Arcadian

Same here, one of my mates was assaulted outside the stadium and in full view of a policeman. But regardless of other things that have happened, it doesn't make what they have done any better or worse. They got caught and have gone down. Tough luck for them.

Oof! Hit the nail on the head though. The whole 3rd party things appears to be a smokescreen to draw out having a pop at the club. Most people agree that the loss of the instalment option is not nice for those it has effected. But neither is it the biggest conspiracy the footballing world has ever seen. Club in looking to maximise matchday revenue shocker!

Oh dear. There are some fantastic barrack room lawyers on here. Remind me not to ask any of you to represent me next time I get involved in violent disorder. The sentences have been reached based on the crimes they have been convicted of. You can moan about it all you want, but the judge is fully justified in doling out those sentences. They may seem harsh to some, but they are as much of a deterrent as anything else. Rightly so as well, the punishments seem to have made a few people on here sit up and take notice. And read the report again - a pensioner needed stitches, someone else almost with a serious eye injury. Maybe minor to some, but if it was one of my family I'd be wanting some time dished out to the perpetrators. Also does sound like the police allowed it to happen. Which makes the idiots who took part in the violence even more stupid! Oh look, police. Oh look, cameras. I know, let's start chucking things. There seems to be a few people saying 'ignore the criminal damage thing, they're only being punished for chucking coins'. But as far as I've read, the actual details haven't been released. So let's ignore the chucking coins bit for now as well, until the truth comes out. Oh and if that is all you are clinging to, just remember that throwing an object is showing intent to injure. It isn't the same as speeding, or even drink driving...these are reckless. Intent to cause harm is worse, it is more like speeding AND aiming your car at a pedestrian. It is also just as cowardly.

But defaulters are indeed a risk! It also costs the Club money to service and administer the monthly payments - the bank makes charges on the direct debits, people need to be paid to administer them monthly and the cost to then police defaulters adds on more! Both the risk and the costs involved do exist and are why the instalment plan has been removed. It hasn't been done to spite you or anyone else.

It is sad that you cannot take your family to every game. But what is the answer? Should the club subsidise every Saints fan that cannot afford a season ticket? The Club is not a charity and Liebherr is not there to pump his billions in. The whole plan has been to get Saints on a sound footing and then self sustainable. It is unfortunate that some of the fans will be effected by the decision to withdraw instalments but it is also a decision that has been taken based on the costs to date. It has already been pointed out that in the not too distant future, football clubs will have to be run on sound financial bases. Seems like our executives are planning for this already, which is not a bad thing.

Well said. It is a PR mistake but will have been a decision reached based on them reviewing the cost of doing the instalment plan. If the costs are too high then ultimately the club ends up subsidising a proportion of the fans. Add in the cost of defaulters and you can see why they might be keen to get away from this system of payment. A season ticket gives a discount by paying up front. An instalment plan for the season ticket is actually a bit of a contradiction in terms. You either pay up front and get a season ticket or you buy tickets on a match by match basis. I can understand why it has upset some people, it would me if I paid by instalment. But I doubt it is a snap decision by someone to annoy those fans. SFC needs to be run correctly, especially in the current environment. The delivery of the news is all wrong, but the sentiments are not.

Well, of those 50 - 100% mongs.

WTF are you on about? I have met Nick a couple of times and he is nothing like what you seem to think he is. Still, easy to have a pop at someone on a forum. Go team tough guys!

I love seeing our resident Danny Dyers trying to justify throwing bricks and stones! All just harmless fun. Fair enough some of you mongs might want to fight each other, but the reason you're getting pulled is for doing it outside the stadium with lots of normal fans just trying to go to a football match. Public order etc etc. Fine, go and fulfil your homo-erotic fantasies AWAY from the stadium. But don't try and get all moral when the police decide to try and make an example of you. It might all have been handbags, but it is no surprise that Hampshire's finest are going to do all they can through the local media to make some arrests. Chuck a rock and you're a p*ssy anyway.

