Sport Republic

[Lighthouse]

11 minutes ago, Tamesaint said:

Bollox.

Only those born in the sound of St Mary's can support the Saints.

With the noise we make, that’d have to be the burger van in the Northam car park, if at all.

[CB Fry]

29 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

 

Makes a lot of sense. He's probably got a stockpile of black and white scarfs, so he can flog them on.

Plus the Sports Direct HQ is pretty local to Derby and is a not insignificant employer in the area.

If he gets them on the cheap (which he is very capable of) then he'll get them promoted.

Edited 9 October, 2021 by CB Fry

[Matthew Le God]

2 hours ago, CB Fry said:

If he gets them on the cheap (which he is very capable of) then he'll get them promoted.

After they get relegated to League One this season...? 

[Turkish]

13 hours ago, djharvey said:

The official ground name at opening was 'The Friends Provident St Mary's Stadium'. Initially the club wanted the ground to be named purely after the sponsors, but fan pressure influenced the decision to include a non-commercial title.

But that’s not what MLG said. 

[CB Fry]

15 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

After they get relegated to League One this season...? 

Well, yeah. I didn't mean get promoted this season, and I didn't say that. 

I mean a load of people (including Derby fans) will piss and moan but I think he'll do well with them.

[Patrick Bateman]

53 minutes ago, Turkish said:

But that’s not what MLG said. 

Got me thinking as I remember I think it was on the Network54 version of this forum that most people agreed the new stadium should be "St Marys Stadium". Then it came out it was the "Friends Provident Stadium" to wall of disbelief. 

[saint1977]

8 hours ago, CB Fry said:

Well, yeah. I didn't mean get promoted this season, and I didn't say that. 

I mean a load of people (including Derby fans) will piss and moan but I think he'll do well with them.

At least there’s confidence they will get a decent buyer either way. Not using a period of exclusivity either but rather deposits which is sensible. £150m in debt, the football creditors including Keogh (quite the story) and Cocu must be paid in full. Morris already knows he will lose a huge chunk of his loanings. Admin saying more smaller loans to get through season and buyers will need to factor in. The loan to MSD is much smaller than SFCs - £15-20m as opposed to £80m IIRC - so Gao really is backed into a corner there if and when relegation happens and situation out of his hands. Should have sold in the summer. On the debit side for Derby I read somewhere that they owe HMRC money.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58838581

Edited 10 October, 2021 by saint1977

[Lee On Solent Saint]

20 hours ago, saint lard said:

Could be worse….living in Gosport with a PO postcode. ☹️

Amen to that

[Turkish]

10 hours ago, Patrick Bateman said:

Got me thinking as I remember I think it was on the Network54 version of this forum that most people agreed the new stadium should be "St Marys Stadium". Then it came out it was the "Friends Provident Stadium" to wall of disbelief. 

If i remember rightly the announcement of the naming as the Friends Provident Stadium was hidden in the news about Hoddle signing a new deal. Lowe must have known it wouldn't have gone down well. 

[Turkish]

13 hours ago, CB Fry said:

Makes a lot of sense. He's probably got a stockpile of black and white scarfs, so he can flog them on.

Plus the Sports Direct HQ is pretty local to Derby and is a not insignificant employer in the area.

If he gets them on the cheap (which he is very capable of) then he'll get them promoted.

£25m appears to be the price. if you're an interested in buying an English football club then that's a great opportunity right there. 

[East Kent Saint]

2 hours ago, saint1977 said:

At least there’s confidence they will get a decent buyer either way. Not using a period of exclusivity either but rather deposits which is sensible. £150m in debt, the football creditors including Keogh (quite the story) and Cocu must be paid in full. Morris already knows he will lose a huge chunk of his loanings. Admin saying more smaller loans to get through season and buyers will need to factor in. The loan to MSD is much smaller than SFCs - £15-20m as opposed to £80m IIRC - so Gao really is backed into a corner there if and when relegation happens and situation out of his hands. Should have sold in the summer. On the debit side for Derby I read somewhere that they owe HMRC money.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58838581

Yes £20m to HRMC.

[benjii]

Sooner Ashley than Gao, any day.

Yes, Ashley is objectionable and seems like a twat but he: a) definitely has money, b) brings a corporate sponsor which verifiably exists, and c) hasn't been involved in any capital crimes, as far as I'm aware.

Obviously Craig David / David Frost / David Gower / Matt Le Tiss / Mickey Fialka consortium is the dream ticket but in their absence Ashley would be an upgrade.

