Flynn Downes

[Suhari]

38 minutes ago, coalman said:

I'd heard we were touting him around for a loan out.

Presumably that would mean another MF coming in for us.

[RedArmy]

What’s this little pricks excuse today? 
 

Needs offloading and replacing in the next 48 hours. 

[S-Clarke]

It's a shame the fans views went 360 on this guy so quickly, but he made his bed by having his little spat during January.

In our worst ever season, he downed tools and wanted out. Yeah, cheers.

[Gloucester Saint]

1 hour ago, Suhari said:

Presumably that would mean another MF coming in for us.

Don’t know what the story was with him today but left us short against a more physical team.

Personally I think we need a proper DM if he is going, Charles and Jander are box to box. We saw what happened with David Prutton, another classic box to box CM, when you try and convert those type of players to something else. 

[lambtiss]

2 hours ago, Tauro said:

Hopefully, really dont see him as a good option in this team. In Martins team he was class, this isn't his style of football.

I agree but to be fair, I don’t think we have seen a style for Saints yet this season.

[TheSoundman]

Get Jimmy Case out of retirement

[saintwbu]

3 hours ago, Tauro said:

Hopefully, really dont see him as a good option in this team. In Martins team he was class, this isn't his style of football.

Did you watch us today? I’d sooner send Charles out before him, we have no control without Flynn.

[Sheaf Saint]

5 minutes ago, saintwbu said:

Did you watch us today? I’d sooner send Charles out before him, we have no control without Flynn.

We don't have any control with him either. His propensity to give the ball away cheaply in dangerous areas is one of the reasons our defence is so frequently on the back foot. 

[Hamilton Saint]

1 hour ago, S-Clarke said:

It's a shame the fans views went 360 on this guy so quickly, but he made his bed by having his little spat during January.

In our worst ever season, he downed tools and wanted out. Yeah, cheers.

180 (degrees)?

[Harry_SFC]

27 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

We don't have any control with him either. His propensity to give the ball away cheaply in dangerous areas is one of the reasons our defence is so frequently on the back foot. 

This team needs a proper CDM. 

[Pamplemousse]

From what Still was saying after the game, he basically had the shits. Not ideal.

I had a similar issue whilst travelling across London for the Ipswich game a couple of weeks back. Had to hold on for dear life.

Edited Saturday at 19:12 by Pamplemousse

[skintsaint]

1 minute ago, Pamplemousse said:

From what Still was saying after the game, he basically had the shits. Not ideal

Would never make a sunday league player then.....beer, curry, late night and footie KO at 10am...

[ErwinK1961]

5 minutes ago, Pamplemousse said:

From what Still was saying after the game, he basically had the shits. Not ideal.

I had a similar issue whilst travelling across London for the Ipswich game a couple of weeks back. Had to hold on for dear life.

Couldn’t even bring himself to do a Gary Lineker for the cause. Shameful.

[Gloucester Saint]

44 minutes ago, skintsaint said:

Would never make a sunday league player then.....beer, curry, late night and footie KO at 10am...

One of our players mid-90s hadn’t turned up close to kick off, we were just about to confirm the line up and he appeared in his car (probably failing a breath test if caught) doing a swerving emergency stop on the edge of the pitch.

’I’m here now lads, ready to play’….ugh and 🤮 on the pitch

Edited Saturday at 19:58 by Gloucester Saint

[Whitey Grandad]

2 hours ago, Hamilton Saint said:

180 (degrees)?

Twice!

[Whitey Grandad]

1 hour ago, Gloucester Saint said:

One of our players mid-90s hadn’t turned up close to kick off, we were just about to confirm the line up and he appeared in his car (probably failing a breath test if caught) doing a swerving emergency stop on the edge of the pitch.

’I’m here now lads, ready to play’….ugh and 🤮 on the pitch

Is that a green card offence?

[Holmes_and_Watson]

22 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

Is that a green card offence?

Deporting him seems haŕsh. 🙂 

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

4 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

It's a shame the fans views went 360 on this guy so quickly, but he made his bed by having his little spat during January.

In our worst ever season, he downed tools and wanted out. Yeah, cheers.

He's a bit like marmite with our fans. I still like him. He covers a lot of ground (as does the contents of his bowels apparently!), breaks up opposition play, is usually in space to receive a pass and seems to have got over the needless yellow cards. In fact, I think he's already had a couple of good games for us this season.

But he does need to find a new chef. What was it this time?

[SW11_Saint]

5 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

It's a shame the fans views went 360 on this guy so quickly, but he made his bed by having his little spat during January.

In our worst ever season, he downed tools and wanted out. Yeah, cheers.

We don’t know that. He fell out with Juric (easily done) and ended up having to train on his own or with the youngsters. That would have been down to Juric I suspect. 

