Saint_John

I remember going to a pre-season game a few years ago against the dutch side FC Utrecht, the last friendly before the start of the season and WE WERE DIRE. We lost 2-0 and it should have been more, as I remember Brett HAD OUR ONLY SHOT at goal in the whole 90mins. We were second to every ball that day. I remember coming away from the game thinking we are going to really struggle that season and some other fans said to me "we need to buy 5 or 6 new players". Yet the only comment from wGS was that "he had probably over worked the players in the buildup to that game." This is the only match report (part of) I can find http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-90391189.html By xmas our fitness levels we second to none and we were outrunning other Premier League teams. We finished 8th and had a trip to the Cup Final so that wasn't a bad season (and pre season). From memory I don't believe we won a pre-season 90 min game last season either- Biel (draw) 3-3; St Gallen (lost 1-0); West Brom (draw 2-2); Yeovil (draw 2-2) and how did that season go ?

Adam was on the radio a few weeks ago (tea interval at the Rose Bowl) and I think they said he is due to become a father for the first time soon. From what I remember they said between manure and arsenal, so it is probably a stressful time for him.

If anyone listened to Blackmore on Radio Radio last season you will realise he doesn't like Nigel. There were comments like "phone or text in if you don't like Nigel post match interview and tell us if you think he should give out more details" etc. etc. I remember one week he said something that along the lines of - "unappy gave a good and honest(sic) post match interview" and that Nigel should take note. Each week he would have a "dig at Saints" over something for example "It looked as if Adam L was limping towards the end of the game but I bet Nigel doesn't give us any information etc etc." I think only a few weeks ago he was having a go a Saints fans in twitter because they didn't have "sympathy with the phew".

On Radio Solent this morning they have Vernon Jackson talking about the Cheats and "the loan" http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00wcv1d/Julian_Clegg_09_08_2012/ He is on from about 2:52:30 to 2:59:40, but the important bits for me were towards the end when he said that Birch had "currently done deals with the players for £8M" but the Trust had only allocated £2M. (about 2:58:45) and he doesn't think the players will agree to only 25% of what they have agreed with Birch. He also said the PL had agreed "in principle" to repay the loan from the PP in Aug 2013.

If anyone is interested I think this says Daddy lost his claim against Leviev over the "Blood diamonds in Angola" http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Ch/2012/1740.html .... ..... (lots of detail but no mention of the Cheats)....

Have they appealed in time ? Have they appealed at all or are they just "playing the media" again ? The nearest I can find in the FL rules is as follows (although nothing fits the Cheats exactly):- The statement from the FL last week (12th) said http://www.football-league.co.uk/footballleaguenews/20120712/league-board-makes-membership-offer-to-portsmouth_2293334_2847729 Now the Insolvency Policy is covered in Section 3 of the rules under "12.3 Sporting Sanctions" although most of it talks about "going into Admin", rather than the Cheats fixing the 1st CVA. However it does mention an Appeal process. http://www.football-league.co.uk/regulations/20120702/section-3-the-league_2293633_2125717 So if they are covered by the "7 day" appeal notice they should have put their appeal in today with "copies of any documenation", yet they only ask for the names of the creditors from the 1st CVA today ?

If you want to read the full 15 page judgment by Howard Riddle, it is here :- http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/Resources/JCO/Documents/Judgments/r-v-john-terry.pdf

A few weeks ago (29 May) the Echo ran a story on Jason Puncheon http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/news/9731418.Punch_lined_up_for_Saints_exit_/ If you google "Tony Finnigan Football Agent" it returns http://www.playersloungeltd.com/players.html and one of the player listed is Albert Adomah at Bristol City. It might be the Echo was talking rubbish in May or it might be that the player might have changed his agent recently but if both are correct I don't see "The Don" doing a deal.

Adam was at the Rose / Ageus Bowl yesterday afternoon watching "Southampton" Cricket Club in their T20 game. He gave a 12 min interview on Radio Solent (1:46:43 to 1:58:12) http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00tsz4v/BBC_Radio_Solent_Sport_30_06_2012/ Said he played cricket for Dorset U14 (?) as a Spin bowler / No7 batsman. Said the players had been at Solent Univ the last 2 days for tests, and that training starts on Monday. Nearly didn't play in last game because of his groin, "If 4 or 5 more games he wouldn't have". Talked about JayRod. Talked about the Euros and Spain (he has Spanish roots). He is due to be a father between the manure and arse games.

Reading had a VERY high percentage of Goals to Shots on Target or even Attempts at Goal. IMO they will get no where near that percentage in the PL and if it wasn't for all the other clubs changing managers they would be certain to go down. We will finish above them. The FL stats show that they were 5th from bottom at "Attempts at Goal" with 452 attempts and we had 20% more attempts. Even the Cheats had more attempts at goal. http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/ClubShooting/0,,10794~20117,00.html

If anyone is interested when I jogged past St Mary's this morning the Megastore was completely empty and was in the process of being COMPLETELY REFITTED. There were NO shirts (old), scarves, mugs etc, nothing in the store at all. The only reference I can find on the o/s was in the final sentence about the new kit. http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~2823643,00.html

News on Watford's takeover by the Pozzo family. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18646398 I WONDER if in 2010 AA gave the "thick phew" the choice of owners, you can either have :- (a) a Italian family whos main aim is to "balance the books" and secure the "immediate future" or (b) a Russian group who, who are willing to spend over £10M on big fees and big wages for the likes of Kitson, Norris, Huseklepp, Halford, Lawrence etc, BUT we do not know where their money comes from and there have been some bad press reports about them i.e. Saab Cars. I think we all know who the thick phew would pick.

