Russell Martin

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

31 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

The sad fuckers from before who are only at their happiest pissing on one of the relatively few bright spots of recent times for saints are still the same sad fuckers.

Scorn me all you like, sad fucks, but, unlike you, I give credit where it’s due and RM has already achieved something incredible. It’s not the final product but it’s promising. You, I repeat, sad fucks who revel in anti saints propaganda are going to be in sad fuck heaven soon if we fail to go up and you get your wishes to see us being yet again a no mark team. 
RM is trying, Saints are trying, to do something ridiculously hard. Part of it seems to be going right as we are in good company with our style of football. Not the results- yet. And it’s harder still with the sad fucks who call themselves supporters constantly just being the sad fucks that they are. 

So, sad fucks, you are obviously allowed on this forum to carry on with relentless personal abuse - because I get it every week all season from you - but I hope you just wipe the tears from your eyes for a moment and realise that you actually better have an argument to bring to the table if you want to bring RM and The spirit of the club down right now. Or me. 

“Only” being fourth does not cut the mustard from where we were this time last year so your pathetic attempts at undermining the club and its fanbase at this crucial moment of the season just sums you up. Sad fucks. 

 

Sign of a losing argument - swear a lot. no facts to back up your argument, speaking emotional bollocks, accuse people of being "sad fucks" because they don't agree with your inflated views. I could go on. Serious question - are you on something? 

[AlexLaw76]

50 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

The sad fuckers from before who are only at their happiest pissing on one of the relatively few bright spots of recent times for saints are still the same sad fuckers.

Scorn me all you like, sad fucks, but, unlike you, I give credit where it’s due and RM has already achieved something incredible. It’s not the final product but it’s promising. You, I repeat, sad fucks who revel in anti saints propaganda are going to be in sad fuck heaven soon if we fail to go up and you get your wishes to see us being yet again a no mark team. 
RM is trying, Saints are trying, to do something ridiculously hard. Part of it seems to be going right as we are in good company with our style of football. Not the results- yet. And it’s harder still with the sad fucks who call themselves supporters constantly just being the sad fucks that they are. 

So, sad fucks, you are obviously allowed on this forum to carry on with relentless personal abuse - because I get it every week all season from you - but I hope you just wipe the tears from your eyes for a moment and realise that you actually better have an argument to bring to the table if you want to bring RM and The spirit of the club down right now. Or me. 

“Only” being fourth does not cut the mustard from where we were this time last year so your pathetic attempts at undermining the club and its fanbase at this crucial moment of the season just sums you up. Sad fucks. 

 

 

[Tommy Mulgrew]

I see only one “sad fucker” on this forum.

[Patrick Bateman]

2 hours ago, gio1saints said:

The sad fuckers from before who are only at their happiest pissing on one of the relatively few bright spots of recent times for saints are still the same sad fuckers.

Scorn me all you like, sad fucks, but, unlike you, I give credit where it’s due and RM has already achieved something incredible. It’s not the final product but it’s promising. You, I repeat, sad fucks who revel in anti saints propaganda are going to be in sad fuck heaven soon if we fail to go up and you get your wishes to see us being yet again a no mark team. 
RM is trying, Saints are trying, to do something ridiculously hard. Part of it seems to be going right as we are in good company with our style of football. Not the results- yet. And it’s harder still with the sad fucks who call themselves supporters constantly just being the sad fucks that they are. 

So, sad fucks, you are obviously allowed on this forum to carry on with relentless personal abuse - because I get it every week all season from you - but I hope you just wipe the tears from your eyes for a moment and realise that you actually better have an argument to bring to the table if you want to bring RM and The spirit of the club down right now. Or me. 

“Only” being fourth does not cut the mustard from where we were this time last year so your pathetic attempts at undermining the club and its fanbase at this crucial moment of the season just sums you up. Sad fucks. 

 

Christ.

[Galway saint]

Average goals conceded during RM’s

managerial career :

Mk dons : 1.40

swansea : 1.49

Saints :1.32

So not much difference really despite having much better players to work with.  I agree he seems to view this as a price worth paying for the possession based game. 

Major difference from his previous teams is goals scored is now 2 per game 

21 hours ago, Wade Garrett said:

I’ve just been watching an old Man City documentary from 1981.  Malcom Allison was their manager and they played a passing game like ours.  Inevitably, he got sacked as they were bottom of the league.

