VectisSaint

Are we sure Fraser is OK. Looks like he was about the only first teamer missing from the squad last night (other than Brooks), was anything said about his absence as he would normally be a shoe in for the bench due to his ability to change a game.

Rested for Liverpool

So Olly has presumably ended his playing career. So no longer a backup for our 3 CBs, perhaps ditching Holgate was not such a good idea 😉

We have already broken the record for number of games unbeaten (league & cup), so a loss in the cup, while bad news, makes no difference. The outstanding record is for league games only (24), we can break that if we remain unbeaten after the Hull game, the tricky one being the Baggies. I only have a concern that a loss in the cup 'might' dent our confidence, Ipswich were maybe affected by their shock loss to Maidstone, going 3 down to PNE is a possible sign that it does get inside your head.

also at MK Dons when Martin was manager. I don't think his joining is a coincidence.

Seems to be finding his feet now. 2 goals albeit against Darmstadt (bottom of Bundesliga).

Played alongside Russell Martin at Norwich and for him at MKD, perhaps that is something to do with it as well. Would be good to see Surman back at his 'home' club.

Be better if he was on his holidays before the playoffs with a PL season ahead of him.

Righto, if you say so.

Good luck to them more like.

There's always Ollie Lancashire

Makes sense, really doubted we would go forward with 6 loans, having to leave one out of the matchday squad every game. Did wonder whether Frazer might get converted to permanent but with Charles available to play CB at a push Holgate really is surplus to requirements.

I'm sure the club will take your availability into account when making the arrangements. So Tuesday it is then 😉

Possibly because Bournemouth is really in Hampshire. Just some silly meddling with county council boundaries in the 1970s.

What he does in between the (many) cockups. There is a top class player there but at the moment his inexperience/youth has got/is getting the better of him. He is only just 20.

Except we didn't bring Rothwell in for DM. Charles is a top player, but his confidence was shot early season, will take a while to get his confidence fully back. He is far too rash at the moment, and gives away fouls when there is no need.

Looks very much as predicted, perhaps with the bonus of Dibling starting. There's not much wrong with that team, especially given who is on the bench. Realistically we are missing Gav and Downes, Lumley showed before he is a decent backup, Meghoma potentially better than Manning. We will miss creativity of KWP and Adam Armstrong's workrate. Time for Charley to actually do something and show what he is really about.

Not on a Sunday. Blackout only applies to Saturday, 1425-1725.

26 at the moment (they lost their last games last season, so only this season counts) 18 league, 6 Europa, 2 Cup)

Google Womens Championship, tables, results and fixtures available on many sites, including the FA, Sky, BBC. Not sure about form but more tables available here for instance https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/womens-championship/league-table/

Might explain where Russell Martin was yesterday, interviews already taking place.

2016, forgot that, barely qualified, was only with us as a player for the minimum time required. Point is that testimonials were only ever for players when they reached or at least approached retirement and it usually meant they were still at the club (granted Mick Channon's was in 76 before he left to go to Man City and then came back until 82, but really that is another era). They used to be given in recognition of a player's long service and to ensure that they had something to help them in their retirement in times when professional footballers were not paid the astronomic wages they are these days. The idea of it being so that they can contribute to their chosen charity is a reasonably modern phenomenon I think. I guess if Stephens was still at Saints when he retires, which could be maybe 5 or so years down the line the club might consider giving him a testimonial, but I seriously doubt that will happen, because I doubt he will still be at St Marys. I can't see testimonials have much value in the modern game and if SKD was the last I would suggest the club probably feels the same. Testimonials would really have more value in my opinion if they were done for players such as Sam McQueen, promising careers ended by injury.

Are testimonials still a thing? When was the last time we had a testimonial?

Weren't we linked with Dean Coney back in the 80s

Except it was Stephens who got stuck in and made sure the danger was cleared (eventually), you can't seriously accuse him of "watching on" after his calamitous pass. What he did was inexcusable but he did at least make every effort to clear the danger (fortunately Swansea had failed to capitalise on his mistake).