Weston Saint

Would have preferred Richardson to Yoshida at Right Back but let us not forget Richardson is not match fit. On that basis I think it is a good call by Adkins. This is not the sort of game for Ramirez. I am sure he will feature at some stage. Perhaps he has a injury niggle! Awful lot of negativity on here before the game has even started!!!!

No. The family are respecting Saints management request not to give out information.

thanks, never noticed that.

Poor penalty staraight at the goalkeeper. Justice though. No penalty as far as I am concerned.

Most of the trouble in those days was outside of the ground before or particularly after the match. It was bad enough though as I remember best behaved supporter competitions being run by the League. We were always near or at the top of he competition and would chant "we're the best behaved supporters in the land" so I assume soon after the early 70's but cannot really remember as work stopped me going after 1971 until I retired and we were relegated from the Premier.

I started going in 1967, so a little later that the original poster (Ian that is not Duncan) A group of us would walk from Weston Estate to town via the floating bridge and have a few pints in the Bay Tree pub. Yes there was plenty of underage drinking then. Then it was off to the ground entering the Milton Road end for a good pre match chanting. The away supporters were in the Archers Road end although there was nothing to stop them coming in the Milton Road end and often many did for good natured banter. Big John McGrath would always be last out on the pitch, a ritual of his, covered in liniment oil that we could all smell. The Albion Band were still about then as well. One memory was in 1970 or there abouts when we played Newcastle in the Fairs Cup. We had managed to draw 0-0 away if I remember correctly but only drew 1-1 at the Dell and went out on away goal rules. Bitterly disappointed on the way home over the Chapel railway bridge I jumped to swing on the metal bar over the top, slipped and cracked my head on the metal. It was not until the following day I realised I had forgotten everything from coming out of the ground until I woke up the following day! Never did recover that few hours but unfortunately it did not include the game!

I was told by a very good contact at SMS that Mayuka was highly regarded by Les Reed and a future star and I posted that on Saints Web. When I mentioned this to another very good contact he said Mayuka was far from being an effective Premier player. Those are the opposing views and having gone back to my initial contact I firmly believe he is far from being ready and has a lot of improving to undertake. Adkins must think something of him as he is constantly in the last 18 squad. He did show a little of his pace against Villa. He changed the game in the second half against Spurs and I fully expected him to continue but Adkins stuck with Puncheon who has formed a good relationship with Clyne. This is a settled side and our goals against ratio is improving. There is a better balance in the side. I have not seen the Liverpool game so canot comment but against Norwich we were under the cosh for much of the second half and to change the team by attacking substitutes at that stage might have upset the balace and taken us back to the high goal against ratio. Mayuka is away most of January. Let's see what Adkins does with him when he returns Unlike up and away, whose opinion I value and often agree with, I do not think we need to buy another striker. I do agree Lambert is too slow but his overall presence is needed. There is a lot more to him that scoring goals. He is very much part of the balance of the side. Maybe Adkins feels Mayuka presence lacks that balance!

Gazzaniga will likely keep his place against Liverpool. Adkins rates him very highly and expects him to be a top keeper. He needs experience and what better way than to play in the Premier. He has made mistakes but owns up to them and at present his confidence is high.

Gazzaniga will likely keep his place against Liverpool. Adkins rates him very highly and expects him to be a top keeper. He needs experience and what better way than to play in the Premier. He has made mistakes but owns up to them and at present his confidence is high.

Was the author Ian Ritchie - Southampton YMCA's Goalkeeper in the early 70's?

Was the author Ian Ritchie - Southampton YMCA's Goalkeeper in the early 70's?

I thought it was excellent entertainment live last night and he had clearly worked very hard to get it perfected. Block 5 enjoyed it. My wife has seen the BBC extract and enjoyed it. My daughters age 36 and 31 have watched it and enjoyed it. My 13 month old Grand Daughter loved it and watched it twice. 3 generations and all thumbs up.

Drew was coming down and stopping overnight but he has treatment tomorrow morning back in Norwich so had had to abandon those plans.

Unfortunately Drew will not feature tonight as he has an injury. He is gutted not to be available but rest and treatment should mean it is not a serious injury.

I was unable to attend the game as it clashed with a thanksgiving service at Winchester Cathedral which I attended with my family. Watched the highlights on Match of the Day and was very impressed. I have read this thread and recorded the Sky 1 hour highlights and will be watching that this morning. Looks like Newcastle, like QPR offered very little but how much was that down to our desire and ability? Norwich will be a big test and will give us a better idea of how far we have come this season.

http://www.companiesintheuk.co.uk/ltd/spp-south-coast

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-20394781

McKenzie has signed a 1 year contract and will be available from June in all formats. Bilal Shafayat not offered another contract

McKenzie has been offered a contract but no decision made as yet

Hampshire have what all partners consider is a sustainable business plan going forward. That means we no longer have the money to splash out on unsustainable high wages. Katich and McKenzie salaries would have been built into that model so when another club with Aussie Test Match revenue in 2013 ups the anti we have no alternative but to let him go. We need to look at a good front line bowler as our overseas but the way International fixtures are at present it is unlikely we will be able to get one for the whole season.

Pleased for Razza if true. Decent guy with plenty of time still to break into the first team. Katich would be a major surprise as Adams today said Hants had offered him another year and subject to other business issues in Aussie he thought he would be back. Commercial director has also stepped down afetr 2 years. I spoke often to Zac last season and it comes as no surprise. He worked extremely hard and succesfully for Hants over the two years but wanted a break at some stage to recharge his batteries. The club say he is not being replaced at present. That also figures as he has obtained the sponsership/ground naming and the commercial stuff has been outsourced to Keith Prowse. Good guy was Zac. We got on well from the time he arrived.

One answer would be that Adkins identified areas he needed to strenthen, the transfer committee identified the individuals (remember Adkins is on that committee) and Cortese is responsible for agreeing terms and conditions. It is possible all took place but Cortese could not agree terms that he felt were reasonable. Buttner appears a good example of this where it is suggested, by Buttner, that terms and conditions had been agreed but then, it is suggested, someone wanted a cut and this was unacceptable to Cortese. We just do not know! For me, and I continue to support Adkins, the lack of quality in positions identified is not down to him. If Cortese feels Adkins is making the right decisions and tactics and that it is down to quality then Adkins will continue as Manager and the player situation will be addressed in January. As I have said before, I just hope Cortese holds his nerve.

Adkins says he wants a midfielder. Reed, Cortese and Adkins, by committee, decide who is available and Cortese negotiates. Adkins decides when, where and the tactics. Simple really. I have read a lot, asked questions, asked people to investigate allegations and only post on here now when I am satisfied with the result. I got sucked in too often during the Administration and before by picking up info and posting it, only to find when I asked the right people it was rubbish. More careful now.

It might have something to do with it being Premier League and a far cry from Div 1 and Championship football Last season our defence was our weak area but we got away with it. This season we are up against class players and we are getting punished. Our midfield was no more effective than it is now. There has been no radical departure in my opinion. We just need better players in some areas than we have now.

In view of who told me and that he attributed it to a question put directly to Reed I am puting a fairly high weighting on it being correct.