VectisSaint

He hasn't been out a year yet, very nearly though, last game was Jan 28 I believe (FA Cup v Fulham).

Seriously where do you get 'jealousy' from my reply? Really odd reaction to a list of facts about Tella's contribution to Leverkusen's Bundesliga season. Will be chuffed for him if he gets a Bundesliga winners medal, not many players achieve that unless they play for Bayern. Certainly gonna be a lot better than a 'relegation' medal he would have picked up at Burnley or a Championship runner-up medal at Saints. He's actually played more part in their European games. But do think he really hasn't had the impact we or he thought he would, to have played the equivalent of 1.5 league matches by mid January, nearly half of which was in the last match.

130 minutes total, no starts, 11 subs, 2 goals (1 in last match), 0 assists so far (Bundesliga).

Who said that? Why denigrate one of the most historic trophies in world football? So I take it the only trophies worth winning are the Premier League and FA Cup (possibly League Cup, though that is seen as a bit Mickey Mouse these days), seems a bit limiting really, never likely that we will them. And you describe the trophy as Noddy. Think its you that should be wearing the blue hat with a bell on.

Not sure I would describe 'The Lady' as a 'bit Noddy'. It (or at least a replica) has been awarded to the champions of the (English) Football League since 1888 and has some illustrious names on it (as well as the Skates). Sadly our name has never graced it and it would have been nice eventually for it to have done so (closest we came was 1984 and then when we were last promoted). Personally I think Leicester are already gone for this season, so have reluctantly settled for 2nd again.

Lumley,.Meghoma, Stephens and Rothwell, otherwise our strongest team

Not forgetting Stewart

Huge clanger from Stephens today, absolute shocker, although in the end he was the one who finally cleared the danger. Was on the pitch today cos RM protected Taylor who was on a yellow. We were already looking shaky before Stephens came on, we did our old trick of retreating into our cocky, defensive, knock it around at the back shell, though to be fair credit to Swansea who changed things very effectively at half time after being completely and utterly outclassed in the first half. I'm not a fan of Stephens replacing Taylor, because we lose so much when Taylor goes, particularly going forward, again today his long or lofted passes across or over the defenders are quite brilliant. Jan doesn't have that to the same extent so Stephens on for Bedders isn't such a problem. Still for you Jack haters, he hasn't played in a losing team so far this season, so even an almighty clanger like today actually makes no difference, and remember we did concede while Taylor/Jan were in the centre (though it was offside and handball).

Not that anyone actually said our away form did not need to improve. Simply that it is already as good as it has ever been in the club's history and it is better over the last 9 games than anyone else in the League, so expecting it to improve is asking a lot. But today definitely a 'must win'. Here's hoping. Looks like our best team available again today.

There is currently an Aribo sized gap to be filled. Otherwise Meghoma.

Clearly you don't understand the concept of 'form', and I ain't gonna waste my time explaining it to you. If you had bothered to read my post, and in context, you would have seen I was talking about the last 9 away games. That's form, usually based on last 6, 8,.10.games (or 9) not on all results of the season. We are the best on form based on the last 9 games, no it's or buts, and wins doesn't come into it, we have the most points of the top 4/5.teams (I haven't checked possibly Watford are better but who cares about Watford). Leicester have same number of points as us, but Ipswich, Leeds and WBA are well behind us. Of course it would be better if we had won more, but it's frankly unlikely given we have never done better before in our history, 9 away games without defeat is fecking brilliant form, but no you think we're poor and should do better. Hopefully we win in Saturday and Leicester smash Ipswich, then we'll be second and automatic promotion is firmly in our hands. As I said, we have all of the top teams away before end of season, they are the critical games that we have to avoid defeat in. Leicester are gone, which is a shame because I really wanted to win this bloody league this time, but ignore them and concentrate on 2nd place is what we need to focus on now. That and avoiding having to get anything from the last game of the season.

