Holmes_and_Watson Posted 14 February, 2022 Share Posted 14 February, 2022 That's good to know. If we can progress up the leagues, I'm sure they will be needed. And hopefully we can attract top academy talent too as we go, combining that progression with the good name Saints already have in developing players. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRM Posted 14 February, 2022 Share Posted 14 February, 2022 There's a few things I don't understand about this league, 4 teams relegated yet only one team goes up (and actually just into a play off) how come the league above is such a closed shop? For a league pyramid to work you need to have reasonable movement between the divisions, the season is already over for many of these sides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint_clark Posted 14 February, 2022 Share Posted 14 February, 2022 37 minutes ago, JRM said: There's a few things I don't understand about this league, 4 teams relegated yet only one team goes up (and actually just into a play off) how come the league above is such a closed shop? For a league pyramid to work you need to have reasonable movement between the divisions, the season is already over for many of these sides. Just shut up and get behind it though. Doesn't matter if it's poorly covered and not that competitive, you should be supporting the women just as much as the men or you're a misogynist. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holmes_and_Watson Posted 16 February, 2022 Share Posted 16 February, 2022 On 14/02/2022 at 20:08, JRM said: There's a few things I don't understand about this league, 4 teams relegated yet only one team goes up (and actually just into a play off) how come the league above is such a closed shop? For a league pyramid to work you need to have reasonable movement between the divisions, the season is already over for many of these sides. When I've seen things like this recently, it's been partly due to resturcturing, but also due to the big shift financially, and in quality, from going form regional to a more national league. The league organisation want to promote the best teams as quickly as possible up the regional divisions, with lots of relegation. But then slow it down at the top of the region to help ensure that only the club best prepared goes up. Plenty of counterpoints to that though, as you've pointed out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRM Posted 23 February, 2022 Share Posted 23 February, 2022 On 08/02/2022 at 09:34, Lampwick said: I think Saints are full time. They have quite a big squad of reliable players . They also have a daunting fixture list though. Their development team is top of their league as well. Was speaking to someone at the weekend who takes a closer interest than I have, apparently Saints are not full time and most of the players either have other jobs or are studying, There's a feature on the women's team in every home programme where they do a "player profile" which includes their occupation, this week Leeta Rutherford who has occupation "Area Sales Manager". Puts in perspective the sort of level they are playing at and will present challenges if they go up the leagues and need to dedicate more time. Interesting to see the club are running a supporters coach to Ipswich away in the FA Cup this weekend, hopefully they can fill it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danjosaint Posted 23 February, 2022 Share Posted 23 February, 2022 They are upgrading Tottons Snows stadium to prepare for upcoming seasons at a higher level, I guess its a requirement at championship level and probably more upgrading after that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRM Posted 23 February, 2022 Share Posted 23 February, 2022 32 minutes ago, danjosaint said: They are upgrading Tottons Snows stadium to prepare for upcoming seasons at a higher level, I guess its a requirement at championship level and probably more upgrading after that That's good news for Totton as well hopefully they can piggy back on that investment to advance as a club, any idea what they are actually doing for the upgrade? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suewhistle Posted 23 February, 2022 Share Posted 23 February, 2022 3 hours ago, JRM said: Was speaking to someone at the weekend who takes a closer interest than I have, apparently Saints are not full time and most of the players either have other jobs or are studying, When I've seen the odd clip of their games they all look pretty fit and trim to me, so I wonder how often they train? Certainly some of their opponents have had players more like the build I see down in the lower reaches of the Hampshire leagues, where we have a nice mish mash of old and young, fit and unfit and slim and solid..;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint-Reece Posted 23 February, 2022 Share Posted 23 February, 2022 27 minutes ago, suewhistle said: When I've seen the odd clip of their games they all look