It has to be this season

[Tamesaint]

If we want to get back to the Premier League it has to be this  season. Reasons:

1. Our parachute payments are lower net year if  in the Championship. 

2. The obligation to buy Peretz only kicks in if we get promoted. 

3. Other key members of the squad such as Scienza and THB  wIll be off without promotion. 

4. Tonda could be poached meaning  we would be back to the SR wheel of fortune game of trying to find a new manager. 

5. The financial muscle of Tottenham / West Ham will blow most championship teams out of the water making promotion harder next year. 

6. Burnley and Wolves will be tougher propositions in the Championship than Leicester were this year. 

7. Solak may not want to cough up another £80 million to keep us running. 

Come on Saints. We can do it. 

 

 

[HKsaint]

2 hours ago, Tamesaint said:

If we want to get back to the Premier League it has to be this  season. Reasons:

1. Our parachute payments are lower net year if  in the Championship. 

2. The obligation to buy Peretz only kicks in if we get promoted. 

3. Other key members of the squad such as Scienza and THB  wIll be off without promotion. 

4. Tonda could be poached meaning  we would be back to the SR wheel of fortune game of trying to find a new manager. 

5. The financial muscle of Tottenham / West Ham will blow most championship teams out of the water making promotion harder next year. 

6. Burnley and Wolves will be tougher propositions in the Championship than Leicester were this year. 

7. Solak may not want to cough up another £80 million to keep us running. 

Come on Saints. We can do it. 

 

 

That means Baz will be back.

[Tamesaint]

2 hours ago, HKsaint said:

That means Baz will be back.

I forgot that one for the list but true. 

[SNSUN]

Just now, Tamesaint said:

I forgot that one for the list but true. 

Unless Stoke take up their option, although that's unlikely seeing as he's effectively been injured since he got there. 

But - if they DO take up their option, and we lose Peretz by not going up, it's probable we won't have a senior GK on the books come the summer. Alex Mc and Jones will be out of contract and I'd be surprised if we saw either still here next year, Baz and Peretz gone and Long will be end of loan. It'll be a clean slate for our GK department.

[Patches O Houlihan]

1 hour ago, SNSUN said:

Unless Stoke take up their option, although that's unlikely seeing as he's effectively been injured since he got there. 

But - if they DO take up their option, and we lose Peretz by not going up, it's probable we won't have a senior GK on the books come the summer. Alex Mc and Jones will be out of contract and I'd be surprised if we saw either still here next year, Baz and Peretz gone and Long will be end of loan. It'll be a clean slate for our GK department.

Ramsdale strictly speaking is still a Saint

[Holmes_and_Watson]

If not this year, then next is looking good. Taking whatever league by storm...

Baz

Sugawara - Stephens - Wood - Manning

BBD - Bragg - Robinson - Edozie

Archer - Downs

[Football Special]

1 hour ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

If not this year, then next is looking good. Taking whatever league by storm...

Baz

Sugawara - Stephens - Wood - Manning

BBD - Bragg - Robinson - Edozie

Archer - Downs

Good enough for the Championship 👍 

[Football Special]

11 hours ago, Tamesaint said:

If we want to get back to the Premier League it has to be this  season. Reasons:

1. Our parachute payments are lower net year if  in the Championship. 

2. The obligation to buy Peretz only kicks in if we get promoted. 

3. Other key members of the squad such as Scienza and THB  wIll be off without promotion. 

4. Tonda could be poached meaning  we would be back to the SR wheel of fortune game of trying to find a new manager. 

5. The financial muscle of Tottenham / West Ham will blow most championship teams out of the water making promotion harder next year. 

6. Burnley and Wolves will be tougher propositions in the Championship than Leicester were this year. 

7. Solak may not want to cough up another £80 million to keep us running. 

Come on Saints. We can do it. 

 

 

I wouldn't be surprised if Spurs and West Ham stay up, Leeds go down 

[Turkish]

16 minutes ago, Football Special said:

Good enough for the Championship 👍 

Don’t you mean Fine for the championship? 

[spyinthesky]

1 hour ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

If not this year, then next is looking good. Taking whatever league by storm...

Baz

Sugawara - Stephens - Wood - Manning

BBD - Bragg - Robinson - Edozie

Archer - Downs

That line up is truly worrying and we will be looking at relegation to League One as Pompey are in the mix for promotion back to the Championship!!

There is always the possibility of a few loans coming in to replace players leaving.

We will still have the remnants of the Parachute payments and a bit of pocket money from the sale of Ramsdale, THB, Downes, Scienza, Charles etc but two of the three relegated teams plus Burnley, who won the Championship at a canter last season, will be very strong contenders for immediate return to the Prem
 

[James G]

1 hour ago, Football Special said:

I wouldn't be surprised if Spurs and West Ham stay up, Leeds go down 

Leeds have the easiest remaining fixtures, they should stay up quite easily

[Doctoroncall]

@Tamesaint with respect to 5. How much financial muscle will they have?

[Dark Munster]

9 hours ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

If not this year, then next is looking good. Taking whatever league by storm...

Baz

Sugawara - Stephens - Wood - Manning

BBD - Bragg - Robinson - Edozie

Archer - Downs

I admire your optimism, but Edozie almost certainly will be off. Apart from that, a solid looking team!

[Matthew Le God]

20 hours ago, Tamesaint said:

If we want to get back to the Premier League it has to be this  season. Reasons:

1. Our parachute payments are lower net year if  in the Championship. 

2. The obligation to buy Peretz only kicks in if we get promoted. 

3. Other key members of the squad such as Scienza and THB  wIll be off without promotion. 

4. Tonda could be poached meaning  we would be back to the SR wheel of fortune game of trying to find a new manager. 

5. The financial muscle of Tottenham / West Ham will blow most championship teams out of the water making promotion harder next year. 