[Dorchester Saint]

On 09/10/2021 at 15:14, whelk said:

Just had lovely coastline walk after lunch in Lymington. So nice to live this neck of the woods.

And bloody warm. People still sun bathing and swimming in sea

Did you call any of them “cunt” or “gammon” or do you only throw offensive words about on anonymous Internet forums? 

[Roo1976]

16 minutes ago, Dorchester Saint said:

Did you call any of them “cunt” or “gammon” or do you only throw offensive words about on anonymous Internet forums? 

How is any of this bollocks gotta do with  TAKEOVER?.............................some threads just get bogged down in meaningless spats😇

[whelk]

1 hour ago, Dorchester Saint said:

Did you call any of them “cunt” or “gammon” or do you only throw offensive words about on anonymous Internet forums? 

Are you getting a wee bit obsessed with my posts? I know you are hurt sweet pea but try not to personalise it.

[Dorchester Saint]

1 hour ago, Roo1976 said:

How is any of this bollocks gotta do with  TAKEOVER?.............................some threads just get bogged down in meaningless spats😇

And here you are chipping in to the meaningless spat 🤣

[Dorchester Saint]

6 minutes ago, whelk said:

Are you getting a wee bit obsessed with my posts? I know you are hurt sweet pea but try not to personalise it.

It was a simple enough question, which you failed to answer. My point has landed where intended. Goodnight Cock-le….I mean ‘Whelk’

[SaintsLoyal]

Room for a petting zoo

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/113455646#/?channel=COM_BUY

 

[Turkish]

5 hours ago, benjii said:

Sooner Ashley than Gao, any day.

Yes, Ashley is objectionable and seems like a twat but he: a) definitely has money, b) brings a corporate sponsor which verifiably exists, and c) hasn't been involved in any capital crimes, as far as I'm aware.

Obviously Craig David / David Frost / David Gower / Matt Le Tiss / Mickey Fialka consortium is the dream ticket but in their absence Ashley would be an upgrade.

Plus he’d have pints in the King Alfred before games with fans. Goa doesn’t even comes to games 

[The Cat]

5 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Plus he’d have pints in the King Alfred before games with fans. Goa doesn’t even comes to games 

He'd struggle with that because it doesn't exist anymore. He'd be drinking in the fan zone pre match.

[SuperSAINT]

5 hours ago, benjii said:

Sooner Ashley than Gao, any day.

Yes, Ashley is objectionable and seems like a twat but he: a) definitely has money, b) brings a corporate sponsor which verifiably exists, and c) hasn't been involved in any capital crimes, as far as I'm aware.

Obviously Craig David / David Frost / David Gower / Matt Le Tiss / Mickey Fialka consortium is the dream ticket but in their absence Ashley would be an upgrade.

Have you just revealed 5 members of the Magnificent 7 ?

[TotalSaintsPod]

On 07/10/2021 at 09:36, SuperSAINT said:

@TotalSaintsPod are talking to him this week.

We did and he spoke in some detail about the potential of a takeover and whats going on behind the scenes.

The episode has just gone live, if you'd like to listen you can do so by using the link below or by searching for the podcast on your chosen podcast player.

We'll be hosting more staff and player Q&A's throughout the season and will always take listener questions on Twitter and Facebook if you want to get involved.

Listen here ⬇️

https://pod.fo/e/eed2e

 

[Fitzhugh Fella]

1 hour ago, TotalSaintsPod said:

We did and he spoke in some detail about the potential of a takeover and whats going on behind the scenes.

The episode has just gone live, if you'd like to listen you can do so by using the link below or by searching for the podcast on your chosen podcast player.

We'll be hosting more staff and player Q&A's throughout the season and will always take listener questions on Twitter and Facebook if you want to get involved.

Listen here ⬇️

https://pod.fo/e/eed2e

 

A good listen. Martin Semmens is a very convincing and articulate speaker and the questions were all relevant so well done. Still wondering about the Jack Stephen’s contract position though. Has he signed a new deal? 

[Weston Super Saint]

On 08/10/2021 at 18:33, Charlie Wayman said:

If you do not live in or around Southampton then you have no claim to be a Saints fan nor be a member of this forum, there I said it!

Frankly, if you can't trace your lineage back to someone involved with building the city walls, then you're not welcome.

[berkshiresaint]

I was born & brought up in Southampton, I joined the Army at 16 & traveled round the Country/World. I now live in a wonderful part of the Country & only go back to Southampton for football or the occasional Christmas shopping spree. 

I hate to break it to some people but Southampton really is a shit hole. 

