The9

Don't forget all the "Di"s (Diao, Diouf, Diop, Diarra, Diagne etc) and Ba, Traore and Cisse. That's about 95% of the population covered.

Saints lowest league finish is 14th in Div 3 (South) in 1955/6, but due to the existence of Div 3 (North) that is the equivalent of coming 4th in League Two (around 71st/72nd out of the 92 clubs - assuming parity between Div 3 North and South). The worst we can finish this season is our current position in 68th of the 92 as there are 24 teams from League Two below us, as well as any of League One we overtake. Due to the late 50's restructuring, the 14th in Div 3 (with a Div 4 below it) in 1959 is the direct equivalent of 14th in League One now, but that's irrelevant, as it's not our worst finish. Nice to get a chance to quote myself earlier in the thread too when some people were saying we're in a relegation battle : Looks a bit better a couple of weeks later, doesn't it ?

Football Argus for me in South Wales (it was also pink) - I usually made about 4 journeys to my nan's and back between getting back from Somerton Park at about ten past 5 and the time they actually had the Football Argus delivered, I was so keen. Despite the name, it also covered local and international rugby, but nevertheless that particular Saturday evening sports paper didn't make it long into the early 90s due to that recession and Newport County's demise. Even the daily paper is struggling now, though its not surprising given the (lack of) content. The (South Wales) Football Echo was the replacement - with its Cardiff bias, and I wasn't having any of that.

Just spotted this, no the arthroscopy is Oct 23rd, the day before the MK Dons game. Nothing so serious for me, I delayed it for a month to get a work project completed after waiting 8 years for the op... Just phoned the ticket office, who eventually told me to phone customer services, which I did, and that told me the match ticket details and when I pressed the button for an operator, sent me back to the ticket office. Then the second person told me if I turn up at the Ticket Office they'll be able to swap my ST for an aisle seat, which is a bit rubbish, especially as the first person had already told me there were no aisle seats available in the same block (he helpfully checked, which was the one useful part of the whole experience). So, two phonecalls down, no better off, mildly annoyed at actually having to go there to get it done, you'd think they'd at least have a contingency for people who hadn't planned in advance and therefore couldn't get to the ticket office in person. So, I think I may just pitch up on crutches on the day and sit somewhere convenient to me. Which won't be my seat, about 20 rows back and 7 or 8 seats in.

I think he's trying to get the money together for Bernie Ecclestone to have the British GP at Donington, actually. http://www.forumula1.net/2009/f1/f1-news/gillett-donington-will-happen/

What's the point in having a utility player if he's not good enough in any of the positions? If he can't switch from holding midfield to attacking midfield without looking completely out of his depth he's not got much going for him - though I will say that without fail the first pass he's received when coming on as sub has always been a poor one, which can't have helped. Your generalising about generalisations is comical. I can't imagine anyone can recall who was critical of Davies and MacDonald, but they weren't doing it for Saints at the time and criticism of them was hardly unfair. Strachan only changed his mind on the latter some 3 years later when he'd had the shock of getting the boot and shown the tenacity to deliver, while Davies had Bolton's side built around his style and needed that to be successful. PS You're on your own about "Pas Dieu" and it's getting boring. People who've been to matches have seen massive improvement in the effort and performances, and that's now translating to results and points, but you don't want to hear about it. It's coming across like you've not been paying attention, have glanced at the table, seen we're bottom and decided the manager must be rubbish. You'll be starting with "Tranmere and Wycombe have sacked their managers, will Pas Dieu follow?" next...

Can't argue with that. I did have a bit of a theory that Pardew's only given Gillett the chance to look bad by playing him in a creative rather than destructive midfield position, but at the same time Lloyd James' central midfield performance outstripped Gillett when they were alongside each other early in the season and he's hardly getting to play in his favoured position either. Gillett looked decent in a poor side, he's looked poor in a decent side. And whilst I have sympathy for him (he's no Poo-lis, and I mean that as a compliment), his lack of height is also an issue in defensive positions - and Pardew's signings have almost all had the height factor in common.

