Pecho Lobo

Better than Stones who got himself into difficulty on a number of occasions on Tuesday through his own misjudgements. VVD could play anywhere in the spine of the team and would be excellent; centre midfield or up front as well as centre back. We have had a lot of great centre backs at Saints through the years but VVD is shaping up to be the best that I have seen for us.

We have seen some pretty talented central defenders at Saints over the years from Dave Watson onwards. Not just what I would term primarily stoppers, but ball players; Mark Wright, Ken Monkou, and Claus spring to mind.Toby was in this category too but was not 'ours' as he was only on loan. Killer was great but more of a stopper for me. Jose has been immense for us too and deserves enormous credit for his contribution over the last few years and as a worthy Captain. I've been watching Saints since being taken by my late father as a nipper to the Dell in the early 70's to the present, and in my opinion VVD is already equal to the best centre halves that I have seen for us and has the ability to be our greatest ever. That is not hyperbole- I wish we could clone him because he would be a phenomenal defensive midfielder too (and centre forward?). He is clearly our next skipper. Great news on the contract and let's see him be given responsibility for direct free kicks next season too as the heir apparent to Rickie.

Actually I would like to see Lallana play. His contribution in the consecutive promotion winning seasons and his commitment to the club at that time was considerable. It will be Kelvin's night but in practical terms if it doubles up as a celebration of those two seasons then Adam was a big part of that no matter how unwisely he may have behaved re Saints since. Life's too short to maintain the bile against him for the manner of his departure, which although very poorly done, for me still doesn't cancel out his overall contribution to the club. But well done Kelvin - richly deserved.

Never mind twenty or thirty years ago, for me the Premier League was and is of a noticeably higher standard when we got promoted three years ago than it had been when we were relegated in 2005.

Of course the priority is to support the men in red and white for the 90 minutes but Rickie really was our talisman and did so much for us that he is a special case.Football (and life) is full of 'sentimental old crap' and often the better for it. In this case it's called appreciation and empathy for a man who gave us so many fantastic goals and memories. Be honest, who really thought, when the chant started in League One, that Rickie would lead us to the Premier league? I didn't. No question that he deserves the ongoing adulation of the Saints fans and surprised that the club haven't suggested some sort of pre-match thank you like United did for Ferdinand. Fans could thank him, get it behind them and focus on the team beating Liverpool.

Celery was the "hilarious" pastiche of "Wember-lee" because it had the same number of syllables. Same goes for the Nottingham Forest song- it just scanned rather than us hating Forest, since as I recall that chant was sung by a lot of clubs.

Agree - moving clip and have donated. Extraordinary mental strength and physical endurance. Go Franny. Absolute legend who deserves massive publicity and support for this.

This is a proper Saints kit after the abominations of the last two seasons. Last season's kit was the nadir, truly awful. Also nice to see the badge back in full colour. I like it a lot from what I have seen so far.

I was at the Nou Camp when Figo made his first return with Real Madrid. I have never heard a reception like it- the whistling and booing was deafening even high up in the stands (this was the season before the infamous pig's head was thrown at him I believe). The Barcelona fans had various Judas banners but the best was the simple "We hate you so much because we loved you so much." Seems about right for the mood on here. Yes AL's PR and statements are appalling but for me, when playing in the Saints shirt, he gave his all and I won't forget that. He will be next season's pantomime villain at St Mary's though without a doubt (Poch will be sacked before Spurs visit us of course).

So both Ralph and FF are damned if they do and damned if they don't. I don't know FF but his posts are in my opinion usually informative and interesting and like others I appreciate what he puts here. I am firmly of the view that the history and traditions of the club are important, as a statement of the obvious - they are what makes the club and gives the club its identity and are the reasons why we as fans identify with and support SFC. Stripes have been done to death but they are for me a significant part of this identity, or perhaps we should casually jettison other components of the clubs DNA? The name, the songs, the location etc. For fans, football is not a business, (only non fans refer to it in that way) its an emotional investment and bond that frequently makes little sense on a number of rational or financial bases. I like what RK says and it is scarcely believable that he is criticised and his words subject to micro-analysis. It is surely equally obvious to everyone that he and the Board will be judged on what happens not by what he says, but hey, thanks to those insightful posters for pointing this out. Keep up the good work RK and FF.

As Rooney says above, mustn't forget Nigel Adkins. Remember the situation we were in when he came in, at the bottom of League One or thereabouts and yet in his time managing us I am struggling to think of any negative comments from him about the team. He exuded positivity, enthusiasm and togetherness for the players from the word go and I can't remember the fan base ever appearing to be so united and supportive of a manager, right up until the time of his departure. His slogan 'Together as one' still adorns the Kingsland. Having said that, MP has clearly managed to keep that team spirit going and strengthen it further which is great to see. Let's hope that the five year contracts our youngsters are on, are more than just symbolic and that Mopo can keep this bunch of players together and stay here himself for some time yet.

