Horton Heath Saint

Think how far we have come in the last couple of years, from playing the likes of Dagenham to be mixing it with the top teams in The Premiership. People will argue we have come this far too soon, maybe spending a couple of seasons in The Championship and building from there would have been better. I for one would rather be where we are now. We have a fantastic football club now, the structure has never been better. We have a bright young manager, he needs all our support. We'll be ok. Keep the Faith!

So there we were. League One minus ten points, I have never felt so low in all my time, Lowe! Goodbye. Not really wanting to admit at the time, but what a crap team we had and manager you Wotte, Wotte, Wotte!! I don't think at the time we all realised how bad we we were. We still kept there though. So here we go, enter administration, it felt such a stigma at the time, but these days just the norm, ask the lot down the road. We did, or not, want to realise how close we came to Southampton Football Club closing. Enter administrators. My gut was wrenching every day. Enter Pinnacle...who? Where from? A massive consortium with huge financial backing. Saved at last! Gets even better, MTL is backing this, if successful, MLT would head the club as Chairman......mmm, hang on a minute....MLT my hero, Chairman? All so romantic. I am mmmm bit worried, bit like Mary Poppins to me. Where's the money Pinnacle? '' We have have it, just hang on ''Soon'' yeah, but how soon? Like we want it now! As I recall at the time, we all wanted Pinnacle to succeed, me included, MLT as Chairman! What a fairy story! I would love to hear from Matt the true story, even about the bit when Kevin Keegan was photographed visiting during the buy out! Guess we won't! This is now getting serious, Pinnacle not coming up with the goods day by day. Leon Crouch has now paid last months wages. Say what you like about Leon, not quite the person to own a football club, just a true fan. Well done Leon, you won't be forgotten. So day by day this so called Pinnacle group seem to be a massive sham, where did MLT get in involved in all this? Does anyone know? MLT??? Disaster, Pinnacle pull out, our saviours, what now? We are doomed. The Swiss Group, who? Are now destained to take over, oh dear, just gets worse. Where is their money, what do they know about football or us? Being used again! Wake up! The nightmare is over!! In one fell swoop, enter Marcus! Never forget the day he walked down to his seat on the first day. He had such a massive grin, the width of St Mary's! It was going be his little hobby, or not so little! He appointed Nicola in the first instance as his man, he said at the time, I will buy the club as long as Nicola will run the club for me. Say what you will. The death of Marcus was so sudden, not foreseen even in the next ten years. This, at the time must have been such a massive shock to Nicola. He was and still is the person running the football club. Think about it, it is a massive task for Nicola, put yourself in his position, go on! Nicola could look over the Directors box and see Marcus with a nod of approval. I love the way Nicola what he has done.

I have supported the club since 1965, my first match was Wolves at home, we won 9-3!! Ask David Bull or Duncan! True!! To think where we are now after the early sixties, being promoted for the first time staying in the First Division, getting relegated the first time they had three up, three down. Winning the FA Cup, I was there! Early eighties with Keegan, Ball,Channon, Shilton etc. Horrible Branfoot years as manger. Good and bad with Rupert, shame about the name! Very arrogant, he probably will agree. Involved with building of St Mary's, nice face, shame about the place. Then as supporters, little we did we know, the club crumbled in our own eyes, at that time I think we were all blinded by science or better still SILENCE! Michael Wilde came in, with a very aggressive share buy out, backed by Leon Crouch with others and Lawrie Mac, nice at the time, but with no big investment backing. Michael Wilde used all our parachute payments in one go to back up with George Burley, a massive gamble, if we went up, massive quids in on his investment and he would have made a buck. He lost out, we lost out. Then the rumblings started, no more money, starting to lose money big time, team not doing well, very poor signings, wages much too high, creeky ship, Leon Crouch smells a rat, enter Rupert, sniffs up to Michael Wilde ( wild enemies! ) to protect their investments, too late. What a crass move Rupert, just looking to cover yourself. At these times massive amounts of money were going to The Board, Clive Woodward his sidekick Simon whatever his name was, huge amounts. Then Redknapp was bought in, how much? Not finished yet, Bond and Smith as well!! Rofe was there as well! How much were they all on as well? Slippery slope started to slip and we did big time. In hindsight, do you think he looked a Saint? Bring on the Swiss master! This was the lowest of Lowe, God forbid what would have happened next. Enter Marcus. Part two next!

Where are they now and what becomes of them? Billy Sharp Danny Butterfield Ryan Dickson Dean Hammond Steve De Ridder Danny Seaborne Add to that..... Kelvin Davis Danny Fox Tadanari Lee Fraser Richardson Richard Chaplow Add to that.... Jack Cork Jay Rodriguez Do Prado Your thoughts?

Only one tackler/defender in midfield playing away? Wise up!!!!

What do you think of my team for Saturday?

Although Punch has been brill, this would be my line up, what do you think? Boruc Clyne Fonte Hooiveld Yoshida Ramirez Ward-Prowes Schneiderlin Davis Lallana Lambert

Crikey, almost forgotten about Jack Cork!

Well done Nigel Adkins, he was under massive pressure today, even though he would not admit it. Thought our supporters were brilliant to keep chanting his name throughout the match, that would have meant a lot to him. His substitutions were called right today as well. The whole team played as a solid unit, Davis was an unsung hero in midfield.

We were brilliant today, and well done Nigel Adkins.

Were would you rather be now?... mmmm? Still in the Championship this season and trying to get promotion? Or? where we are now?? Me? The latter big time.

On and off the pitch!! From your printer Culverlands!

Off the pitch and on the pitch. From your Suited and Booted printer!!

Have you noticed the massive difference in quality of football since we last played in the Premiership, it seems to be on a different level now. No middle of the road teams now. The passing and movement off the ball is so much quicker, teams will change systems to suit three, four times during a match, substitutes are more so part of the team than before. There is more passing than ever before, the full backs don't just hump it up the wing anymore, the goalkeeper will never hoof a ball up to the forwards. As soon as you lose possession of the ball you will get punished, as we all know! The finishing is lethal at this level, RVP, Man United, dare I say Wigan at home? We must be ruthless at every opportunity. We won't be ruthless enough by playing SRL on his own with no support. A real learning curve. We'll get there, takes time, but we need to get behind Southampton Football Club at this tough time, so easy to be critical when times are tough, we lapped up the last two seasons when we were on a roll and enjoyed every minute, we all now need to keep together, when the tough gets going, the tough will bring out the toughness in our support.

The Board, The Manager, The Team, The Fans.......The Saints

Give us all a break, The Board, The Manager, The Team, The Fans. Let's all get behind Southampton Football Club, we've had a real tough few years, the Club needs backing and support, especially now, easy to put boot in and start putting blame on this and that, we all have to be together and support The Board, The Manager and The Team. To get to where we are now has been a massive achievement in such a short time, we all know it's going to be a long hard season, sure we will be ok, as long as we all keep together.

Will make a fantastic Christmas present, buy early!