PROBABLY ?!?!!? County hadn't lost in 20 matches and were playing a side from the bottom half of a division 2 leagues below ! VTFC, Totton and Gosport Borough are all comfortably above Paulton in the same division. A huge shock to say the least. Incidentally, Newport have since lost 2-0 to Monmouth Town in the Gwent Senior Cup, who are a side I scored three successive hat-tricks against circa 2001 and once played in an 8-1 win against, so they're not having a good week (though they did field mostly the youth team against Monmouth). Not good draws for the Southampton area teams...

Yes, but Hull City might want to consider that preventing anyone purchasing goods from their online shop during their presumably brief tenure in the Premier League UNLESS they upgrade to IE8 is probably a short term business plan more suited to a lifelong partnership with Microsoft than a desperate Premier League Little 4 member wringing every penny out of their days in the sun.

Did Connolly specifically mention how impressed he was with everyone spelling his name correctly on SaintsWeb ? Thought not.

That's fighting talk. Besides, on this board, it's "best pendant". And now, apropos of nothing other than that it is annoying me, I may as well mention to CB Fry that it looks like he was right about us not getting any more points deductions beyond the original 10... though I'm putting it down to Cortese and Liebherr's legal and financial nous, and arguing that the likes of Pinnacle would have incurred further penalty, if pushed into a corner.

You said "Pardew Out" twice in your previous post for a start.

I'm assuming this training session will now consist of a day trip to Doncaster, stopping at the General on the way?

Whoever said it was useless on mobile wasn't wrong - I went on there using my iPhone yesterday to remind myself of who we'd added with squad numbers over 35 in the last few days and I couldn't scroll the Squad list down at all, so could only look at players with numbers from 1-15 ! I got over it being generic as soon as it was announced - at least it's not trying to force me onto IE8 like Hull's version does when you go to their club shop...

Pretty comfortable that we are 1 Leeds U 11 13 27 2 Charlton 12 10 25 ----------- 3 Colchester 12 13 24 4 MK Dons 12 4 23 5 Bristol Rov 11 4 22 6 Norwich 12 6 19 ----------- 7 Swindon 12 -1 19 8 Huddersfld 12 9 18 ABOUT HERE on results so far (no wins against teams above this but we're improving) 9 Oldham 12 -1 17 10 Millwall 12 4 15 AND WOULD BE HERE but for the -10 11 Southend 12 1 14 12 Brentford 12 -3 14 13 Walsall 12 -4 14 14 Hartlepool 12 -2 13 15 Exeter 12 -6 13 AND WE'RE DEFINITELY BETTER THAN THIS LOT even if we don't improve. 16 Gillingham 11 0 12 17 Yeovil 12 -1 12 18 Leyt.Orient 12 -8 12 19 Carlisle 12 -4 11 20 Stockport 11 -4 11 ------------ 21 Brighton 11 -8 10 22 Wycombe 12 -8 7 23 Tranmere 11 -17 7 24 Saints 12 3 5[+10]

I think we should stick to the "La la la, la Lallana, la la la la Lallana" part of it, that would be pretty good.

To the tune of La Cucaracha : "Adam Lallana Adam Lallana... lalalalalalalaaaaaa" You'd know it if you heard it.

I think that would be 1959 when we were last in Div 3, unless they've changed the first round / third round FA Cup draw format since then. Newport lost.

However, Walcott, Bale, Blackstock, Best, Dyer... etc.

You are Anthony Poo-lis and I claim my £2k a week.

Came on as a sub last week, I happened to notice on MotD2 on Sunday. He'll get a few more cameos for as long as they're in Europe.

Bloody hell, I'm impressed. More impressed than with Murty, Lambert, Harding, Jaidi, Mellis, Trotman or Waigo actually. Season long contract with possible extension if he plays a lot by the looks of it - just the motivation someone would need. Having had a quick squizz at Wiki, he hasn't played for his team in the better part of 2 years (since they made the Prem), but as long as he's kept in shape and hasn't been out with injury he should be a good addition.

Pulis Snr might have seen how well our new Umbro tracksuits go with a baseball cap and decided on that basis, who knows ?

You are forgiven for the Cardiff comment. I suspect Rattlehead will now be mocking you repeatedly for trusting my judgement in any way. He did manage to look poor in a 7-1 win against a Conference reserve team.

Plastic injury fan.