[Toadhall Saint]

6 minutes ago, berkshiresaint said:

I was born & brought up in Southampton, I joined the Army at 16 & traveled round the Country/World. I now live in a wonderful part of the Country & only go back to Southampton for football or the occasional Christmas shopping spree. 

I hate to break it to some people but Southampton really is a shit hole. 

As you are well traveled can you do a comparison with other shit holes? 

[berkshiresaint]

3 minutes ago, Toadhall Saint said:

As you are well traveled can you do a comparison with other shit holes? 

With pleasure.

It is worse than Windsor, Winchester, Plymouth, Hereford, Manchester, Most of Yorkshire, Belfast, Cork, & a host of other towns & cities in the UK. It is far worse than Berlin, Hamburg, Paris, Calgary, Newfoundland & The Netherlands. It is however far better than Portsmouth.  😁

[Fan The Flames]

26 minutes ago, berkshiresaint said:

I was born & brought up in Southampton, I joined the Army at 16 & traveled round the Country/World. I now live in a wonderful part of the Country & only go back to Southampton for football or the occasional Christmas shopping spree. 

I hate to break it to some people but Southampton really is a shit hole. 

It really isn't a shit hole, it's a standard city with nice areas and some not so nice, like most cities.

[jemanson]

4 minutes ago, Fan The Flames said:

It really isn't a shit hole, it's a standard city with nice areas and some not so nice, like most cities.

I think that's the tag line for the City of Culture bid.

[Fan The Flames]

1 minute ago, jemanson said:

I think that's the tag line for the City of Culture bid.

Southampton...no shitter than other cities*

*in a poll of 38 people when rated with cities of a comparable size and socio-economic make up.

[revolution saint]

46 minutes ago, berkshiresaint said:

I was born & brought up in Southampton, I joined the Army at 16 & traveled round the Country/World. I now live in a wonderful part of the Country & only go back to Southampton for football or the occasional Christmas shopping spree. 

I hate to break it to some people but Southampton really is a shit hole. 

It's a subjective opinion.  I hate to break it to you but it's only your opinion and no one cares about it.

[berkshiresaint]

Just now, revolution saint said:

It's a subjective opinion.  I hate to break it to you but it's only your opinion and no one cares about it.

I hate to break it to you but by replying you have shown that clearly you do care. Then again you like stating that other opinions are not welcome. Opinions are like arseholes. 

[revolution saint]

1 minute ago, berkshiresaint said:

I hate to break it to you but by replying you have shown that clearly you do care. Then again you like stating that other opinions are not welcome. Opinions are like arseholes. 

Where have I said other opinions are not welcome?  Of course you're welcome to share an opinion but don't pretend anyone is all that bothered about what you have to say.  All I'm doing is pointing out that saying Southampton is a shithole is a subjective opinion - it's neither right nor wrong just your opinion.  Personally I couldn't care less what your opinion is but I do care if you're going to make a statement masquerading as fact when in fact it isn't - it's just what you happen to think.  That's fine but don't make it true. 

[Charlie Wayman]

1 hour ago, berkshiresaint said:

I was born & brought up in Southampton, I joined the Army at 16 & traveled round the Country/World. I now live in a wonderful part of the Country & only go back to Southampton for football or the occasional Christmas shopping spree. 

I hate to break it to some people but Southampton really is a shit hole. 

What an odd and bigoted thing to say without qualification or detailed assessment. As you rarely visit the place then clearly your knowledge of modern Southampton is close to zero thus rendering you remarkably unqualified to pass an opinion.

Southampton is a modern, industrial city that has received a huge amount of investment and development over the last 20 years and from many different perspectives is now the equal of most cities in the UK and certainly of the majority of similar size. It is indisputably the UK's premier passenger port and a destination for most of the World's cruise ship fleets. It is particularly attractive to young upwardly mobile professionals that are bringing a new life and dynamism to many parts of the City that were once frowned upon by the economically less empathetic.

 What it is not is an historical relic petrified in time and reliant on tourism for its very existence even though it has its fair share of historical attractions. It has a vibrant river, an appealing waterside and close views and proximity to one of the UK's foremost National Parks.

[Charlie Wayman]

17 hours ago, SaintsLoyal said:

Room for a petting zoo

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/113455646#/?channel=COM_BUY

 

Seriously, the club should buy this land for future use. For now they could relocate the Fans Zone with a cafe next to the landscaped river bank. This is an opportunity for future development that should not be lost.

[Saint86]

Wait, now you can see who reacted to your comments!!! Huge news in the annals of saints web!

