Weston Saint

You are not. He is ok but has not come up to the hype. I would be looking to find someone better in his place at the first opportunity. He is not good enough!

I will tell you what will likely happen Nick.The CVA will happen and Pompey will start the season in the Championship without a points deduction Chainrai or a new buyer will control the club but there will be very little money for investment in players Most of the high earners will go and be replaced by cheap options They will struggle and end up mid lower table Grant will go Within 2 or 3 seasons they will fall into League 1 but I expect that will be the bottoming of their demise If there are financial irregularities all the above bets are off other than Grant going and a points deduction will see them relegated to in Div 1 at the end of next season.

I make no apology for quoting this post as I feel it is a good alternative view and one nearer to the truth, in my opinion. As for McMenemy and the rest making their Pardew views know in the local paper, if they had considered the man they were dealing with could it have been done better? I think it could. They could have written a letter to Cortese praising his handling of the club since he came in, how they have enjoyed Southampton FC's reimergence and how confident they are of the future in safe hands and what an inspired choice Pardew was as Manager. Ego massage from those who have been successful in the football business would have been the way to go.

Squad for tonights matsh at the Rose Bowl - 4:40 start Hampshire Squad: 4 Jimmy Adams 7 Sean Ervine 8 Liam Dawson 9 Nic Pothas 12 Dominic Cork 14 James Vince 15 Michael Carberry 18 David Griffiths 20 Chris Benham 21 James Tomlinson 25 Chris Wood 27 Neil McKenzie 34 Rangana Herath No Kabir Ali yet but I spoke to him yesterday and he is ok but did not want to risk it today. Should be ok for the Notts game next week. Lumb will miss the Notts game as he will not have returned in time following Englands appearance in the T20 final Chris Woods is the new name. Coming on leaps and bounds in the 2nds and although he will not likely get a Championship game this season he will possibly get a limited over game before the season's end. I expect Woods to miss out this time with Griffiths or Tomlinson the other.

Eh! he has scored three centries this season for Hants (one against the universities) and the divisions 4th highest run scorer this season with 425 in 5 matches

The Echo looked it over and could not see anything to cause its withdrawal. Source - Echo Pardew looked through it before it was withdrawn but could not see anything of note. Source - someone who was asked to collect them up from the dressing room. One of the programme contributors thinks it might have been his article which was slightly critical of Cortese. If it was that I am told he is rather embarrassed by the reaction. Source - someone who was with the contributor today. So basically no one knows but it was clearly not important to anyone other that the person who ordered them to be withdrawn.

1 - 347 VP Terry & CL Smith v Warwickshire Edgbaston, Birmingham 1987 2 - 321 G Brown & EIM Barrett v Gloucestershire County Ground, Southampton 1920 3 - 344 G Brown & CP Mead v Yorkshire United Services Recreation Ground, Portsmouth 1927 4 - 263 RE Marshall & DA Livingstone v Middlesex Lord's Cricket Ground, St John's Wood 1970 5 - 235 G Hill & DF Walker v Sussex United Services Recreation Ground, Portsmouth 1937 6 - 411 RM Poore & EG Wynyard v Somerset County Ground, Taunton 1899 7 - 325 G Brown & CH Abercrombie v Essex County Ground, Leyton 1913 8 - 257 N Pothas & AJ Bichel v Gloucestershire College Ground, Cheltenham 2005 9 - 230 DA Livingstone & AT Castell v Surrey County Ground, Southampton 1962 10 - 192 HAW Bowell & WH Livsey v Worcestershire Dean Park, Bournemouth 1921

Updated echo report http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/8155768.Pardew_remains_coy_about_his_future/

No idea.

Plenty of speculation and I have received telephone calls and texts I have no idea what is going on, and why should I. We finished 7th and close enough to playoffs to suggest Pardew will be given more time. It is said that our Owner and Chairman are unhappy because Pardew promised at least a playoff place if he was given more money in January. He was and he "failed" but for the majority of the supporters is seems that are satisfied with the progress we have made. I believe next seasons start will deterimine Pardews future at the club. Our owner not turning up is because he was unhappy with our position! Or was it simply because of the air restrictions. We do not know. It is said that Cortese & Pardew do not get on. We know Cortese has put Pardew under a lot of pressure. So what! That is par for the job. Cortese wanted us to concentrate on the league, Pardew came out and said the Cups were important this season. If so Pardew achieved his goal. Differences of opinion are healthy providing it does not impinge of the overall business plan. For me we are heading in the right direction and another year of winning in League 1 will give us the increased confidence of contuining that run in the Championship the following season. A meeting next Wednesday to decide Pardews future? Or is it the meeting we all expected to discuss the summer transfer stratagy, review the season and business plan and decide which players to move on/not renew contracts/award extended or new contracts. We do not know Mark Hughes coming? There was rumour he was seen going into St Mary's the day we were playing away at Tranmere. I asked if anyone had seen Cortese at Tranmere that day but no one said they did but that does not mean he was not there. So at present we do not know. New right back signing - Brighton have come out publically and said he is coming to us. If he is, does that not suggest Pardew has agreed the same and will be here next season. Cortese will have sanctioned the future signing although he does have a history of pulling the plug on player signings. Solent have a media agreement with Saints so it is possible the have access to more than most but I suspect it is the rumour mill rather than hints from well positioned individuals. Likewise the Echo have a decent relationship with the football side of the club (players/managers/coaches but theirs will likely be from speculation/rumour rather that informed facts. So when it comes to Pardew's future we do not know. He has come out and said he wants to stay. So it is up to our Owner and Chairman. The vibes out there are for him to go. I am prepared to suggest he will stay. I still have my doubts on his ability at a higher level but we do not get rid of players because they will not perform at Premier level when we are playing in Div 1 and I see Pardew in that same position. Surely he had done enough to be given more time. If he fails to live up to the expectations early next season (and apart from our sketchy away form being addressed he should do) then that is the time to think again, not now.

