spyinthesky

Time to give Simon Clifford another go. # Garforth Town are now up to the dizzy heights of 10th in the UniBond 1st Division North Soon be in the Premiership as Simon predicted when he was here with Sir Clive!!

Not a big cricket fan and appreciate that the structure of the two sports are different. However Hants CC was a mid/low ranking club in the cricket world with an old fashioned ground. They now have an excellent facility able to host international games and play in the top echelon. Bransgrove seems a forward thinking chairman, able to manage a budget and attract high profile players. Attendances are up. Interesting to speculate what would have happened to Saints/Hants CC if the interests of Lowe and Bransgrove had been different

To Pulis you can add Gasmi & Forecast plus the successful duo of Robertson & Pekhart.

I sit in the Itchen. Seems that a 'gentleman' and friend stood up to protest about Lowe, the team or both. After a while an older lady behind asked for him to sit down. He the appeared to turn round and verbally slaughter the lady who was with an older gent and younger girl (daughter?) and then started rowing with other supporters and a steward You can support your team but F'ing and blinding at a female is the sign of a the moral decline of this once great club and country. The bloke was brandishing a season ticket. I am ashamed to be associated with such a moron!!

Doncaster gave us a wonderful picture of a train when we won at the Keepmoat earlier in the season which has pride of place in the Board Room. What do you think that our Board (presumably missing Lowe & Wilde at the end of the game) gave Donnie Directors in return? Three easy points? A picture of a sinking ship? A book on how to win friendsand influence people?

I always thought that Stoneham would have been ideal due to proximity to Motorway/Rail and Air Links. Also would have been an iconic site viewable by millions of travellers a year. However, despite earlier reservations, St Mary's probably deals with traffic issues better than Stoneham would have done. Would have been interesting to see how the shape of Soton City Centre would have developed if the original plans for a new stadium on the Pirelli site had progressed. No West Quay Shopping, for example

Whilst playing for a local Sunday club, I played alongside Ken Jones/Stuart Williams/John Sydenham/Roger Fry/Lew Chatterley/Dennis Hollywood/Bill Beaney and Chris Mcmenemy. All good scouts altho latter rather dilatory in paying his match subs

ESB, Forgive me for starting what amounts to a personal message board with you but have you come across the Motown 'Big Hits & Hard to Find Classics' CD.?Some duffers on there like Charlene & Tom Clay but many good tracks that never made the charts. Also altho generally against covers (altho Marvin Gaye 'Grapevine' and Aretha 'Respect' are two which were improvements on the originals) have a listen to Joan Osborne (a white singer) if you can. Had never heard of her before but her covers of 'Heatwave' & 'What Becomes of the Broken Hearted' with the Funk Bros are brilliant IMO. Cover of 'Shotgun' by Gerald Levert featuring Tom Scott is also fantastic epecially with the volume at full power. As a wanna be drummer it's great listening to the two Funk Bros drummers bashing out the synchronised beat. Hope non Motown/Soul lovers enjoy their own genre's as much as I have enjoyed my choice for over 40 years. PS Best wishes with the Ford campaign. Have spent a lot of time with Ford people in Basildon & Cologne as well as locally and their Management is so fragmented compared to the Japanese manufacturers. Problem is overall product quality is now v good but who has the cash/desire to buy?

ESB Glad to see you have avoided the 'popular' choices. Early Temps with David Ruffin/Eddie Kendricks on lead better, IMO, than subsequent stuff when Dennis Edwards repalced Ruffin. Also Isley Bros much underated Will spend some quality time compyling dance/romantic Top 10's. Compared to Saints, Motown has rarely let me down altho have enjoyed past performances of both rather than todays insipid stuff.