On the takeover front though... is anyone else feeling like we're the kid on the playground that no one will pick to be on their team? 

[wild-saint]

2 hours ago, Fan The Flames said:

It really isn't a shit hole, it's a standard city with nice areas and some not so nice, like most cities.

I tend to agree. There are nice areas on the out skirts but typically its a bit of a dump. Which are the nice areas that we are missing? 

[saint lard]

New news…or old news?🤷🏻‍♂️….

Martin Semmens has admitted that "things could happen" with Southampton's ownership structure in the near future after the recent takeover of Newcastle United.

"I think we have been open in that we all would like to have a different investment structure than we have now, Mr Gao has been fully accepting of that.”

"As I have said before, they have done nothing but provide us with moral support, they create no harm, they create no confusion or distraction, which is pretty unique in the Premier League.”

"But at the end of the day, we want to find a reorganised structure, whether that be a complete change, or a partial change and we've been pretty close to doing it a few times, as I have insinuated, but they haven't quite happened and we are now kind of at the same place, which is that things are on the table, things could happen."

[trousers]

1 hour ago, saint lard said:

New news…or old news?🤷🏻‍♂️….

Martin Semmens has admitted that "things could happen" with Southampton's ownership structure in the near future after the recent takeover of Newcastle United.

"I think we have been open in that we all would like to have a different investment structure than we have now, Mr Gao has been fully accepting of that.”

"As I have said before, they have done nothing but provide us with moral support, they create no harm, they create no confusion or distraction, which is pretty unique in the Premier League.”

"But at the end of the day, we want to find a reorganised structure, whether that be a complete change, or a partial change and we've been pretty close to doing it a few times, as I have insinuated, but they haven't quite happened and we are now kind of at the same place, which is that things are on the table, things could happen."

That's a lot of words from Semmens when "Sorry, I haven't a Scooby" would have sufficed and conveyed the same message...

[Mystic Force]

If we got rid of the gravel working we could turn watching saints to being like going to the Monaco Grand prix, the wealthy can tie up their boats and then watch a turgid hour and a half of non action! Perfect.

[Dellman]

3 hours ago, wild-saint said:

I tend to agree. There are nice areas on the out skirts but typically its a bit of a dump. Which are the nice areas that we are missing? 

It has green spaces, children's area and sports facilities right through: The Parks, The Common, the Sports Centre, not bad!

[East Kent Saint]

6 hours ago, berkshiresaint said:

I was born & brought up in Southampton, I joined the Army at 16 & traveled round the Country/World. I now live in a wonderful part of the Country & only go back to Southampton for football or the occasional Christmas shopping spree. 

I hate to break it to some people but Southampton really is a shit hole. 

At least you have the correct rhyming slang user name for Saintsweb !

[spyinthesky]

6 hours ago, Charlie Wayman said:

Seriously, the club should buy this land for future use. For now they could relocate the Fans Zone with a cafe next to the landscaped river bank. This is an opportunity for future development that should not be lost.

Depends on the purchase arrangements

I always understood that the land alongside the Itchen was owned by the Council and most/all of the businesses are on Leasehold arrangements.

The Britannia Wharf area is likely to be on a long term lease to Cemex and will come with certain covenants.

I think the asking price is £1.4m so not an astronomical sum for Saints.

Long term the Council want to gentrify the whole of the western side of the Itchen which should increase the value of the land.

Meantime there will be day to day noise from the Aggregate Business next door to consider.

[Teddeer]

6 hours ago, trousers said:

That's a lot of words from Semmens when "Sorry, I haven't a Scooby" would have sufficed and conveyed the same message...

Semmens was doing ok until he came out with the ridiculous comment that one day the women's game may be as big if not bigger than the men's.

[Warriorsaint]

11 hours ago, berkshiresaint said:

I was born & brought up in Southampton, I joined the Army at 16 & traveled round the Country/World. I now live in a wonderful part of the Country & only go back to Southampton for football or the occasional Christmas shopping spree. 

I hate to break it to some people but Southampton really is a shit hole. 

True. Shame what its turned into

[alehouseboys]

There's been some bollocks written about Southampton on here, if you seriously believe it's a bigger shithole than some of the other places mentioned then you're kidding yourselves.

This is an industrial city that has many working class areas but whatever "shithole" district you're in, walk a few streets, turn a corner and you're suddenly in leafy suburbia with big houses. Most visitors would scratch their heads at those rants as they enter the city from the M3 at Chilworth, down Basset Avenue (MIllionaire's Row) and along The Avenue alongside the Common (posh Upper Shirley on one side, Highfield on the other) to the city centre (and it's numerous parks).