Agree that Danny was defensively found out in the Prem but as Vin says in #106, his delivery was excellent. In fact I consider that his inswinging deliveries from corners were consistently the best that I have seen since Le Tiss - whipped in with great pace into just the right area to attack and very difficult to defend against. I was disappointed that on his few starts this season he did not take any corners, presumably because Poch thought he didn't get back to his defensive position on the other side of the pitch quick enough. I always felt that when Fox went over to take a corner that something could come of it. Good luck at Forest Danny.

As a Cardiff based Saint that win was long overdue - haven't seen us win here since 1995 . Very good performance from the whole side and thought that we could have won by more . Utterly dominant throughout bar a few scares from set pieces, and some fantastic passing moves. Again great pressing and energy from the whole side. Thought that Steven Davis was immense - his energy and fitness levels are unreal , he was everywhere, my MOM but everyone played well. Great reaction save from Gazza from a chance that was ruled offside in the end but he didn't know that - the save and the crowd's backing saw him visibly grow in confidence.A Cardiff fan and friend of mine that I chatted with at half time thought that Yoshida played very well first half which he did , and did for the whole game. Some quality chants - "he's just too good for you" once Adam had done a couple of City players and been dumped on the ground for his troubles. But really everyone played very well, Corky, Morgan etc . As they say in these parts - can't fault it!

Back from the game - big contrast to last season on Guy Fawkes Day when they outmuscled us particularly in the centre of the park .Can't see anyone outmuscling Wanyama this season. At one point defending a free kick my son said Wanyama is in the wall. I said Wanyama is the wall.... well he's not quite that wide but at times it felt like he was made of brick. Great start from us stroking it around confidently and at half time only one team in it. VW had a great first half and Lovren got better and better as the game wore on. That second half sliding tackle on Anelka was perfectly timed. We couldn't quite keep the intensity going second half and the Baggies came back in to it in terms of possession and urgency but only one team deserved the win. Very composed debut from Chambers who worked well with JWP.Great desire about the side and a real intensity from the players about the celebration after Rickie's penalty. FWIW I thought it was definitely a penalty and Shaw again outstanding . So many reasons for optimism and hats off to the Saints fans for some truly deafening renditions of OWTS. Top day out - looking forward to sticking it to the in no way fascist Di Canio next week.

NFP you are right there. Thought that Quintana was going to have him. According to the comments on the BBC site, the Spanish and Italian forums are full of posters suggesting that Froome can't be clean because that time was quicker than Armstrong's chemically assisted times. Jealously I reckon.

Absolutely fantastic news as like a fine wine, Sir Rickie improves with age. talking of which, is it just me or does he look older than MP in that photo?

Absolute disgrace and a massive mistake. Nigel is transparently a good coach, great man manager and thoroughly decent man. A real sportsman and should have been with us for at least a decade . Feel like returning my season ticket at the moment, incandescent with frustrated anger. Nigel, you did not deserve this and will always be a Saints legend for me.

Yes, he must wonder what it is that he has to do to get a song in his name compared to the adoration that Gaston gets from the crowd. I'm a fan of both but Morgan has contributed far more to this campaign than Gaston so far. A quality player. I thought that Fergie might show an interest in Morgan after the FA Cup match two years ago against United when he ran the show.

Puncheon's finish reminiscent of Le Tiss at his best. Deserves a contract for that alone.

Agree with Robsk that it's not interesting to read about the petty infighting and pointscoring between certain posters . But, to the game... again building on last week thought that the whole team played well. Fonte was excellent today, particularly in the first ten minutes of the second half when Newcastle actually were the better side and we for some reason seemed to have momentarily lost our shape. In that period he won everything that came at him with a number of important interceptions on the ground and in the air. Some fantastic short passing and interplay and again we appeared to cut through Newcastle at will and created numerous chances. This game reminded me of some of the games in our promotion seasons in both League 1 and the Championship when we were just too good for the opposition. It had that sort of vibe about it. I thought that Rickie looked affected by his injury and was not influencing the game after that in the second half and that J Rod could have come on a bit earlier to to give them something to think about with his increased mobility, but that is not a complaint. Very happy with the result and the shape of the team. As others have said, Shaw and Cork have made a massive difference and great to see Gazza make that wonderful save from Santon. that, for me, cancels out his naivete against Swansea. I like Gazza's cockiness- I predicted to my son that he was going to do his mock shoelace trick just as he did it. The sort of thing what would infuriate me from an opposition keeper but he does it well - gloves off, bending down to deal with a non- existent lace problem to eat up time. Bring on Norwich, which will be a harder game but clearly is another potential three points.

