Kenilworthy

In the 30 plus years that there has been a single final to reach the top division the only derby games have been Leicester v Derby in 94 and Palace v West Ham in 2004. So they have never had to deal with the ferocity this game would bring. But there would be so much alignment of the stars needed - Saints and Pompey to finish in top six, both to avoid each other in the semis, both to win their semis - that it is not really a prospect I am worried about.

Think its a little unfair on Shearer that the goals he scored in the First Division don't seem to count.

Not sure that the police would actually allow the game to be played at Wembley. It might end up as two-legs for security reasons. But so many factors would have to align that it is an unlikely scenario

Terrible design confirmed then. Puma's designers are about the most talentless out there, and that's saying something.

They had a record attendance of 2205, with a large away following. It threatened to kick off at the final whistle. The trip was worth it to dine at the Spudman

However, I went to Tamworth v Chester on Saturday. The home team was 15 points clear at the top of the table and managed not a single shot on goal in the 0-0 draw.

Just suppose he had scored with that first touch? I get a lot of questions from supporters of other clubs about Ali Dia, and when I tell them the truth as recounted here they don't want to hear. As the newspaperman says in the Man who shot Liberty Valance "when the legend becomes fact print the legend".

I think we would have a decent prospect of beating Ipswich or Leicester. My issue is that I don't have a great deal of confidence in us winning the semis, especially if we meet Norwich

I would agree with those predictions apart from Cardiff. Historically we struggle away against them and I think a draw is optimistic

Where was the tribute to Chris Nicholl yesterday? I guess they had it planned for the Preston game. But to forget one of our longest serving managers and a great player is shocking.

It could be that finishing 4th and likely to play West Brom in the semis is best for us, because I would not want to have to go to Hull or Norwich.

The referee seemed to be under the impression that kicking the ball away from freekicks is no longer a yellow card offence. Birmingham did that a number of times and on at least one occasion blocked a freekick being taken, all with no punishment

no. If only I was remotely ITK. But I love speculation about football kits

This would make a lovely Saints shirt

When is the Leicester game likely to move to - is it possible they could move it forward in the week it is currently scheduled for from the Friday to Tuesday or Wednesday?

It doesn't increase capacity at all because the safe standing is still effectively a seat. So its 1 for 1

It won't be forgotten in our family since I named my son after him

Did the applause on 60 minutes to celebrate the anniversary of Southampton's city status not actually happen, or did I miss it?

they have now - but not the headline news he deserved

When we signed Chris Nicholl in 1977 we knew we were going up because he had won promotion in his first season with all his previous clubs. Met him a couple of times and he was a lovely man, he even sent me a Christmas card after I wrote to him congratulating him on becoming our manager. Anyone who delivered what he did now, season after season of stability, would be hailed as a genius. Yet sadly he was shouted out of his job by a vocal minority who didn't understand the profound change in football that was happening in his era and thought we should be winning trophies. Our performance in the 86 semi-final was arguably better than in 84 but he suffered bad luck with Mark Wright's broken leg. In fact his time with Saints was dogged by bad luck and malicious referees in cup ties - the prancing ninny Roger Milford playing until Oldham equalised, George Courtney sending off Jimmy Case at Old Trafford, a perfectly good goal against Luton disallowed for inexplicable reasons. To this day, Chris remains the last Saints manager to have won a league game at Arsenal. But his legacy will be the golden autumn and winter of 89/90: 4-1 away at QPR followed the next Saturday by 4-1 at the Dell against Liverpool, 6-3 against Luton, beating Arsenal on Boxing Day and then thumping Charlton 4-2 away on New Years day and climaxing with a 3-1 victory in the FA Cup 3rd round at White Hart Lane.

I think Liverpool will play within themselves and do just enough to get an easy 2-0 win.

West Ham won FA Cup in 1980 and were promoted in 1981

The important thing is to be 3rd or 4th so the second leg is at home. The thought of having to go to Hull, West Brom, Coventry or Norwich and having to get something from a second away leg is horrific. That means we just have to keep going. Although maybe right at the end of the season we might decide tactically to finish 4th to ensure we play a team we are able to beat - that means avoiding Norwich.

What would really have made a statement would have been Edozie going down injured as Huddersfield tried to restart the game

What would have made the day perfect for me if a Saints player had gone down "injured" when we scored the fifth goal.