saint1977

Agree on the first one, me and my fiancee make sure we both get rounds in. Don't agree on the second though, when I've been designated driver it's bad enough not being able to have a beer let alone paying for other people's beer (when your soft drink is half the cost). The third one I totally agree on, we had a lad in my late teens/early 20s who was well known for this offence, we got our revenge by going for a curry on London Rd and left him asleep with the bill! Unless it's a Setanta game, I don't go the pub to watch TV but I do take a book if I'm away from home for work and want to relax in the evening. A couple sitting at a large table is definately selfish. Don't think I've gone anywhere where the glasses were really dirty but at Cafe Buster in Antwerp there is actually a washing up sink at the bar! Taking a laptop to the pub - OK during the day although always the risk of damaging it, bit much in the evening IMO though.

This is the result of a hated Chairman returning and messing up appallingly his 4th managerial appointment at least. I don't feel comfortable at SMS any more either but will still go, the day that the 4-5k Lowe (there is a silent majority of fans at SMS that are well aware Lowe has messed it up AGAIN and know he is a disaster area) zealots win is the day that the club really dies. If that happens, they can groundshare with Eastleigh and crunch the complementary carrots at half-time.

Great post. We need a new Chairman ASAP who can bring the supporters together and stop the crystallisation. At present, I feel in a silent majority (to steal Richard Nixon's phrase) that go to SMS but don't support the board in any way other than financially and don't blame people for not wanting to fork out good money for bad rubbish, which we have been in most of the home games this season, let's be honest. Some of the people at SMS almost seem to have been brainwashed by the OS spin and zealots is probably the best word. I just sit in silence at home games now watching slow, one-dimensional football.

I'm not that fussed about the players any more, all the Southampton calibre players were sold long ago. What would be devastating is for SMS to be sold off and the club have to find extra interest payments in a world economic slump. Add to that the end of Staplewood as well and it would be a disasterous option, albeit one that may happen.

Sadly we've always had that element in the crowd - I can remember Arsenal being at SMS and someone in Kingsland North shouting loudly at Vieira (and it echoed) "get up you big black bastard". I can also recall blatant racism at away games as well. Fortunately we have never had the organised racism that some clubs - Chelsea, Leeds and Millwall for example, have been blighted by but it's still unpleasant to be sat in amongst such ignorant, outdated inbreds. McGoldrick isn't good enough to be a professional footballer but his race has nothing whatsoever to do with it.

Considering he owns only 6%, it's not really his to give away. I'm inclined to agree with the above posters though, whilst most people on here are well aware I'm not a Lowe fan, administration is SERIOUSLY not funny and we could lose the assets that we have left. Sadly, I'm not so sure that Rupert can keep us out of it judging by what I heard earlier in the season. Trust me on this though, administration IS NOT an easy answer and it would push a whole host of already struggling local companies under as well and the waves caused on the supply chains could put people on this board out of work. What I won't stand for though is anyone on here blaming us, the fans. Lowe did not have to take this wacky, stupid gamble in the summer and if we do go down, he has to take 100% of the blame. No PR or spin can disguise the stupidity of appointing JP, nice bloke or not.

Spot on and hopefully this "I'm a better fan than you" nonsense will cease.

I can't believe as a regular attender that anyone on here is proud of saying that they are better fans etc. A group of us had STs originally going back to the Dell but a lot of them couldn't face more of Rupert's errors and poor leadership and didn't renew. Because I have to drive to games now I don't even get a few beers in the Guide Dog beforehand because watching yesterday sober was awful. It shows that the current board MUST GO NOW if the fans are this badly divided. Fans are arguing like they are Saints and Pompey fans and it makes me so sad to see and hear it. Lowe has his proxy sorted for the AGM so there won't be any change. Administration would be awful, SMS would be sold off but it just looks inevitable at some stage.

Sadly, I have to agree. Lallana isn't getting the coaching and guidance he needs and unless JP is sacked today, I cannot se where it will come. The one unlucky effort apart, Drew looked like a player that is trading water before moving on. The changes we need are: - A young, hungry British Head Coach/Mamager - Lowe to step out of direct SFC affairs, replaced initially by Cowen - A big, tall animal at CB - 2 CFs, one big striker to hold the blasted ball up and give Holmes something to cross to and another with pace. Loan McGoldrick to Salisbury as that is his level. McAllister has gone at Leeds for putting style over substance, JP should go fo the same offence. Our home record is beyond a joke.

Thanks for the heads up, I'll make a point of watching that.

I don't know this for a fact but I think he is on about 12-15k. If he was on 5k the board wouldn't be loaning him out. Rasiak is on about 15-20k.

So it's OK to threaten to give up your season ticket if, and it's very remote as a possibility even if JP left, Billy Davies came in yet if you threaten to quit your ST because you don't like the current board - as some posters on here have threatened to do - you're not "getting behind the team" and are not a "real fan". If Rupert insists on using PR companies on here could he at least squander money on some good ones. There have been plants on here in the last fortnight - between 1-10 posts and coming out of nowhere to pick an aggressive fight for the board - without a doubt and they stand out even more than a 7 foot ginger man in MI5 undercover. I would also ask anyone going to the AGM to enquire directly as to whether this is happening again. As for me, I just hope I actually see some goals in the Forest net for a change instead of "Propaganda Football". Cheering a Saints goal keeps the cold out, as does Real ale but sadly I'm probably driving tommorrow.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/7785077.stm Looks like it wasn't as bad as the Icelandic scandal but backsides will still be on the line at the Castle. Moreover, plenty of wealthy investors will be asking why the Hedge Funds they used neglected to carry out proper checks. The next few years are going to be very painful as the amount of available credit shrinks against the huge debt burden and the reduced tax income (a frightening amount of Income Tax & VAT debt is effectively uncollectable) will hit public services, no doubt about it. However, long-term the warnings were there about levels of business and personal debt and sub-prime - I mean there were TV documentaries years ago about Northern Rock's board's antics. The fact that we will now have a sizeable stake in big banks and some big companies gives us a chance to repair capitalism, make is sustainable again, stop the bull and blinding by science and make great pay for great work the order of the day. Creaming off millions in Golden Handshakes, Goodbyes and easy bonuses is a thing of the past and people need to adjust to it. If CEOs want state aid, they have to take huge pay cuts and sign away unrealistic bonuses - our money, our rules.

