SO5 4BW

Best article in the Echo for a long time

or, to be pedantic, 2-2 and 4-1, 3-3 and 5-2 etc

The great escape games in the 1990s were possibly bigger, just because if we'd gone down in 94, 96 or 99 then SMS might not have been built and we'd still be at the Dell - and therefore not a viable club for the premier league. I think the cup finals were bigger - because the point must be winning trophies - and possibly also the 84 semi for the same reason, as we'd have beaten Watford. But these apart, Saturday is the biggest for a long while. Remember though that even if the wheels do come off, then we still have another chance, unlike in 1976, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2003 & 2005!

Absolutely do not care whether its tonight, on Saturday or on May 19th (yes, I've looked up the date...). I don't care if its via a 5-0 win over Coventry or a criminally unjust last-minute penalty for Leicester tonight. Only one thing counts - and that's what division we kick off in in August. A second successive promotion will be a stunning acheivement and come August if we're up we won't care about not beating the skates or losing to Reading and 'boro or being crap on TV. We'll just remember Kelvin at Leeds, Jos scoring every Tuesday night, SRL's hat-tricks and Fat Sam looking worse and worse as the season went on

Well done Hants. Cheered me up a bit after yesterday. Good to see the young players finishing it off today - and great that Michael Bates has had some good knocks so far

Wolves dropped from the old div one in 1983-84 and had three successive relegations - started 1986-87 in div four - so has to be them unless anybody else has done that

I think McKenzie doesn't arrive until the T20 but then stays for the rest of the season - so we'll be even stronger in the batting in the second half of the season Something on the BBC site said that we were going to use the loan system if we were finding ourselves struggling http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/17596672

I'm not normally pessimistic but I've got a sense of foreboding this year. I'm not sure we'll have the bowling strength to take 20 wickets in the proper stuff. Dimi and Kabir Ali are the only experienced bowlers left and they've both missed a lot of games with injuries in the last few years and we seem to be relying on Katich as the only back-up spinner to Danny Briggs We've got a squad of 17 until the Twenty20, when Afridi and McKenzie arrive. Of that 17, two are on development contracts. That's a lot of cricket to play with not many cricketers I don't want to come over all Alan Hansen here and say you win nothing with kids - because we did win the 2010 Twenty20 with these kids - but we've lost a lot of experience recently On the positive side, the batting looks strong - not many teams in either division will have a top six as strong as Adams, Dawson, Carberry, Katich, Vince and Ervine - and the upturn in the last half of last season was with the players we've kept (apart from Imran Tahir) Worries me though, that the policy of relying on the young players is probably the club putting a brave face on cost-cutting made necessary by missing out on an Ashes test

Worst thing has been his handling of the Suarez/Evra affair. Has taken the siege mentality that managers like to create to ridiculous extremes. If I was an LFC fan I'd have real problems - wanting to support the club's stance - especially against a player from their most hated rivals - but really knowing that the club, managed by their greatest-ever player, is completely in the wrong. Dalglish has been entirely responsible for this. Ferguson more than anyone has used the 'it's us against the world' thing but I think that in this case he wouldn't have defended the indefensible like Dalglish has. Also I hate the way Dalglish is in interviews. I just want one journo to finally grow a pair and tell the grumpy Scottish ***** to learn some manners!

Good post - I remember that game v Donny. Jan 2009, lost 1-2, Fowllyd and me sat in the Alex wondering how much worse it was going to get. Think the Charlton game at home that season probably was worse - but that time is like a million years away from yesterday. Massive credit to Markus, Cortese, Adkins and the players!

