Neil

Well you can only beat the pile of turd that's put in front of you, and that's what we did, comfortably if unspectacularly. Credit to Morgan and Jos today in particular, Jos looked in complete command and Morgan was prompting and keeping possession. Would like to see us put these games to bed a bit earlier and really cut loose, would be nice to do that on Friday and go 6 pts clear, but Bristol should offer more up front than Palace. Time to turn up the heat, 3 pts on Friday, then sort the away form out starting at our old friends at Brighton, and take the division by the scruff of the neck.

I'd like to get Barnard playing and hitting form, but if that doesn't happen we need a new striker. A new striker and Jos signing will pretty much seal automatic promotion.

We're heading to the Premiership. Caught some of the Boro game, they're truly dreadful and yet are third (with an offside winner), we have got to get out of this league at the first attempt.

£10 is a good price. As there's no advance tickets, what chance of it being full up, anyone know the capacity? May have to get there a bit early and get some beers in the clubhouse...

Can anyone remember many of these beauties: Some lost gems on this list... http://www.closedpubs.co.uk/hampshire/southampton.html

Well done those who completed it today, quite a few in Saints shirts and they didn't seem to be getting much stick. Skates have gone a bit quiet, I wonder why... Can anyone confirm that the Lordshill 10 mile on Sunday still includes the dreaded Toot Hill, or not?

Will be easy to get tickets. So if I understand it correctly, it will cost me a total of £43.50 to get a coach 20-odd miles to watch Championship football in a ****-tip of a ground, when the game is on BBC. I can see their strategy! I wonder if the £43.50 outlay guarantees that I'll see kick off, bearing in mind I've missed the kick off the last two occasions despite following police advice. I would like the clubs to confirm that the game won't kick off until the opposition's coach travellers have all arrived...

Middlesbrough would be just the bloody team to end it, with a typically spawny 1-0 win, or a dull 0-0 or 1-1. They are one of the dullest most awkward teams over the years, have always hated them. That said, even if the run does end, the team should be applauded off to mark the end of the run.

My pre-season prediction was 9th and would have been happy with that and finishing above you know who and possibly getting play offs. 12 games in and I'm starting to believe we can go straight up and the play offs would be a major disappointment! Seen absolutely to nothing worry us, we look better than everyone we play against. One criticism would be away from home, we need to be more clinical, and not allow the opposition into the game like we have on a few occasions. And need Barnard back as back-up, and maybe a CB.

Talented rather than brilliant. Wouldn't say we never got the best out of him, more that his infuriating inability (or unwillingness) to adapt to the pace of the English game meant that we never saw the best of him on a consistent basis. Still some good memories of a good player in a good era...

Burnden Park & Reebok Ninian Park & Cardiff City Stadium Highfield Road & Ricoh Baseball Ground & Pride Park Filbert Street & Walkers Maine Road & Eastlands The Den & New Den Manor Ground & Kassam Elm Park & Madejski Victoria Ground & Britannia The Dell & SMS The next 'double' will be Goldstone & Falmer. Would be good to see AFC Wimbledon v Saints (in Wimbledon) in a few years time, 21 years since I saw Saints play at Plough Lane!

Remember that '96 one played on an ice rink, Souness was bleating about that game going ahead, we could't handle the chilly conditions! Always got a bit tasty at the end of that side terrace next to the away terrace, always trying to kick off in that corner...

More importantly, how near fitness is he now?

As had been pointed out that bus from station to ground may be ok earlier on in the afternoon, but even if you get in the queue for it over an hour before KO you may be cutting it fine. Especially at c4-4.30 on a Saturday alvo. Missed the KO a few years back (the Bradley Wright Phillips game) despite having got in the bus queue quite early. Following earlier advice, head to Madejski a bit early for some beers, or preferaby drink in Reading then late cab!

Derby 1 Saints 1. Saints 3 West Ham 1. Reading 1 Saints 3. Saints 1 Boro 0.

Praying that Cotterill stays there (don't get rid of him just before Dec 18!). He is fast becoming a Saints legend, and his excuse list is phenomenal. They were tired after playing 3 games in 8 days, bless them.

I thought this thread was about a pre-arranged rumble! Thought the venue a bit strange, but may have taken the old bill by surprise...

We took almost 4k there when BWP scored 2 and we beat them 2-1. We were ****e then and they were pretty invincible at home at the time. Should be able to at least match that now even with it being on Sky.

If we can get to 22 points today and sit top for at least another two weeks I'll be mighty happy. I'm pretty damn happy anyway, but it would be nice to be top after 10 games, and even longer...

Time to end another bogey! Saints 4 Watford 1.

I think we got exactly what we deserved at Cardiff on Wednesday. Ok the chances were there and were missed (as they will be from time to time), but it was our sloppiness bordering on complacency that was our downfall. And the dogmatic approach to always passing out from the back. We need to learn lessons in how to play away from home, as we're offering encouragement to teams who aren't particularly good. Cardiff were there for the taking, and we should have kept a clean sheet without any difficulties.

Well almost 24 hours on and I'm still annoyed at last night. A golden opportunity to extend our lead at the top and, surprise surprise, we blew it big style. Cardiff weren't very good and looked low on confidence, yet we completely let them off the hook and gifted them two diabolical goals. Not getting carried away by last night's bad result and performance, but do we have a genuine problem away from home? Does Nigel really know what's required away from home, and can he get that across to the players? I'm beginning to have some doubts. We're just playing too much football in the wrong areas of the park, which seems to be consistently creating problems and encouraging the oppostion. We need to tighten up and not play the ball out from the keeper and defence every time, as it's got way too predictable and dangerous. I do have some sympathy for Nigel because he is probably missing the striker he thought he'd have by now, Connolly completely anonymous, frustrated and making mistakes on the rare occasions he did see the ball. Would be good to see Barnard again soon to freshen things up. Time for De Ridder to get a full game to show what he can do, and maybe time for Harding to get a game? Fox has great crossing ability, but seems a bit arrogant and not bothered about defending too much. The chances were still there to have drawn or won. Frustrating evening, but roll on Saturday and back to the fortress...

Excellent draw, good chance to get to the QF and we should get decent support up there.

Would be amazing to see Saints in the Prem with even a 40,000 capacity St Mary's (expanded Kingsland), and I think that possibility would be very realistic right now if ML was still with us. I hope NC is able to continue the dream, certainly NC / NA have created a superb spirit at the club, long may it continue.

4/11 that we get a Premiership team.