Moreover CB, there will be more fans there than usual to rise up as well. I badly, badly want us to win tommorrow as it would put us 7 clear of them (my work xmas lunch was at a pub called the Robin Hood so let's hope it's a happy omen) but we do have a habit - ie QPR in 2006/7 and many others, of bottling it in front of a big gate. Our TV appearances also support this. We'll support you loud and proud lads but remember to get stuck into Forest, we won't take any bottling out of 50/50s tommorrow and nor will the visiting contingent. We used to be great at winning these 6 pointers, let's regain the knack of doing so and if that means being a lot meaner, less sweet and sugary and getting stuck into Forest, let's do it. 3 points is the only acceptable outcome, are you up to it lads?

I think you and CB Fry are in competition for most sensible posts on here at the moment. 100% agree with everything there and sick of talking about the man frankly, Askham (who "runs" that particular share proxy) and Wilde are much bigger players. I don't like Lowe very much but the bloke is at least there to be shot at and doesn't hide like Guy or Mike, even if he's had the reverse of the midas touch since 2003. Shame, as he has made good decisions in the past but every leader has a sell-by-date and Rupert is well past his. Having given a partial defence of Rupert though as much as I want him gone, anyone who thinks that most of the fans at SMS on a matchday, let alone across the fanbase think he is doing a good job have got to be seriously deluding themselves. This whole carp about Rupert being educated/accent etc etc has always done my head in. I'm educated to Postgraduate level so I assure everyone on here that Rupert's accent, schooling etc etc having little bearing on my assertion that he is the wrong man for SFC now and most supporters would agree with that IMO.

Interesting idea, particularly as the recession deepens. Will be wonderful to see SMS so much fuller at any rate.

I actually agree with other posters that have stated that Surman is a bit slow for the PL - although his upper body strength has improved this season, last season he was barely League 2 standard at times. Lallana has the best potential to play there but not for another couple of years and I think from his recent comments Adam knows this as well which is impressive in a young player. So I think Drew will go and if we can get £2.5-3.5m for him and SJ does go on a perm deal to Bristol City and perhaps Saga elsewhere that should enough. Otherwise, Barclays might as well just pull the plug as we still need to competitive. Gobern and Mills have looked handy in cameos but it is far too early to say, Mills is v.promising IMO but very young still. Gobern looks an outstanding athlete which can help. I can see Lancashire having a sort of Gary Monk career - drifting between the top end of non-league and L2 before having another crack at this level in his late 20s. Don't think he is SFC calibre sadly. Don't understand why we signed Wotton on bigger wages than Plymouth were paying him - no pace and if he can't dislodge what is in the current first XI he shouldn't be at the club.

I have heard very little - actually nothing at all - in the way of anti-JP sentiment at games although I didn't travel to Burnley. There's a big difference with Wolves kids' though - their youngsters are a mixture of the cream of homegrown plus selected buy-ins from CCC rivals like Ebanks-Blake and non-league (Kightly). The pick of ours is Surman and Lallana and I'm ont even sure we are getting anywhere near the best out of the latter at present.

Couldn't have put it better myself. Did you have any luck fixing your boiler with that banana?

Same here although my eyesight is getting a bit carp these days so it could just be that. Glad we don't visit St James Park anymore otherwise I wouldn't be able to see anything at all from 14 levels up! I could only really make out Marsden, Phillips (due to 50000 Geordies booing), Bellamy's silver boots and Shearer last time.

Total PR stunt and unless it applied to the Premier League - which it won't - it is meaningless. Most CCC squads easily fit this and even more so further down the Leagues. It won't be applied to the PL as Scudamore would fight it and anyway, there are clear EU Directives on restraint of trade and restriction of labour movement. Not even Lowe would be daft enough to claim that the FL are following his lead. For the record, if it WAS possible to implement in the PL I would actually be in favour.

Here's hoping. Johnson has 3 window targets apparently. I like SJ but a £500k + wages gone and I'd be happy with that.

Based on what I have read above I would have to say yes. £250k saving is not to be sniffed at presently, add that to the Man U income and it would make a difference.

It's marketed as a strategy and I can understand why but people don't realise how hard it is to run a proper academy at the high standard we have, let alone when you don't have the Sky PL money to support it. I'm talking £ms a year. The more stretched you are, the more the quality of the provision dilutes and the less Bales and Theos you attract, let alone eing able to sell them on. Best to see this as short-term neccessity to steady the ship and hope other clubs hit even worse difficulties - Charlton etc as parachute payments end and the recession hit home.

Not sure Nick is a Lowe-luvvie as such - remember that the UI guys had some serious arguments with Dave Jones much earlier in Rupert's Chairmanship. Also, there's been a number of takeover stories on the UI site long after the ones here have died off. Nick's got his view and he's entitled to air that. I don't agree with everything in that debate but I didn't see anything that made my blood boil either.