cambsaint

I can remember it being sung by most of the crowd, and not just the singing fans when we were in Div 3 about 1961 think. When we went up we played Portsmouth and I heard the Pompey chimes for the first time and saw my first football fight when the Pompey Matalo came into the Milton. I was too young to go anywhere till the mid sixties when singing and chanting had been popularised by the fans, but the Dell, (except when my next door neighbour took me to Arsenal v Man U in about 1960, and I saw Newport County and Cardiff with my uncle and father when visiting. Believe it or not one of the most popular chants back then was still 2-4-6-8 who do we appreciate. I think that Glory, Glory sung by Spurs on TV in Europe was probably one of the first songs to become well known. I think that in the 50s and early sixties very few clubs had a song, with the exception of West Ham, Pompey-if you include The Chimes, Spurs and Saints. At that age I never went oop north but I think that the popularisation of football songs began with Man U and Liverpool. regrettably I have to admit that Man U had the wittiest and most inventive. I come down very strongly on the side that OWTS is the Saints own song and all other clubs using it are guilty of lazy plagiarism. However we can take solace in the fact that "Imitation is the sincerest form of flatter" Now a song based on that might make an interesting and witty response.

The disappointing fact is that we are £100 million behind Spurs and Liverpool. It is hard to see how we can make this up. We aren't going to be on Sky every week, and even more disappointing when we are our pitchside advertising doesn't look as if it brings much in. I certainly don't want Saints to sell their soul to usurers and bookies who are only interested in money grabbing and causing hardship, so I can't see us picking up a really juicy sponsorship deal. It is pretty certain that clubs in London will find it easier to get good sponsorship and the kit manufacturers are only ever going to give megabucks to clubs with a worldwide fanbase. West Ham could massively increase their income when they move to sponsor friendly surroundings. Newcastle have an enormous local fanbase and high matchday income. So the status quo looks pretty set, which means that our youth strategy is the way we have to go. It is a shame though that Liebherr cranes won't give us a generous sponsorship. Man City can be sponsored to the hilt by the national airline of the country of the owners and get away with it. So the rich get richer and the top six remains very difficult to break into on a long-term basis. Hopefully Spurs may suffer a setback in income when they move to Wembley for three years, but West Ham could easily jump up.

I think that the water level is extremely high across the entire UK. Most ground is saturated even here in the relatively dry East Anglia, let alone a much wetter Southampton. There is standing water on my usual dog walk in places that I've never seen before (in over 20 years except in flood conditions), and we haven't had much rain here! Add to that the fact that the pitch is at sea level, it has to be entirely dependent on drainage systems, and there is obviously a limit that these can cope. BTW -You should have seen The Dell in the 60s!

The only way any club can keep players is to have mega-rich owners who are prepared to put massive amounts of money, have a 45K min stadium, fill it nearly every week, have a large fanbase,excellent primary and secondary sponsors, be in the CL, and pay ludicrous wages. Any player who would stay at Saints for 60K when they could get 100+K elsewhere must have a screw loose. Everyone's first duty is to themselves and their family and that normally means maximising one's income within moral boundaries. If we are going to be realistic we should be happy with reasonably football, top half on the PL, occasional forays into Europe, occasional cup successes and freedom from relegation fear. I would be ecstatic if we could reproduce seasons like the last one with reasonable regularity. Regarding Mane the club must try to keep him until summer, keep him motivated and sell him for absolute top money.

Of course we are. However to look on the bright side we are still only a good run of results from a decent league position. I was amazed yesterday when I read in the Telegraph that we have had the second highest number of shots in the PL. We can obviously get into position, but just can't finish it off. We desperately need a striker who can actually find the net in this window.

While not a fan of Motorhead, while watching the Beeb I realised I would probably have seen him in Reverend Black and the Rocking Vicars at The Clevelets Hotel near Blackpool around 1965. They mainly did covers of "Them" songs and Gloria was top of The Radio Caroline North charts for several weeks. I used to see them and hear RCN when I went to my Aunty's to have a free holiday at Thornton Cleveleys near Blackpool in the early to mid sixties. At the same time I watched The Trogs and Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky Mick and Tich learning their trade at The Winchester Lido Sunday Club for two shillings or 10p just before they became famous. Also watched The Family do a stint at Manchester Uni Wednesday free dances just after they had formed. Of course my wife beats all by reminding me she went to The Marquee every Friday night in the sixties. We were very lucky to see great groups in intimate locations for very reasonable prices in those days.