ESB Sorry the Four Tops song was 'Reach Out, I'll be There' (old age and all that!!!) As an affectionado of Motown would be interested in your favourite Top 10 or so

Got into Motown in the mid 60's. Relatives brought back early Motown records from New York (along with Ben Sherman shirts) when working on the Liners. Really fresh sound and went well with the sharp suits and smart appearance of those associated with the 'cutting edge' sounds. Can still remember the Tempations lead singer David Ruffin blasting out 'Aint too Proud to Beg' and being thoroughly hooked. Also remember the BBC DJ, Mike Raven, playing the Four Tops new release 'I'll Be There' twice in succession, much to the annoyance of the BEEB. If you like the music check out the Funk Bros CD. The Funk Bros were the Motown House Band. Great Muscians

Rumour is that we offered 20% more wages and longer deal than Plymouth did when Wooton signed

Dont want to rain on anyone's parade here as the 6-3 win over Utd ranks high in my 'Great Saints Games'. However we were playing against 10 men. That said if Utd had been down to 10 (or even 9) in last Sundays game I doubt if we would have won. Just goes to show how lowe we have fallen!!

Isnt t amazing that Kelvin Davis was the 'Anti Christ' a year ago and now he is the 'Saviour' in more ways than one. I am very pleased for him but just goes to show how quickly things can go from good to bad (or vice versa) in this game. Let's hope that this change of fortunes positively affects all our club.

Um, Thank You for this. Re Schneiderlin, I was surprised to discover, from the programme notes, that he hardly played for Strasbourg (certainly less than Gasmi) In these circumstances it seems bizaare that a fee of £1.2m, however structured, was agreed for the player. Another riddle in a very dark and murky business.

Followed all above with interest. # Not a financial man but can anyone pl explain how, in our parlous financial state, we were able to pay £1.2m for Schneiderlin (fee confirmed in the N Forest programme) Also I understand from contacts in Plymouth that we offered Wooton a longer term deal, with 20% increase in wages, than Plymouth were prepared to consider. Also how much wages have we wasted on the invisible Pulis and the opaque Gasmi!!

Most of us welcomed Rudi's transfer to the club from Hearts. In my view he has never justified the £1.7m or so we are reported to have paid for him. That said he has been one of our better performers this year altho he would have been of far greater value left side of midfield rather than at LB. However both he and Lloyd James have suffered by lack of support from those playing in front of him. On Sunday Rudi was, justifiably, having a go at the bench about lack of cover down his side in the 2nd half. The Manager just shrugged his shoulders!!!!!

To my mind this was a cert penalty. We were dire and lucky to escape with a 3-0 scoreline. However would have been interesting if the three 'contentious' issues ie first goal/pen and sending off had been given against Utd. Feel sure Fergie would have taken it in a sporting manner!!

Rupert Lowe bangs on about the success of 'his' Academy and sure the likes of Walcott/Bale/Bridge and co have passed thro earning the club revenue which has all been wasted. However the latest crop are surely bound for relegation because, frankly, they are not very good. Look at the likes of Shearer/Maddison/Benali/Dodd/Wallaces/Steve Williams/Widdrington/Banger/Graham Baker/Channon/Nick Holmes and MLT etc etc. Whilst there was a range of talent, all of these players had battling qualities which served them and the club well. None of them were 'tainted' by Rupert Lowe and his 'vision' They also all played in the Premiership a much higher level than the Championship. I was initilially nervous about the capabilities of last years reserves/academy players to survive in this League. The first few games exceeded my expectations but since October we have rapidly gone downhill, probably because other, experienced, Championship managers can formulate plans to negate our pattern of play whereas our management team appear clueless. Unless there is a dramatic turnround we will be relegated as bottom club and struggle next season

Who would like to guess what Mike Wilde will put in his programme notes for the Reading game??

2 hour free time will be lost when the Ikea Multi Storey opens. All Car Parks at W Quay will then cost you

Just heard it on good authority that all those attending the AGM will be forced to remove their shoes in case any one lobs one at Rupert a la that journo in Baghdad did to Dubya. Best wear thick socks in case you need the facilities!!