Gloucester Saint

If that was conceded at Plainmoor, Paul Wotton would invade the pitch and clout the players around the head who were jogging back Brian Clough-style. And they’re top end of Conference South. I don’t think anyone at Southern Premier or above would have been anything other than disgusted by conceding like that.

You have been a long-term fan of Farage’s, don’t know if you still are or not. Bottom line, there’s no need for cuts if we restore 6% of our economy through re-joining the Single Market. Brexit simply hasn’t worked, the trade deals have been pitiful and anything with the US would have strings attached British people would never sign up for on food standards and health insurance, plus it wouldn’t be in our favour for at least 4 more years assuming their opposition party and electorate get their act together. I just don’t buy the ‘we never did Brexit properly line’ from Farage because our politicians knew the public wouldn’t wear Singapore on Thames or what we are seeing in America. Based on the latter, very wise too.

It’s called an opinion or perspective, backed up with some examples. Other perspectives are available.

Fixed the hashtag for you

He didn't vote Labour Nic and neither did I. This isn’t the US where every single thing is one or the other in extremis.

Not least the Reform/Red Wall wanting less tax and far more public spending, when we are missing 6% off the economy, which is huge, by being out of the Single Market.

I like Aaron Ramsdale even more if he dragged the others over to applaud the fans. At least he recognises the efforts the fans make and the continued turnout. Great shame he will be going in the summer but who can honestly blame him?

There’s Red Wall ex-Labour lower educational attainment in there, quite a bit in fact, and disenfranchised rural, see Boston where Tice won. Although the penny has dropped a bit with harvests well down with nobody to pick the stuff. In the main though, Reform does have a core like Duck that are a bit more senior, that didn’t find Cameron, May, Boris or Sunak right wing enough for them. Gengis Khan probably wouldn’t be either having said that. Trying to bring those together in opposition far away from an election - doable as we see. Nearer an election? Far more difficult with more scrutiny, which will happen next time, and Farage is weak on health and economy. Trump is going to be a drag anchor as the implosion from DOGE and internationally over Ukraine and tariffs carries on.

Pleased at least our supporters are getting the credit they deserve last night. The club certainly doesn’t deserve them.

I think that’s it for Nigel in management now https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c62zq8nj16po Carlisle probably the SR in that league - new overseas owners, big budget and rock bottom with Mark Hughes trying a rescue act.

Who will want him though after the medical contract debacle last summer? And if anyone does, will ABK and his agent even speak to them?

Depends what their roles are within the group and what they’ve brought with them. Kraft is actually worth more than Solak IIRC https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/4-facts-you-may-not-know-about-southampton-chairman-henrik-kraft/ So whilst Henrik Kraft has stepped down and Šolak taken over as SFC chairman, I suspect Šolak needs him as an SR partner in financing the overall umbrella. Where he has more of a problem is with Rasmus. Rasmus is also a partner but I’d assume bringing football strategy and transfer/AI databases to execute player recruitment. That’s worked to an extent for Göztepe via Saints as a bridge in some cases, but for Saints it’s been the worst in Europe for similar medium-sized regular top league clubs and yet to know on Valenciennes. In effect, he seems to have ended up operationally-leading Goztepe. Hopefully he will now have very little to do with Saints as I suspect that will be Spores’s main focus within SR but the fact he’s been with him at recent home games tells me that he won’t relinquish the train set easily. So Spores will need to get Dragan, Dragan’s new board appointees and try and divide a wedge in the Denmark link on the board to get his plans for SFC through, including choice of manager.

Could be a good boost for the SW economy. Although we’ve got to get the universities shrugging off activists against the arms industry and Palestinian protestors because we need the drones and other technology. Difference is now that we will be storing more of what we produce as a proportion vs exporting to Israel and Saudi, although still doing plenty of that too. Need to upgrade the Babcock run facilities though - anyone who has been to nearby Ashchurch here and seen the state of that will know what I mean. State of the art kit will not last long in crumbling asbestos sheds.

It can make for example politically difficult decisions that the Tories often can’t without being hammered around cutting 15% off NHS England’s budget, changing the CEO to someone with an innovation background and bringing it much closer to the DoH, reducing bed blocking and expanding community provision. Something Hunt wanted to do for years but knew the political impact. Streeting is one of the most able ministers and shows up some of their other wallies. Starmer needs to have a bit of reshuffle in the autumn I think.

What part of GOP plans and Project 2025 wasn’t blatantly obvious to GOP voters? Most of it seemingly, when it impacts them and their families

No point bringing balanced, objective posts on here. And yes, further reducing overseas aid to boost military spending is something Reform and the current Tories would’ve done (Cameron would have hated it) but it’ll be popular with voters and with Trump’s moves away from NATO it is easy to justify. So committed right wing voters will be pissy about that. Also navigating the Trump situation well overall. Winter fuel allowance fine by me as well. And asylum cases getting processed faster, rejected often and gangs arrests significantly up. Plenty I don’t like as well and disappointed about - NI rise on employers, not employees, especially impact on SMEs and non-exempted charities and universities, Reynolds and Reeves, weaker in rolling back Brexit, Farmer fight not worth the hassle, and MP behaviour which has been abysmal in some cases.

And we signed the likes of Clyne having been out of the top flight for 7 years and nearly went bust. Davis and J Rod too. None of them comparatively big money, J Rod briefly our record but only for a few weeks.

Sholing was always full of Man U, Liverpool, Leeds etc. Woolston, Weston, Thornhill, Merry Oak and Bitterne were more Saints-focused East of the Itchen.

That wouldn’t get you much in any decent charity shop these days - but in itself that does illustrate their transfer strategy from last summer perfectly.

All the MAGA who said they wanted government run like a business - turns out that you don’t when the impact is on you and your family.

If Spores wants any credibility with the fanbase, and Dragan wants any kind of buy-in, then a grovelling apology from Dragan comes first, and then a very public opening up of the Pandora’s Box of ineptitude and laziness Rasmus, Kraft and Martin (if he’s somehow found employment by then) presided over. Then down to the business of a total squad rebuild, pace, power and investment outpacing the other 23 clubs.

‘This is what we do to people that fail in Serbia….’

Stuck with him next season too - Ipswich won’t/can’t pay anywhere near what we’d want without making a thumping loss. Thanks again Russell.

100% this post. And when another fan blaming club plant comes on here, keep on sending them back with their tail between their legs and a clear message back to their paymasters - pull your fingers out. There’s more football knowledge in one row of the away end seats tonight than SR will ever learn in 30 years.