Having previously been pro-Europe with varying enthusiasm, I am rather surprised that one thing has changed my mind. That is the Eastern European leaders saying they will not allow us to make our own policy regarding benefits. I was prepared to accept free movement as I believed that our economy needed an influx of younger workers to pay the pensions of my generation. However while being prepared to accept the original terms with a veto, I cannot accept that British policy can be made in Poland, hungary etc. I will therefore now vote to leave, unless we get very significant progress. Albeit with considerable regret and trepidation.

"That dreadful woman" said it would have been a travesty if Saints had equalised. Where does she come from? Surely she knows that a travesty is by definition Saints losing! More seriously it didn't seem to be a particularly balanced account.

So if you don't mind, you can wish for Labour to be reduced to an incompetent, malicious rump - more presumably to mirror the Lib Dems in their current state - but I as a lifelong Labour supporter wish to have a party back that is at least trying to be a popular, responsible, social democratic party committed to social justice. Corbyn is no "choice" for me, nor is it for the former Labour voters who've deserted the party in droves at the prospect of the ludicrous posturing of Corbyn. I agree with the above completely. There is a sensible debate to be had about moving away from New Labour and B Liar's reign, which made me tear up my membership card in disgust. Unfortunately Corbyn is not the answer either. He is totally unelectable as far as many English and Welsh voters are concerned, his pacificist and anti-royalist attitudes are anathema to many to begin with. These are viciously exploited by the Tory scum press, but that is a fact of life any Labour politician with real expectation of being electable has to face. His naivity in dealiing with these is nothing short of incredible. Over the past few years inequality has increased alarmingly, and the young are getting a disgraceful deal. When I was young we had excellent education, generous student grants (admittedly both selective-but a large number of my fellow Grammar school students came from council house and lower income families). Money is now creating an even more unequal society by private education. Council houses were available to those who couldn't afford housing. It was relatively easy to buy a house, and my first house was in Lordswood and there was a wide social mix of buyers. Nowadays almost all of my friends have had to help their children on to the housing ladder, as it requires a massive income to buy in more expensive areas. Admittedly the young enjoy low interest rates, but these have also been one of the main drivers of the buy to let market. Surely there is a young Labour MP who can effectively draw the old themes of fairness, equality of opportunity, good social welfare, while ensuring sound economics and not being anti-business (apart from the those like the disgusting usurers ), while ensuring a sensible defence policy. I also miss the presence of labour MPs who had come up via the Unions and knew what it was like to do a proper job. We now seem to be stuck with students from a narrow range of degrees and predominantly middle class upbringings who go straight into politics with no other life experience. (Even the old Hampshire Tory MPs -public school, officer in the services, something in the City, then safe Tory seat had more experience of life outside "The Westminster Bubble" than the current appalling young politicians. Also I am the same age as Corbyn, and to even consider taking on the stresses of leading a serious political party let alone fighting a General election at 72, and God forbid being PM strikes me as insane. He could however do a good job by standing aside and ensuring the Party moves to the centre left as a social democratic party with a conscience.

Good for being able to sing "Abide with me" at cup finals. Unfortunately we don't get the opportunity very often.

I only get to a few away games, and I am surprised at the number of middle aged and over fans. When I was in my teens and twenties, I went home with a sore hoarse throat from every game, Now I'm nearly seventy I may sing the odd verse of OWTSGMI, for old times sake, I'm certainly not going to sing anything else, most especially the "Shoot the Pompey Scum" song, which is Ok a couple of times as a joke, but is pathetic (imo) whe nsung over and over again. I did rather like the "Is this a library?" sung at Arsenal last year though. That showed some wit, but I don't know who originated it. When I was young it cost 5-10 shillings (25 to 50p) to watch a game, and it was a game anybody could afford to watch. Now when the cost of watching a game, transport and a drink and a snack is about £50 each,it is hardly surprising that those with the disposable income to attend don't want to sing.

The twice I've seen Ramirez on as a sub this season, he has contributed some excellent passes. Quite why he doesn't get on when the team obviously lack any imagination or success as against Stoke, is beyond me. He couldn't have done much worse than the rest anyway.

If I was sent a similar letter and I was completely innocent of any untoward activity, then I would respond with a very strongly worded letter to the Chairman protesting that such a letter without any evidence is tantamount to defamation of character and demand a written apology.

Nine points would be an excellent and feasible return. 8 would be acceptable, anything less not, anything 10 or above would be excellent. Spurs will play a very high pressing game and Mane, Tadic and Pelle are very good at scoring on breakaway, so a point or a win isn't too optimistic. I'm sure we will be working on soaking up pressure and breakaways before we meet the three top teams.

Too late for this year but I'd love to be able to buy one by mail order for next year. I'd happily give a tenner inc postage.

