Weston Saint

I heard an interesting quote yesterday that my friend attributed to Reed. He said we have a player in the squad that could be of the quality of Ronaldo given time to develop and that player was Mayuka. I am not sure why he does not feature more but perhaps he does not provide the right balance in the side at present. We will lose him in the new year to the African Nations cup as well. However seems the club rate his potential. Would love to know if Adkins shares Reed view.

According to my information today at the game Cortese did not have a crisis meeting with Adkins last Tuesday. Adkins took a training session and he and Cortese exchanged a few words. I am told the meeting has been set for the end of the month with some of the board members to review our position. This has come indirectly to me from Les Reed. I have no reason to doubt it but like all second hand info it should be treated with the usual caution. Reed also confirmed he has no input with regard to the first team.

What is wrong with Well Mr Adkins, ten games and we are in trouble. We have not achieved what we set out to achieved. Let us review your performance. What steps are you going to take to improve results? Can you turn it round? What do you need from us to help you achieve your targets? Nothing wrong with that if correct. Usual business performance reviews. WE JUST DO NOT KNOW. Only Adkins or Cortese can tell us what went on. Nothing wrong with speculation on an internet football forum but let us all recognise it is speculation not fact I am suddenly looking forward to this afternoon

Recently a few of us came into some very interesting information on team selection which was attributed. When checking the attribution it was found that the information was not only incorrect but had not been said at all!! My point? Do not believe what you hear or is printed unless it is from the person themselves. There is no evidence that anyone but Adkins and his coaches are picking the team and tactics. That may be influenced by the culture and plans for the club. It would be slight on the ability of the first team coaches and Manager for anyone to suggest otherwise. Adkins will stand or fall by his decisions. The support he needs from Mr Cortese is securing players and contracts identified in positions required to strengthen the team and its performance. Mr Cortese is known to be a fair but hard task master. He may need to soften his negotiation approach to get the players we need. I say may because that is pure speculation on my part.

If the current players are in the dark (I have that first hand) I am sure ex players will not know!

Adkins has achieved a fantastic double promotion. He has now reached a new level and it takes time. He has made it clear he wants to carry on and that he is the right man for the job. IMO he needs to be given the chance unhindered by meddling and the pressure of not knowing when the axe will come. Hopefully his meeting with Cortese earlier this week will have cleared the air. It is a results business and Premier survival is part of that but this man has achieved so much he is entitled to our and the boards complete support for a little longer yet.

He was good friends with a leading lawyer and a CEO of a plc company Both were very sought after men in their fields. The latter was as a result of attending the same school. Think BBC, think bank investigation, think sports company, think leading london store think airline suppliers. His two friends were mixed up in one or the other but never both of them His friends were friendly with Crouch They were all season ticket holders then but I do not know if they are now.

Good luck to the PST. They WILL be able to take on the club with the investors they have already lined up. What Appy was saying is that he does not see they will have enough to take the club forward. Good! They do not deserve to go forward although the trust business plan is a way forward from where the rotten club has come from. The PST will be able to run the club like any other Div2/Conference club. No one will expect them to follow the usual PFC trend of borrow and bust. It should be a new era of austerity for PFC. They will bump along with gates of about 7,000 once the supporters realise there is no way of up for a good few years. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel for PFC and at last I do not think it is the lights of a train hurtling towards them!

Adam Blackmore‏@bigadamsport For anyone hedging bets, Michael Appleton will be the new Blackpool boss when they finally announce it, a very good source tells me #pompey

We know the team is not good enough. I am sure the same is now in their minds. That is the biggest task Adkins and his backroom team have to overcome - the teams mind set!

The players have no idea about their Managers relationship with Cortese. It is kept very much awy from them

I made some phone calls today and I can confirm Lambert is not disinterested. He is absolutely devistated at our performances and position in the league. I can also confirm that the suggestions that Lambert did not travel with the rest of the team for West Ham is utter rubbish.

Cortese should hold his nerve. As long as the players have confidence in Adkins he should be given time.

