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SaintGGsy's rumours posts with other poster's replies to SaintGGsy's rumours posts
30 Sep 2024 21:57:06
No signs of improvement, if anything it's getting worse. We face Leicester, Wolves and Everton in our next five. Who says no to Potter joining by the end of the week except for the Board.
30 Aug 2024 18:51:23
SaintGGsy has written an article entitled, Southampton Players Overview
17 Aug 2024 09:20:49
SaintGGsy has written an article entitled, Good Transfer Window For Southampton FC
28 Apr 2024 21:45:13
I'd like to think I've not quite lost my mind with our manager to the extent that most of you have, but my birthday was ruined by our Leicester drubbing.
The best we've played this season was the first half vs Preston. Essentially the policy was make runs, create space, line breaking passes, shoot on sight. And we were awesome.
There was no pressure then. We'd been written off again, then the second hope is back on the table we lose three in a row. I can't think of the last time we were a side massively under pressure AND delivered.
I think it was our win at Swansea under Hughes to stay up, and that was six years ago. It looks like we'll have Norwich in the play-offs and we will go down 2-3 on agg I reckon.
But this isn't just an issue with our manager - yes he's stubborn beyond belief and an arrogant sod, but our squad doesn't have the mettle to handle pressure and imagine this lot in the PL next season.
I also don't see how the board sack him. He will say 'most years 84 points gets you promoted (I think the average before this year was 79?) and the play-offs is a lottery' and our board are renowned for being lenient - Pellegrino, Hughes and Jones all outstayed their welcomes. I hope it happens, but also who do we bring in? Potter? Cooper? I doubt it. Go cheap and hope it comes off has been the policy for a decade plus and that'll probably be the continued thinking.
I almost hope we don't go up because we will never ever stay up next year and at least this year we've won games.
And on the discussion around players listening to their manager - a bit different but I'm a cricket captain, and the main philosophy is 'have fun, go for it, back yourself'. If I told everyone to play one way we would never win, there needs to be flexibility and that is something we absolutely do not have.
Even when losing in the last minute we pass it round the back, and the players need to have some bravery and belief in themselves to do what they think. It isn't all on one man and in August I'd have taken the play-offs. But I fear stagnation and a Bristol City type season (boring mid table) next campaign.
1.) 30 Apr 2024 21:36:07
Preston was an interesting one. We were quite simply superb… as you say, we changed things. I honestly thought that was the start of changes.
I remember when we started to play balls over the top, H-B particularly good and clever at it . I worked … but we stopped it.
it is almost like RM had sleepless nights worrying that he had gone against his possession obsession.
Possession obsession to the extreme.
11 Feb 2024 20:56:16
It's been a long time since I've expected Saints to win. It's been even longer since I've been excited to watch them play good football. It's been even longer since I've ENJOYED IT!
Even at half time yesterday. And all that positivity from five months' effort was gone. But even then I thought we could still get something.
But 8 goal involvements from substitutes is utterly obscene and shows our depth now. EIGHT! Rothwell 2G 1A, Brooks 2A, Mara 1G 1A, Edozie 1G. We won the second half 5-1!
Our two Bournemouth loanees were excellent and the fact they've come from the same club seemed to do wonders yesterday.
And just following it online from the second half, even at 2-3, I was still expectant rather than hoping, and I think Huddersfield were too.
Not only will that energise the fans, the fringe players, and galvanise the first XI regulars to pick up the standards, that must be massively deflating for both Leeds and Ipswich.
We were dropping to third albeit with a game in hand but have kept up the relentlessness and with Leeds playing Leicester in a few weeks, we could be a couple of wins clear before our dicey run-in.
I think it's just between us and Leeds now. Ipswich have nine points in nine games, but the three former Prem teams are all just winning and winning.
How epic could that game be at Elland Road to finish the season? And what's more, I can't wait for the game on Tuesday! We could pick any 6 of 11 MID/FWD players, and I'd still expect us to score four. 0-0 incoming no doubt.
SaintGGsy's banter posts with other poster's replies to SaintGGsy's banter posts
01 Jun 2026 19:01:37
Really not sure how people can justify Tonda staying. The latest info to come out today is damning, the club's response is pathetic, and it all goes totally against the culture of this club.
