Weston Saint

Agree, there was never going to be the money available. To reach the level he wished you needed to sprinkle the team with a few outstanding internationals at £100m per week wages. FFP and the owners would never have allowed that to become reality. We all knew that but I cannot understand how the players did not see it.

I stopped posting on the football side of this forum as I was so angry with many of the posting I might have posted something out of character and not only lose credibility but also regret it after. However things have cooled now so I am back for occasional posts. I can understand the many expressions of disappointment on here but you need to take into account the reality of the situation we are in. We finished 8th, were being lauded as playing attractive effective football but with a wage limit. Suddenly we lose our drive and ambition when Cortese departed. A Manager who was also credited with the style and drive then left along with the best players that had got us to that level. If you were outside the club you would immediately think something was very wrong. The club may still be ambitious with their targets but such targets will likely say some thing along the lines of "if I am good enough and of the standard of those departing why would I want to go to that club if they cannot keep their players" So we then move down to the second choices and find most of them have options to go to other clubs who are more stable. So now we are at the level we are now. While we may not be as strong, collectively, as we were last season there are plenty of teams in the division with equal or worse squads. What I saw on Saturday suggests we can compete and the additions like Long will help. We need to stabilize, rebuild our reputation, expand our commercial arm and show the world we are club worth watching and playing for. We have done it before. I am sure the club will give it ago again. I was a "glass half empty" until I saw the team on Saturday. Now I am a "glass half full"

Thought we let Notts get about 20 too many but proved wrong. How important was that drop when Vince was on 20. It came hard to Hales but he should have held it. We are without Maxwell (not a big loss on this years form and Shah should be available) and Abbott for finals but we have a good squad

Was about 4,500 yesterday but about 10,000 through the gates today. too the club a bit by surprise but they are delighted. Chairman of ECB was there for 2 days but no other Director and no one from Major Games Committee. Sad but telling?

Great win for England who deserved every moment. Enjoyed all 5 days and nice to round it off with a celebration lunch in the Robin Smith suite with friends. Cook and Anderson posed for photos with two of my friends who were celebrating their 60th Wedding anniversary. Nice touch from Rod Bransgrove to put a bottle of champagne on our table. Let us hope for an Ashes Test.

Hampshire were very upset when the fixture date was announced but ECB indicated it was because of the tight schedule. Negotiations then took place and ECB accepted it was not an ideal start on a Sunday and agreed to cover ticket losses for the first 3 days. The gate was 15,500 on Sunday, 10,500 on Monday and about 8,500 yesterday. Not sure about today yet but projections were about 4500. The position of the game may mean a decent walk up This was more about showing the ECB we could handle Test cricket and so far everything important has been positive including the wicket. Good batting strip with something in it for the bowlers. It is rated as a perfect test wicket so far. I am enjoying my time there and off shortly for the 4th day. In all the club are disappointed with the crowd turn out but very positive overall. Ticket cost is always an issue but compares with other grounds. For non members I believe it was about £65 per day. I bought a package of all 5 days for £156 which equates to £31.20 per day. Effectively at £52 per day face value on the ticket it gives me day 4 and 5 free. And I have on site parking free and have been home within 20 minutes of the finish. I live between Weston and Woolston. No traffic delays for me.

Good win but mighty close. Well done to Luke Wright but thankfully not enough. Rimmington left out to get Dawson into the side. Wood tells me that although he is still not able to play 4 day cricket he should be available for the up and coming 50 over competition. Good to meet up with Nick Pothas again. He is now a batting coach with Sussex. Some very relieved coaches and players tonight.

I think it is just a loss of form. I am unware of any conflict in the dressing room and as I meet with many of the teams parents during games and am good friends with some I think I would have had a hint. I also know most of the committee very well and often pass the time with the Chairman and Directors of the Ageas Bowl so again something would have come out by now. We have just got into a rut. However I do not agree it was a bad loss against Essex. It was a close loss and but for the experience of Bopara we would likely have won.

Shame about yesterday. We really needed a lead of 200 on a very spin friendly wicket. Colchester is an out ground where wicket wear quickly and are unpredictable. Cannot put my finger on why our batsmen are so out of form, fatigue apart. Anyway if we win tomorrow we qualify for T20 Bash QF with Surrey's result last night.

Top 4 in each of the two leagues go through. Top 2 at home next 2 away. It is in our hands. However if we miss out on a home game it will cost the club about £100,000 in income.

Looks like you have your wish. Good call Hampshire Squad: Adams ©, Briggs, Carberry, Coles, Dawson, Ervine, Rimmington, Smith, Taylor, Tomlinson, Vince, Wheater.

