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TheSecondStain said:
Interesting story [to me], which at the moment is going through a sad time. Hopefully, it gets a lot better in the weeks and months to come.

A couple of years ago I asked a buddy if he'd like to join the Ramblers. He said he didn't like walking. He'd once walked 25 miles for charity and didn't fancy it. I countered that the Southampton Ramblers Group just existed to take an interesting route to a pub. This was more appealing, but the walking was still the no-no factor. However, our group also occasionally rode bicycles, so my mate decided he'd get a bike and come on the rides. Bear in mind that none of the Ramblers are bicyclists. It's just another way of getting to a pub. Or pubs, as we take in a few during an afternoon's ride.
So my mate got really enthused about cycling. Not only did he get all the gear [I think he now has 11 bikes], but he had a good idea too. He joined a proper club, and rode 200-300 or more miles a week. [In comparison, I do 50+ miles a week].
Anyway, 10 days ago he asked me where he would have to go to get details of the Southampton FC Foundation charity ride coming up in May, that he'd signed up for, but missed all the detail meetings. For the ride a group would fly out to Geneva, Switzerland [I would cover his airline seat's CO2 by paying to get enough trees planted] and cycle 600 miles back, over a week. So that day I took him to St Mary's and we were met in reception, where they took his size for cycle clothing and gave him loads of info. We took photos of him in his gear in front of the Saints emblem in reception. The day after he started training, before and after work [he's a very, very good self employed roofer]. Over the weekend I was working out the CO2 of his airline seat when I got a text from a mutual buddy. Our friend had been knocked off his bike by a car while training with his bike club. He'd suffered a broken leg [bugger]. I texted him. It was a bad break. He's also suffered a broken neck [oh ****!]. "Can you feel your toes," I asked him. "Yeah just, but everything is really stiff," he said. Yesterday, [Monday] he had the operation on his leg. I supposed they must have held his neck in place, because he doesn't need any damage to his spinal cord. He's on morphine, but the pain is still vivid. Just today he texted SFC to say sorry that he probably won't make the bike ride. I have little worry that he'll get back to fitness. He has the kind of determination I simply don't possess. I'm more concerned with how he's going to get by without work.
Click to expand...

Just an update on my cycling friend who probably isn't going to make the Saints Foundation charity ride back from Geneva, Switzerland.
He had his neck operation early yesterday. He had three vertebrae fused and is now recovering. That's not the end of the world. The back can accommodate that kind of measure. My ex-wife had three vertebrae fused before I even met here and it never affected her.
My friend is making good progress, though the rip to the muscle in his right leg was a shock to me when he described it, as the accident had torn out quite a bit of tissue. All that has to recover and I think it'll take months. He's in surprisingly good spirits though and thanks everyone for their good wishes. I think he's enjoying the attention. He deserves some. :)
 
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Southampton v Burnley
Saturday 15th February 2020 12:30

Referee: Simon Hooper.
Assistants: Simon Beck, Derek Eaton.
Fourth official: Kevin Friend.
VAR: Michael Oliver.
Assistant VAR: Gary Beswick.

If the weather forecast is correct, I will not be chancing it!
 
SAINTOSPREY said:
Southampton v Burnley
Saturday 15th February 2020 12:30

Referee: Simon Hooper.
Assistants: Simon Beck, Derek Eaton.
Fourth official: Kevin Friend.
VAR: Michael Oliver.
Assistant VAR: Gary Beswick.

If the weather forecast is correct, I will not be chancing it!
Click to expand...

And there was me thinking I could go on the bike!

Think it'll be an early start by car and a 'spoons breakfast before the game.
 
thereisonlyoneno7 said:
https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/18225256.southampton-striker-shane-long-line-new-deal/

Not sure if it has been mentioned - but looks like Shane will sign an extension. Good news I feel. Shane is rapidly becoming a bit of a legend in my books, works tirelessly, and we do seem a better team with him it.

Oh and Anfield.
Click to expand...

Love it. I adore Shane. Always stuck by him hard when he was the fall guy and being ridiculed from all sides. Great to see that yet another manager rates him enough to make him a key player.
 
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Saints fans are a little strange. 2 of the most loved footballers of recent times are a defender who wasn't very good at defending and a striker who isn't very good at scoring. I love a player that tries hard but that shouldn't really be a reason to give someone legend status. If either of these players were actually any good then other clubs would have signed them years ago.

Having said that it's nothing new as one of the clubs biggest legends is Franny Benali and he was garbage as far as top flight professional footballers go.
 
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Saints fans are a little strange. 2 of the most loved footballers of recent times are a defender who wasn't very good at defending and a striker who isn't very good at scoring

____________________

Indeed. And we've added players on massive money who don't give a damn, and some who chose to belittle us. Some who down tools at the drop of a hat, and some with all the loyalty of a virus. Some players drink drive & struggle with infidelity, some spend their time abusing people on Twitter (yes you Dele). So when there's a guy who just quietly goes about his business, working hard every minute he is asked, well he deserves some of this praise we shower on our mercenaries. As a fan, I can take losing, but can't stand players not trying. That's why so many people like him.
 
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----HistoryRepeating---- said:
Saints fans are a little strange. 2 of the most loved footballers of recent times are a defender who wasn't very good at defending and a striker who isn't very good at scoring

____________________

Indeed. And we've added players on massive money who don't give a damn, and some who chose to belittle us. Some who down tools at the drop of a hat, and some with all the loyalty of a virus. Some players drink drive & struggle with infidelity, some spend their time abusing people on Twitter (yes you Dele). So when there's a guy who just quietly goes about his business, working hard every minute he is asked, well he deserves some of this praise we shower on our mercenaries. As a fan, I can take losing, but can't stand players not trying. That's why so many people like him.
Click to expand...

I agree, but basically what you are saying is fans like these type of players because other players take the piss? I admire his work ethic and actually like Shane a lot more than Yoshi. For me the praise Yoshi get's is a little strange. He's never really been first choice and 7 times out of 10 when he came in he made a mistake. He wasn't loyal to us he just want good enough for other clubs to be interested.
 
I can’t lie, I have never liked Shane long as a player. I have always thought that we need strikers who score goals and he doesn’t do it enough. His touch is poor, his shooting is awful, he goes to ground too often.

But he has a great partnership with zings and the two of them are unquestionably the best strike partnership we have had for years. He’s worked his socks off for the team and I agree he is a model professional. He is integral to the turnaround this season. Good on him.

At his age, he has been playing his heart out for another deal and he got one. He deserves it. Now we will see what two and a half years of guaranteed security does to his effort and motivation.
 
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