I think they are in the **** financially, they wanted to move ground and it got blocked by planners I believe so the club is up for sale. When was your stint with them? Sis you do well...
I was there for a 6 month stint around 1991/92 season. Joined them from Bognor Regis, but should never have left Bognor really. I didn't get on with the manager.
Billy I hope you enjoy the Basingstoke match. The thing that amazed me when I first attended a Winchester match was the knowledge of the supporters. The people who follow non-league are often extremely informed about the game at that level and I found that it gave me a different perspective of football. You also bump in to some interesting characters who come from larger clubs or ex-players like Francis Benali. James Beattie has been down the Den Plan too although I was not at that match. Former Saint Pele is at Totton whilst Jo Tessam is associated with the club next door, Totton & Eling. It is fascinating to see which players come from where and you tend to find a number "star" players and managers in non-league who enjoy a cult status. Last season Basingstoke had Chris Flood playing up front and he was with Winchester several seasons back where he was terrific. I believe he went to Gosport this season but has since left as there were issues with players not being paid. Basingstoke are at least a league above Winchester and I have seen some good matches even when they got relegated in to the Wessex league where every game is practically a derby. The good thing is that fans of both teams tend to sit together which is not only good from a social perspective but means you learn a lot about these teams too. Some interesting situations materialise as well. There are a few Saints fans who turn up at Winchester and the "Cathedral City Derby" with Salisbury becomes interesting because they are managed by Steve Claridge. Therefore, there was a lot of satisfaction when they got turned over! Let us know what you thought of the game. Cheers Ian
Ian,agree with your non league posts,still fun to go to these games,my adopted town will entertain your team ( my home town) later in the year,never know might bump into you if you go? And you're right we can both go in same bar at ground and all will be friendly.met several Totton fans when they were up,it seemed odd that day knowing the 'Opposition'were mostly Saints fans.
I've never read any Nietzsche, although perhaps I should. Though you've encouraged me to re-watch the Eastern Philosophers v the Western Philosophers ERB[/QUOTE] I'm thinking more of this one: Great players.."Chopper" Sophokles and "Nobby" Hegel.
So in light of recent events, I feel the need to top this thread. The recent events specifically being the sacking of Reineri (however you spell his name). Now, I know Leicester were doing a bit rubbish this year, but I still think it's ridiculous. The man won the club the Premier League title in a insanely huge upset and triumph for the underdogs, so should that not deserve a bit of loyalty? Indeed, the decision to sack him just highlights to me the pointlessness and absurdity of this sport. The one occasion where a team has achieved the unthinkable and one of the non-'clubs that matter' wins the title and the man who brought them the title is discarded like any cast off from any mediocre team. Where is the loyalty? As a Hufflepuff, loyalty means a lot to me but in the world of football, people would sell their own parents if it meant a quick buck. And what about the next manager? He might come in, do well for a bit then at the first sign of adversity, is booted off to be replaced by someone else. Or he'll be successful and one of the clubs that matter will swoop in and take his services, because god forbid that a club that doesn't matter actually becomes consistently successful, at least not without throwing insane amounts of money about. And then the next guy, and the next guy, and the next guy.. Over and over in a mindless numbing cycle of mediocrity until the end of time.
I'm not sure Ranieri's sacking is just about their league position. There are rumours that the dressing room is split and some of the players went to see the board and said they wanted him gone.
You're posting this on a forum of a club that sacked a manager a few years ago after winning back to back promotions!! can't wait to see the responses.
…One of those days where you can’t help but hate modern football. Especially when Ranieri was the one who made us fall in love again.
A lot have already said it....Money is the root of all evil............Getting Sky to put the money in was one thing............but the throw back was catastrophic for the top teams (and lower teams) in turn because as the money came in, the costs went up drastically. In truth the fans only gained because if they paid even more they could watch the favourite team on the goggle box. When it all kicked off there were cries of "the gates would go down" As we all know though, the gates are actually increasing. Personally I do not yet think it is over, there is more to come. There has been talk of the European super league, it will come in at some stage I am convinced. Which will mean as is the trend beginning to show now the top teams are actually developing two full teams. A new term creeping in of course is "Rotation" Naturally with that comes yet another increase in costs. How many games a week can the average man afford I wonder? Me I can barely afford one.....but then maybe you can afford more. Champions league, Europe league, FA cup and EFL cup are our possible extra games. In theory I guess it could be in the region of 60 games a season. I know I couldn't afford to attend them all and what of the players? Are we beginning to see top teams having to play 70 plus games a season at the top level (Obviously including possible replays and pre-seaon) Does that mean top teams are going to have 3 levels of players....the mind boggles at the thought........all in the name of money!!
The owners were in a no win situation tbf. If they stuck and went down then there would be a backlash.it's the players who should be doing a lot of soulsearching. Feel bad for ranieri as he seems a great bloke
So the players love him when they are winning and think he is rubbish now. Perhaps he is giving them harsh words....well they deserve it. The manager gets the plaudits so I suppose it is expected that he will get the blame under these circumstances, but the players have to look at themselves. They got carried along by success last season, but have now returned to the norm.....suggests to me that they aren't giving their all and started the season resting on their laurels.
Mind you it is a valuable lesson to be learned by all.......Leicester may have hung on to their best players but they didn't really bring any new talent in to support what they had achieved. Or maybe it was what they did bring in that hasn't worked? They played with confidence and flare last year but played without it this season. You can never just rely on past laurels.......ask the united's of this world it is a lesson they too have had to learn............
They sold their best player Beddy, N'golo Kante was the one who protected the back line and was the link to Mahrez and the forwards. As he is showing for Chelsea, he is an absolute force of nature, and Leicester were never going to able to replace him.
Well it IS a results-driven business. I've no idea why they feel that way or which players it's supposed to be. Maybe they don't like the way he's handling the extra games? I haven't paid much attention to Leicester this season. It's not a good situation (if true) whatever the reason. If that is what happened then I think the Leicester board are in a tough position. Results are poor, relegation is looking very possible (and I imagine some of their players are on very big contracts now so the financial implications could be very serious), some of the players are so unhappy they've come to you and said the manager needs to go. It's not just a case of getting rid of a manager after a few poor results.
Reference the European Super League. If that is the way teams want to go, I sincerely hope that are not allowed to participate in any home competition, such as the FA and League cups, once they decide the EPL is no longer for them. (Not that they show the competitions much respect now, but strength of squad often means they still win, despite sending out under strength sides) Once their fans realise that they won't be winning silverware, on a fairly regular basis, some of the glory hunting fans might actually start supporting their own local clubs, whose chances of winning a trophy will have increased, by the departure of the so called elite. Bring it on.