John Bond came in and threw a load of common sense into the side.  He gave a few bollockings for overplaying at the back and losing the ball.  They still played football in the right way,  climbed the table and got to the best FA Cup final I’ve ever seen.

My point is, the manager should be fuming when we overplay in dangerous areas and give the ball away (as we do occasionally).  Temper it with a bit of common sense.  I get the feeling he accepts it as collateral damage.

Just a thought.

 

 

[Miltonaggro]

11 hours ago, gio1saints said:

The sad fuckers from before who are only at their happiest pissing on one of the relatively few bright spots of recent times for saints are still the same sad fuckers.

Scorn me all you like, sad fucks, but, unlike you, I give credit where it’s due and RM has already achieved something incredible. It’s not the final product but it’s promising. You, I repeat, sad fucks who revel in anti saints propaganda are going to be in sad fuck heaven soon if we fail to go up and you get your wishes to see us being yet again a no mark team. 
RM is trying, Saints are trying, to do something ridiculously hard. Part of it seems to be going right as we are in good company with our style of football. Not the results- yet. And it’s harder still with the sad fucks who call themselves supporters constantly just being the sad fucks that they are. 

So, sad fucks, you are obviously allowed on this forum to carry on with relentless personal abuse - because I get it every week all season from you - but I hope you just wipe the tears from your eyes for a moment and realise that you actually better have an argument to bring to the table if you want to bring RM and The spirit of the club down right now. Or me. 

“Only” being fourth does not cut the mustard from where we were this time last year so your pathetic attempts at undermining the club and its fanbase at this crucial moment of the season just sums you up. Sad fucks. 

 

In terms of not swapping the current position with 'this time last year' - exactly this time last year we were three points from 16th place in the Premier League.  Had Sport Republic proved remotely capable in making their duo of managerial appointments and expensive signings in January 2023 quite a few of us would swap our current position.  Success this year is promotion, and the Board have said as much, so long term 'sad fucks' not getting out the bunting quite yet, is actually not that surprising. 

[trousers]

12 hours ago, gio1saints said:

The sad fuckers from before who are only at their happiest pissing on one of the relatively few bright spots of recent times for saints are still the same sad fuckers.

Scorn me all you like, sad fucks, but, unlike you, I give credit where it’s due and RM has already achieved something incredible. It’s not the final product but it’s promising. You, I repeat, sad fucks who revel in anti saints propaganda are going to be in sad fuck heaven soon if we fail to go up and you get your wishes to see us being yet again a no mark team. 
RM is trying, Saints are trying, to do something ridiculously hard. Part of it seems to be going right as we are in good company with our style of football. Not the results- yet. And it’s harder still with the sad fucks who call themselves supporters constantly just being the sad fucks that they are. 

So, sad fucks, you are obviously allowed on this forum to carry on with relentless personal abuse - because I get it every week all season from you - but I hope you just wipe the tears from your eyes for a moment and realise that you actually better have an argument to bring to the table if you want to bring RM and The spirit of the club down right now. Or me. 

“Only” being fourth does not cut the mustard from where we were this time last year so your pathetic attempts at undermining the club and its fanbase at this crucial moment of the season just sums you up. Sad fucks. 

 

Stop moaning about people moaning FFS! Cheer up!

[Whitey Grandad]

"It's being so cheerful that keeps me going"

 Mona Lott

[gio1saints]

1 hour ago, Miltonaggro said:

In terms of not swapping the current position with 'this time last year' - exactly this time last year we were three points from 16th place in the Premier League.  Had Sport Republic proved remotely capable in making their duo of managerial appointments and expensive signings in January 2023 quite a few of us would swap our current position.  Success this year is promotion, and the Board have said as much, so long term 'sad fucks' not getting out the bunting quite yet, is actually not that surprising. 

Milton, we were bottom and dead in the water this time last year. I would not swop then for today - we had too much downwards momentum there - today it’s the opposite on many levels. 

Our football was rubbish and there was no spirit no fight no idea no recognisable sign of anything remotely like an identity at Southampton Football Club. And it was about to get even worse. 

This time last year criticism of the team the management the owners dominated everything, and rightly. 

Right now we are still in with a chance of automatic and playoffs almost certainly and there is a recognisable identity and spirit to Southampton Football Club once more.

