Fitzhugh Fella

Whatever side of the camp people are on I see this as one of the most worthwhile threads on this forum at present. Proper debate and all that.

The academy is something to be proud of but I get no pleasure when I see the likes of Bale stuffing a last minute goal in against us as he did at WHL last season. The secret is not only producing the players like Bale it's holding onto them long enough for them to give something tangible to us - like 4th spot or dare I even say it, the FA Cup.

Ottery - you crack me up, you really do. And I am not just saying that.

I have to say I am bloody glad he has gone and I would rather have this present board who seem pragmatic and considerate of our aspirations and past. The ride won't be so exciting of course but it will be a lot less antagonistic.

Wes Tender, you are perfectly entitled to optimism and the club won't be harmed one iota. My fear surrounds creating false levels of expectation which when not achieved can lead to disillusionment and apathy. It will be interesting to see how we all feel in 12 months. We have had 5 damn good years (helped by spending not a little cash), but now we have hit the glass ceiling, imo anyway, let's see if the optimism continues.

I apologise for using the word "clappers" - it was childish but there is a danger sometimes of having our hopes raised by over optimism. I think if Cortese had been given a free rein for another two years and had flashed the cash as liberally as he had up to now then just perhaps we could have pushed on for 4th, but I reckon he was living a lie as far as how much the owners wanted to spend and now normal service is about to resume. For a brief heady moment some on this forum got a bit carried away with the result that 8th next season will be seen as some as a disappointment. Still reckon 8th and a genuine attempt at the FAC is our limit and not to be sniffed at.

So if you dare to criticise SaintSteve says you don't support Saints. The happy clappers continue to do more damage than they realise.

I think what really riles me is this; if all our good players are enticed away, it will be to clubs that are owned by either venture capitalists (Man Utd), oligarchs who illegally looted and plundered their nations wealth (Chelsea), or oil rich fascist Arabic states who rip the arse out of the Far Eastern labour market (Man City). These sort of people, aided and abetted by Sky's fawning millions have destroyed any semblance of competing on a level playing field. However I do accept the likes of Burnley could for example point a finger at us and say if it wasn't for the Liebherr millions you would never have snatched Jay Rod from us, so I don't want to be too hypocritical, but I do console myself that at least the Liebherr wealth was not ill gotten and we have also kept things in proportion by developing the academy and more importantly giving them a chance. Things being this way will mean unless we discover vast tracts of oil under Staplewood we have reached our peak, give or take 5th or 6th if we got lucky. The glass ceiling is well and truly in place and I can't see us smashing it.

Can't disagree with that!

Pretty much spot on and is why I think we have now peaked under a glass ceiling. The Premiership is increasingly being devalued for the far eastern market. The rich are getting richer and football in this country has lost its way. It has been great being a Saints fan this season, bucking the trend with home grown players playing decent football but ultimately we are nothing more than a feeder club to dodgy oligarchs and dubious oil wealth conglomorates. How depressing is that?

Fair play for the effort you have made and your dedication. But there is nothing wrong with people having a moan on a forum, that's what it is all about. I learn more from negative posts than the happy clappy rose tinted ones which actually tell me nothing. Safe journey home.

Don't worry it would have wound up all the inbreds, that's all that counts!

I love irony

Just glad Ottery is not our manager he would never drop any of his boyz

I think it f=====g hilarious. Those of you being churlish or sniffy need to get a life.

Another sobering thought is how hard it is to hold onto our best players. In the old days the likes of Paine, Channon, Davies were held onto but now as soon as a player shines in the academy the jungle drums start beating at Stamford Bridge or Highbury. This summer it really will be interesting to see if we can hold onto Shaw.

But 8th is as good as it is probably going to get - which is my point about the glass ceiling. Yes we might surpass that and hit 6th with good luck, but the days (early 1980s) when we could seriously compete with the really big guns have gone forever. People are quoting Everton and they have a point, but in my book Everton have always been a top 6 or thereabouts club.

The days of a club like Southampton finishing second are, sadly, gone. 8th is very good. Maybe 6th at a squeeze but top four it just won't happen without investment over and above what has already been delivered. A sad fact of life that while foreign governments and dodgy oligarchs continue to own our football clubs the playing fields have never been so unlevel.

It's not an option - he's has burnt his bridge so to speak.

Just back from the Silverlake, what a pity Po+pey couldn't keep their half of the dream. Such was the crush when Eastleigh got their second a wall came down reminiscent of Leyton Orient 1978

I think our budget will depend on how good a World Cup Osvaldo has.

I agree but not sure some of our younger "stars" would settle for that.

It seems the manager has not been told yet what sort of summer budget he can expect. I find that a little odd myself. And have we as the article hints at - "hit our glass ceiling"? To push on from this excellent season is going to take a hefty outlay, so have we peaked? So many questions and an interesting summer awaits. http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/11158610.Poch__I_don_t_know_a_budget_for_next_season/?ref=var_0

That is perfect, this guy Mick whatever his name is is the ultimate hound dog

But Turkish lives in Yorkshire?