You know Ipswich have already gotten worse, that is why we have caught them. They have Leicester away this weekend. Football doesn't work in the linear way you seem to think. The outcome of the league this season is likely to hinge on the big matches, i.e. our away games at Leicester, Ipswich, WBA and Leeds. Those are the games that we very likely will have to win or at least not lose. We will lose some more games this season, but hopefully not too many, form is temporary, but so will the others. I think this Saturday is a massively important one for us, a win will put us above Ipswich at least temporarily and pile the pressure on them to get something at Leicester. [End of my posts for the day]

Why? It isn't quite simple at all. Our away form is the best in the League, only Leicester have equal points away from home in the same period as our unbeaten away streak (9 games) and they have lost 2 of those (to be fair I haven't checked any lower teams records, but they are all a long way behind, so probably won't impact top 2). Ipswich and Leeds are well behind. We have to play all three away from home, it is more likely the results of those games that will determine whether we go up automatically or not. Of course we could do with winning a larger proportion of our away games, but i don't think people are yet appreciating how good a run this team is on, unbeaten in 19, wins in all of our last 9 (or is it 10) home games, and 17 points (unbeaten) in our last 9 away games. It doesn't get any better than this (well hopefully it does of course). We won't overhaul Leicester unless something spectacular happens to them, but we are on track for automatic promotion based on form.

We have already equalled our club best ever unbeaten away record (1949 and 1984) but apparently that form is 'not great'. Some people have unrealistically high expectations. Agree it would have been good to win one or more of the ones we drew but I think what we have achieved is pretty damn good and has never been bettered not even by our star teams (1984) or managers Koeman/Lawrie Mac) of the past.

Don't think it will make much if any difference. Having the away supporters exiting via Melbourne St and their coaches parked there won't preclude home supporters using that road to get back to Docks/Chapel/Ocean Village etc. I used to frequently exit past the buses in Britannia Road, we weren't usually diverted away from the area, maybe for high risk matches, but we don't play the Skates very often. There are for sure a relatively small number of people who might choose to go round the stadium and down Marine Parade to avoid mingling with the visitors, but in the end if they feel that is a big problem they have the option to relocate.

There is no way this would have got this far without already having buy-in from the police. They are and always have been the reason for where the away fans are located. The Kings land/Chapel corner is the only viable option and will allow for the simple entry and exit of away coaches, although it will mean some disruption to the routes Home fans take into the ground, i.e. those coming from St Mary's and docks, who will presumably be diverted down Britannia Road. No doubt in my mind that the police have already been consulted and are on board.

Now I can post again I can explain, in your pre ious post you were referring to League appearances (before that you were talking all competitions). Both Stu and Jan currently sit on 176 League appearances, so can't get to 200 this season. Of course they can get to 200 in all comps in about a month, but that isn't what you were talking about in the post that I replied to. Personally I think 200 league appearances is a decent milestone.

You're quite correct. In fact it looks like 19 home league wins on the trot, latter part of 2010/11 (L1) and start of 2011/12 (Champ). So, unless someone comes up with something better 19 seems to be the record for consecutive home league wins, twice. A ways to go for that one.

They've both got a way to go to get to 200 League appearance, don't think they can achieve that this season, even if we were to play in the play-off final (if that counts as a League game).

It looks like we went 19 league wins at home on the trot in Southern League days, 1894 to 1897. Ended by a 1-1 draw with Spurs. There may be later runs of home wins but I doubt none as long as that. Of course 9 includes the FA Cup. In Football League days the season we went 19 unbeaten we didn't get past 6 home wins in succession. That season was part of our longest unbeaten home run in the League, 31 in total, a long way to go (Jan 21 to Aug 22). Avoid defeat at Swansea and that will be a record unbeaten away run, currently the record is 9 in 1949-50 and 1977-78, so already equal. My source (Saints, A Complete Record) only goes to 1987. I can't think of many times we went unbeaten away after that, indeed winning away was often an unexpected treat.

Reasonably sure avoiding defeat will also be a new all time record for unbeaten away matches.

Only seems to have been credited with 2 assists, not the one for Adams, though I can't see why, unless the defender touched it before it got to Che.

Not all time League we don't. 24 is the all time record for league matches unbeaten. You're on about the record in the Football League. Try to keep up. 😵‍💫

Just found out the sad news that Mel Blyth has passed away. Great player for us and of course part of the 'Class of 76'. RIP Mel.

One day, maybe, but not tomorrow.