We are at the clutch end of the season when management players and supporters need be as one to get anything out of this season. 

So, why dont all the people publicly sharpening their knives for Russell on this thread give it a rest and show some loyalty for the last ten -twelve games instead of bleating endlessly? eh? They made their point - Russ out the football is bad must do better etc . If we don’t go up they can all have 19 smug told you so points but to go on endlessly repeating woe is us is  meaningless. There is only one way out and that’s maximum support for RM and the team right now. Next pre season yiu can all slag off a different manager or the owners or the style to your hearts content in whatever league we are in. Fair? 

 

Edited 26 March, 2024 by gio1saints

[tdmickey3]

26 minutes ago, trousers said:

Stop moaning about people moaning FFS! Cheer up!

Its not a moan its a fucking lecture

[Toussaint]

16 minutes ago, tdmickey3 said:

Its not a moan its a fucking lecture

 

[Give it to Ron]

32 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

 

 

We are at the clutch end of the season when management players and supporters need be as one to get anything out of this season. 
(Quote)

Says the guy calling fans with a different opinion sad fucks!

I can’t work out if trolling or serious isn’t it ironic don’t you think?

 

[Ted Bates Statue]

Couple of wins and we would be three points off top. We have an inferior GD, but winning a couple of our six-pointers would take care of that issue.

It's possible, but realistically most don't expect us to even achieve the two wins we need to get within touching distance of the leaders. Fingers crossed I'll be proved otherwise.

[david in sweden]

22 hours ago, trousers said:

We'd already played 5 games before the Sunderland/Leicester/Ipswich/Middlesbrough calamity (10 games if you count pre-season matches) so stretching it a smidge to say it was "at the start" of the season. 

(Trousers) I'm not sure your argument holds so much water.  The pre-season games were unconvincing and no real guide as to what was to come after. 

One of those early games ( L. Cup v Gillingham) was a fiasco from the start with a makeshift defence (Lyanco and Perraud at CB (!) ...and Macca in goal.

Despite gaining the points, we made very hard work of beating Sheff. Wed. (Adams goal in 87 min), at Plymouth (Adams 94 mins.) and it took a 97 min. pen 

to get just one point against Norwich, and we made hard work of beating QPR at SMS.  NOTE : None of these teams has made any real progress near the bottom.

 

On the pitch, We lost JWP after the first game, and Tella after the Plymouth match.  Neither Downes or Fraser made their debuts until the QPR home game,  

and  Holgate's  2 games in the North East ( Sunderland and Midd.boro') weren't very memorable. Harwood-Bellis' first games (1-4 v. Leicester and Ipswich 0-1 )

saw him partnered with  Charles (who really needs to find his proper role in the team), and despite scoring twice,  Edozie was first subbed off in 4 of these matches

at which point in time, we had already lost 14 points.   There was no sign of a revival until the Leeds win,  AND .. with all due respect to your 53 K of quite valuable 

input on here over the years, ( I often agree with your views),  I really can't see that having to use 23 different players in the first 9 league matches shows any

sign of a " balanced side " until the record run of unbeaten games started.  I still think that 9 games into a 46 match season could be considered to be...." the start."

 

[trousers]

5 hours ago, david in sweden said:

(Trousers) I'm not sure your argument holds so much water.  The pre-season games were unconvincing and no real guide as to what was to come after. 

One of those early games ( L. Cup v Gillingham) was a fiasco from the start with a makeshift defence (Lyanco and Perraud at CB (!) ...and Macca in goal.

Despite gaining the points, we made very hard work of beating Sheff. Wed. (Adams goal in 87 min), at Plymouth (Adams 94 mins.) and it took a 97 min. pen 

to get just one point against Norwich, and we made hard work of beating QPR at SMS.  NOTE : None of these teams has made any real progress near the bottom.

 

On the pitch, We lost JWP after the first game, and Tella after the Plymouth match.  Neither Downes or Fraser made their debuts until the QPR home game,  

and  Holgate's  2 games in the North East ( Sunderland and Midd.boro') weren't very memorable. Harwood-Bellis' first games (1-4 v. Leicester and Ipswich 0-1 )

saw him partnered with  Charles (who really needs to find his proper role in the team), and despite scoring twice,  Edozie was first subbed off in 4 of these matches

at which point in time, we had already lost 14 points.   There was no sign of a revival until the Leeds win,  AND .. with all due respect to your 53 K of quite valuable 

input on here over the years, ( I often agree with your views),  I really can't see that having to use 23 different players in the first 9 league matches shows any

sign of a " balanced side " until the record run of unbeaten games started.  I still think that 9 games into a 46 match season could be considered to be...." the start."