pretty fit and trim to me, so I wonder how often they train? Certainly some of their opponents have had players more like the build I see down in the lower reaches of the Hampshire leagues, where we have a nice mish mash of old and young, fit and unfit and slim and solid..;-) I know one of the players for the Women's team, they train 3 times a week - Tuesday, Weds, Thursday evenings, and definitely do have 'normal' jobs / studies, so not full time - as JRM says above, at least until they get promoted (hopefully!) to the Womens Championship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suewhistle Posted 23 February, 2022 Share Posted 23 February, 2022 That's a commitment! I wonder what they get paid? Enough to help when you are a student I imagine, and they won't be paying match fees like most amateur footballers.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danjosaint Posted 23 February, 2022 Share Posted 23 February, 2022 1 hour ago, JRM said: That's good news for Totton as well hopefully they can piggy back on that investment to advance as a club, any idea what they are actually doing for the upgrade? There putting a gantry in for Bt sports/sky, putting a roof over some of the terraces, doing something to main stand, also putting electronic scoreboard plus believe they are doing something to floodlights , this is just what I've heard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holmes_and_Watson Posted 23 February, 2022 Share Posted 23 February, 2022 5 hours ago, Saint-Reece said: I know one of the players for the Women's team, they train 3 times a week - Tuesday, Weds, Thursday evenings, and definitely do have 'normal' jobs / studies, so not full time - as JRM says above, at least until they get promoted (hopefully!) to the Womens Championship. I was just going to ask at what level are the team wholly professional. If Saints plan to do it at Championship, that's (hopefully) not far away. But big decisions for players. Hopefully, our position in the Premier League allow for enough funds to make that call an easier one, for those who want to go professional. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lampwick Posted 23 February, 2022 Share Posted 23 February, 2022 (edited) Saints have withdrawn from the Hampshire Senior Cup Final v Pompey because of fixture congestion. We were not allowed to play our Development squad. Bigger fish to fry. Edited 23 February, 2022 by Lampwick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint_clark Posted 23 February, 2022 Share Posted 23 February, 2022 23 minutes ago, Lampwick said: Saints have withdrawn from the Hampshire Senior Cup Final v Pompey because of fixture congestion. We were not allowed to play our Development squad. Bigger fish to fry. So they won it by default because we deemed it beneath us? That's amazing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jawillwill Posted 23 February, 2022 Share Posted 23 February, 2022 1 hour ago, Saint_clark said: So they won it by default because we deemed it beneath us? That's amazing. They'll be harking on about this for years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cat Posted 23 February, 2022 Share Posted 23 February, 2022 1 minute ago, jawillwill said: They'll be harking on about this for years. Probably invent some sort of myth that we were scared to play to go alongside the dock strikes and them having higher attendances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lampwick Posted 27 February, 2022 Share Posted 27 February, 2022 FA Cup 5th Round match today at Ipswich ko 2pm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toadhall Saint Posted 27 February, 2022 Share Posted 27 February, 2022 UTS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Who? Posted 27 February, 2022 Author Share Posted 27 February, 2022 25 minutes in and 0-0. We have had more of the ball, but only a couple of half chances straight at the keeper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Who? Posted 27 February, 2022 Author Share Posted 27 February, 2022 Last 5 minutes 25-30 Ipswich are turning the screw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Who? Posted 27 February, 2022 Author Share Posted 27 February, 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Who? Posted 27 February, 2022 Author Share Posted 27 February, 2022 Half time 0-0. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