[Gloucester Saint]

1 hour ago, Whitey Grandad said:

Is that a green card offence?

I think the groundsman of those sports pitches would have said so, he created huge tyre skid marks as he swerved to a halt!

[Football Special]

9 hours ago, OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint said:

He's a bit like marmite with our fans. I still like him. He covers a lot of ground (as does the contents of his bowels apparently!), breaks up opposition play, is usually in space to receive a pass and seems to have got over the needless yellow cards. In fact, I think he's already had a couple of good games for us this season.

But he does need to find a new chef. What was it this time?

He was good in our last championship season and I remember most fans were pleased when his signing was made permanent 

There's been a few odd moments with him though, he hadn't been too keen to join if I recall , Martin had to persuade him and it dragged on for a while,  the whole raw chicken thing, then tried to force a move to Ipswich, fans will always question his commitment after that. 

Edited Sunday at 07:00 by Football Special

[Patches O Houlihan]

6 minutes ago, Football Special said:

He was good in our last championship season and I remember most fans were when his signing was made permanent 

There's been a few odd moments with him though, he hadn't been too keen to join if I recall , Martin had to persuade him and it dragged on for a while,  the whole raw chicken thing, then tried to force a move to Ipswich, fans will always question his commitment after that. 

There was also the 'Irons!' shout at the post promotion party which was also weird and entirely failing to read the room.

[Toussaint]

6 minutes ago, Football Special said:

He was good in our last championship season and I remember most fans were when his signing was made permanent 

There's been a few odd moments with him though, he hadn't been too keen to join if I recall , Martin had to persuade him and it dragged on for a while,  the whole raw chicken thing, then tried to force a move to Ipswich, fans will always question his commitment after that. 

I agree with most of what you said, but a lot of fans, myself included, didn’t see him as a premier league player. I think that’s exactly where he sees himself which maybe part of his problem. I’m assuming there is a problem and not a series of unrelated events that lay behind the perception of his unreliability and lack of commitment?

[Football Special]

2 minutes ago, Patches O Houlihan said:

There was also the 'Irons!' shout at the post promotion party which was also weird and entirely failing to read the room.

I remember that, weren't our fans chanting sign him up then he shouted that and completely killed the moment. 

I was there, remember he was booed when he did it 

[Harry_SFC]

5 minutes ago, Patches O Houlihan said:

There was also the 'Irons!' shout at the post promotion party which was also weird and entirely failing to read the room.

Yeah, that was a really odd moment. 

[TheAlehouseBrawlers]

There is speculation in Ipswich that he could be heading their way. But they do seem to be linked with him every transfer window.

[sfc4prem]

The bloke's commitment is questionable. He would jump at the chance to join Ipswich or West Ham. Clearly doesn't like it on the South Coast, which in itself is fucking weird. It's a fucking great place to live, Flynn. 

[benjii]

10 hours ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

Deporting him seems haŕsh. 🙂 

If he's got the shits now, he wants to try Monday morning in Kigali after a session in the Serena steam room and evening BBQ at the Mille Collines.

[benjii]

Silly cockney twat is going to get outshone by Jander anyway. 

Sack him off and promote Sesay.

[ErwinK1961]

How would people feel about Downes leaving, bringing another CM in and keeping Aribo?

Giving us Charles, Jander, Aribo plus another

[Tauro]

14 hours ago, saintwbu said:

Did you watch us today? I’d sooner send Charles out before him, we have no control without Flynn.

Absolutely, Charles is a different class on the ball to Downs. Fantastic range of passing and great work rate. He does however need a presence alongside him. 

14 hours ago, lambtiss said:

I agree but to be fair, I don’t think we have seen a style for Saints yet this season.

Agreed, but it isn't based on recycling possession and lots of short sideways and backwards passing. Still clearly wants us to be more direct. 

[benjii]

Just now, ErwinK1961 said:

How would people feel about Downes leaving, bringing another CM in and keeping Aribo?

Giving us Charles, Jander, Aribo plus another

If the other is Romeu, I would feel a tingling.

[ErwinK1961]

Of all the dross in our squad, I have a rather large (and probably irrational) dislike of Downes above all others.

Since the final at Wembley I’ve never got the impression he actually wants to be here, with the only reason seemingly being his love for Martin. If I remember correctly, he also nearly bailed on us at the last minute to sign for Ipswich, but then got talked around (and probably got offered more money for the privilege).

He also seems to have a distinct lack of self awareness. As mentioned above, the “irons” shout at the party was just odd. He admitted he was annoyed at getting booed by Ipswich fans (despite refusing to play and handing in a transfer request there). He was also confused when we booed after Rotherham at home 1-1…

He strikes me as someone who thinks he’s a lot better than he actually is. Thinking he was prime Iniesta against Stoke a good example of that.