 

Fair Points, Sir

😉

Edited 26 March, 2024 by trousers

[Lord Duckhunter]

22 hours ago, gio1saints said:

I give credit where it’s due and RM has already achieved something incredible.

Absolutely spot on.
 

4th at the end of March is quite remarkable. We need to keep going and get behind the lads because we are on the brink of finishing above Ipswich. Imagine that, unbelievable….

[gio1saints]

1 hour ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

Absolutely spot on.
 

4th at the end of March is quite remarkable. We need to keep going and get behind the lads because we are on the brink of finishing above Ipswich. Imagine that, unbelievable….

Sad fuck-itis. 

[tdmickey3]

11 hours ago, gio1saints said:

Milton, we were bottom and dead in the water this time last year. I would not swop then for today - we had too much downwards momentum there - today it’s the opposite on many levels. 

Our football was rubbish and there was no spirit no fight no idea no recognisable sign of anything remotely like an identity at Southampton Football Club. And it was about to get even worse. 

This time last year criticism of the team the management the owners dominated everything, and rightly. 

Right now we are still in with a chance of automatic and playoffs almost certainly and there is a recognisable identity and spirit to Southampton Football Club once more.

We are at the clutch end of the season when management players and supporters need be as one to get anything out of this season. 

So, why dont all the people publicly sharpening their knives for Russell on this thread give it a rest and show some loyalty for the last ten -twelve games instead of bleating endlessly? eh? They made their point - Russ out the football is bad must do better etc . If we don’t go up they can all have 19 smug told you so points but to go on endlessly repeating woe is us is  meaningless. There is only one way out and that’s maximum support for RM and the team right now. Next pre season yiu can all slag off a different manager or the owners or the style to your hearts content in whatever league we are in. Fair? 

 

This is obviously Russell’s mum, been wondering if anyone else’s mum posts on here

[ally_uk]

If we don't go up this season then he has failed it's that simple.... 

[david in sweden]

8 minutes ago, ally_uk said:

If we don't go up this season then he has failed it's that simple.... 

Really ??.........after the way we finished last season,  I'm just glad that we aren't in the bottom 4 .

[Challenger]

9 hours ago, tdmickey3 said:

This is obviously Russell’s mum, been wondering if anyone else’s mum posts on here

Not sure about mum's, but I believe the love child of Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott regularly posts rants on here.

[gio1saints]

37 minutes ago, david in sweden said:

Really ??.........after the way we finished last season,  I'm just glad that we aren't in the bottom 4 .

I would not go that far 😂 - but i know what you mean because it was truly horrendous last year - and some people have short memories.
 

If you experience a life changing incident and survive every day thereafter can feel like a gift. You don’t get so stressed. You appreciate the NOW. You appreciate what you can see in front of your eyes and that’s all that really matters. 

Saints are playing some great football. I enjoy it. Many enjoy it. It’s mostly winning football also.  I can see the thinking behind the style of play and it’s obvious to all that the players are playing for the manager and (new contracts) but also with desire to prove they are not the cowardly bunch from last season. I’m grateful for that. Means a lot to me. 
None of that = failure if we don’t go up. We have our pride back and that’s the biggest win we will probably ever get. 

Edited 27 March, 2024 by gio1saints

[trousers]

1 hour ago, ally_uk said:

If we don't go up this season then he has failed it's that simple.... 

 

1 hour ago, david in sweden said:

Really ??.........after the way we finished last season,  I'm just glad that we aren't in the bottom 4 .

If you guage our success on the stated aim of Jason Wilcox / Sport Republic at the start of the season then, yes, by their own measure, not being promoted would be a failure. 

[skintsaint]

On 25/03/2024 at 07:21, CB Fry said:

Hate to tell you ladies but this is not, and never will be, a standout season for us.

Dunno, if we smash every team and win all games to the end of the season, pipping Leeds on the final day...it would be.

1% chance of this happening though.

