Marino

Dutch managers, eh - Koeman, de Boer, van Gal - who'd have 'em.... Koeman's 'success' with us looks more and more like the knock-on effect of Poch's earlier groundwork.

In an interview today in the Sunday Times, Vidic (Manure) claimed that he only ever came across one dirty player - which was our Rickie who left Vidic's face 'a mess of blood' in his final game in 2014. Bectcha there was good reason for that .

Let Rickie ride off into the sunset and enjoy his retirement. No sentimental return to the club to try and teach expensive players how to take penalties - daft idea. Hopefully he has invested his dosh wisely and can look back on a terrific career, the highlight being his time at SFC where he will always be loved and made welcome. He is almost up there with MLT in the God-like status - why risk changing that going forward.

Harley Willard joined Maidstone during the summer who then loaned to Eastbourne Borough for an initial month. Saints look as though they have made the right decision whether or not to have offered him a new contract. The physicality of some of the non-league teams must be a bit of any eye opener for kids like Harley who probably still have some growing to do.

I'll take your word about the clamour to sign him but all I can say I wasn't one of them. I recall being ambivalent at best, as I am today. Good luck to him at Brugge

Over the years certain signings leave you wondering 'why' (did we sign him). For me, Clasie fell into this bracket. Nothing against the lad, but why ?

Early days of course but I think (hope) that he may have a bit of Steve Moran about him.

Thank you.

Sorry boys but I've missed the reason why -as losing finalists- we are in Round 2 along with the minnows ?

Baltic Exchange - London Shipping league, circa 1969.

Yep, same here - 20 minutes walk for us.

Yes he can be annoying - aren't we all - but I have grown to like him, especially when he is the colour commentator on the radio.

We are not renewing our current 2 - it used to be 3 - but nowt to do with the football on offer. Although Sky's random scheduling has proved to be a challenge, it's more that the journey to/from London has finally got to me. In another life I would live in Soton and be able to walk to SMS. The kids are 4th generation Saints fans but the missus still helpfully asks why can't we support QPR/Fulham or Brentford, all of which are walkable from the house. Maybe after a year out we will miss the Saints drug and come crawling back. COYR.

The way JRod ran off the pitch after the Hull game I would say that he's definitely on his way.

We were on the halfway line and all we could hear from the away end was a sort on distant murmur. We could see a small section were clapping but couldn't hear if/what they were singing. We outsung them and outsupported them - very proud to have been there.

Brilliant gesture. It looked as though Wembley staffers were there to unfurl it and also to collect it at the end.

The team was brilliant to a man, ok save 1, and our crowd was fantastic. We didn't let Utd play and sitting on the halfway line we could hardly hear their crowd. So proud of all things Saints yesterday. However embarrassed by the lights - that 'bright' idea was always going to come back to haunt us.

Some reminiscing going on in the dailies this morning.... This is a particularly good read : http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/02/23/mick-channon-football-legend-racehorse-trainer-maverick-southamptons/ The Times also has a full page article on Bobby Stokes, his moment of glory followed by his demise. Can't put a link up as its by subscription only, but it refers to him never learning to drive the Granada he won for his winning goal, after retirement Channon/O'Neill and Steele regularly going over to his pub in Cosham to keep him company whilst noticing he was increasingly living for the reunions and the chance to recreate the dressing room vibe. After the pub folded he helped out in his cousin's café and moved back to his parents house in Paulsgrove where he died of bronchial pneumonia aged 44, his ashes being scattered in the centre circle at the Dell. Stuff we all know but seems to get more tragic the more it's written about.

Besides his footballing ability, the boy talks well - as observed by Sky's man during his post match discussion with MLT and Carragher Not a "y'know" or a "massive" or a " like I said" in sight.

Although I was unable to make the recent trip to Beersheba, whenever I see the name brings back memories of when, as a student some 40 years ago and working on a kibbutz, I took a break to have a look at the south of Israel. Having caught the overnight bus from Eilat for the long schlep through the Negev to Beersheba I awoke to find an Arab on his camel in full colourful regalia galloping alongside the bus just before we hit the city limits. Could have been a scene from Lawrence.

Alan Bennett. Loaned to us for 6 months by Reading - remember these were the dark days - and 'starred' on his debut in our 4-1 home defeat by Palace on the opening game of the 07-08 season. Culpable for at least 2 of their goals, the fans never forgave him.

Poor old Wayne was never the best looking player in the team but football fame compensated for that. Now that's over I wonder if they will live happily ever after...?

Just to reiterate, AVOID the Piccadilly line if you want to arrive in time for ko. I use it for daily commuting and its been a nightmare these past few weeks.

If Sims somehow missed out on MoM yesterday, PEH would have received my vote. For the first time we could understand the Bayern 'hype' which accompanied his arrival at Saints.

Side to side, back, side to side, back - its like something out of Strictly. I can see us in a relegation fight if we don't improve.