Pardew intends to stay. He is going nowhere unless pushed. Cortese may have had his differences with Pardew but he is not about to push him out. The business plan is still intact, just! Plans will start for next season soon after the last game on Saturday. Discussions will take place on who will be released and what target positions are to strengthen/cover. Preparations for next season will start after a short break. Automatic promotion is the only playing target next year. Why has Cortese not commented on the speculation? - Because he sees no need to comment on such speculation. It is a consistant approach from him.

Heard he is now bowling 4 days a week and hopes to be fit to take part in first team action by the end of May. Early days but progress being made.

Points each month August 3 points out of 15 - 20% September 6 out of 15 - 40% October 13 out of 15 - 87% November 4 out of 9 - 44% December 12 out of 18 - 67% January 5 out of 9 - 55% February 8 out of 12 - 67% March 12 out of 18 - 67& April 17 out of 21 - 81%

Thanks

Any idea who will lead the line in place of Lambert? Assume Jaidi for Seabourn. Is Wotton starting (please say no)

Thanks updated

A great season (after our disasterous start and the -10) has left us all wanting more but where did we lose out on a playoff place. Below are the teams in present league order with points gained and goals scored (Saints figures first) Norwich - 4-1 (4-2) Leeds – 3-3 (1-1) Millwall – 2-2 (2-2) Swindon – 0-6 (0-2) Charlton – 4-1 (2-1) Huddersfield – 3-3 (6-3) Colchester – 1-4 (1-2) Bristol Rovers - 3-3 (7-4) Brentford – 2-2 (2-2) MK Dons – 6-0 (6-1) Walsall – 6-0 (8-2) Brighton – 1-4 (3-5) Carlisle – 4-1 (4-3) Oldham – 4-1 (3-1) Hartlepool – 6-0 (6-3) Yeovil – 6-0 (3-0) Leyton Orient - 4-1 (4-3) Exeter – 4-1 (4-2) Gillingham- 3-0 (4-1) incomplete Tranmere – 3-3 (4-2) Wycombe – 4-1 (1-0) Southend – 3-0 (3-1) incomplete Stockport – 4-1 (3-1) Interesting feature is we have scored against all teams over home and away apart from Swindon. More worrying is that only Yeovil & Wycombe failed to score against us so room for improvement perhaps. Swindon, Colchester and Brighton are the only teams who scored more against us than we did against them, home/away combined. We gained 34 points out of a possible 66 from teams in the first 12 positions (11 teams excluding ourselves) 51.5% We gained 46 points out of 66 from teams in bottom 12 (exl Gillingham away and Southend home to come) 70% Where did we really lose it? Brighton, Swindon and Tranmere stand out but it was deninately the -10 that did it for us this season. Well done to the Team and Management. The pressure will be to maintain the momentum next season. We are always going to have silly results but good teams can absorb them by consistant performances.

They acted for the club, the club is responsible. Too easy to blame a previous regime. And try telling that to the creditors!

Just not acceptable! Now bottom of the table and 3 points adrift.

How do you know and what are the terms.

Simple answer to Administration. End of season relegation by two divisions based on where the team would be at the end of that season. For Portsmouth who relegated irrespective of the points deduction - Championship but 2 down so Division 2. Saints would have been starting this season in Conference. Make teams think twice about overspending. Take away the special football creditor status as well It will also make teams fight to avoid relegation (rather than give up that season) to avoid too drastic a fall. Also before any team can be considered for a season they have to produce a certificate from HMRC that taxes are paid and up to date as at 4th April each year and filed with PL or FL by 1st June that same year. Radical I know but too many clubs are living beyond their means and treating Administration as a savour to avoid their full responsibilities.

44-4 with top four out! What is going on with Hampshire!!!

Last time I spoke to his father on the Celtic issue he said neither Adam or his Agent were aware of any Cetic interest and certainly no approach. In fact he said it was absolute rubbish

When you sign an unknown it is not unusual for the period of contract to be short, in Antonio's case until end of 2009/10 season. To prevent the player moving on at the end of that period when he has proved he has a good future it is normal to put into the original contact a club option to extend it for another period, in this case another year. It is in the contract Antonio signed. He cannot refuse, it was not an option on both sides. It explains why Pardew did not sign him in January for a small fee or have an option to sign at the end of the loan period. There was every chance Reading might extend as has been proved right Antonio is strong but far from being a good player at a higher level. I would have liked him to stay for another season but he does make a lot of wrong decisions on the field and does not yet have a good football brain. However he may learn. That is what has attracted Reading to keep him on their books. Let us hope Reading are happy to let us continue his development with a further loan period.

A legal precedent has been set. HMRC will have to come up with a new legal argument. You just cannot abuse the court like that. They will not only throw the case out but award costs in full.