derry

I react to what I see. The average bit was the second half. Stoke played their usual aerial game and Thomas was pretty poor. The 1st team cut Stoke apart at times, made them look poor and they were only saved by a good keeper and a lenient ref. That and BWP trying to do a George Best impression with three players waiting to tap in a pass. I don't do PR/Bull****, 5 games/10 games it makes no difference, this team is far more enjoyable to watch than the dross I have endured over the last couple of seasons. You will see if you have read some of my other posts that I think it will be a rollercoaster ride. Reminds me a bit of 1959/60, that was a pretty young side that cut teams apart but let in goals.

I lost my three best players! Enough said.

What logic have you used to come to that conclusion. How many and which pre season matches have you seen, for you to have reached such a verdict.

If it is of any interest, Lancashire played against Woking on Tuesday, Davies is just about to start full training.

I am/was anti Lowe. You have to go to the matches to protest. When you see how this team play and how the crowd reacts to it, you will forget about Lowe. If you start a Lowe out chant be prepared for an angry reaction from the majority. The crowd are on the side of the team and won't stand for it.

Give him credit, Burley's rallying cry at the start of last season was. "I've lost my three best players", what a motivator!

Sounds good to me, we can bring in a few more youngsters like Schneiderlin/Holmes.

Hertha are keen on him but don't want to pay the fee Saints want. IMO if he isn't transferred, he will go on a seasons loan, or until january, to Hertha or someone else.

This could be another case of people with little money, persuading people with a lot of money, to take on a project that would allow them to feed their obsession of running Saints. IMO it isn't going to happen. For a start, if the people with the money buy into the project, they don't need Fulthorpe etc, or Saints, they can go it alone.

Having watched total dross from overpaid underperforming journeymen for the last couple of years I was prepared to give the kids a chance. However I was totally unprepared for their level of performance and commitment. The WHU game was supposed to be the bursting of the bubble, when it didn't, the call was just wait for Stoke that will finish them. The first team played with a pretty poor Wayne Thomas, after giving a goal in the first 2 minutes, outplayed Stoke for long periods, with their best player their goalkeeper. Then equalising, If that team had continued in the second half I think Stoke may have taken a hammering. As it was 6 youngsters one 16 with 4 experienced players who looked pedestrian in comparison more than held their own. If it hadn't been for BWP's stupidity in going it alone when we were 4 against 1, 3 waiting for a tap in, we probably would have won. Thomas was again at fault for the last goal missing an easy tackle after 2/3 attempts. If this little team plays the football I've seen so far we will do fairly well, maybe even better than that. They may be the saving of this club if their football brings back the crowds to SMS. I literally have found them exhilarating and I am hard to please. You are right we do need a goalkeeper.

work out the league table:smt026

Obviously been to the games.

Money for Shearer, players etc pie in the sky and crashing and burning come to mind. You have hit the nail on the head. Leave well alone, forget takeovers and get back to the unity of the football team. If you posters don't watch the team you have no idea what we are talking about. Get back to SMS and watch the revolution. I was surprised, and overwhelmed by the team. I've watched 60 matches in the last two seasons, most of them total dross. This team is something else.

Phil, I was just about to write the same thing, luckily decided to go to the second page. The football is brilliant, forget about the bloody takeover crap and get into the enjoyment of watching this great little team, it will be enjoyable whatever the results. Believe me this team can look after itself. As soon as they lose the ball they are like an angry swarm of wasps trying to get it back. No strollers in this team.

Win the first half, followed by 2007/8 dross, unless the old dogs have learned new tricks.

The main reason we are supporters is to watch our team. If Rupert Lowe presents us with a young team that plays the sort of football I saw last Friday, he can do whatever he likes as far as I am concerned. Win, lose or draw, I can accept mixed results if the football is good. To put that in perspective, I was delighted when he was deposed, despondent when he returned, but have to say he hasn't put a foot wrong up to now. I'm not really affected by the ground section closures. They obviously make sense financially, though I don't like the idea, I hope the young team playing exhilarating football will get them reopened.

We got those numbers last season playing crap.

Who the hell cares what the papers say. Paper never refused ink. If the muppets writing in the papers were that accurate, they'd win the pools every week.

I'll be there, I think that the young team will only play 45 mins, then last years failures can put their case.

I don't think cynical is the word to use. I would have thought cautious optimism or caution more relevant. I know where you are coming from, but last season was such dross, any team that can pass and has pace has got to be better. Bad passing, no pace and a lack of motivation was the style of last years team. The WHU performance was quality.

Funny, I feel the same way.

We've got a new young team that need supporting. About 9000 people came away from SMS on friday hardly believing the quality they had seen, after the abysmal dross of recent years. I can't remember a performance of such quality. (since 1954)! It is time to forget Lowe/Wilde/Crouch/takeover etc and just get on and support this young team and see where they can take us.

They don't have muddy pitches anymore. They will be even more lethal on slippery pitches.

The football this team plays is going to be a rollercoaster. Forget the results and enjoy the spirit, pace and skill. Hardly any player gave the ball away, Schneiderlin's pass completion was pretty close to 100%.

I am really looking forward to regularly watching this team play.