St Michael

What is the connection between Saints and crap early 90s indie band Kula Shaker?

Mick Mills

I really can't take any more fruitless and maddening study of the League One table, other clubs' fixtures and play-off dates. It's driving me bloody crazy I tell thee!

The 'legendary' Paul Murray (if indeed he ever played for us at The Dell - did he play for us at all?!) is still turning out for Shrewsbury.

Cannot believe some of the reactionary, wrist-slashing goons on here.

I think Luton's winner was actually from Enoch Showumni. I was right behind it as it thundered into the top corner late in the game. The Oak Road away end just has to be the worst stand in English football. In fact the whole ground takes your breath away, it's so run down. I also sat amongst the home fans when we drew 1-1 there in the FA Cup in the early 90s, Shipperley scoring our goal, before humping them 6-0 in the replay. Took great delight in that as my mum's side of the family are all Hatters fans. Looking forward to another rout tomorrow although I think it will be dicey.

An hour to go at work here in Leeds, then I'm off to the game. Word from the locals is they're not too confident. I, however, for some unfathomable reason, am. COYR.

All of the above (especially the Derby play-off, Brett's header at Villa Park - I was sat in the press box and cried, Millennium Stadium - cried again, all the MLT moments etc), but here's one from left field that i always think back to and it sends shivers up my spine. It was a nothing end of season away game at Newcastle in the early 2000s (I will look it up on Soccerbase later), which I believe was live on Sky. Me and a mate were one of about 200 Saints fans up there and we went 1-0 down. Kachloul (I believe) raced through one-on-one and somehow missed and the longer the game went on the more we looked likely to get nothing, having played pretty well. Then someone got to the byline and crossed for Pahars to bury a header and we went absolutely f'ing mental. It was like we'd won the FA Cup. I ended up about five rows down from where I'd originally been sitting before eventually coming to my sense with the hugest headache and raspnig throat. It was a great 'away from home' moment and summed up just why we all bother turning up. Marvellous. Would be interested to hear from one of the other 200 who were there to see if they remember it!

Word of warning - I work a minute's walk from this place and it is an utter hole. And Lorimer always tries to short change you, pretending you only gave him a ten instead of 20 etc! True story. Avoid!

Add two more here. There's no way we will get the end behind the goal, it'll be the usual cramped little corner. For those asking about pubs, best avoid Holbeck (the area in which the ground is situated). City centre will do you fine. If you're into your ale Whitelocks right in the centre (down a little alley off Briggate) will do you nicely. Otherwise there's a big Sports Bar opposite the Town Hall (The Headrow) just a two-minute walk up the hill from the station. COYS.

I will be there, but then again I can see Elland Road from my office window, so it's not exactly much of a trek. The delights of Holbeck Urban Village. Can't wait for this one, a huge test for the boys.

And the answer to question two is December 13, 2008. As shown here (we were just outside the bottom four on match No.24 which was the defeat by Forest.

It's Calum Davenport. He made his first Premier League appearance for Coventry when he came on as a 45th minute substitute against Bradford during the final game of the 2000-01 season. Coventry were then relegated to the Championship and Davenport waited over three years for his next Premier League game - as an 83rd minute substitute for Tottenham against Aston Villa on 22 November, 2004. After spending four matches as an unused sub at Spurs, Davenport was loaned to Southampton, playing his first Premier game for the Saints against Fulham in a 3-3 draw on 5 January, 2005.

Got back to Leeds last night at 11.30pm, my 11-month-old boy woke up three times in the night, then my alarm went at 6.20am for early shift at work. Dreamy. Rain on the motorway near biblical going through Middlesbrough. Hope everyone got back ok as I certainly couldn't see much out of the windscreen! It certainly wasn't pretty but well worth the trip for the excellent support and fabulous performance from Lallana. His second goal was sensational. The wind was fiercely against us in the second half and thought our defence coped brilliantly, although, that said, Hartlepool were abject considering they must be used to the gales whipping off the north sea. Just seen Lambert's goal again on Sky - utterly hilarious. A gutsy, unspectacular win on the sort of night the Saints of old would probably have slumped to a pathetic defeat after going an early goal down. See y'all at Elland Road.

Leaving at 5.30pm. Really should learn not to go so disproportionately excited, but can't help it.

Mine was the hideous 2-1 defeat to Swindon in the Premier League, 93/94 I believe - a season when Swindon conceded a Prem record 100 goals, yet we managed to lose to them. I missed the last coach back to Salisbury so had to phone my dad to come and fetch me. The journey home was pretty muted. Happy, happy days.

Add one more to the swelling ranks. I'm driving up on my lonesome (sniff) from Leeds. Ludicrously, I'm really excited. You'd think I'd have learned by now.

At an early Portsmouth home game this season, several baseball-capped buck-toothed goons stood up and proudly showed off a home-made banner which proclaimed "-10 Its Cold in Southampton" (N.B. lack of apostrophe). Even at the start of a new season and with the biggest gap between our clubs for several generations - making us even less of a 'threat' to them, in theory - they still engaged in the process of buying permanent markers, card and scissors and making a banner with a pitiably weak and unoriginal 'joke' on it mocking our hard times. Their bitter, small man's obsession and inferiority complex is truly staggering - it is existential for them. I used to despite them when that vile turd Redknapp went back there, but now my feelings are a mixture of pity and complete disinterest.

Don't get me wrong, I loved him during the mid-90s, but... Ken Monkou at No.21?!?! Really?

Ladysaints- I agree about Harding - I've only been to three games this season (Huddersfield, Carlisle and Oldham) and he's been outstanding on all three occasions. Lambert was awesome, he is just such a handful - if that shot from 45 yards had just dipped under the bar... a stunning effort. As for his goal, well, they all count. Their goalkeeper was probably the worst opposition keeper I have ever seen. As well as the horrific first two goals he just looked so incredibly nervous, rushing his kicks from backpasses etc. Even Connolly - fabulous finish though it was - had the chance gifted to him by a terrible defensive muddle. That goal arrived at a very good time to kill off any nerves. Apart from a pretty sloppy complacent spell in the middle of the second half, during which Oldham scored, it was a dominant performance and great day out (apart from Oldham's moronic 'anger issues' chav fans - and a section of pitiful idiots at the front of the away end too). Things seem to be really coming together and with four of our next five league games at home we've got to be looking towards mid-table by the end of November. Bloody brilliant support yesterday too, away section packed out again. Good times, boys and girls.

Leaving Leeds at 1.30 bound for Boundary Park. Bring it on! Predicting a draw at best - whatever division we're in Saints have a terrific record for peeing on growing optimism from a great height just when it looks like things are coming together. Hopefully we'll buck that trend today. COYS.

The lowest league ground is Grimsby's Blundell Park (actually in nearby Cleethorpes) which is two metres above sea level.

I phoned the SFC ticket office and was told away fans will be able to pay on the gate at Brunton Park. Apparently ground is 10 mins walk from the train station. Am getting the train up from Leeds. See you there, folks.

I pre-ordered my copy off Amazon for a tenner, and am saving it to read by the pool next week in Majorca. Dreamy. Incidentally, here's a little chatty with Matty that I rattled off myself (puts trumpet away): http://www.orange.co.uk/sport/football/22711.htm

Back to the thread's original subject, I know there will be many Le Tiss interviews around at the moment, but just in case you're interested, here's ours (I work for the Orange web and wap site): http://www.orange.co.uk/sport/football/22711.htm