I went for a jog this morning past St Marys and there was a unusual Sports Car in the Car Park (something like a Mustange or Firebird or AlfaRomeo - sorry I'm not very good with cars). Anyhow the Reg No was "SCO7T TJ" and the plates had a "Scottish Flag" on the left and "Scotland" under the Reg no (SCO7T TJ). Are any of the Rangers players called "Scott" ? or have an Agent with that name ? (It was parked a row away from what I believe to be Nicola's car)

From the 1st March, which I count as the start of the run-in :- Saints 8w-2d-3l = average 2.0 pts per game which is close to our average over the whole season (and close to NA record at Saints). Hoof-Ball Sam - 6w-7d-1l = aver of 1.78 pts per game. Reading record was 11-1-2 = 2.42 ppg.

Interesting comment in this article about Ryan Dickson and Yeovil. http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/story-16366265-detail/story.html If his contract had a clause in it about "double salary" then I imagine that most of the other players had similar clauses, e.g. Puncheon etc. We might have to loan out instead of sell certain players.

As others have said last season on the 1st June a thread was started on Jack Cork signing http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?30546-Jack-Cork In the 13 page thread the usual posters said we had lost the deal because he didn't sign for us immediately and he was going to HoofBall Sam or Burnley or Swansea etc. etc. Yet he signed for us on 11th July, i.e 6 weeks later. (It always nice to reread old threads).

If anyone is still interested, a lawyer (John Shea) has explained the recent decision about the Football Creditors rule. http://www.lawinsport.com/home/editors-choice/item/why-the-football-creditors-rule-is-here-to-stay

Judge David Richards has written up his reasons for keeping the FCR. http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Ch/2012/1372.html I haven't read it all yet (there is ALOT OF LEGAL ARGUMENT) but he sounds as if he doesn't like the FCR but can only make a judgement on the law. HMRC were challenging on "anti-deprivation rule and the pari passu principle" and the Judge's conclusions are

I think this is the decision on the Football Creditors Rule http://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/court-lists/list-chancery-judges

Couple of interesting quotes from Reed

IMO a high percentage of what Alan Nixon writes comes from Agents. In January he informed us that Collins was a certain to come here. Then a few days later it was held up by a "minor issue". Some time later I was told that the "minor issue" turned out to be that Nicola refused to pay 200k to the Agent (imo for doing nothing or very little). Then there was the issue of Ward from Coventry a few years ago that "hit a snag at the last moment". The only rumour I have heard is that certain Agents are suggesting certain imo "Old Has-been" type players to us (and a percentage to them of course) and that Nigel is not interested in that type of player. Perhaps the Agents feel another manager might get us to change our mind ?? However, if Nicola refused to pay 200k in January to an Agent I cannot see him paying some of the Agent demands for certain players even if we had a different manager.

Alan Nixon was asked about Hooper and Saints and he said His reply was and then when asked whether it was to hide another deal he said Hooper's agent is Simon Dent I believe and imo he has been trying to get a new deal at Celtic for a while.

If you believe the Charlie Sale column in the Daily Hate it appears that Davis (??) Lampitt has a new job. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2146613/Charles-Sale-Website-race-row-caps-Liverpools-week.html

Court Case Tomorrow in the High Court - Court 15 http://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/court-lists/list-chancery-judges ? Something to do with Admin1 ?? (Law firm versus Comical Andy )

For Me 3 Goalkeepers (=3) 2 players for every position (+20) 5th centre half plus 5th forward (+2) Goalkeepers (3) (1) Kelvin + (2) AN Other + (3) AN Other or poss Bart Fullbacks (4) (1) Frazer + (2) Danny B + (3) Foxy; then there is a decision to make on how close Shaw is to 1st team football (at PL level). If more than 12 months then I would look to get Wayne Bridge in (on Saints wages) and let Ryan and Dan H leave. If he is going to hold his own at PL level next season then keep Dan Harding for another season as backup. Release/Sell :- Ryan D Centre Halves (5) (1) Jose + (2) Jos + (3) AN Other + (4) AN Other + (5) Aaron M and then let Dan Seabourne go out on loan for 6/12 months. Radhi to retire. Midfield (8 ) (1) Adam + (2) Morgan + (3) Jack + (4) Guly + (5) Steve (6) + AN Other + (7 & 8 ) 2 from 3 - (a) Dean (good leader on the pitch question mark over 1st touch), (b) Chapps or © AN Other. Release/Sell :- Holmes and Punchean. Reeves & Ward-Prowse are under 21 to play in Cup games plus may be on the bench for league games. Forwards (5) (1) Rickie + (2) Chung + (3) Billy + (4) AN Other + (5) AN Other Send Lee Barnard out on loan for 12 months. Release/Sell :- David C, Forte Doble + Hoskins to go out on loan. AN Others (6-8 ) GK (1 poss 2); Kuszczak (manure/watford) I believe is out of contract OR Foster (Brum/WBA) FB (poss 1) : Bridge if Shaw not ready. CB (2 new ones) :- 2 from Upson + Knight + Dann MF (1 to 2) :- Lolo + Snodgrass Forwards (2 new) : JayRod + Jarvis