John D

Will depend on the number and type of tests available. IF the Govt gets to the 100000 tests a day capacity and the season runs for 10 weeks that would be around 7m tests available. There are 90 odd games to be played, if each game requires 500 people to be tested 5 times that is around 200k tests so not a huge % of availability and one that Govt may be happy to accept if it helps the wider population *All numbers are guesses and probably widely inaccurate*

You're right - no need to self isolate the other players for 14 days if they can be tested instead. May be disruptive though and depends on testing capacity

I think it will end up as some form of points per game basis. Will still lead to lots of arguments about who has played stronger teams / more games at home. Will be interesting to see if the Bundesliga can make it work. They estimate it will need at least 20,000 tests as a minimum. By my maths that is only testing every person involved in putting on the match once before every game. Doesn't sound enough for me. Can see it all being postponed again if one team gets players infected and they have to self isolate.

Whilst I would usually be against Govt not being open there is an argument for not being specific about exit strategy for as long as possible. If Govt comes out and says lockdown is for another 6 weeks then idiots will think sod that, I can't handle it and start going out again. If they announce it is over in a week then same idiots will think sod that, it is over soon so I may as well go out now anyway.

I'm surprised the Newcastle deal is progressing. With there being limited prospect of any crowds at games in the next 9 months the whole future landscape for football is so uncertain. Unless Cashley is selling on the cheap to get rid

Frankie Bennett another in the Paul Moody vein remember Kerry Dixon have a few shockers for us. Played against Chelsea and got widely cheered by the Chelsea fans and jeered by us

Can't recall exact timings but would that include pay offs to Read and Hughes?

Has anyone got a copy of the full annual accounts for 18/19. Just looked on Companies House and they do not appear to have been filed yet

From what I can make out the Govt are basically doing what their medical experts (and presumably the best in the UK) are advising them. Yet journos, opposition MPs and the internet mob are all more knowledgeable all of a sudden and disagree!

14 days is from the point of contact with an infected person not from when it is identified that person is infected. So if they meet him on the Thu of the game the time period adds up

I was coaching my daughter's team today and the ref wouldn't shake hands after the game. Been told not to apparently!

Have we ever had any originality - nearly all our songs have been nicked off another club and we've just changed the lyrics!

Spend what we make better. We are taking massive hits on players such as Hoedt, Carrillo, Lemina etc plus pay offs to Hughes, Pellegrino and their back room teams. We can still spend within our means and improve.

With 10 days until our next game I can't see anyone being rested for this game. Other than Gunn in goal I reckon it could be same team that started against Liverpool with Valery making the bench.

Agreed - especially given that the loan fee for Soares quoted by the Standard / Telegraph is less than a £1m. We have probably spent that on the WP loan fee. I'd rather have kept Cedric for that amount

For me any change in transfer strategy reflects our position compared to 2 months ago. Everyone knows that the January window is a bad time to buy. Feels like we were prepared to spend if we were in trouble and needed to try and buy our way out. Now that we are in a safer position there is a reduced need to do so. Therefore less pressure so will only if it is a good deal for us. Of course it could easily backfire as 3 or 4 poor results could easily see us back in it...

I know - unbelievable! I was expecting much teeth gnashing and uproar. Given Ralph was emphatic in the forum that there would be at least one incoming then it is a big shift in short space of time. Perhaps the reality is that we are struggling to get our target over the line as we have changed what we are prepared to pay given our form and a shift in view on Valery and Vokins' ability to provide cover

Ralph made it clear in the fans forum that his priority is a left back. Would also like a rightback, no mention of other positions though

Disagree. Cedric is leaving in summer so will need to be replaced. Ralph doesn't appear to trust Valery so it won't be a surprise to bring someone in. Reed is on loan as is Hesketh and Lemina so I wouldn't count them. Smallbone and Slattery no where need first team at the moment. Actual options to play central midfield is limited

So basically some nameless blokes on twitter have decided to stop tweeting!!

Not obvious to me. Who?

High operating costs. 2018 Income was £148m v operating costs of £147m with the bulk being on wages of £110m and admin expenses of £10m. By way of comparison Bournemouth (for the same period) had income of £135m v operating costs of £134m with wages of £102m, made a profit on player trading of £1m and an overall loss of £10m

Profit after tax £62m; Profit from player transfers for the same 2 years £110m. If you exclude player trading we made a profit of £1m in financial year to end June 2018. So yes we do have to sell players to buy them.

Who does Winnie the Pooh plan to replace Gao with? Biggest complaint about Gao appears to me that he won't invest his own money. If he had pumped £300m of his own cash into transfers it wouldn't surprise me that Saints fans would happily turn a blind eye to his dodgy background. City fans being an obvious example of this. It will cost £200m min to buy the club plus £50m towards transfer every year so around £500m cash available. So anyone who buys us will been to be worth a £1b at least unless they are an idiot and prepared to risk over half their fortune on us. Forbes estimate that there are 2200 billionaires in the world of which 20% are chinese. (according to Wikepedia anyway!!). So not many potential buyers out there at all unless it is nation state or a consortium of investors can be cobbled together. Pretty sure KL didn't have many other offers to chose from and Ashley has been trying to flog newcastle for years. So would fans be happy with someone who doesn't invest their own cash but appears to show a bit more interest / has a reputable background / is local etc? I think there is a lot dodgy about him and his dubious past so would rather we had someone else but who? If it is proved (and the last accounts suggest otherwise) that he is using the club to line his own pockets then he needs to go. Otherwise we are stuck with him.

We've only had 2 owners in our history that I know of that invested their own money (other than to buy shares). Crouch and Liebherr. The first was not 10s of millions but was fantastic and saved us. The second was an investment where a clear return was available. So to blame it all on Gao when he is no different to most owners is unreasonable unless he starts taking money out to service his debt or line his pockets. That said I do think he is dodgy as it comes and would love to be shot of him. Sponsorship deal stinks to high heaven and he needs to high a good PR agency to please those fans who need constant soundbites.