Please make it true! We don't need the Barnard type of striker, we need a pacey forward to complement Lambert.

NOOOOO! As I have said elsewhere, watched Barnard a few times this season and he is no better than what we already have...a less good version of Connolly. No pace and no height, and really cannot see what the point of buying him would be. We need someone with pace to play off of Lambert.

Sorry, to clarify, I don't think there is pressure from above for AP to get us promoted this season...if we do it is a bonus. I believe that the blueprint involves building the squad over the course of this season, get them playing well together and then mounting a real push next season. If things go even better and we do go up this year, we then also already have a pretty solid CCC squad. For the first time in a long time it feels like the men in charge actually have set the club goals and contingency plans.

Not so sure. I'm guessing that our owner and chairman are happy with how things are going so far this season and willing to invest now in order to: a) give us a chance of going for play offs this season b) start building a team/squad that is going to be in place and know each other ready for automatic promotion push if we don't go up Successful sides are built not bought and so far it looks like we are trying to build, not just buy the best players.

Not seen Jackson play but would be very disappointed if we signed Barnard, he really is not very good. As an exiled Saint living in Essex I pop along to Southend now and then on freebies, and Barnard is not very good at all. Lambert and Connolly both a lot better. No pace and no height. If Jackson has pace then I can see where AP wants him to fit in and play off of Lambert. Connolly as an alternative option to bring on later in the game. I do know that Saints are bidding on several players at the moment and don't be surprised to see at least another 2 new faces before the end of the transfer window, possibly more.

Want a bigger brush for all that tar? Sounds like you have a bigger problem with them than anyone else!

Indeed you are correct, along with Charlton and Orient as well.

Southend play most of their home games on a Friday night.

Ambition can be interpreted in lots of different ways, including trying to keep a struggling smaller team in the top flight and score a shed load of specatcular goals from midfield along the way. Anyone who thinks that 'ambition' would have been a move to Tottenham or Chelsea in the 90s has an odd interpretation. Matt was allowed to play football the way he wanted at Saints, something that might well not have happened had he moved. If anything, previous England managers showed a lack of ambition in not picking him. Idiots to a man and the proof of their idiocy shows in the lack success that England had.

Maybe my memory is failing me, but see to recall several times where Mark Fry has stated they have given more time to Pinnacle. If he is not the only money man, why has Pinnacle been saying the opposite? Be interested to know what the due diligence is, especially when you look at some of the shady characters involved in other football clubs...who exactly does the due diligence? And what are the criteria, anyone know? Eh? I know I don't believe everything I read in the papers, but hasn't Mr Fry recently stated there are other groups in the wings? Patience is all well and good, but the new season is slowly creeping up on us...10 points to make up means we kind of need a good start.

Yep, looks like he was at the end of a chain of lies and bullpoo. Don't blame Matt, his motives are/were right. A few questions: 1. How many deadlines have passed since Pinnacle's involvement? Goalposts have moved continually. It does take time to purchase a club but the whole thing has continually rolled and never reached fruition. Why? 2. Why has no one heard of the 'money man' despite Pinnacle's claims that some people would have knowledge of this bloke, supposedly worth hundreds of millions? 3. Has Crouch been taken in as well? If he has been fronting the £500K exclusivity etc? Why would a multi millionnaire willing to buy the club need someone else to pay for this? It does appear to be falling apart and I feel sorry for MLT, Crouch and Lynam, as it looks like they have been caught hook, line and sinker by a shyster. People want answers, not vague posts that say the same things over and over again. If it is all a crock, then move aside and let someone else get involved.

No its that rich woman, Dame Crystal Meth.

That rising sun one would be a good training top or t-shirt. Take note Club Shop!!

One word sums up that bottom picture - testicle.

The white Mr T? Or as Barry Cryer calls him - "that albino ****"

Nice, taking the pish out of someone's disabilty! Can we laugh at the people in wheelchairs next?