[The Oggmonster]

4 hours ago, gio1saints said:

I would not go that far 😂 - but i know what you mean because it was truly horrendous last year - and some people have short memories.
 

If you experience a life changing incident and survive every day thereafter can feel like a gift. You don’t get so stressed. You appreciate the NOW. You appreciate what you can see in front of your eyes and that’s all that really matters. 

Saints are playing some great football. I enjoy it. Many enjoy it. It’s mostly winning football also.  I can see the thinking behind the style of play and it’s obvious to all that the players are playing for the manager and (new contracts) but also with desire to prove they are not the cowardly bunch from last season. I’m grateful for that. Means a lot to me. 
None of that = failure if we don’t go up. We have our pride back and that’s the biggest win we will probably ever get. 

I'd rather go up automatically playing Tony Pulis-ball tbh.

[Convict Colony]

Love these hypothetical arguments when we have no games.

Lets be real at present its very unlikely we will get automatic due to the volume of games in the next 20 odd days, we could win them all but we are saints.

[The Cat]

16 hours ago, tdmickey3 said:

This is obviously Russell’s mum, been wondering if anyone else’s mum posts on here

Your mum does, we have some interesting conversations on DM.

[The Cat]

5 hours ago, trousers said:

 

If you guage our success on the stated aim of Jason Wilcox / Sport Republic at the start of the season then, yes, by their own measure, not being promoted would be a failure. 

If we don't go up and SR are convinced the whole season was a complete and utter failure then I'm sure they will sack the manager.

If we don't go up and they don't sack him then we'll assume that although he didn't reach their stated goals in the media they are happy with how he did.

[S-Clarke]

7 hours ago, david in sweden said:

Really ??.........after the way we finished last season,  I'm just glad that we aren't in the bottom 4 .

I would say the bare minimum requirement for this season is promotion, simple as that really. We've not added PL wages in THB/Downes/Fraser/Brooks to just 'finish top half'.

We're doing ok though - we're well in it, the requirement hasn't been met yet but we are on course to meet it. At the end of the day 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc - doesn't matter, if it equals promotion then we've done our job. The 3 relegated teams this year have set a very high bar, to Ipswich's credit they've stuck around it. No one else can get near us points wise though.

Edited 27 March, 2024 by S-Clarke

[gio1saints]

31 minutes ago, The Cat said:

If we don't go up and SR are convinced the whole season was a complete and utter failure then I'm sure they will sack the manager.

If we don't go up and they don't sack him then we'll assume that although he didn't reach their stated goals in the media they are happy with how he did.

Good point. Not all failure is catastrophic. Especially when it’s a game of football we are talking about not a botched heart surgery. 
 

If we do not hit the primary objective but have shown good progress in other ways then perhaps it’s not total failure. For many fans of course it will be. Promotion is everything by hook or crook. Nothing else matters. For some the resurrection of our pride our identity and spirit count for something and give hope that we are able to return to the top table - and stay there. 
 

Im no apologist for poor or under performance. Made a career out of the opposite especially in sporting context so do not mistake my view on Saints as being from someone “ easily satisfied” or with “zero ambition”, or a “ happy clapper” or even “Russell’s mum”.

I’m just not so certain that having a bloodbath of manager and players even club management if we don’t go up is really in anyone’s interests. Yet again to start from scratch? Are we more likely to get promoted with an as yet unknown quantity new manager new coaches and a bunch of new players or by building on what went well this current season with settled manager and staff?  We will lose a bunch of our best players, sure, but the likes of THB, Ryan Fraser, Rothwell and David Brooks all joined a championship team not guaranteed promotion - so I’ve no reason to doubt there will not be other good EPL quality players wanting to play at SFC next season - and under RM - if we miss out the playoffs. 
If I was SR I’d be taking all the pressure away and just encouraging RM and team to play there hearts out without fear because if we don’t do it this time we will be back stronger for it next year. Just the way Ive always worked with man management and motivation. The process the principles the style is good. The execution - and the defending - must improve. That’s it. 

Edited 27 March, 2024 by gio1saints

[tdmickey3]

1 hour ago, The Cat said:

Your mum does, we have some interesting conversations on DM.

Brilliant, she passed away in 2018 so guess you must be a clairvoyant, give her my love next time you chat 👍

[Turkish]

50 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

Good point. Not all failure is catastrophic. Especially when it’s a game of football we are talking about not a botched heart surgery. 
 