I'm convinced this isn't just a three time thing. Why would we pick such seemingly random matches, also conveniently ones we can point to saying 'we didn't even win' in such a long unbeaten run.
The coaching staff have knowingly cheated, bullied staff, and then lied about it. Regardless of what issues people may have with the decision making process, we deserve what we got. If it was so ineffective, why bother breaking the rules at all?
Think things are going to get a lot worse yet.
1.) 01 Jun 2026 20:08:44
With respect, scouting such as what Saints did is common place in football all over the world. The implication that bullying took place suggests a systemic mindset from all staff members. Do you honestly think that the club employs bully's and cheats from the top down? This really has been blown totally out of proportion and the clubs staff and supporters are being turned into sacrificial lambs.
Their crime was one of incompetence bordering on farcical which they lied about to try and cover up their stupidity. Where else in any profession would such a severe punishment be dealt out.
2.) 01 Jun 2026 21:51:26
Yes it is commonplace, but no-one else has been caught doing it except us in the last seven years. We blatantly broke the rules, for which there is no excuse.
I think a bullying mindset may have grown from such a terrible 2024/25 season, people's jobs being on the line, and wanting to do whatever they can to start winning games. From that comes desperation, aggression, cheating to try and gain an advantage.
I really don't see any justification. We've knowingly broken the rules, expecting the sanctions to be minimal, totally underestimated the reaction - as have many fans it seems - and the club themselves are coming out saying 'it's not us, it's the people who caught us that are the bad guys'. Which is nonsense.
When the reward of promotion is so high, we can't expect a small penalty. Swindon were promoted then that was nullified and they were relegated a few years back. Juve were relegated for breaking rules. It's simple. Don't want to face any punishment, don't break any rules, no matter how minor the infringement may seem.
The league have to protect the integrity of competition. We snuck around spying on clubs even on the day of matches. It's not on. And the club and fans still don't seem to see the problem.
We've been rotten for years. I could take being bad at football, but I can't stand us trying to cheat. I'd appreciate if we at least admitted we'd done wrong which we still haven't, nearly a month on.
3.) 01 Jun 2026 23:18:50
Here, here SaintGGsy - it's shameful and the club response has been pitiful.
We've even got Tonda loyalists backing his corner.
Please trust me on this, what we've been convicted on and the offences which have been proven are poles apart.
Let's stop trying to defend the indefensible.
Sometimes, you have to make a stand for what is right and what is wrong. No one likes a cheat and no one likes a bully and for that reason, I'm out.
4.) 02 Jun 2026 01:48:12
This is what I have been saying.
Some people in here have blinders on and only see the performances we had.
Heads in the sand. Like there's no elephant in the room as to why those performances occured.
Sure I can accept that what Tonda was doing happens on some level more readily in his home country and sure maybe he was naive about it, however the second there is pushback against and Tonda starts forcing/bullying the people into doing it, is the second it becomes cheating.
Why? Because if you don't know something you don't know, but if people are rejecting it, then you go and find out from the people i.e. the board/the EFL ect, but Tonda DIDN'T do that.
There's zero naivety behind what he did and for me 100% was happening more than the few games highlighted.
His insistence on the spying be carried out shows his need for it. It's like being dealt am extra card or stacking the deal in your favour. It doesn't win you the game but you know more about the opposition than the opposition knows about you.
I've said all season about judging him next season anyway, so for that reason if he stays he stays. I'm intrigued to see wether he can have the team playing the same again, however I was already doubtful before the spying, based on it not being his team.
We're see.
5.) 02 Jun 2026 07:54:07
SaintGGSy/Miller/Lesleee, 2408, s response is spot on. We crossed a line, we got caught, we got severely punished. Draw a line under it. Everyone does it in football. Stick with the manager Leeds did and where are they now? In the Premier League trying to buy our best players!
6.) 02 Jun 2026 10:04:57
Solak interview leaves no question unanswered and I commend him for his frankness.
There is always going to be a division of thought between fans as to whether Tonda should stay or leave. The clubs owner has now made his stance clear on who will manage the team next season. Saints players/staff will receive unmerciful abuse from opposition supporters for many seasons to come irrespective of who is managing the team. For me the only question is does Tonda have the strength of character to block the noise out?