He doesn’t really offer anything outstanding on the pitch, other than running around a lot. Not great at tackling, not great at progressive passing. Plus he’s about as reliable as a chocolate teapot.

Was happy at the time we made it permanent, but in hindsight that was a mistake and would be very happy if he left before the deadline (so long as we replace).

Edited Sunday at 08:55 by ErwinK1961

[Fabrice29]

1 hour ago, sfc4prem said:

The bloke's commitment is questionable. He would jump at the chance to join Ipswich or West Ham. Clearly doesn't like it on the South Coast, which in itself is fucking weird. It's a fucking great place to live, Flynn. 

Apart from that time he left West Ham to join us permanently ffs 🤣

There’s some pretty odd takes on here about a player who we consistently miss when he doesn’t play and has signed for the club on two occasions despite presumably having other offers. All because a manger with broken English dropped him for a week or two before sticking him back in. 

Also as for the ‘Irons’ stuff, I’m pretty sure he was being taunted by both Blackmore and the fans at the time about binning off his boyhood club when he was under contract and not entirely sure what was going to happen. Our manager was in a press conference yesterday saying he loves West Ham also. These people are human. 

Edited Sunday at 09:19 by Fabrice29

[Lord Duckhunter]

1 hour ago, ErwinK1961 said:

Of all the dross in our squad, I have a rather large (and probably irrational) dislike of Downes above all others.

And me, 

Weird that he’s ill  so often, wasn’t there something around  when he first signed or was going to sign. 
 

Don’t rate him as a player either, pound shop JWP. Gives the ball away too much, plays fucking sideways & backwards too much, gets booked for stupid headless reasons, and goes through the motions too many times. The fact a hard nosed manager who spent most of his career in Italy seemed to call him out, says it all. Soft as shite…Get rid and replace with a pirate to kick a few and protect the centre halves properly. 

[warsash saint]

I long for the day that Ducky has anything actually positive to say!  Is there a more miserable fucker on this forum??  I do wonder why he does not follow something that he actually enjoys!

Edited Sunday at 12:52 by warsash saint

[Eagle778]

4 hours ago, ErwinK1961 said:

Of all the dross in our squad, I have a rather large (and probably irrational) dislike of Downes above all others.

Since the final at Wembley I’ve never got the impression he actually wants to be here, with the only reason seemingly being his love for Martin. If I remember correctly, he also nearly bailed on us at the last minute to sign for Ipswich, but then got talked around (and probably got offered more money for the privilege).

He also seems to have a distinct lack of self awareness. As mentioned above, the “irons” shout at the party was just odd. He admitted he was annoyed at getting booed by Ipswich fans (despite refusing to play and handing in a transfer request there). He was also confused when we booed after Rotherham at home 1-1…

He strikes me as someone who thinks he’s a lot better than he actually is. Thinking he was prime Iniesta against Stoke a good example of that.

He doesn’t really offer anything outstanding on the pitch, other than running around a lot. Not great at tackling, not great at progressive passing. Plus he’s about as reliable as a chocolate teapot.

Was happy at the time we made it permanent, but in hindsight that was a mistake and would be very happy if he left before the deadline (so long as we replace).

When we lost to Leicester 2-1 last year at home, he was the first one of the parking lot 15 mins after the end of the game. Talk about commitment…

[Gloucester Saint]

Just now, Eagle778 said:

When we lost to Leicester 2-1 last year at home, he was the first one of the parking lot 15 mins after the end of the game. Talk about commitment…

2-3 wasn’t it after being 2-0 up?

MLG mode deactivated.

Edited Sunday at 12:59 by Gloucester Saint

[egg]

8 minutes ago, warsash saint said:

I long for the day that Ducky has anything actually positive to say!  Is there a more miserable fucker on this forum??  I do wonder why he does not follow something that he actually enjoys!

Ducky gives praise where it's due, but calls a shovel a fucking shovel. Nowt wrong with that imo. 

Chat GPT has this to say about your favourite poster:

Do They Enjoy Being a Fan?

Yes, it’s clear that Lord Duckhunter does care deeply about Southampton—which is a hallmark of a committed fan. Although their tone is often blunt, irreverent, and heavily critical, it doesn’t signal disinterest—instead, it suggests they’re emotionally invested and hold strong expectations.

Signals of true fandom:

Consistent forum presence: Frequent posts in club-specific threads.

Emotionally charged commentary: Their frustration with poor performances or players is a sign of caring.

Supportive moments: They express praise when deserved, such as acknowledging a player's effort or professionalism .

High standards: Their harsh critiques imply they want the club and its players to succeed.
In Summary

Yes, Lord Duckhunter’s posts do suggest they enjoy (and care about) being a Southampton FC supporter.

Their highly critical, sarcastic, and often crude tone reflects passionate fandom rather than indifference—frustration often stems from caring deeply.