If we do not hit the primary objective but have shown good progress in other ways then perhaps it’s not total failure. For many fans of course it will be. Promotion is everything by hook or crook. Nothing else matters. For some the resurrection of our pride our identity and spirit count for something and give hope that we are able to return to the top table - and stay there. 
 

Im no apologist for poor or under performance. Made a career out of the opposite especially in sporting context so do not mistake my view on Saints as being from someone “ easily satisfied” or with “zero ambition”, or a “ happy clapper” or even “Russell’s mum”.

I’m just not so certain that having a bloodbath of manager and players even club management if we don’t go up is really in anyone’s interests. Yet again to start from scratch? Are we more likely to get promoted with an as yet unknown quantity new manager new coaches and a bunch of new players or by building on what went well this current season with settled manager and staff?  We will lose a bunch of our best players, sure, but the likes of THB, Ryan Fraser, Rothwell and David Brooks all joined a championship team not guaranteed promotion - so I’ve no reason to doubt there will not be other good EPL quality players wanting to play at SFC next season - and under RM - if we miss out the playoffs. 
If I was SR I’d be taking all the pressure away and just encouraging RM and team to play there hearts out without fear because if we don’t do it this time we will be back stronger for it next year. Just the way Ive always worked with man management and motivation. The process the principles the style is good. The execution - and the defending - must improve. That’s it. 

spoken like a true loser. 

[tdmickey3]

1 hour ago, gio1saints said:

Good point. Not all failure is catastrophic. Especially when it’s a game of football we are talking about not a botched heart surgery. 
 

If we do not hit the primary objective but have shown good progress in other ways then perhaps it’s not total failure. For many fans of course it will be. Promotion is everything by hook or crook. Nothing else matters. For some the resurrection of our pride our identity and spirit count for something and give hope that we are able to return to the top table - and stay there. 
 

Im no apologist for poor or under performance. Made a career out of the opposite especially in sporting context so do not mistake my view on Saints as being from someone “ easily satisfied” or with “zero ambition”, or a “ happy clapper” or even “Russell’s mum”.

I’m just not so certain that having a bloodbath of manager and players even club management if we don’t go up is really in anyone’s interests. Yet again to start from scratch? Are we more likely to get promoted with an as yet unknown quantity new manager new coaches and a bunch of new players or by building on what went well this current season with settled manager and staff?  We will lose a bunch of our best players, sure, but the likes of THB, Ryan Fraser, Rothwell and David Brooks all joined a championship team not guaranteed promotion - so I’ve no reason to doubt there will not be other good EPL quality players wanting to play at SFC next season - and under RM - if we miss out the playoffs. 
If I was SR I’d be taking all the pressure away and just encouraging RM and team to play there hearts out without fear because if we don’t do it this time we will be back stronger for it next year. Just the way Ive always worked with man management and motivation. The process the principles the style is good. The execution - and the defending - must improve. That’s it. 

So basically just the things that really matter, the things that will define where we finish and/or the results in the playoffs 🤣

Tell him it doesn't matter if we fail to go up with one of the best squads in the division......  

It does fucking matter as next season we will be much poorer in this division, everyone knows that bar the RM cheerleaders

Edited 27 March, 2024 by tdmickey3

[david in sweden]

1 hour ago, S-Clarke said:

I would say the bare minimum requirement for this season is promotion, simple as that really. We've not added PL wages in THB/Downes/Fraser/Brooks to just 'finish top half'.

We're doing ok though - we're well in it, the requirement hasn't been met yet but we are on course to meet it. At the end of the day 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc - doesn't matter, if it equals promotion then we've done our job. The 3 relegated teams this year have set a very high bar, to Ipswich's credit they've stuck around it.                         No one else can get near us points wise though.

Having come this far, of course we want a shot at automatic promotion, but failing that we can still be in a play-off situation and qualify in third place.

My earlier comment about " not being in the bottom four " was the feeling after we lost at Middlesboro (their first win of season) ....and we were 15th in the table.

 

I think many of us felt encouraged after we passed  7 unbeaten games ...(that was the 94th minute winner from Fraser) in the away fixture at Millwall . 