I can honestly say there are far more heinous acts such as Bribery, Blackmail, Money laundering, Tapping of players, Deliberate noise in teams hotels, Interference of motor vehicles, deliberate causing of injury, feigning/ diving every day in English football that go unpunished by the FA and EFL.
Some of those are criminal acts, is seeing if an opposition player is fit a criminal or civil offence?
7.) 02 Jun 2026 10:54:11
No doubting there are worse acts but we've still committed an offence and correctly been punished for it. The punishment was the harshest option, but it was an option which was on the table and we have to accept that.
Even after the latest round of releases we still aren't admitting fault and are trying to lay the blame with others. We cheated, own it, make the necessary changes and let's go again. It seems the club's stance is an us against the world siege mentality. Fine. But if no changes are made, that's how a club starts to rot.
8.) 02 Jun 2026 12:40:19
We will always have divided opinions over what should happen
But the club have spoken and given full support to Tonda
He clearly has the full support of the players or the owner would not consider keeping him
This has been blown all out of proportion
Let's all be excited about next season
I know we have a manager capable getting us off our seats and enjoying football
9.) 02 Jun 2026 21:57:05
This has driven a stake through the heart of the club and divided the whole Saints community.
There is a case to be made either way in terms of where you stand but ultimately it is right versus wrong. Sure, the penalty was brutal but football has a wider responsibility. It is a universal language which unites people from different cultures and for many people, it's all that keeps them going - looking forward to Saturday afternoon.
So the highly insincere and scripted messages released today are too little and too late to make a bean of difference to where I sit.
Blaming the intern is as low and as cowardly as it gets.
Shame on them
10.) 03 Jun 2026 10:33:52
There appears to be a lot of virtue signalling going on here!
Let's get on and look forward to next season!
I have no doubt all teams watch the opponents, they just don't and won't admit.
The punishment was disgusting and I have no doubt at all a certain Middleborough person was behind it.
As another has said, there are way worse things going on in football and the punishment is way less.
Surely 'cooking the books' to keep you within financial regulations is way more severe??
Especially as it enabled that team to have players they would otherwise not have.
So let's stop all this virtue signalling nonsense and be excited about the season ahead!
11.) 03 Jun 2026 11:40:48
Well said!
12.) 03 Jun 2026 23:56:30
Personally Rich, I don't see bullying a kid to do your dirty work is virtue signalling.
It is very err Saintly of you to be so forgiving but I can't do that. The men in suits win at the expense of the little people (in their eyes).
Yes of course there are worse things that go on in the game but the way our lot have responded is reprehensible.
Excited for the new season - really? Before the autumn is out you may well be less charitable.
Cynical, let down, angry yes - but this ain't virtue signalling my friend.
21 May 2026 09:47:05
I have zero complaints. We've admitted to some things, but I think it'll come out that we've been doing this all year. We've cheated, and are lucky to stay in the league. Tonda has to go. Players will go. Board may go.
But I think this goes higher up. How long were we complaining about the ownership? Then suddenly we start winning, complaints subside, they earn money.
In the four full seasons they've been here, we've been relegated in last place, promoted through play-offs, relegated in last place, accused of cheating and expelled from play-offs. Arguably our three worst seasons in the last 16 have come in the last four.
I feel like administration beckons. This club will start to rot, we might head the way of Wednesday. So deeply upsetting. And enraging.
15 May 2026 07:39:02
{Ed's Note - SaintGGsy has posted a new article entitled, Saints, the EFL, and the spying fallout
14 May 2026 22:30:31
{Ed's Note - SaintGGsy has posted a new article entitled, Saints, the EFL, and the spying fallout
26 Apr 2026 17:55:58
Well that hurt a lot. Did nothing wrong for 80 mins, unlucky deflection, then an absolute screamer. We can hold our heads very, very high. And could be promoted within a week.
Win Tuesday and it is an absolute free for all on Saturday. Anything less and we're probably settling for fifth.
Ipswich and Millwall 80, Boro and us 79, you cannot predict what might happen and the pressure which might play on those sides. Ipswich would have had one win in four, Millwall playing to potentially get to the PL, us in form chasing them down. I'd fancy us to have a chance with a win. But it all depends on Tuesday first. If we had won all of our remaining matches and got to 84, it would have been enough. Fine margins.
