spyinthesky

We are but something like 31st in the world when it comes to revenue per head whereas Russia is 48th and has (or perhaps had) a much bigger military than we have. The UK used to have a relatively strong balance sheet but we now have a debt to GDP ratio hovering around the 100% mark due to burgeoning Social Services costs.

I know we all have more things to occupy our collective minds at the moment eg will Saints avoid defeat at Fratton Park on Sunday as well as relegation but have just read a press release from that very well regarded business, FIFA, to trumpet that they have received half a billion ticket requests for the forthcoming World Cup. Maybe this is correct, who knows, and it would be interesting to learn if most of the interest is in games to be played in Mexico and Canada. Just interested to know if there are many (any) posters on here that are looking to attend games?

Or Wayne Bridge

And many Saints fans were very positive about the signing!!

If Robert Kennedy Jnr had been a critic of Trump, can you imagine the mockery Trump would have made about 'Bobby's' unfortunate condition

I have it from a reasonably good source that the club were prepared to let Dibling leave for a decent fee (and this was achieved in my opinion) but wanted to keep Fernandes. However Fernandes was told by the Portugal Manager that he needed to be playing at the top level to make the Portuguese World Cup squad. This was the reason (and swayed a bit by the offer to double his weekly wage!!) why he left.

I wish I hadnt clicked onto the link. Opened the memory scars from that game after we should really have won the game at WHL

I remember reading a report from the Irish Times before he was injured which reckoned Bazunu had been outstanding for Ireland in a run of games and he was nailed onto be the Irish 'keeper for years bearing in mind his young age. As with the Adam Blackmore statement this media report did not age well but 'keepers generally improve as they get older. Only time will tell though.

Agree with your comments about Ross Stewart. IF and it is a massive IF, he can stay fit for a while, I am sure he will be a positive, especially as he is also a decent defender against opposition forwards. I am a bit disappointed with Jay Robinson as I thought he would have made more of a difference than he has done. However he is a young player and has the talent to push on.

It's as though these members of Trump's inner circle have had some form of indoctrination cell injected into them by Donald's Frenemy, dear old Elon. Absolutely no feeling of regret for the shooting, three times at close range, of a woman who appeared to be having a relatively civil conversation with the ICE team. Presumably Kristi Noem is a card carrying member of Donald's religious cabal. I wonder what Jesus would have made of her response.

Widdicombe and Dorries really useless ex Tory Ministers

I'm am going against the grain here as it is appreciated that I am very much in the minority in not so much sticking up for Sports Republic but wondering what the situation would be if the owners decided they had enough and either sold up to someone else (if they could find a buyer to meet their valuation) or decide to keep the wallet closed, sold off any player with value and bring in lower League replacements on much lower wages) I am sure that if we all had the time to cast our collective eyes around the Premiership, Championship and a few 'bigger' clubs in League one plus Celtic and Rangers in Scotland, quite a few clubs will have owners under pressure from their fans. For example Prem.... Man Utd, Wolves, West Ham (possibly undercurrents from Liverpool, Forest Chelsea and Newcastle) Championship...........Pompey, Blackburn, Leicester, WBA, Sheff Weds (now resolved to some extent), Norwich, Swansea, Hull (until their recent decent run of form). League One..............Cardiff, Plymouth, Reading Scotland...................Rangers (now less of an issue since Russ has departed) Celtic (who's fans have replaced Rangers as Scotland's most disaffected) btw , as an aside, I notice one of our old players Paul Tisdale has been sacked from a senior management position at Celtic. I am sure there are more. I think our major problem is threefold. 1. We have all suffered two ignominious relegations from the Premiership. 2. The club started off in the Championship with what seemed to be a decent squad buoyed by revenue from the sale of Dibling (hoorah as things have turned out) and Fernandes (a good player but hasnt set the world alight at the Govt funded stadium in East London) plus a decent parachute payment. The first few games provided little to cheer about then many of us received a surge of excitement when a decent amount of money was spent on a few new players. 3. The transfer window upped the level of anticipation and co-incided with a new Manager and a run of good results which promised a rosier future. Since then the balloon of optimism has been well and truly burst and a squad which stand on the club's books at over £150m has probably depreciated to around 25% of this. Of course Sports Republic cant avoid criticism as they are responsible for running the company and ensuring the right people are appointed both on and off the field. Bournemouth, Brighton, Brentford, Fulham, Palace, all teams we historically have considered 'below us' are all doing well from a lower base point. We dont seem to have recovered from the days of Koeman and the players the club were able to attract. The way things are going the club is headed for mid table Championship mediocrity and even if we did sneak into the Prem via the play offs, would the current set up be able to acquire the class of player to avoid yet another relegation? Whilst the successful recruitment of players and managers ultimately determines the success of owners (and Sports Republic have, by and large failed on this), I have to give credit to them off the field. The opportunity of having a standing end and moving the away supporters was looked upon as a positive by many supporters. As it happens it has not been a great success but no doubt due to the poor on field performance. The increase of bars and food outlets around the ground was a good move, in my opinion. The remodelling of the hospitality areas also seems to have gone OK. I am quite close to some of the The Saints Foundation charity events and these have done a great deal to help Communities around the city. These are not fully recognised by most fans, which is understandable but a lot of underprivileged people do benefit . My reflection on Sports Republic, as owners of the club I have supported for many, many years, through occasional Highs and quite a few more lows, takes me back to Markus Liebherr. He is rightly revered by all Saints fans for what he did for the club in parlous times. Unfortunately he wasnt able to continue his work but would he have been able to, without incurring complaints from supporters when things went wrong. I am aware that these are a few ramblings from an old fella who is cheesed off with the current situation but reflect back to my early days of watching Saints play in the old Third Division South, having to queue for an hour to get in to claim a favourite spot on an open terrace, with no expectation of ever seeing the team at Wembley or play in the top Division. As a consequence I am rather more pragmatic than many on here. That said, if I was a young lad, I would probably be joining planned protests as I would have been brought up to expect more.

Dont see Ramsdale and Lavia as wasted money. Understand we have received a decent loan fee for Ramsdale and the club should get his transfer fee back when he is sold at the end of the season. Lavia went for a good price when sold to Chelsea and the same with Livramento. The real disasters have been the money paid for failed (or injured) attackers and the absence of physicality in midfield and forward players.

Apparently the Macclesfield game may have to be replayed as one of the home team's players is a gas fitter by trade and not Corgi registered.