I have read the recent comments on this thread so will try to answer. Like many Test Match grounds the new drainage is meaning it is difficult to produce a balance between batting & bowling wickets although the water table level at Hampshire is not as low as some of the grounds but it does have an effect. On Monday we produced a very green “bowler friendly” wicket but yet again lost the toss. By late on the first day, despite it still looking very green, it became flat, slow and unresponsive. That said they bowled better than us in both innings! I have been there for all 6 days cricket. I have never seen so many players out of form at the same time in one team! Essex is going to be difficult. Abbott has left to join SA in SL for the Tests. I was with David Balcolme on Thursday morning. His knee has swelled overnight and he is unavailable. Spoke to Woods last night and he is not yet ready for 4 day cricket. Dawson is fit and available and will play. Watched him bowl in the 2nds on Thursday afternoon and he is ready. Coles was rested from the game to keep him fresh for Essex. Gatting was given a 2 year contract as cover. We wanted to strengthen the batting (I know!) and he had made 100 for the seconds coming into the game. I will be surprised to see him again this season! Rimmington has an English link but he is registered to an Aussie side at present so can only bowl as the overseas player. He was only bought in as a replacement for Abbott in the T20. We have no one else that can step up to the mark! Bowlers will be Tomlinson and Coles to open. Going to be a lot of bowling for Ervine, Vince Briggs, Dawson with back up from Maxwell & Smith Sat with Ervine after last night’s game. He is mentally and physically shattered. Decided not to find Carberry to have a chat as he seems in a strange place at present. However he has class and will find his form again. Thanks for some of the nice comments. It prompted me to post here. Will keep you in touch with what I can on the cricket front. Looking forward to the Test match. Have tickets for all 5 days, private pay bar (none of this queueing) and onsite parking.

Have been fed up with this forum and some of the mindless posters for a while now. Thank God it does not represent life. For me, I see no reason to post any more.

Remember the chant "We are Southampton, we're off to Brazil" Well we were but we seem to have lost some of them along the way! Possibility that all our World Cup stars will be starting the season somewhere else. Absolute tragedy for us supporters but plenty of memories from the last few seasons particularly the last one. New board, new Managment, new Team and with the money we have to spend, new optimism??

It matters to me as a supporter.

How can it be. You do not move up for less money. Silly analogy. Of course money is important. But so is stepping up on a bigger stage. The two go together.

Likewise.

Have to say if we can get him for £10m as Adam Lallana replacement our loss is an English born player but our gain is a player of at least equal ability/age and money in the bank on the deal. Yes please.

Not worthy of comment so I won't!

But will you wish Lambert & Shaw well or treat them all with the same disgust? If so I accept your comment.

I am saddened to see some of the comments regarding Adam Lallana. This is a guy who stayed with us when we got relegated from the Championship and has assisted us returning to the Premier just as much as Lambert. He has accepted wages way below what he might have got had he sought another club in that time. He has now reached 26, is an England International as has had an offer to play for a club who have qualified for Champions league. He has been loyal for many years. So what that he kissed the badge and said what he said about Southampton in the past. He has exceeded his own expectations both playing at Southampton and being selected for England and now wants to reach for the next level. He cannot get that at Southampton. This is his great opportunity. An opportunity that most of those who are knocking him would take if they had the opportunity. If the club were so determined to keep him they could have insisted he stuck to his contract but they appear to have accepted this is his great chance and with the right transfer fee have let him move on. Not much different from Lambert in my opinion. This is all about opportunity in a short career. Accept that and wish him well. Anything less is disingenuous to a long term servant, not a mercenary who came in for a year or so to use us as a stepping stone.

This is how I feel. We do not have the income (under financial fair play) to pay the wages required to gain or keep players to take us to the next level. Just like those outside of the top 4 or 5. It is they way of things now and it will remain the way of things in the future. I already have my season ticket so will continue to support this coming season but I think this will be my last year! Outside the top 12 at the end of next season and that will be it for me. Increase in season ticket more than inflation next season and that will also count against. I am lucky that I can afford Itchen central and Hampshire Cricket Executive Membership plus dining. However I am not going to continue to feed this obscene beast that is the Premier League unless it is on my terms. I will support from the armchair if we do not achieve my targets!

On a lighter note Adam Lallana on his move to Liverpool "It's a dream move for me. It just seemed the most logical way to avoid getting bitten next season".

Why did we not put them back in! The wicket is not going to get better. It is a dry wicket and Hants did not fancy last use with so much time available. The fact we are 264-2 vindicates with 2 days to go in good weather. That from our 1st team coach. Why is Vince not playing for England! Well he is disappointed he was not included in the ODI squad at least. That from his father Time and weather on our side. We should beat them. Fantastic bowling from our strike bowlers this morning. Briggs is now a Dad. Stanley Robert Briggs born today.

Could not agree more. May be time our little group went out for another drink and chat! Will send an email shortly to all.