Nordic Saint

It reminded me of our 4th round FA Cup game at Ashton Gate in 1967, which was another 1-0 giant-killing. After last night's game, they were saying that the 25,000 crowd there generated the best atmosphere they'd had for a long time. But, it was nothing compared to that produced by the 38,000 crowd in 1967. I don't think they've had a crowd as big or as noisy as that since. It included a large Saints following. For comparison, City's gate for a home league game v Pompey that season was 16,000. Our away support in 1966-67 was possibly the best in our history. We were taking 5,000 to 10,000 to away games. including the 10,000 Saints fans who packed the Park Lane End when we visited Tottenham. Bristol City made the cup game all-ticket so we were only allocated 8,500 tickets but I'm sure more than that found their way into Saints' hands. Pity we lost but in the next round City were drawn away to the eventual cup winners', Spurs.

The same few people who always moan about our support are now moaning about the club's plans to improve our support. I guess there's no pleasing some people. Fortunately, judging from the majority of posts and their likes on here, most Saints fans are very happy with the proposed developments. A good acid test would be to ask what Pompey fans would think of the plans. I'm pretty sure they'd be very much against the idea of us having a proper home end, with our most vocal fans united in large group behind the goal, while away fans are tucked away in a corner where they can have the least influence on a game.

The new setup will be the same that they have at most of the stadiums in the world with the best atmospheres: noisiest home fans behind the goal at one end; away fans in a corner at the other. The Italian and South American stadiums are like that, although a few have the away fans high up in an upper tier like Newcastle do..

Shuteen Erdenebaatar, Rising Sun Shuteen Erdenebaatar

They'd have a long wait, especially in Coventry. They take about 8 hours to reach people in Southampton.

What about studs and steel toecaps?

Foursight - The Complete Stockholm Tapes

That Dimarco goal!

I watched a few Copa Libertadores games when I was in South America and saw both Boca and Fluminense play, at La Bombonera and Maracana. The atmosphere there ia a lot more passionate than in Europe. Although I like both teams, I was happy to see Fluminense win as they'd never won it before, whereas Boca have won it 6 times already. The teams tend to be made up of youngsters and oldies, like Marcelo and Cavani in this game, as the best players usually spend their peak years in Europe. That winning goal was a bit special though, wasn't it?

Most goals in his career? Ted Drake. Most major trophies? Ted Drake.

It would have to be the great Ted Drake, with Chivers second.

The most popular song at Wembley on Tuesday night was the one about Harry Maguire drinking vodka and Jäger and having a f----ing massive head. That's what obviously inspired England to victory.

You need to take a good look at yourself. All you ever do is whinge.

Don't tell SR that or they'll lower their sights from turning us into the new Swansea to making us the next Bristol Rovers. Oh for the halcyon days when we dreamed of becoming Luton Town.

#EmbraceFailure

It's because Solak supplies the money but it's Ankersen who makes the decisions based on his left field recruitment phhilosphy, that it's better to recruit people who've failed in the past because they'll have learned from their mistakes, which would make him look like a genius if it worked but, as anyone with an ounce of common sense could tell you, it usually doesn't. #EmbraceFailure Training Ground Guru | Rasmus Ankersen: Why football clubs should embrace failure

Not to worry. He's brought his mate Ryan Manning here to show the others how to do it. #TheSwanseaWay #EmbraceFailure

It's great that we have a proper home end at last, rather than having our singers hidden away in the corners of the away end.

It's the away end. What do you expect? You should move into the Chapel with the home fans.

If Monty Python did football club owners....

# Embrace Failure If you've ever wondered why our managerial appointments under SR are so bad: "RASMUS ANKERSEN has said that clubs and fans are wrong to discount managers who have failed - and that he actually prefers those who have." So, don't expect a successful manager anytime soon. Training Ground Guru | Rasmus Ankersen: Why football clubs should embrace failure

Comedy gold. Who's worse? Hoedt, Vestergaard or Holgate?

Holgate and Manning were clear weak links today and he's just brought them here. You wouldn't think it would be possible to make an already weak defence any weaker but somehow he's managed it.

I remember when nearly everyone rated last summer's transfer window highly and look how that ended up. Our 17th consecutive competitive game + the 5 pre-season games without a clean sheet suggests we haven't solved the goalkeeping problem, which should have been one of our top priorities in this transfer window.