striker Posted 27 February, 2022 Share Posted 27 February, 2022 Does it go to extra time or straight to penalties, assuming it remains 0-0? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Who? Posted 27 February, 2022 Author Share Posted 27 February, 2022 5 added minutes…. Still 0-0 heading to extra time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toadhall Saint Posted 27 February, 2022 Share Posted 27 February, 2022 1 nil down second period of extra time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weston Saint Posted 27 February, 2022 Share Posted 27 February, 2022 1-1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevy777_x Posted 27 February, 2022 Share Posted 27 February, 2022 Keeper scores in dying seconds of extra time!!!! Penalties now. Wowwwwwwwww Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toadhall Saint Posted 27 February, 2022 Share Posted 27 February, 2022 1-1 penalties Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tunit Posted 27 February, 2022 Share Posted 27 February, 2022 Goalkeeper just equalised right at the end of extra time!!!!! Looks like we'll have penalties! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tunit Posted 27 February, 2022 Share Posted 27 February, 2022 Lost 4-2 on penalties unfortunately Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toadhall Saint Posted 27 February, 2022 Share Posted 27 February, 2022 Lost 4-2 on penalties unlucky ladies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRM Posted 27 February, 2022 Share Posted 27 February, 2022 Probably for the best, we weren't going to win the Cup anyway and have a large fixture backlog, haven't we got 4 or 5 games in hand on Ipswich, need to get on with those and win the league. If we'd got through and drawn Chelsea or Man City it could have been painful viewing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Who? Posted 27 February, 2022 Author Share Posted 27 February, 2022 It’s a shame as I was hoping to pitch up against Man City so I could pop along! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
striker Posted 27 February, 2022 Share Posted 27 February, 2022 Need to just focus on league. We have a number of matches left including one vs Ipswich again. Win those, and at least tie Ipswich, and we win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Who? Posted 27 February, 2022 Author Share Posted 27 February, 2022 30 minutes ago, striker said: Need to just focus on league. We have a number of matches left including one vs Ipswich again. Win those, and at least tie Ipswich, and we win. Still got to beat the northern winners. But if we get there we should do, but this is football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint_clark Posted 27 February, 2022 Share Posted 27 February, 2022 It did seem odd that we pulled out of the final against Pompey because of fixture congestion. It's only one game at the end of the day and now we might go the whole season winning nothing at all. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Who? Posted 27 February, 2022 Author Share Posted 27 February, 2022 (edited) 11 minutes ago, Saint_clark said: It did seem odd that we pulled out of the final against Pompey because of fixture congestion. It's only one game at the end of the day and now we might go the whole season winning nothing at all. It is very odd. But the final was at the end of March. If they had moved it to the end of the season we might have played it. It would mean cancelling another league game. I do think the scheduling of the league fixtures is terrible with loads of gaps at the start of the season, meaning it is fixture heavy at the tail end, especially if you are one of the better teams. Edited 27 February, 2022 by Dr Who? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VectisSaint Posted 27 February, 2022 Share Posted 27 February, 2022 55 minutes ago, striker said: Need to just focus on league. We have a number of matches left including one vs Ipswich again. Win those, and at least tie Ipswich, and we win. The focus has been on Ipswich all season, but actually Oxford are in a better position than Ipswich, taking games in hand into account. Think we need to win against both to be sure of being top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lampwick Posted 28 February, 2022 Share Posted 28 February, 2022 12 hours ago, VectisSaint said: The focus has been on Ipswich all season, but actually Oxford are in a better position than Ipswich, taking games in hand into account. Think we need to win against both to be sure of being top. ...and not slip up in all the other games as well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint_clark Posted 28 February, 2022 Share Posted 28 February, 2022 4 hours ago, Lampwick said: ...and not slip up in all the other games as well... We won't, and neither will they. The gulf between teams within the same league is huge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VectisSaint Posted 28 February, 2022 Share Posted 28 February, 2022 1 hour ago, Saint_clark said: The gulf between teams within the same league is huge. Actually it isn't. Apart from Hounslow most other teams have improved since early in the season. Results against those outside the top 3 are no longer foregone conclusions, that is why Ipswich and Oxford remain well within reach, because they have dropped points elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint_clark Posted 28 February, 2022 Share Posted 28 February, 2022 7 hours ago, VectisSaint said: Actually it isn't. Apart from Hounslow most other teams have improved