Rut

Thanks a lot for this link - it worked well. A virtual pint is on it's way to you as I speak...

Hopefully he can get well enough to record another single with the Pistols. 'No One Is Innocent' was a great song.

If we win the final at Wembley I perhaps there will be an old-school spray PAINT campaign round Southampton to commemorate the fact. SAINTS RULE OK ROXY SAINTS DO THE STRAND COME TO THE DELL AND DIE MILTON BOOT BOYS KICK TO KILL FIGHT FOR THE RIGHT TO WORK (ok not really SFC related but I bet most people of a certain age remember that sprayed on the wall near Southampton Central train station). Any other old spray paint classics that people remember?

Good answer :-)

Yeah get some drummers and whilst you're at it why not get a load of people to blow those 'trumpet things' like they do in South Africa (for those that didn't see any of the Confed Cup from there recently then wait til the World Cup - you will have a treat!) They really add to the atmosphere I think. Especially because they just blow them constantly whatever is actually going on on the pitch. It's good as well because it stops you from hearing any nasty chants that may be getting sung - all you hear is the load hum of the 'trumpet things'. So how about starting with one drum and 10 trumpets per block? This can obviously be increased as the season goes on. As the word goes round the attendances will increase cos every drummer & trumpeter in the area will turn up because they have at last found somewhere to practice without annoying the neighbours. £20 to practice for a couple of hours is a good deal. They'll love it!!! I think we're onto something here - bring it on :-)

*** "Live Audio coverage of every game" Cool - must mean they've sorted out a deal with Radio Solent. For us ex-pats this service is invaluable. *** "Match Highlights" Again - this will be really handy. League One games don't get too much coverage on USA TV. *** "Huge Archive (to be launched end of August)" Every Saints goal ever? Now that would be quality! Will be interesting to see just what they do put in the archive. Just the games from the last few seasons? Or lots of famous Saints games from over the years?

At those odds you'll get £1750 for a quid. Mine would be: Man City 14/1 Newcastle 6/1 Leeds 7/2 Bradford 14/1 I'll get about £7080 for my quid. Easy money.

Well any random football fans looking for a game tomorrow ain't gonna find out about it on the BBC fixtues for tomorrow: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/fixtures/default.stm I guess we weren't added as the BBC thought we might not exist. Or is Scottish football really that bad nowadays that games v them don't count at all?

Peter Dowdeswell holds 309 world records - including 90 pints of beer in 3 hours. Now that is a talent: http://www.peterdowdeswell.com/ He is the best in the world at eating & drinking. Praps not an athlete in the traditional sense but still an outrageous talent that shouldn't go without recognition. Great youtube about him here:

Here in Indiana it is done well. You can smoke in bars and you have to be 21. No screaming kids (I find that way more annoying than some bloke having a smoke next to you). However... For those 'you smoke I choke' types there are plenty of bars that don't allow smoking. Most of these also allow families though (ie screaming kids). But you can have a beer in a smoke-free environment. I personally don't smoke anymore but I way prefer to be in a 21+ smoking allowed bar. It just feels way more like a pub should be.

The OS is doing regular updates here: http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~1726356,00.html Sounded really good at the start! 2nd halves of friendlies don't count anyway...

Pardew is now 4/6 fav on SkyBet. Strachan 7/2. http://www.skybet.com/skybet?action=GoLastEvent&z=3292#market_div_12591795 Been a crazy book. I wonder how much action there has been on it. Shame Betfair didn't run one so you could see how much has been bet...

Hey if Strachan does come back then I'll be able to dig out all my 'On the March with Strachan's Army' flags that I picked up dirt cheap after the 2003 Cup Final. Think I've got a few t-shirts I shipped over as well. I bet you'd see a fair few coming out the back the of wardrobe if he is appointed. Who was Celtic's star player under Strachan? Surely we can steal him?

Any Saints fans what to sup a few in Indiana tonight???? yeah right. I'll sup a few extra ones instead whilst watching USA destroy Honduras in the CONCACAF Gold Cup (North American version of The Euro's). Strangely football seems good again :-)

Gotta be a caption contest for this one: I say the one knelt in the middle was told it was P**pey they were trying to buy - the others knew it was Saints. They've just been told that the deal went through...

Totton was the biggest village in England until it became a town in the early 70's. As for those having a (not too) subtle dig at CLOTH then I assume you are Saints fans? I bet you that he would beat any of you at a Saints Trivia quiz. The bloke bleeds red 'n' white. Nowadays he works as an un-paid volunteer for AFC Totton. In any other pre-season Totton v Saints would have been an instant sell-out (not exactly his fault that it hasn't been). But feel free to have a dig at him for daring to give out good, up-to-date ticket info... CLOTH - hope the night goes well. Got a parking spot for those Swiss diggers sorted?

