revolution saint

And apparently John has been having pain killing injections all week but still isn't fit enough so it's an enforced change as well.

Think it was John, Dyer, Cork, Bart and can't remember the other.

Davis, James, Perry, Svensson, Surman; Schneiderlin, Gillet, Lallana, Holmes, White, Mcgoldrick

Yes. Derby haven't won in a year and they're playing us. It's inevitable we'll lose just as Phillips was always going to score against us last week. At least Oakley won't score against us though.

It is but very different to 'The rotters club' and 'What a carve up'. Yesterday I used up the borders vouchers I got when I left my old job on 'The suspicions of Mr. Whicher' and 'The Damned United'. It was a close call but I've started 'The suspicions of Mr. Whicher' first.

I actually think it's less satisfying being a glory hunter. I know everyone thinks it's an easy option but just how much connection does a glory hunter have with his (or her club)? They're constantly heckled by people like us and deep down they know they can't compete with true lifelong commitment. You don't chose your local team, you just become a supporter without really realising it. The other thing that's a bonus is the reduced expectation levels (well for some of us anyway). If I go to a game and we play OK and win then I'm happy and it doesn't matter who we're playing. Big club supporters are so used to winning that inevitably they take it for granted. Sure they'll be disappointed if they lose but when they win? Well they don't get the lows often enough to appreciate the heights. I get the impression for a lot of them that if they don't win silverware then the season has been a bad one. Imagine that! Coming second or losing in a final and not enjoying it. I pity them.

I was quite careful not to slag off James or Surman so I'm not accusing them of being rubbish. The point was I don't think they'll last a season as fullbacks and we've got no back up. Through the spine of the team there is cover but not at full back. Surman is adequate there but wasted and Lloyd James did OK but teams will figure out he's not a natural in that position. I've seen a lot of genuine talent come through and I had no problem with Bale, Dodd, Bridge, Kenna or Baird but the point was they had to win their place - it wasn't handed to them because they were the only option. If you want to play kids in forward areas then fine - worst is we don't score. Play them in defensive positions and we'll lose games. That won't help them get better or develop.

I don't think Surman is as great as people make out but comparing him to Holmes then I'd say he was better. As a winger I'd say wimping out of 50/50 challenges and being too slow are problems but those attributes make an even worse fullback.

Well it seems to me this is the weakest part of the team and most in need of strengthening. Lloyd James yesterday was OK but was shown up a few times and i'm not convinced he'd be alright over an entire season. At LB Surman again is OK but is wasted a bit there - he should be playing the role Holmes is currently doing - we'd create many more chances. Even if you think they're a good option what happens if they get injured or suspended? I think teams will start to figure out this is our weak spot if we don't do something about it.

The two aren't actually linked so I guess you're saying people shouldn't sing or chant? or maybe they shouldn't sing or chant anything you disagree with? Maybe you should publish a list of things that are not acceptable? I'm sure that would clear up any confusion. I'm not sure Northam have 'done more than anyone to screw up this club'. Seems pretty harsh really as all they've done is turn up and spend money watching some quite dire football. Perhaps they sanctioned player transfers, or were responsible for a bloated squad of very average players that got us relegated, maybe they appointed a 'head coach' too many. If they did then I apologise - I didn't notice at the time. Incidentally do you only post about Hoddle? I need to know whether to put you on ignore or not as it seems you've already said everything and now just repeat yourself.

Think you're right though personally a year was enough for me - I'm not sure I'd have survived five or ten years. Many of the people I worked with had a lot more holiday than me. Googling 'Agenda for Change' should give you an idea what holiday entitlement is like though.

Can you try to be more sanctimonious? Probably not. One thing I do know is that Phillips would have scored that goal regardless of the stick he got today. FWIW I thought the chants were in bad taste.......but quite funny. It's part of the reason I watch football - the banter and the laughs. All this rubbish about the people in the Northam 'failing to use their power' though? Honestly, do you really think they're superheroes? With all this 'great power comes great responsibility' crap? People go to games for the atmosphere - Northam create it. Without them it's a silent stadium and all the worse for it. It's just football for christ's sake. They were funny chants. Phillips scored....so what?

It's not pleasant. Anyway, I'll be going. I missed the 1st game of the season last year for the first time in about 17 years last season so clearly saints need me. I'm looking forward to not recognising a lot of our players.

Not sure what the maximum is but when I was there I got 34 days (I think) including bank holidays which would work out at 28 days.

The irony is that my sister is a lawyer (well, solicitor but you get the idea) and the issue of bank holidays is still undecided. She's pretty good at her job but still can't prove whether as a part time worker she's actually entitled to time off if a bank holiday falls on a day she'd normally be off. There really isn't any legal precedent yet.

That's really good news - hope the improvement continues. Hopefully a few chants and a win will help Sophie.

Or the blind watchmaker by Dawkins which explains natural selection and genes very clearly.

Yes, she's chased it up and apparently there's no legal precedent to say she is entitled to it (she's in the legal area so should know what she's talking about) it's pretty much at the discretion of the firm and so far the only legal precedents have been where discrimination can be proved. If you can't prove any discrimination then it's hard to challenge. Job share issues muddy the water even further - what happens if you work Mondays and therefore get a disproportionate amount of bank holidays compared to your colleague who doesn't? Do they get their annual leave docked accordingly to improve yours? In the end her HR department just gave her some extra leave to shut her up.

Yep, I'd agree that there probably isn't a 'meaning of life' unless you subscibe to a universal creator with a divine purpose. For everyone else then the pursuit of happiness is a better idea. Of course philosophically we can't even prove our own existence so it could be a moot point. When Descartes said 'I think therefore I am', all he could actually prove is there is a thought which may or may not be our own. All quite interesting but ultimately pointless.

So that's currently 18 days (if you include bank holidays) and will rise to 22 days in April then? What about part time workers? My sister works 3 days a week and always has Monday off. As many bank holidays fall on a Monday is she entitled to anything? This is a bit of a grey area wherever I've been. On topic, I'd say compassionate leave for family members is probably fair enough - good on any employers who look at things on an individual case by case basis but I can see why many don't.

I really enjoyed it and thought it was excellent. The sequel 'Closed circle' is rubbish though. 'What a carve up' by the same author is also very good.

Isn't that the LDV trophy that's split like that? Thinking about it perhaps you're right. Exactly

Has NickG ignored me? It wasn't too clear but I'll survive. Oh and the glory hunter comment - that was a joke. I'm sorry.

You glory hunters will just have to move into radio reception if you really support saints.

Yep, got the soundtrack and not seen the film yet. I will get around to watching it one of these days....