6. Burnley and Wolves will be tougher propositions in the Championship than Leicester were this year. 

7. Solak may not want to cough up another £80 million to keep us running. 

Come on Saints. We can do it. 

1) Not by an amount that couldn't be covered by deadwood sales in the summer

2) It was reported at the time as not an obligation, but an option. And not one that is conditional on promotion. So why do you think otherwise?

3) Perhaps, but they'd be replaced 

4) Same could apply even after a promotion 

5) Leicester haven't blown the other Championship sides out of the water. Spurs or West Ham would have a bigger income, but again can only take one place and may be another Leicester 

6) Still hard to know at this point 

7) Where have you got £80m from?

[Tamesaint]

48 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

1) Not by an amount that couldn't be covered by deadwood sales in the summer

2) It was reported at the time as not an obligation, but an option. And not one that is conditional on promotion. So why do you think otherwise?

3) Perhaps, but they'd be replaced 

4) Same could apply even after a promotion 

5) Leicester haven't blown the other Championship sides out of the water. Spurs or West Ham would have a bigger income, but again can only take one place and may be another Leicester 

6) Still hard to know at this point 

7) Where have you got £80m from?

Thanks MLG. Responses

1. By definition deadwood is not attractive to many. Eg I cannot see the sales of the likes of Baz, Charlie  Taylor and Sugawara generating much cash. They may even have to  have their contracts paid up for us to get rid of them. 

2. Adam Blackmore and Alfie House are the sources. 

3. The likes of Scienza do not grow on trees. He will be difficult to replace. 

4. Tonda would be more likely to do a Pochettino and walk to a bigger club if we are still in the Championship . 

5.  Tottenham could suffer 2 relegations and have the best ground in League 1 in 20'27 / 2028 and I could possibly shag Lucy Pinder but both events are unlikely. 

6. Burnley know how to get promoted. Wolves are now showing that they have something about them - and not   just Adam  "20 goals in a Championship season " Armstrong. 

7. Source = Alfie House on TSP. 

 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

2 hours ago, Dark Munster said:

I admire your optimism, but Edozie almost certainly will be off. Apart from that, a solid looking team!

Yeah. I was struggling there.

We can still thrive with...

 Baz

Sugawara - Stephens - Wood - Manning

BBD - Bragg - Williams - Robinson

Archer - Downs 

And that's without even going with 3 at the back.

 

[benjii]

listen, I was just thinking.

Don't get me wrong.

I like you.

I think I really like you.

And I really like you.

It's just it's late.

I've had a few wines.

I could hardly focus on the bog roll.

Let's do this another night.

Another night? 'Fine.

If I hadn't lied about everything.

No, it's got to be, it should be tonight.

[Pamplemousse]

I'm sure Leeds fans said the same thing after they lost the play-off final and they ended up smashing the league the following year and set to stay in the Prem again next season.

Yes it would be annoying but it would not be a catastrophe.

[Tamesaint]

1 hour ago, Pamplemousse said:

I'm sure Leeds fans said the same thing after they lost the play-off final and they ended up smashing the league the following year and set to stay in the Prem again next season.

Yes it would be annoying but it would not be a catastrophe.

Yes... but I bet Sheffield United fans said the same after last season. 

[Willo of Whiteley]

It will be this season.

We’ll be a Premier League team again come end of May.

[trousers]

13 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

It will be this season.

We’ll be a Premier League team again come end of May.

 

[die Mannyschaft]

Play off final Saints 3-0 Millwall. 

The good thing is if we don't go up this season then there is 7th and 8th for tge QF play off. That excellent change means teams with a small transfer budget can have a go at playoff.

A lot of the teams Saints struggled to get full points from are £5m to £30m squads. 

Players will leave Saints as we are a stepping stone club and selling club have been for years. 

[IFHP]

Club accounts are due so soon will become apparent how our money situation is.

Depending on how good they are will make it clear how important promotion is this season. 

i can see next season team if we fail to go up a lot weaker than this as the club adjusts to another season in the 2nd division . 
 

look at West Brom , 2 seasons ago we were fighting with them in the playoffs, now the parachute money has run out for them they a fighting to stay up . 
 

As we were only up for a season we get reduced parachute payments. 

Edited Saturday at 11:58 by IFHP

[Mr X]

On 24/03/2026 at 09:47, Willo of Whiteley said:

It will be this season.

We’ll be a Premier League team again come end of May.

And go straight back down 100%

[Willo of Whiteley]

21 hours ago, Mr X said:

And go straight back down 100%

More than likely, but I think we’d put up more of a fight than the “spread your cheeks and take it” attitude of last season.

[Miltonaggro]

19 hours ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

More than likely, but I think we’d put up more of a fight than the “spread your cheeks and take it” attitude of last season.

Put it this way, if we are promoted with Tonda I would anticipate more of an Adkins first season than a Martin first season as a return.  Current squad is a much more cohesive and resilient unit than those who lined up v Leeds IMO.

[Willo of Whiteley]

9 hours ago, Miltonaggro said:

Put it this way, if we are promoted with Tonda I would anticipate more of an Adkins first season than a Martin first season as a return.  Current squad is a much more cohesive and resilient unit than those who lined up v Leeds IMO.

Agreed 

[SouSaint]

On 29/03/2026 at 16:53, Willo of Whiteley said:

More than likely, but I think we’d put up more of a fight than the “spread your cheeks and take it” attitude of last season.

Nah, not under these owners.