MorningtonCrescent

I think you'll find that the "i'm alright jack" attitude is not solely reserved for "thatcher" or any other political persuasion! Stop bringing such dull and irrelevant arguments to the board! There are plenty of examples of "socialists" for whom the phrase "i'm alright jack" would fit just nicely! Go do some research! Yes, there are many people who are needy of benefit support and well deserve it. There are also many more who are habitual spongers and benefit fraudsters. The trick is in finding the balance, or in persuading the "spongers" to stop being a drain on society and get out there and do something positive about their own lives. The biggest issue I have with the current govt is that they have failed to recognise the fact that people are better are now "better off" under their benefit regime than they would be if they went back work. Gordon extols the virtues of giving the needy more support, when actually it often works the wrong way around by encouraging them to remain on benefits. Go figure! Govts need to strike that balance between "support" and "dependancy"....

People who cling to the old "under thatcher" and "in the 80's/90's" routine need to learn that things move on. The Labour Party "moved on" as "New Labour" and became acceptable again, after being un-electable for 18 years. In the 80's/90's things were difficult for many. BUT, for those who had not "over-committed" financially it was manageable. A very similar situation to the one recently experienced. Banks lent to people they shouldn't have done. People taking mortgages that they would never afford to pay back if their personal situation changed or the financial outlook got more gloomy...... It's happened under govts of all persuasions, so people need to recognise that fact. The thing that sticks in my throat is New Labour's claim to be able to avoid the "boom and bust" cycle and that they had managed the UK Economy so well that we wouldn't experience a "bust" again - quickly followed by a denial that we were heading into a recession (bust) and then the bold statements that the UK would suffer less than other nations and that we would recover more quickly "due to the strength of the UK Economy as a result of Gordon's prudent policies"....... All of which have been proven to be WRONG! Unfortunately, all politicians (of all persuasions) have a tendency to look after their "own interests" first and foremost. People in power take the trappings and benefits of being in power. Even the most hardened Socialists have done so for generations, despite their "calling" to serve others. It seems to be in the human psyche that once in power people become "greedy". Look at the expenses scandal and you see exactly that. "Them is the rules, so why should we be penalised" is not an excuse to spend inordinate amounts of tax-payers money. This, again, applies to ALL PARTIES. The Labour party had more than the others put together, but then they have more MPs. The fact is, they were all caught with their noses in the trough, no matter what "colour" Red, Blue, Orange (?!) etc..... But, we still have a duty to elect someone to represent us in Parliament and this naturally boils down to a small number of variables: 1) Who you (or your parents) have historically voted for 2) Which "creed" you tend to follow (capitalist, socialist, communist etc) 3) Who offers you, personally, the best looking deal for your pocket So, people need to recognise that what "parties" did in the past may not actually be what they might do in the future. Characters who were likes/disliked in the past, should not cloud judgement of who people should vote for now. It is a difficult choice, and that is why there is a period of "electioneering" for those seeking to represent you put their case. Many people should open their minds to the options available and vote for the person they truly believe they can trust to represent them in London the best. The UK needs a new generation of politician who is accessible, democratic and trustworthy. Party politics will always "spoil" the choices somewhat and Proportional Representation or Hung Parliaments are not the answer. Unfortunately, we don't have a system that allows for truly representational government. So, we have to make do with the system as it stands for now.

Plenty to choose from ... Kracjar, Crouch, Defoe..... That'll confuse the little darlings! LoL :-D

You "lost" the argument as soon as you said the bit in bold. Politics has moved on and you should too. Support whoever you have the chance to vote in. The labour party of "old" had some loathsome characters, but that is no reason for someone not to vote labour! A hung parliament? Hmmm, that'd give our wonderful politicians the chance to work together (in sweet harmony) to bring the best of all their policies to bear for the good of the nation...... OR it would allow them to conduct more "back room" decisions based on who makes the best concession (or bribe) to get what they want. Fag packet planning and power mongering at its worst. Do you trust our politicians to "power share" without it descending into farce? AND - we'd end up with another election in the short\medium term as nothing would be getting done.

my one statement on this is.... After the general election, someone IS going to be representing you and your local area in that bastion of democracy (sic) that is called Parliament. We may not all agree on the way forward, but there will be some way forward, based on the rather inadequate "first past the post" system this country adopts. So, with no party political leaning, I would ask that you all consider at least registering your vote - even if it means going along and writing "you're all a bunch of corrupt bastards, on the take" across the slip! Whoever you want to vote for, or even whoever you don't want to vote for, at least go along and "vote" something! People have fought many wars for us to have our "freedom" and the least we can all do is to go along and have our small say in who will represent us. FWIW - I am voting for the only candidate who has actually made a difference to me, in my local area, as a local councillor. On two occasions, this person has supported things I believe in and stood up in the council chamber and spoken on behalf of the issues. Both occasions their voice was heard and the right outcome prevailed. So, they get my vote for representing me in London. Here endeth my rant about the election. Have a nice day!