That law is a total git. It means that most of the UK sites don't allow you to register. Betfair won't even allow you to log on if it detects that you are in the USA. Reading forums you are meant to be able to get around it short-term by using various proxy servers but it's more hassle than it is worth. I don't bother. That said I know you can still use StanJames over here (if you've set up an account with a UK postal address) - plus probably a lot of others. It's a real shame that Betfair doesn't work... You can use sites like: http://www.sportsbook.com/ http://www.bodog.com/ to place a bet. However some banks won't allow you to put money into an account with them. Again there are various ways around it (e-checks I think work fine) but again - it's all a lot of hassle. The 'powers that be' are attacking the way money is put in and out of gambling sites - the sites are just about winning but it's messy. I think (hope!) it will all open up one day - just not yet though. For Poker I use PokerStars. I can easily put money in and out of there via my UK bank account. You can log-in and play fine over here. There are other ones: http://www.internet-poker.co.uk/US-Online-Poker-Sites-Accepting-USA-Players/ but I've used PokerStars for ages and just like it. The USA gambling laws are screwed up anyway. ie if you go to the centre of downtown Indianapolis there is an 'off track betting facility' (bascially a bookies). There are 3 levels with 100's of TV's. There is a bar and you can smoke. You can bet on anything here with cash at the counter - they pay you out there and then should you win (exactly the same as in an English bookie). Links: http://visitindy.com/indianapolis/web/jsp/restaurants/detail.jsp?c=9327182:showhide&p=1 http://www.hoosierpark.com/otb.html If they can have this here all legal and above board then why can't there be these places everywhere? Who knows.... but basically having a bet over here is harder than back in the UK. Hard - but far from impossible.

I would laugh cos I bet you feel worse than after any losing bet you've actually done. I won't laugh though. You probably remember this one: My last home game before moving to the USA was Hull City. I (half) joked to everyone that it was a guaranteed 4-0 win for Saints - my leaving present. I was gonna do this @ 50/1 at Hills in the centre of town. 20 quid minimum - prob more as had quite a few 20's I had to 'use up'. Anyway that day it really p*ssed down so despite getting to Old Fat Cat for opening time (5 mins from Hills) - never made the walk to the bookies. Left the pub a bit late so got to the ground after kick-off - couldn't even get on at the 33/1 (I think it was) that Ladbrokes in the ground was offering. I've never been so gutted ever. Final score - 4-0 to f****in Saints. I think I may have got locked up insanity if we had got the 5th - man would I have celebrated like crazy. That 'non bet' is still one of my worst ever. Painful. A bit like yours here Bungle - if you say it - DO IT!!!!

I like the idea of this lot - they have a USA branch as well: http://www.liebherr.us/us-lh/en/default_us-lh.asp Praps my little p*ssed up chat with that 'rich bloke with the big diggers' the other week actually counted for something. He did say that he would 'see what he could do'. Nice one.

If an alternative club did come about then how about calling it 'Southampton Saints'. Way better than AFC Southampton, Southampton Utd, Southampton City etc. Who wants to shout 'come on City'? You'd still be able to shout 'come on Saints'. Perfect! Anyway - long way to go yet before this would even get close to happening. Dunno why but I predict Southampton FC to still be alive and well-ish come the start of the season...

I'll add a couple more. Paul Groves (at the time played for Grimsby) - this twát scored a last minute goal for Grimsby v Bournemouth to give Grimsby the win. If that match had stayed a draw I'd have picked up just over £16,000 for a £1 stake (10 match accumulator). The rest all came in... Robin Van Persie (Arsenal) - this twát scored a last minute goal for Arsenal v Saints at Highbury a few seasons ago. Gave Arsenal a 2-2 draw. I had £50 on Saints at 20/1 to win this game. Surely I can't be the only person who hates random players cos they screwed up a bet with a last minute goal?

Hey 'Cloth' - who will you be supporting? I'd wear a Totton shirt with a Saints scarf tied round my wrist. Had L*** turned up with 'his' club then it would have been 100% for Totton but assuming the take-over thing goes thru then no way can I want a Le Tiss led Saints to lose - that's not in the blood (but there again nor is wanting Totton to lose!!). Luckily it's only a friendly. 6-3 to Saints would be a good final score. Yes, Totton are 'Man U in disguise'. Hope the night goes well for you mate.

Evansville, Indiana isn't that far from where I live. They've got a good casino boat down there. And great haircuts of course...

Thanks for that. The best goal ever right from the beginning. All 17 passes. In 1981 Lpool were the current Man Utd/Chelsea/Arsenal/Lpool teams all rolled into one. All snotty, annoying glory supporters supported Lpool cos they were the best. Still my most hated team which makes this goal all the much better. As for Keegan for manager? Yes please. I have happy memories of him in a Saints shirt. Good enough for me. Plus I've heard of him and know how to say his name properly. Actually thinking of Keegan memories then one of my favs is quite recent. Was anyone else in The Itchen at MLT's testimonial when Keegan gave that kid his shirt and told him to put it on and get out on the pitch? Was classic. Keegan came over for a throw or whatever and was puffing a bit. Took off of his shirt and just gave it to some random kid at the front. That was cool enough but then telling him to get out on the pitch was quality. Fair play to the kid as well - he didn't think twice and ran onto the pitch straight into the action. The shirt dwarfed him - was funny as hell if you saw the whole thing... I think other people in the ground thought it was MLT's kid or something - it wasn't. Anyone know the kid in question? He certainly had a story to tell the next day...

I presume that you meant to say 'to go up'. (you missed the 'p' out) Interesting bet. If we do go up this season then it means we've really got our sh*t together. We are 8/1 at the mo. If you put a tenner on that's 90 quid at say 10/1 next season - would be 990 back. Only 98/1. Are you sure that is 'to go up' and not 'win the league'. If it is 'to go up' I'd say that ain't a bad bet. Still fukcin hopeful but who knows...