Dellman

Glad our policy is clear, unlike some clubs with money to flash on anyone. We go for upcoming talent with a lot to prove, good luck Sekou, better than Lingard types on the way down. Happy with that--but one more please!

They haven't backed him properly until they bring in someone to put the ball in the net

I understand strikers are expensive, everyone wants them and we are down the pecking order. I've been following Saints since the war-I am 87-and my memory is that we have always been a goalscoring side until recently. We've had the most amazing strikers--used to be called centre forwards--from Charlie Wayman through Chivers Channon Davies not forgetting Derek Reeves, George O'Brien and of course Terry P and Eric Day who got goals galore from the wing. I know it is all different now but I find it very hard that goals are now so scarce at one end and go in so easily at the other end

It was the 'supporting players' who got the goals last season. Did any team have so few from the strikers and so many from the midfield and defenders?

Someone to put the ball in the net is the main need. Last season we depended on JWP for goals, that should not be. In those last twelve games how many goals came from our forwards?

Quite the reverse, that was a season of despair from bankrupt beginnings, this is a season with hope from positive investment

Yes and Arthur Holt had captained Saints before the war and was Hampshire's coach after the war and Henry Horton played for both--and Don Roper too.

Yes its fine when umpire or referee make mistakes in our favour (not often) but its not good for the game. In the current dispute about last night, I wonder if anyone on the ground was aware of the 'law' about field placings after a no ball. I follow cricket quite closely and used to know the 'laws' and often umpired but with the introduction of so many formats of the game by day and by night, does anybody know all the 'small print'?

we've had a season of Broja and where did it get us? He just didn't fit, promising at times but disappointing over all. £30m you must be joking, no thank you.

If we've money to invest, surely it will be on a striker not on another midfielder where we are already well stocked

Couldn't agree more

Yes, I've got used to being a stepping stone. At first I hated it and resented everyone who left but now I understand it is our way of surviving in the most competitive and most expensive league in the world. Really it's an amazing achievement by Board, Manager and players. Now I have a feeling that greater stability, greater vision is going to improve things further. Can't wait for kick off!

His demands and Chelsea's demands will be too much. He has his moments, but not regular or consistent. We can do better and i think we will, the present management team have their heads screwed on

Quite right! It's such a relief to have a manager long term, so many clubs change and change again every time there is a couple of bad results or a few unhappy players, even Man Utd are in that trap. Ralph has seen us safe all through the years of no pot to piss in and at last there is some investment. Things are on the 'up' COYR

Well, four internationals among them

We enough in that bracket. We need the energy, optimism and ambition that goes with youth

Why even talk about Rooney coming here? That would be really depressing. Anyway, he hasn't got the 'badges' that qualify him for any Premier club, thank the Lord for that.

Shouldn't all this be on the thread about Ralph, I come here hoping for transfer news ln the transfer thread

JWP shows no sign of wanting to leave, unlike all the others who couldn't get out quick enough-Lallana Van Dyke etc--Prowsie is the image of one club loyalty- MLT with the bonus of a brain--to get rid of him even at £75m would say something awful about the Club, the owners and about what is happening to the game we love. Keep him! He is our own and the iconic figure of who we are.

It's weird that people complain on this forum that the club lacks ambition but also advocates that we sell our best player.

NO. Unlike others before him he hasn't asked to leave or shown the slightest sign of wanting to leave or being unhappy. If we deliberately choose to get rid of our best we are done for and we may as well play Monopoly

We're all like that, what ever our job.

Exactly. Nail on the head

I don't get that, when we beat the Pool I was crying for joy (watching TV) is it a bad thing to be so emotional for our team? Fans do it, players do it, why not the manager? Fergie always went beserk and Sammy Lee looks like he's having a fit every time his team scores. What's wrong?

Svensson, one of my favourites with record number of caps for Sweden