I'm sure the "small town" chant has been around for a very long time, although it was once "small club in.... " which would make a lot more sense! So, pick the name of the town/city where the oppositions main rivals are, and sing "small club in....." Singing something is better than silence, but I do draw the line at "fan on a string" - what a s**t song! Overall, the fans have been disappointing in the two games since Wembley. A combination of many feeling there is nothing to play for and the usual nerves that set in when the scores are tight and we need a win to keep in the mix? We need to create some really good atmosphere in the coming matches, if we don't want that nervousness to translate onto the pitch. Its time to turn up the volume for the remaining games, so that at least the fans can say they did all they could to help our climb up the table. With a summer break heading our way, we may as well give it our all before we start next season's assault on the title! ;-)

Fingers crossed!! :-)

...in Hamble....

Nah, the worst referee (anywhere, ever) was at SMS the day we played (and beat) Dirty Leeds! How does that stack up with your theory? **rolly eyed thingy**

Taxes - what a good place to start! I'm pleased my taxes have to be spent employing a mass presence of the UK's finest on a football day at all..... what do you think the bill for that was? Someone pays it. Is it all down the football club(s)? Why should the taxpayer have to pay for a massive police presence to prevent violence, and then get slated for taking action against the small minority who are intent on breaking the law anyway? that is the big difference between some stone throwing oiks on a p*ssed up Friday night versus "minor" (LoL!) football violence at a sporting event And for the OP's sake - starting trouble when there is the possibility (a high probability in truth) of that "small" action (or "minor", as you like to call it) starting off something far larger. Others, who get swept up in the moment who then find themselves embroiled in a more "serious" offence.... surely that counts for more than a chance encounter between "yoofs" in any town centre on a Saturday night? These people KNEW the police presence was high. They KNEW that kicking off in any way other some verbal banter would result in cautions. They KNEW that getting caught would mean being dealt with harshly when compared to a similar offence away from football. Yet, they STILL insisted on doing it! Who was it you were calling thick, earlier in the thread?

Do you know them all then, Stu? My guess would be that some/all of these find upstanding citizens are not fans at all. Probably local "lads" who took the chance to get down to town for a rumble with the boys from down the road. The people I saw at the match, who were clearly looking for trouble, didn't look like regular match goers to me? So, a banning order would be pointless, wouldn't it? They don't watch Saints regularly anyway?! Just a theory, which may explain the reasoning to go up a level for sentencing? Either way - as many have said here - its time for people to grow up and see pre-meditated violence for no other reason that the support of a football team for what it is.... neanderthal and unnecessary. (you'd soon be moaning if the local in Portsmouth didn't support their local team..... "plastics" "JCLs" etc.......) In my humble opinion, of course.

How about a "thanks Ticket Office and your overworked staff for delivering as you said you would all along, sorry if I got a bit overheated in the last few days - it's just a bit stressful waiting for such valued tickets"? No? Thought not!

I have us drawing two games and finishing 7th, 3 points short of Charlton in 6th. One of those draws is against Charlton at SMS! Interesting!

I see you're conveniently ignoring all posts in relation to your claims of having bought more than you were entitled to? For my money - your application(s) were void, if indeed you did try to buy more that your entitlement. Void = no ticket. Simples. I wil LoL all the way to Wembley if you miss out because of your own greed!

Alan is, indeed, a diamond! That is all. :-D

Except yours, because you tried to buy more than you were entitled to. HTH :-D

Seeing as you proclaimed that you managed to buy lots of tickets on one customer number - perhaps yours won't be arriving any time soon? The instructions were clear, when set out at the beginning. Anyone whose application misses important information or is in anyway inaccurate will not have their order processed! ;-) http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~1966914,00.html http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=20410&highlight=tickets&page=4 ...or, of course, you could just be another SWF Troll, who lives in a fantasy world?

+4 (notices someone else also did '+2) well worth all three posts for today! Get sent extras and 'help fellow fans' by shifting them on, rather than return them to the actual SAINTS FANS that bought them in the first place! As someone else said - Dune lives in another world - a dreamland or rather a living hell, if that's his attitude to fellow fans (and fellow humans!)

+3.

+2.

Yes, still one way only on Bedford Place (down, towards town) - although judging by the number of numpties who can't read road signs, you wouldn't believe it was all the time.

Tranmere was actually the first time this season that AP's team showed they really could scrap it out with a "so called" smaller team on their own patch. Saints deserved far more from the game, we controlled large parts of the game and only lost due to the most incompetent referee I have watched for many a year.He wasn't biased, particularly, just inept. He cost us the game. But the referee is not the reason I have posted this, it is because we did turn around our "form" on poor pitches away from home and if we continue to address this in games to come it will show that AP has taken on board yet another area that needs work and is making a difference. We still have a few potential banana skins to overcome. Brighton (but their home form is appalling) - Yeovil and Gillingham. We need to get good points from these three games - I would like to think we can secure at least 6, but 7 would be excellent. If we can do that at those three, then I think we will have a very interesting end to the season! :-D

Scottish Cup - Dunfermline vs Stenhousemuir Dunfermline won 7-1 but played ineligible an player(s)... got thrown out, then told to replay and won again... http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jan/21/dunfermline-reinstated-stenhousemuir-scottish-cup

You just want a trip to Wembley next year, as you can't make it this season! :wink: Make sure you don't book any trips away at the end of March or May 2011, just in case!

O'Hara... Did you see him against man u last week! He'll go! ;-)