I didn't get the impression that he was saying that Brighton should be gracious in defeat. I heard it more as his personal views and that you should always be gracious if you are defeated etc. This brief interview for me said a lot about Adkins and for me what came across is what a good, proper sportsman he is, i.e refusing to rise to all the baiting of him for his "if they can stay with us comments" and not getting into all that. It is amazing that what was a one off witty comment some months ago has aroused such ire from all of Brighton. Talk about losing perspective. NA kept his perspective today and for me, showed himself as a class act, principled and fair, an approach that I for one like. I also think it is more interesting to hear him talk like that than the repetition of his building, bus, chipping away etc buzzwords. Well done Nigel, I think that he can continue to do great things for us.

Err, sorry to interrupt but wasn't this thread supposed to be about the Bristol Rovers game? As ever, the opinions of those actually present (as I was) are the ones that should be of interest to fellow fans to get an individual opinion on the performance. The preceding posts of what certain posters think of each other are tedium exemplified and I would wager, of no interest at all to anyone other than those either baiting or responding. As for the game, an excellent performance by Saints who simply outclassed Rovers. Lambert is clearly not match fit but even so I thought his quality was evident in his speed of thought in mostly looking to lay it off first time, having thought about the incoming pass before it reached him. His touch was rusty though. Fonte was immense, the point in the second half when he hooked clear an incoming high, spiralling ball (when running back at pace and under pressure towards his own goal) standing out for me. Some of the passing and moving was a joy to watch, and at times that was all Rovers could do, watch it as they often couldn't get near us. I've seen all three League games so far, and as others have probably pointed out, on chances created, we could have had four in each game. The team are not playing badly. If we continue to play as we did against Rovers then this will indeed be an enjoyable season for those who go to the games themselves.

1976 - at home in Cardiff watching in the lounge. Had moved to Cardiff the year before and couldn't get tickets for the final despite my Dad's best efforts, including sending in a request for tickets in an envelope decorated in red and white stripes with the team formation on the back and with the Saints crest drawn in expertly (my Dad was good at art). The idea was that it would get noticed and get us tickets. It didn't! Even before that, 1974 or 1975 I think (I was 9 or 10) watching a Mick Channon hat trick against Bristol Rovers in a midweek game, a Tuesday night at the Dell in the pouring rain. Stood on the Archers with my Dad, OWTS ringing around the ground and the windmill celebration. Keegan signing - heard after school in Cardiff from the news. Ridiculously exciting. 6 - 3 Man Utd - driving home past the Claude Pub in Cardiff having just played footie , laughing/shouting to myself in a mixture of disbelief and total pleasure. Le Tiss last goal at the Dell, (like a number of other posters on here I too was directly behind the goal at the Milton). As close to a feeling of pure euphoria that I have ever experienced in life, let alone football. Maybe it was because I had been there for some other seminal Matty moments, including his hattrick against Leicester in March 1987 on a snow and slush covered pitch in atrocious conditions. I was studying back in Soton and had left Cardiff on international rugby day (Wales v England if memory serves). The contrast between Cardiff on an international day and a dank looking Southampton made my friends question my sanity. On the train down I thought that the game was going to be postponed. Matty's sublime third goal slaloming from the half way line through half the Leicester team made it all worthwhile. Watching Matty score v Man Utd twice at the Dell from the bench to complete a 4-1 victory to knock them out of the League (Littlewoods) Cup, a result that ushered Big Ron out and Alex Ferguson in to the manager's office at Old Trafford. 2002- taking my 3 year old son and my Dad to Le Tiss's testimonial . My son can't remember it really but at least he can truthfully say that he saw Le Tiss play. The JPT - at Wembley. A couple of recent ones - the two wins last season away to Bristol Rovers, great atmosphere on the terraces and the 5-1 in the League was as enjoyable as any game in recent memory. Markus - at home getting a text . Staring in disbelief. Hopefully another memory to add to the list on Saturday against Orient - I'll be at St Mary's.

I haven't read the whole thread just parts so not sure if this has been pointed out yet. Violent disorder is , in the scheme of public order offences a serious matter and is one down from riot. That I suspect is the reason for the sentences which would be entirely in line with sentencing guidelines for this offence. It is not a question of just being abusive but far more serious than that, and the group element is a major part of the offence.It is the behaviour of the group taken together using or threatening unlawful violence etc. There is no point in comparing it to any other criminal offence (driving etc) since the sentence would be in accordance with guidelines for violent disorder and it is the elements of this offence that are relevant.