They also balance criticism with praise (e.g. for effort or improvement), which further supports the idea of engagement rather than disengagement.

[Ted Bates Statue]

18 minutes ago, warsash saint said:

I long for the day that Ducky has anything actually positive to say!  Is there a more miserable fucker on this forum??  I do wonder why he does not follow something that he actually enjoys!

Be careful what you wish for. He was fine with Nathan Jones. Worse than a stopped clock.

[hypochondriac]

4 hours ago, ErwinK1961 said:

How would people feel about Downes leaving, bringing another CM in and keeping Aribo?

Giving us Charles, Jander, Aribo plus another

I'd feel great. Send him to Ipswich for £20 million, get Romeu on a free, sign that winger and Sargent and win the league.

[Eagle778]

15 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

2-3 wasn’t it after being 2-0 up?

MLG mode deactivated.

Sorry 2-3 game yes lol

[hypochondriac]

12 minutes ago, egg said:

Ducky gives praise where it's due, but calls a shovel a fucking shovel. Nowt wrong with that imo. 

Chat GPT has this to say about your favourite poster:

Do They Enjoy Being a Fan?

Yes, it’s clear that Lord Duckhunter does care deeply about Southampton—which is a hallmark of a committed fan. Although their tone is often blunt, irreverent, and heavily critical, it doesn’t signal disinterest—instead, it suggests they’re emotionally invested and hold strong expectations.

Signals of true fandom:

Consistent forum presence: Frequent posts in club-specific threads.

Emotionally charged commentary: Their frustration with poor performances or players is a sign of caring.

Supportive moments: They express praise when deserved, such as acknowledging a player's effort or professionalism .

High standards: Their harsh critiques imply they want the club and its players to succeed.
In Summary

Yes, Lord Duckhunter’s posts do suggest they enjoy (and care about) being a Southampton FC supporter.

Their highly critical, sarcastic, and often crude tone reflects passionate fandom rather than indifference—frustration often stems from caring deeply.

They also balance criticism with praise (e.g. for effort or improvement), which further supports the idea of engagement rather than disengagement.

It didn't mention anything about birds, ponies or 9 pinters so I'm not sure of its accuracy.

[Fabrice29]

2 hours ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

And me, 

Weird that he’s ill  so often, wasn’t there something around  when he first signed or was going to sign. 
 

Don’t rate him as a player either, pound shop JWP. Gives the ball away too much, plays fucking sideways & backwards too much, gets booked for stupid headless reasons, and goes through the motions too many times. The fact a hard nosed manager who spent most of his career in Italy seemed to call him out, says it all. Soft as shite…Get rid and replace with a pirate to kick a few and protect the centre halves properly. 

Called him out then promptly stuck him back in the team about 2 weeks later until he was sacked for making anything but "hard nosed"

[Lord Duckhunter]

Load of old pony. 
 

No wonder we’re in the shite and we have nods clapping relegated players, when you’ve got to happy clap players like Flynn Downes.
 

If people can’t see he epitomises what’s been wrong with the club, then there’s no helping some people. He clearly doesn’t want to be here, lacks the real desire needed and the sooner we replace him the better. 
 

[Badger]

7 hours ago, Patches O Houlihan said:

There was also the 'Irons!' shout at the post promotion party which was also weird and entirely failing to read the room.

Yes, pretty appalled by that from the precocious little prick. It sounded as if he thought he’d be back at West Ham and with a new manager there he’d be a part of their great new future.

Reports suggest it was a close thing whether he came back or went to Ipswich, and only the prospect of cuddles from Lego swayed his decision.

At the time we were pleased for him to be back as he’d been in important to our style of play. Clearly not EPL standard, although in a crap team. No fight in him now it seems. 
 

Would be a shame to sell him to a rival though, unless we recoup our outlay, and have someone else lined up  Can hope Casper is an improvement but might be a big ask in his first year in a new country. 

[Badger]

46 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

I'd feel great. Send him to Ipswich for £20 million, get Romeu on a free, sign that winger and Sargent and win the league.

Good servant to the club but I thought the consensus was that Romeu had slowed down and no longer up to the rigours of English football.  
 

What’s changed ? Nostalgia aside. 

[hypochondriac]

4 minutes ago, Badger said:

Good servant to the club but I thought the consensus was that Romeu had slowed down and no longer up to the rigours of English football.  
 

What’s changed ? Nostalgia aside. 

The league we are in?

[Badger]

22 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

The league we are in?

Fair point of course, but it’s still a physical league played at pace. 

[hypochondriac]

8 minutes ago, Badger said:

Fair point of course, but it’s still a physical league played at pace. 

Not sure he's had any issues physically that I'm aware of and the pace is slower than the prem. He's unlikely to come anyway but I'd at least ask the question.