52, born in So'ton but grew up in Eastleigh. Now a dual life between Reading & Chertsey (long story) First game 1968 v Sheff Wed at the Dell, Ron the Nod scored just before half time. First away game v Arsenal at Highbury the same season I think, 3-0 win, think Mick Judd made his debut (?) All time XI Shilton, Mills M, Watson, Wright, Bridge, Paine, Ball, Williams, Le Tissier, Channon, Davies subs: Niemi, Svensson M, Case, Armstrong, Keegan Have been lucky to see players like that over the last 40-odd years! Hoping for many more Favourite player apart from MLT: Nick Holmes Favourite goals apart from Bobby Stokes: Channon vs Liverpool 1982; Matt vs Wimbledon - the free kick that he teed up himself then volleyed in Best feeling - Fratton 1984 Worst feeling - Highbury 1984; Fratton 2005 (although thankfully not at that one) Most overrated game - 5-5 vs Coventry - never have liked Basketball

Suppose the club need to bring in some cash - but wish they'd still incorporated the Rosebowl name, and called it the Ageas Rosebowl - just as 'The Friends Provident St.Mary's Stadium' is much better than just the Reebok or the Emirates

He did well too - 2 for 39 Pleased for him. Not so good for Haampshire if he becomes an England regular though, as he's the only spin bowler we've got!

Mets too, owing to a trip to NY a few years ago. Wanted to go to a game, but not the Yankees (would be just like follwing Man U). Also liked the National League tradition in NY - Giants and Dodgers before they moved out West - and the Mets are closest to that. They've been cr*p the last few years though - and are in severe financial straits due to Bernie Madoff etc

Sorry - noticed a mistake there - corrected it for you! Seems that sympathy for them is finally running out - makes a welcome change from 'plucky Pompey' stories - http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/feb/19/portsmouth-administration-barnsley

Looking at our respective run-ins - they still have to play every other side in the top half, while ours is weighted towards the lower-placed teams - Saints 6 to play in the top half/ 10 in the bottom; West Ham 11 in the top/6 in the bottom Might be important - then again we lost twice to Bristol City. I know I'd rather have our fixtures than theirs though

Bialkowsi, Butterfield, Jaidi, Seaborne, Harding, De Ridder, Chaplow, Holmes, Falque, Barnard, Reeves - not a bad line-up. None of those in the 16 today!

Not an idiot - it's ranked on points per game - so Forest move up having played two games less. Re the rest of the season - well our W15 D7 L7 hides a lot as it's divided into W12 D3 L2 from the first 17 games and then W3 D4 L5 from the next 12! On the negative side, we've lost all momentum, and probably most of the confidence that goes with it. In the early part of the season we were expecting to win. That'll be very hard to recapture On the plus side - we've got players coming back from injury and new additions that will give us a good squad at this level for the rest of the season. We've got quite a good run-in once the next few fixtures are out of the way. To be honest if we play like we did second half v Cardiff then we'll pick up a lot of points.

Can't believe 'Braveheart' hasn't been mentioned - utter sh1te. Won Best Picture oscar too. Agree 'Blair Witch Project' most disappointing film after the hype

Goals scored was used in the Football League in the early 1990s - from the split from the Premier league in 1992 up to 1999. In the first season the skates missed out on automatic promotion to West Ham by one goal - and then lost in the play-offs. Swindon went up, who'd finished 12 points behind the fishy ones. Great system then!

Good post Patred - I've often thought that we should campaign for that FA Cup to be taken off them. Marseille might be a precedent with the European cup in the 90s. Like you say, I hate the comparison between their 'win' in 2008 compared with our lads in '76 - and even with theirs in 1939. A different era, but you couldn't get much more of a contrast than Jimmy Guthrie (PFC skipper in 39, helped start the players' union) and Sol Campbell (ace mercenary, loyal only to his bank balance) Who was your Dad then?

If he bought Italian government bonds, about 7.5%. Then again possibly not a good idea. Guess no investments are 100% safe any more

The Paul Davis/Glen Cockerill game at Highbury in 1988 - the result wasn't in until after they'd read out the Scottish scores - as the ref had played until Arsenal could equalise. They won the league that season on goals scored...

That Leeds team of the 60s and 70s were SO reviled that even now, 40 years later, fans of my generation still instinctively want them to lose! Ha ha ha

Is there any news on Hants signing Andrew Hodd from Sussex? It was mentioned in the Echo a week or too ago. Would be a good signing if true - Bates is an excellent keeper, but sadly that's not enough nowadays.