I live nine miles from St.Mary's and often go to watch a game there. If Charlie had to go, and he did, I'm glad he's gone to Saints. They're a proper club with proper fans, like us. Good luck Charlie and thanks for being a gent.
Thanks for the memories, Charlie. Good move for you and good for our club. We can all move on. All the best.
Well played Charlie, I just wish you had not, at the Reading game, state that you were staying. Good luck anyway.
Just seen him shaking hands with saints fans and joking with everybody. He seems very happy so good luck to him. QPR really are a basket case aren't we? Funny thing was they said he reports for training on Monday morning but i thought he was injured?
Yeah, I'm about 4-5 miles from the stadium and go to games there occasionally too. I'm surrounded by fair weather Saints fans who had little interest in the team when they were in League One, but are not averse to giving it large these days.
Well my experience is a bit different and the stats bear me out 'cos the attendances whilst they were in the champ, only dropped by the number of visiting fans that didn't travel with championship clubs. Still I don't want to sound too pro Saints. Just saying that most of my mates round here are either Pompey or Saints fans and I know whom I prefer from a footballing perspective.
It's often the case that clubs report illness or injury. Easier and more discreet than to explain the real reason!
Shame to see Charlie go but we really had no chance of keeping him & Southampton will be a good fit, just hope that £4m is incorrect as would have thought a host of clubs would be queuing up at that fee & should have have been able to do better. Guess that leaves us deeper in the sh!te as we're clearly lacking a natural goal scoring alternative & not going to get any sort of replacement in with only £4m to spend.
Yes, sorry to see Charlie go but glad he's gone to a club like Southampton, especially as he originates from that area. I think £4m is a reasonable price for him as he only had a few months left on his contract and could have gone for nothing in July. I just hope we use the money wisely.
It is now coming out that Charlie called the move himself....left the club with no option....but looking as it is 4 million now...and nearly upto 4 million with add ons...apperances for Saints, trophies lifted and England appearances etc. It appears JFH has 4 million to play with now...which he would not have in the summer. Cannot really fault it...we were not going to keep him, he has given us some money. Charlie..thank you for everything Go and be a success See you back here in 6 years
Christ, me too. Saints fans over Pompey without a doubt, particularly as Portsmouth fans are the only fans to have ever beaten me up...and I wasn't even at a football match at the time. I'm just saying that my actual neighbours are fair weather fans, not a comment on Saints fans in general.
Certainly are, Stan. Their ground is a few minutes away for me. I followed their previous season when they missed out on promotion to the Football League in the play-offs. Doing well this time around too; nice old-fashioned buzz around the town.
Koeman is apparently "In" on the injury fabrication... "" The Observer Ronald Koeman sees no risk as Southampton sign Charlie Austin from QPR • Striker has not played since 15 December because of hamstring injury • Saints pay £4m for 26-year-old who scored 18 Premier League goals last season@JacobSteinberg Saturday 16 January 2016 19.34 GMTLast modified on Saturday 16 January 201619.3 Ronald Koeman expressed his delight after Southampton bolstered their attacking options with the £4m signing of Charlie Austin from Queens Park Rangers, although the Dutchman struck a note of caution when he said that the striker will need time to recover from a hamstring injury that has kept him out for a month. Concerns over Austin’s injury record meant he stayed at QPR last summer, despite scoring 18 Premier League goals for a side that was relegated. The 26-year-old has not played since 15 December. Southampton, however, were undeterred and although Austin is out of contract in the summer they decided to stump up the cash for their main transfer target now. The deal was completed shortly before they moved into the top half of the table with a 3-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion at St Mary’s. “We have Monday and Tuesday and he will have tests about his fitness and then we know how fit the player is,” Koeman said. “Is he close to being part of the team or maybe he needs more time to be 100%? The most important thing is he is without any problems for his fitness and ready to be part of the team.” Koeman was clear when he was asked what he wants from Austin, who has scored 10 goals for QPR this season. “I hope goals because that’s the reason why he was and is our target for the transfer window,” he said. “We need a player like him. His numbers of goals, everybody knows. Still he is 26 and it is good to have him now because that’s good for the adaptation. It gives more competition. What we try to do is try to make the squad stronger.” Shane Long and Graziano Pellè have been linked with moves away fromSouthampton but Koeman does not want to sell anyone this month. " Don't think so!
I've been calling for Saints to sign Austin for a year now. He's a natural finisher and he's the sort of striker we desperately need. I was staggered to find the fee was £4mill. I feel kind of guilty as you've been a bit ripped off.
He ran through brick walls for us often with injuries that most players would have missed games with. I don't see why that won't continue with Southampton. It's a fantastic signing for them. Hope he scores a squillion goals and gets in the England squad.
OK Tramore no problem, I couldn't make my mind up where best my comments may fit, so I started a new thread.
