan did it his way, would you expect any different? The manger may ask for opinions but normally makes his own decisions. Both managers have their plusses, but like the RL lc debate it has already become polarised.NP will always be welcome back to SMS as far as im concerned but if Wotte keeps us up I believe he would have done a job from a worse starting position.If we were in the bottom 3 when NP arrived we would have gone down. the same may still happen under Wotte

most would not have as many questions or requests as us I would suggest. Lets not start moaning too soon,Steve Im sure is trying his best

he cost 750k euro (the euro was not strong at the time ,about 500k)

Are their fans more loyal? Is it a case they havent been spoilt with 27 years in the PL and having the expectations that went with it.

They probably dont want a load of moaners playing as there will be complaints that the dressing rooms were not up to standard or the grass is the wrong colour against our tans

Are you for real? I thought you didnt like RL as he sacked loads of managers with other things

nicking mobile phones off schoolkids is just as profitable both just as legal as well.Or do you do that as a sideline