After 20-plus unbeaten, some people seemed to think that we were invinceable, but despite the fact that we scored 5 to win against Huddersfield

our frailties became obvious and that gave inspiration to the likes of  Bristol City, Hull and even Millwall beat us at SMS. 

Downes' return and the introduction of Brooks has steadied the ship a little, but clearly KWP's absence has also been crucial at the back, and we may

even look back In late May with some satisfaction over Joe Rothwell's " super-sub"  contributions to results.  

 

 

 

[The Cat]

4 hours ago, tdmickey3 said:

Brilliant, she passed away in 2018 so guess you must be a clairvoyant, give her my love next time you chat 👍

Was always a risky gag because there was a chance that may have happened. 

Will pass on your message.

[Miltonaggro]

On 27/03/2024 at 07:49, Challenger said:

Not sure about mum's, but I believe the love child of Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott regularly posts rants on here.

Good traditional centre back pairing:

[Chocolate Box]

More on the left I would have thought!

[trousers]

On 27/03/2024 at 14:17, The Cat said:

If we don't go up and SR are convinced the whole season was a complete and utter failure then I'm sure they will sack the manager.

If we don't go up and they don't sack him then we'll assume that although he didn't reach their stated goals in the media they are happy with how he did.

Agreed

[Galway saint]

3 hours ago, trousers said:

Agreed

what about if we go up and they sack him ? what can we infer from that ?

 

[Dusic]

Unless we go on some kind of crazily awful run til the end of the season then sacking RM would be up there with the most bizarre decisions ever made in football. Would say there is a almost zero chance of it and rightly so.

Edited 28 March, 2024 by Dusic

[CB Fry]

He absolutely will not be sacked this side of Halloween.

[trousers]

Just now, CB Fry said:

He absolutely will not be sacked this side of Halloween.

*Hallowe'en 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Russell Martin felt the manner of his firing could have been handled better by the club.

[FarehamSaintJames]

I don’t think he’ll be sacked either way. Personally I think it would be wrong to sack him when he’s clearly brought a togetherness about the club.

[david in sweden]

10 hours ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

I don’t think he’ll be sacked either way. Personally I think it would be wrong to sack him when he’s clearly brought a togetherness about the club.

 AGREED.    Regardless ...of training ground routines and dressing room talks,  it's always down to the players and their performance(s) on the day.

RM has achieved something that no other Saints manager has come close to....namely those 20 plus unbeaten games  and despite those injury problems 

along the way.       Failure to get promotion this season would raise some other issues, but sacking RM  should not be one of them.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

It was preseason, and I wasn't paying attention too closely. But the comments I first heard from the club indicated that not going up this season wouldn;t be a disaster. It was a little later before I was hearing that going up this season was the aim. Now, they're not mutually exclusive. The goals can be to go up this seasojn, while appreciating that it could be a bit of a rebuild and that finacnes were in place should it take longer.

With SR being a project club trying to do things differently, they have invested in a philosophy that they think will build longer term success. That's a lot harder to tear up than just getting in the next availale manager with a decent track record.

If we don;t go up, and next season follows a similar pattern, then I can't see Martin departing.

There's lots of angles to this that are all valid. Could a different style got more out of the players? Perhaps Has Martin developed players? Yes he has. Would ANother style found it even harder with SR's dismal record of getting fit strikers in the door? Maybe Has Martin done a good job in reversing the mentality of the club? Yes

A while back a peek indicated that Championship managers last on average just over 2 years in the job. That's always in the background.

[Saint NL]

[CB Fry]

And we're definitely sure that this is so much better than the 100 years of mediocrity Saints fans have had to suffer up to the appointment of Russell Martin?

[FarehamSaintJames]

One thing I said to my mates the other day is that RM’s team selections sometimes feel like he’s managing an U14 game in Sunday League.

All these kids have paid their subs for the season, therefore he has to equally share out the minutes etc.

Whatever happened to playing on merit? I don’t see how Sulemana makes that team with no contribution all season. Stephens inclusion in recent weeks is very questionable (albeit I get international duty for JB). Che Adams is another one, good for a cameo but he squanders more chances than he scores.

He needs to stop being their mates and be ruthless.

I want to back RM but he really doesn’t help himself sometimes.

[Turkish]

When can we expect the next sermon from @gio1saints telling us we aren’ grateful for having our identity back and at least it isn’t as bad as last season not all failure is bad. You sad fucks