eelpie

oops. That's another family fable busted. Thanks, FF

Those too.

Sign them up!

For the club historians, is it true that Charles Miller went to Freemantle School? (I've always been curious because that's the school that my grandfather 'Pop Bradley' attended, I was once told. (He was born in 1887, two years after you know what. Very proud of him. I sometimes wonder if he and Miller ever met, though probably unlikely) Well done aussiesaint20, brilliant thread

Shouldn't Saints Web have this strap line at the top of the page? : THE CLUB THAT INTRODUCED FOOTBALL TO BRAZIL (just to rub it in to Spuds, Manure, MankyCity, Chelski, Sham, Skates and all.) Come to that, SFC should too!

This is excellent news. We just need one top striker now, imo, and our attack (provided we can keep Mane) will scare the sh*t out of defences. Give Austin what he is asking for. It will be well worth it. And could convince Toby and others that we really are ambitious, so stick with us. We mean business. So far so good.

That was some almighty fart to blow it up that big.

This seems to be stating the facts as they currently are. Clarification is good, and contrasts well with the fog and rumour that nurtured panic among Saints supporters last summer.

We were prejudiced against him when he was cheap and now he's too proud to come here.

I remember going to Weston beach, and I expect to find it full of sunbathing Yanks after this article.

So it seems we are stuck with Ramirez, unless someone offers us 10p for him and is willing to pay his wages. He has to put in the work rate to impress Koeman, and bearing in mind what Soton Joe said about us needing more players for Europen commitments, he is going to have to up his game if he wants to save his career. Saints European venture just could be the challenge he needs to pull himself out of the doldrums. It's not a question of giving him another chance. It is for Gaston to prove himself, for his own good.

So who is footing the bill for Gaston's wages now? Do Hull pay everything while he is on loan with them?

Such a pleasing contrast with the bad old days when we were relegated and dropping down the leagues. Successive managers just couldn't get the best out of players (except Walcott, Bale and one or two others) then. Back to the thread, buying the best is always going to be a risk. Having to bear the costs of Osvaldo situations is only possible if we continue to do good business selling and replacing. Luckily we have a financial cushion at present, and canny operators in Koeman and Les. Long may it continue.

WTF happened to our sell first, buy later policy?

Yes, and so many of us were criticising Saints last season for selling players without having replacements signed up. I hope we manage to keep our stars, but if not this is the way to do it. Welcome to SFC Juan

A whole year. Unbelievable. And we haven't suffered a stampede of players leaving since the end of this season gone. Great stuff, Ron.

I'm surprised that Gaston is still on our retained list. Are we just hoping to be able to recoup some money for him?

Don't all clubs have to have registered a percentage of home grown players in their squads? And a second plus to rich clubs like Chelski is they are depriving the opposition of quality players even if they rot in their own reserves. We must sort of take it as a compliment that they don't wan't interfering Saints to benefit from playing Charlie Austin. This actually is why we are going to find it difficult signing good quality British players ( and keeping our current ones). But we know that.

Good point

...while conversely, Premier League clubs successes in international competitions decline. Sorry folks. Time for Saints to buck the trend again, perhaps.

Miracles are not exclusive. Football cannot survive without hope, no matter how implausible.

He can't be worth less than Long

Are we actually paying his wages?

I thought JayRod played on the left, at least that's where I've seen him play. And can't Mane play on the right (as well as left and centre?)

Thank goodness Delia's pies will be back on the menu (if not sold out by the time I get to the front of the queue))