The goalkeeper is an intregral part of the team and defence and in a sound defence the shots he has to save should be very difficult to save. Sunderland's goalkeeper yesterday would have amazing stats but they still lost, so apart from the fact that he prevented a thrashing it makes no difference. A lot that a goalkeeper does can only really be measured by the team and the management; organising the defence, distribution and giving players confidence to pass back and many more. Their positioning can also prevent a lot of shots, if the striker doesn't think he can score he is more likely to pass. I remember reading a very good striker once said of playing Saints many years ago: " you get through their defence and then you see Shilton in front of you and you still realise you've got a lot to do", I paraphrase as it was many years ago, (the unexpurgated version probably contained many expletives). A good goalkeeper also has a subliminal effect on opposing strikers. Raw statistics aren't a particularly good guide. A good goalkeeper can just be a good shot-stopper, but a very good or great goalie is a great deal more.

When I played rugby, the captain and the captain alone could politely request the referee to explain a decision. Personally I think that any player other than the captain or offender trying to influence the referee should be immediately yellow carded, and if the captain or offender is aggressive or abusive (I don't mean using the f word as an illiterate descriptor btw) they should be yellow or red carded. I also think that when the game has stopped technology can be used, each manager having one appeal each half, and the referee can be allowed to review any incident as long as play has stopped. It's a difficult area, but if we get decent administration in UEFA and FIFA- probably hoping for too much in the latter, then headway can be made. The current situation that a weak little bit of retaliation leads to an instant red, but a number of players surrounding and haranguing the referee isn't punished is ludicrous.

I still think that he is a very talented player, and it is an unacceptable waste he can get the best out of him. I think there is plenty to come. It's not his fault the club paid too much for him and pays him a huge salary, of money not to see if his talents can be utilised to the benefit of the team. I'm sure RK with his Dutch background appreciates skilful players, and I hopethat was a decision of the club, and any of us would love to be in that position, so emotions cannot cloud rational decisions, and those are RK's to make.

Although one of the two Manchester clubs must be favourite to win, as long as we avoid one of them we have a great chance of reaching the finals. I really hope RK gives it a real go. The final against Forest was a great experience, I watched it with my late father. He bought us a great fillet steak lunch in Harrow, and he had just bought his first automatic Audi and I almost put him through the windscreen when I automatically went to use the clutch in Wembley car park! Heart permitting I would love to be at next years final with my son. Football finals are about fond memories almost as much as the result.

Has he been given a proper chance. I personally hope that RK gives him a few starts as I think he is probably amongst our most skilful players.

I cannot see why people think that footballers should be loyal to one employer all their very short working lives. Would they think they should stay with an employer they didn't like, or if their boss changed for the sake of loyalty. The only time I ever didn't do what was best for myself probably cost me a small fortune and I was royally shafted a few months later. There is only one consideration with employment and that is what you consider best for you and your family. I still like Lallana, and can quite understand why having been at Saints since he was a boy, he wanted to play at another club before he was too old. Personally I'd have him back like a shot (at the right price of course)

An entertaining match, as I am recovering from a few days in hospital with heart problems, I made sure I didn't get too worked up. I thought Mane and Pelle both had quiet days, VVD was excellent as was Bertrand. Unfortunately Ward-Prowse was muscled out when he came on. I saw Ramirez at MK, and today, and he was excellent in both games. He also is tall, which caused problems today. I hope he starts in place of Mane on his suspicion. his sending off was stupid, but I wonder whether he had lost it after being continually fouled, he certainly didn't get any protection at all from that ref, neither did any other Saint, but the slightest touch on a Liverpool player seemed to be called. Benteke's header was worthy of the great Ron Davies. All in all a fair result and a very good point for Saints.

I was working in Stoke at the time we signed Kevin Keegan, and I was a supplier to Stoke City FC (complimentary tickets every home match and League cup final tickets). Everybody was amazed when the news broke and extremely jealous. Probably our best ever signing, the other two being Ron Davies and Alan Ball. We signed Charlie George at approx the same time as Peter Osgood, unfortunately his knees had gone, but they could provide sublime moments of skill, I'm sure I remember them passing to each other wing to wing all the way up the field once, making the opposition look clueless.

One of the few things I agree with Nigel Farage about is that the German car manufacturers will never allow any rules that make their cars unfavourable.# The UK is a huge market for them, and other German consumer goods-Bosch etc. So we will get a good trade agreement. I read that our diplomats have given up on any hopes of being able to stop free movement of labour, mainly because the smaller new Eastern European nations will veto any such agreement. If I find it intolerable that the rules on who can enter the UK are effectively governed by Poland, Hungary etc, and I am reasonably liberal on this subject, then I am sure that a large majority of the electorate will agree. I am fairly certain that the result of the referendum will be decided by immigration in the end, and I expect us to leave unless the virtual certainty of a NO vote changes the views of Europe on this subject.