since early in the season. Results against those outside the top 3 are no longer foregone conclusions, that is why Ipswich and Oxford remain well within reach, because they have dropped points elsewhere. Combined between the 3 teams they've played 48 games, lost 4, drawn 4 and won 40, as well as scoring 159 goals and conceding just 21 (saints have only conceded 3!). Everyone else in the league except Bridgewater have conceded 20+. The team below us Gillingham admittedly are only 2 points behind, but Saints have 5 games in hand over them. There is a clear gulf between the 3 at the top and the rest of the league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VectisSaint Posted 28 February, 2022 Share Posted 28 February, 2022 15 minutes ago, Saint_clark said: Combined between the 3 teams they've played 48 games, lost 4, drawn 4 and won 40, as well as scoring 159 goals and conceding just 21 (saints have only conceded 3!). Everyone else in the league except Bridgewater have conceded 20+. The team below us Gillingham admittedly are only 2 points behind, but Saints have 5 games in hand over them. There is a clear gulf between the 3 at the top and the rest of the league. You need to look at recent results, yes there was a huge gulf at the beginning of the season, then it was huge between Ipswich/Saints and the rest, but things have changed. The group of teams below the top 3 have caught up (in terms of results/performances, not points). It seems to be the way in Ladies/Girls football, there are a few much more professional sides ready to go at the start of the season and others who need a few weeks/months to get organised properly. It was the same when I coached girls football, the standard of the top few clubs did not change much over the season, but some of the lower clubs improved dramatically over time, by which time of course it was all over (in terms of winning or doing well in the league). Gillingham, London, Crawley, MK Dons and dare I say it even Pompey are all capable of giving the Top 3 a decent game now. Have a poke around on the league web site (Fulltime) and look at the recent results. Ipswich have drawn 3 of their last 6, all against teams outside the Top 3. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lampwick Posted 1 March, 2022 Share Posted 1 March, 2022 10 hours ago, VectisSaint said: You need to look at recent results, yes there was a huge gulf at the beginning of the season, then it was huge between Ipswich/Saints and the rest, but things have changed. The group of teams below the top 3 have caught up (in terms of results/performances, not points). It seems to be the way in Ladies/Girls football, there are a few much more professional sides ready to go at the start of the season and others who need a few weeks/months to get organised properly. It was the same when I coached girls football, the standard of the top few clubs did not change much over the season, but some of the lower clubs improved dramatically over time, by which time of course it was all over (in terms of winning or doing well in the league). Gillingham, London, Crawley, MK Dons and dare I say it even Pompey are all capable of giving the Top 3 a decent game now. Have a poke around on the league web site (Fulltime) and look at the recent results. Ipswich have drawn 3 of their last 6, all against teams outside the Top 3. Pitches have got worse also. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trader Posted 1 March, 2022 Share Posted 1 March, 2022 Ipswich draw West Ham in the next round. Be interesting to see how they fare against a mid-table WSL side, should give Saints some idea of where they stand in the scheme of things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holmes_and_Watson Posted 1 March, 2022 Share Posted 1 March, 2022 5 hours ago, Trader said: Ipswich draw West Ham in the next round. Be interesting to see how they fare against a mid-table WSL side, should give Saints some idea of where they stand in the scheme of things. Yeah, it will be a good test for them. Hopefully, Saitns take it as a push to improve, while demoralised Ipswich, after their cuffing from West Ham, collapse in the league. Fingers crossed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lampwick Posted 6 March, 2022 Share Posted 6 March, 2022 (edited) Won 2-0 today in League cup semi. Huddersfield T in final TBC Edited 7 March, 2022 by Lampwick 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holmes_and_Watson Posted 6 March, 2022 Share Posted 6 March, 2022 Excellent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VectisSaint Posted 6 March, 2022 Share Posted 6 March, 2022 Big game on Wednesday (Oxford away). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holmes_and_Watson Posted 6 March, 2022 Share Posted 6 March, 2022 As great as the cup progress is, it's getting out of this league that has to be the main focus. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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