My roots are lower Shirley/Millbrook, working class areas, like Shirley Warren, Lordshill, Thornhill and other council estates built to house all the families (many dock workers) bombed out of central Southampton. LIke every city it has its dodgier areas but to call Southampton a "shithole" is ridiculous.

Some people need to get out more.

[CB Fry]

17 minutes ago, alehouseboys said:

There's been some bollocks written about Southampton on here, if you seriously believe it's a bigger shithole than some of the other places mentioned then you're kidding yourselves.

This is an industrial city that has many working class areas but whatever "shithole" district you're in, walk a few streets, turn a corner and you're suddenly in leafy suburbia with big houses. Most visitors would scratch their heads at those rants as they enter the city from the M3 at Chilworth, down Basset Avenue (MIllionaire's Row) and along The Avenue alongside the Common (posh Upper Shirley on one side, Highfield on the other) to the city centre (and it's numerous parks).

My roots are lower Shirley/Millbrook, working class areas, like Shirley Warren, Lordshill, Thornhill and other council estates built to house all the families (many dock workers) bombed out of central Southampton. LIke every city it has its dodgier areas but to call Southampton a "shithole" is ridiculous.

Some people need to get out more.

This doesn't really make sense. All cities have leafy suburbs with big houses, that's not some marvellous thing about Southampton.

They generally are on an entrance road to every big city as well, so there will always be a posh bit on at least one of the drive-in main roads to any big city in the UK. It's not some exclusive exciting thing that is special about The Avenue. How about every big city has that?

It's also not the point.

When people visit other cities, they're not parking up in the posh district and wandering around looking at smart 1930s 5-beds with long drives and big gardens.

They're going to the city centre.

Which, as has been pointed out, is absolutely fucking appalling. Other cities can also be not great, but for a global cruise destination, Southampton is particularly dreadful.

 

So yes congratulations about, er, Highfield being nice and everything. If you'd got out more you'd find areas like that everywhere.

[alehouseboys]

21 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

This doesn't really make sense. All cities have leafy suburbs with big houses, that's not some marvellous thing about Southampton.

They generally are on an entrance road to every big city as well, so there will always be a posh bit on at least one of the drive-in main roads to any big city in the UK. It's not some exclusive exciting thing that is special about The Avenue. How about every big city has that?

It's also not the point.

When people visit other cities, they're not parking up in the posh district and wandering around looking at smart 1930s 5-beds with long drives and big gardens.

They're going to the city centre.

Which, as has been pointed out, is absolutely fucking appalling. Other cities can also be not great, but for a global cruise destination, Southampton is particularly dreadful.

 

So yes congratulations about, er, Highfield being nice and everything. If you'd got out more you'd find areas like that everywhere.

You’re clearly missing my point. I’m certainly not looking for “congratulations about, er Highfield” it’s not the type of area I’ve ever lived in this city, but Southampton is a long way from a shithole.

Needs improving, can do better, but after travelling to just about every similar city in 6 decades of following this club and with work there’s far worse.

[Billy the Kidd]

So if Im reading this correctly, we are not getting taken over as the City has some nice areas, and some not nice areas, and is the same as most cities?

[JRM]

3 minutes ago, alehouseboys said:

You’re clearly missing my point. I’m certainly not looking for “congratulations about, er Highfield” it’s not the type of area I’ve ever lived in this city, but Southampton is a long way from a shithole.

Needs improving, can do better, but after travelling to just about every similar city in 6 decades of following this club and with work there’s far worse.

I agree, I've lived and worked in worse places, makes me laugh I bet a lot of people think London is great but if you want to live there on a normal wage you've got to be prepared to live in an absolute crime ridden dump. 

A few of my colleagues visited recently for the boat show and were complimentary about what they saw, mainly new West Quay development,  along the old city walls down to Town Quay, you've got the old Wool House and Yacht club at the end adding a bit of historical architecture for an old city that was bombed terribly in the war. 

I've lived in several places and what strikes me is people in Southampton lack a civic pride that exists elsewhere, far to quick to slag off their own city rather than do something themselves to improve it. 

There are plenty of rough areas in the city that have lacked investment and the walk to St Mary's shows some of those especially down St Mary's Street. But I know friends who visited to bring their daughter to a uni open day recently who loved it, strolling around Highfield/ Common, walking distance down to Bedford Place on a nice day , for a working industrial city its really not that bad.