Fitzhugh Fella

I would disagree Steve that when NP took over we were "comfortably" mid-table - far from it in fact, we were on a slippery slope big time (remember the debacle in the Cup at Rovers) and although Crouch had lined Tony Pulis to come in the summer (behind Stoke's back) he suddenly realised he couldn't wait and appointed Pearson. Pearson did well to steer the drifting and listing ship away from the rocks, albeit by a whisker.

Just back from my local bookies in Chandlers Ford where I picked up £26 winnings courtesy of having twenty on West Ham to beat Leicester at 13/10. The bloke behind the counter said he had never paid out to so many unhappy winners, so I guess I am not alone in trying to offset the misery. Anyway seeing as I was in the Waitrose car park I spent my dirty, shameful ill-gotten gain on a litre bottle of Gordons gin which come Saturday will either be drunk in celebration or used to blot out the despair. The last three weeks have been pure agony - surely we can't mess this up? That gin might not make it until Saturday.

Had £20 on 13/10 - be delighted to lose

made me smile

I was so happy Tuesday night and confident but as Saturday approaches it starts to drain and the nerves start again. If we win I will obey your order. Duncan

He might yet have a part to play this season and he was given a 3-year extension to his contract this season so he may well be around for a while yet. A useful man to have on the bench IMO (especially over the next 10 days).

What fat Sam says and what he really thinks are not necessarily in tandem with each other

I am still so nervous, I need to man up

If tonight Saints were 5 points behind the 2nd placed team with 2 games to go would you want your best players to bust their gut to try and overcome an unlikely scenario or would you prefer Saints to gather their wounded and concentrate on the play-offs? In other words if you were Big Sam where would you now place your priorities?

Cast your mind back to 1978 when Saints and Spurs allegedly colluded to achieve a 0-0 draw which meant both sides automatically went up and depriving (on goal difference) guess who. Yep you've guessed it Brighton. I remember it well and there were allegations from B and HA fans that we had deliberately not gone for a win. I saw the game and it was a strange affair because we could have won the title with a victory and yet apart from a Tony Funnell shot which hit a post, we did not look interested. Pay back time?

Pretty much sums it up perfectly although I think you are too kind to SDR. He may catch the eye but his end product is pretty ineffectual - he seems unable to run ahnd look up at the same time.

Chant of the day yesterday? "You're Pompey 'till July, You're Pompey 'till July"!

If their goalkeeper had been playing for us and ours for them we would have won.

Last year when we were at Plymouth I spent the afternoon on a long walk - just couldn't handle the pressure.

Pace and width non existant. it is a simple game.

Do your talking on the pitch Billy - thats my advice

I think those "bitter" people have moved on, especially as they are fans and must be pleased with the club's progress. No I think this is a destabilisation story emanating from London journos. If the Liebherr family sell it will be to Nicola Cortese.

Good point Wade

No Falque signed permanently for Spurs and that same day he signed on loan for us.

Still early days for me; long way to go and all that. I would advise suitable caution/hubris/magnaminity etc etc etc

I am a bit concerned this thread has slumped to 7th position in the Lounge (ie just in a play-off spot) we need some more bad news from down the road to kick start the season.

I gather work on redeveloping Staplewood has started in earnest with the contractors being the same company who oversaw the development of Chelsea's state of the art facility at Cobham. Apparently the spec for Staplewood is even greater than what was built for Chelsea which suggests Nicola Cortese is here for the duration and is prepared to make a significant investment off the pitch. Good News!

Indeed - the Queens Mother wore black for the rest of her life

Don't get me wrong I am delighted with our current position but my Dad is still alive and remembers vividly the heartbreak of 1948-49 when on the 2nd April we were 8 points clear of Fulham and WBA with just 7 games left (just 2 points for a win in those days). We blew (losing 4 drawing 2 and winning just 1) it as both teams overhauled us - one more point would have seen us up on goal average but we lost our last game at Chesterfield 1-0 having been denied an obvious pen. Afterwards the Echo said "it was the end of a tragic slide which must be almost without parallel in football". On the 2nd of April we had just gone to Tottenham and won 1-0 in front of 69,000 fans and Wayman who was an injured passenger on the wing bravely scored the winner but further damaged his injury which meant he missed most of the remaining games. I still visit Bill Ellerington who was our full-back during that run in and despite him being nearly 90 he still grimaces at the memory. So I am going to leave the celebration until it is mathmetically impossible for us to be caught - like someone has said elsewhere pessimists can't be disappointed.