Pre-Season Part 1

Yep, Still Here...

It’s been a month and a bit since the season finished and in the world of SFC – not a lot has happened. All the contract issues have been sorted with Jaidi, Butters, Harding, and Connolly all signing on for another year and Aaron Martin signing for another 3.  The only one not signing was Oscar Gobern who as I write, looks like he’s taking his Uncoordinated Ninja skills to Huddersfield. To be honest, he’s 4th choice in central midfield and was not going to move up the list barring an injury to someone. I don’t think he’ll really be missed by anyone aside from anyone looking for a comedy angle to light up an otherwise dull game.  There seems to be a train of thought that he might be the new Patrick Vieira or something and good luck to him if he is.... can't see it though.

Talking of Huddersfield – as we know, they pushed us all the way for the last automatic promotion spot with a 24ish game unbeaten run. Then, they squeaked through a playoff semi-final against Bournemouth due in no small part to some extremely dodgy refereeing decisions and then got smashed in the final by Peterborough and Fergie Zero by 3-0, underlining what a nightmare it would have been if we'd been in the playoffs. So it’s Brighton, ourselves and Peterbrough making the trip up to the Championship next year.

The fixtures have been released and we have Leeds at home first up. It’s nice to look down the list of fixtures and see decent sides who are used to being in the top two divisions as opposed to teams that were Non-League not so long ago. In amongst our fixtures are of course, the Cheating Skates who have yet more dodgy Russians in part ownership of the club. No doubt the first dodgy Russian and his dad still owns the land around the ground and no doubt the loan shark who has just sold it will still have a charge on the Arena (as the new Russians call it). Still, I expect that they’ll learn from the mistakes of the past and cut their cloth accordingly and only spend what they can afford. They’ve made a good start, signing a free transfer 30 year old player on high wages and a long contract. The first of about 15 similar signings they need in order to have a full squad and I wonder if they've paid back the charities they robbed from yet.

Back to SMS and the season ticket prices have been released and mine has gone up 30% which seems a bit steep but as I go to every home game, the price per game is not too bad. I look forward to the first game when I will find out if the Chuckle Brothers have renewed the same seats behind me so I can be party to their wit and wisdom for another year. I guess some of the Kingslanders will have changed due to natural wastage and Dignitas. We have a new kit and we are allowed to order and pay for it now... but we aren’t allowed to see what it looks like. To my mind it’s bizarre but according to my source (a woman in the Saints Megastore), it’s what Man United do. It’s alright for them as it’s only other people in their front room who get to see their shirt.  I doubt it will be but what if you pre-order it and it's horrendous....

Expect the transfers to kick off on or around July 1st as this is when pre-season training starts and it’s also when existing contracts expire. All I wish for is that we don’t sign and journeymen players from other Championship or Premiership clubs who are on stupid wages. The blue lot down the road can do that. I managed to blag a ticket for the Saints end of season presentation evening at SMS and the one thing that stood out for me was that the players seemed a very down to earth bunch. There didn’t seem to be any prima donnas and they seemed in touch with reality. For example, I had a conversation with one player about the issues thrown up regarding childcare for his two kids, having moved away from where he and his wife’s parents lived. Do we really want a Billy Big Bollox player coming in, on twice as much money as everyone else.... personally, I don’t think so.

There was a brief flurry of ‘Alex Chamberlain signs for...’ frenzy in the media, mainly brought on by Mark Chamberlain being quoted as saying he wants Alex at Arsenal as soon as possible. The guesswork price has now gone up from £10million to £15million and some in the media are having a go at us for demanding this inflated and entirely fictional, made up figure for a 17 year old with just one season in League 1. Anyway – he’s signed for Arsenal and Man Utd and possibly Liverpool and we have three Man Utd reserves in return and Arsenal have loaned him back to us.

Dull.... isn't it.