He seems to be giving the Moderators the run around. It is only Miltonroader07 ffs. He should be easy to overcome yet the Moderators slip up and don't even bring in the Administrators. They have given us a couple of good years but enough is enough. They should walk holding their heads high. Bring in some Moderators with experience in handling Premiership posters.

Have a look how many of his threads he started that have been locked since he registered. Poor defence moderator clark.You were better than this the last 2 years in Div 1 & Championship

As Miltonroader07 has so many threads locked or deleted I assume he is breaking the rules. Why has he not been banned? If he is not breaking the rules why are so many of his threads being locked or deleted? Miltonroader07 to go or should it be the backroom moderators.

Well said Frank

Think you need to look at the quality of their fringe players Duncan. We are not in their league on that as yet. And what about the Reading Manager!!!

Not sure why posters think Cortese will sack Adkins. Cortese has always made it clear the league is a priority Our first team played a tough league game only 2 days before We already have injuries to key players. Cannot afford more. Chance for club to look at fringe players and some of the future in tough game rather than practice matches or development games. Some were found wanting and it will give an idea where we need to cover in January Give the man a chance. He deserves at least that. We will not find stability if we keep sacking Managers.

In the 60's away supporters could come into the Milton Road end and often did. However, at that time most of the away support were in the Archers Road end. Never got involved with Dougal. Seems he was a cult figure to some. Never rated him. I mixed with a lot of tough guys from Weston but never got involved with him

Whilst one should never condone the alleged actions of the player it is a real shame some of our supporters are alleged to have abused him. He was signed because the club felt they needed an experienced keeper. They did not play him straight away but Adkins made it quite clear in interview that he wanted his experience for West Ham away and has clearly made the decision to continue with him against Tottenham. I assume he did not want a young, inexperienced but talented young keeper to lose confidence behind a defence unable to cope collectively with Premiership football. I also assume he had Davis on the bench because he felt it unfair to just dump him after he has served us so well. He has his weaknesses at the near post and his command in the box and distribution thinking time slow but he was a good stopper and kicker and does not deserve to be just discarded. He is a good back up keeper. As for the rumour of Gazzaniga going on loan to Bristol City, if I am right in my above assumption, why would the club let him go on loan to one in the bottom 3 of the Championship and themselves short of confidence? It just does not make sense. So unfounded rumour for me.

Matt is a Vice President of Hampshire Cricket so I have to be careful but I have been disappointed with his media comments about Cortese of late. Incidently, David Griffiths, Hampshires First Team fast bowler is now a season ticket holder at Saints in the Itchen

Looking at tonights table we have played teams in 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th and 9th 15th and 17th. Much to early to make a judgement. Let's see where we are when we have played more around us.

Communication is an essential tool in business, both internally and externally. Southampton Football Club are , in my opinion, left wanting in that department both through the media and their own web site. I do not want to see a Chairman or the club having to answer every speculation. They are right to "no comment" much of it. However, they should attempt to build bridges with the local paper. That is a tool that will help encourage more to take an interest in the club, both young and old. They should try to build bridges with many ex players and use them to give positive vibes not the negativity we have seen since Mr Cortese took the helm. I am not talking freebee's although why not a life membership to retired players who have completed at least 100 league games for the club. They could be encouraged to use that membership in an "Ambassador" role for the club. We (The club) do have a past, present and future. It should be proud of its past, it should be mindful of the present and working for the future. There is a balance but, in my opinion, Mr Cortese and his administration team have got the balance wrong and it is likely to have a detrimental effect on the future support of this club and its income streams.

If Portpin do take the case to court over valuation then it will be against the Administrators who still control PFC, not the Trust. The administrators will enter their defence that Portpins valuation is wrong and counter a valuation with their evidence. They will likely also enter within the defence that Portpin do not have a valid legal charge. As far as costs are concerned, if I was the Administrator I would now issue a "Part 36" offer based on the highest valuation, may be the one the Trust has offered. That will put Portpin at risk for all costs even before they issue proceedings.