If ever anyone doubted our Premier league credentials another reminder is the amount of ex players and managers who ply their trade at the top level. So who are you looking forward to welcoming back? And will you applaud, boo or shrug. Here is a reminder of some key names; Arsenal - Walcott & Oxlade Chamberlain Tottenham - Gareth Bale & Harry Redknapp Newcastle - Alan Pardew (very outside chance of Leon Best) Fulham - Chris Baird Swansea - Nathan Dyer Norwich - Andrew Surman Stoke - Peter Crouch, Rory Delap, Kenwyne Jones, Ricardo Fuller
I think they will all get a good reception apart from Redknapp, Dyer and Fuller. The others mainly left, due to us having to reduce the wage bill or getting massive offers for them. On a side note that would be a really strong team with a lot of international experience as well.
I must say I never thought that Fuller or Best would ever play in the Premier League. They were so very mediocre.
One person that deserves a great reception is Alan Pardew, he laid the foundations of the attacking, attractive team as it is now, he also gave us a trophy and a great day out at Wembley. Nobody really knows why Nicola Cortese chose to end his contract, maybe it was just a personality clash, but he has proved with Newcastle how good a manager he is. Andrew Surman is another who I will be applauding, it wasn't his fault that he left us and his transfer fee helped the club in it's darkest hour.
Absolutely. I'm glad that we opted to go with Nigel because the results speak for themselves, but Pardew deserves a warm welcome back to SMS for his role in assembling this squad.
Not sure Kenwyne Jones will get the best reception, acted like a giant baby in going on strike until we let him move on. Always nice when players are so appreciative of being given their 'big break'... Several others we'll see back also - Danny Guthrie and One Size, if QPR stay up.
Amazes me every time I see Stoke on MOTD. It's like stepping back in time, especially watching Rory lining up one of those utterly pointless throw-ins. I don't actually recall one of those long throws ever leading to a goal for us, but apparently it did happen once or twice.
Alan Pardew laid the foundations for where we are now so imagine that he will get a really good reception when he comes to SMS - to go from being Saints manager in Lg1 to Prem manager of the year in such a short period of time is one of footballs better stories. tbh i wouldnt boo any of the above as football is a fluid industry to say the least and managers & players move on, whatever the circumstances - its only us supporters who remain static ! HR didnt cover himself with glory during his short stay here but its history now - if he had managed to keep us up he might have been a hero.
I remember at some point Harry saying that if he had known about Delap's long throws we would have stayed up. Or something like that. Nice one 'Arry, you big dope.