Assuming the likelihood that we do end up in the play-offs, odds are it would be Millwall v Wrexham / Hull and us v Boro. You'd again have to fancy our chances, especially if we can get fourth. None of those teams scare me so I do like our odds, and top five is now secure. I just hope this season ends in success after the amazing efforts of the last few months.
1.) 27 Apr 2026 18:23:19
My worry is the momentum. The draw hurt us in the league recently and then out of the cup, with a hint of maybe along the way.
That said no one in the play offs worry me either, Millwall have been excellent but man for man we are better.
Thanks to Will Still obviously
2.) 27 Apr 2026 18:23:41
And good update to the site Ed's
{Ed033's Note - Thanks.
21 Apr 2026 21:48:35
Well, a draw tonight doesn't change much. We need to beat Ipswich well, and hope Millwall lose one of their last two.
Also, play-offs now confirmed. Who'd have thought that two months ago. And 20 unbeaten. On to the semi-final. I'd rather a cup win than promotion!
08 Apr 2026 21:35:31
Putting my most optimistic-yet-possible hat on, best case for the final few games as I see it;
IPS NOR L, POR D, MID D, CHA W, WBA W, SOU D, QPR D, 82 points
MID POR D, IPS D, SHW W, WAT W, WRX L, 80 points
MIL WBA W, QPR D, STK W, LEI D, OXF D, 81 points
HUL SHU D, BIR W, LEI D, CHA D, NOR D, 75 points
SOU DER W, BLB W, SWA W, BRC W, IPS D, PNE W, 82 points
WRX BIR W, STK W, OXF D, COV L, MID W, 74 points
DER SOU L, OXF W, NOR L, QPR L, SHU W, 69 points
So it comes down to us and Ipswich on GD. But also, that final day would be one from four and utter madness.
Likely goes Ipswich’s way. But if we beat them, then it would be ours to lose. I think the pressure of Saints’ form on the faltering pack is starting to seep in.
If we win all of our final six matches, I think we finish second. That would be 10 wins in a row to finish the season and none of the four above us have won more than 3 of their last six.
Ipswich are unbeaten in 8 but includes some nervy draws. And they are playing a lot of teams with something to play for still. Boro and Millwall form is falling off a cliff but their run-ins are kind. I’d expect we end top four, but hope if we don’t go up, Ipswich do.
Then it’d be us against Hull/Wrexham if third, or Boro/Millwall if fourth. You’ve got to fancy us of those sides. The only issue is, we have to lose eventually. Hopefully it’s not in the play-offs. But frankly I can’t believe this is the same season where we were 21st, losing at home to Preston and Blackburn. If we’d made the switch to Tonda earlier (someone here won’t be happy reading that), we would be going up without doubt.
03 Feb 2026 18:37:46
I don’t think we want to go back up this year. Even less experienced manager, scars of being battered every week, and knowing we’d have to spend a lot to have a chance at staying up. Recent yo-yo teams like West Brom, Norwich, Sheff Utd are all struggling, maybe a year out will do us good. Though it is absolutely no guarantee we go up next year.
We’ve got rid of some high earners, got some money in, and made a few low risk loan signings. In an ideal world we finish in the top 10 and look competitive.
I know it’s varied wildly in the last few weeks between going down, going up, play-offs and obscurity, but recent form of other teams and our lack of movement makes obscurity the likely result. 12 points ensures safety, and we have a kind run over the next month which I think ensures that.
We then hopefully have a strong base for summer. Get rid of McCarthy, THB, Stephens, Downes, Edozie, Downs, Archer, Bazunu, Brereton (total £60m? ) then it’s just a total reliance on the ability of the board to get good players in. Of which there is a slim chance.
31 Jan 2026 19:48:04
Aribo off, potentially Archer or Armstrong, maybe THB, that’ll clear three of our highest earners and potentially get £25m in. Would allow us half a season to take stock and attack the window early which we never seem prepared for. All for it if that’s the plan and not splunking £20m on some rubbish from Ligue 2.
28 Jul 2025 23:52:30
Given the absolute state of last season, anyone being sold wouldn’t upset me too much. If we get money in from them, it allows Still to build his own team. I imagine we are as always tight with the figures so need to sell to buy, but the more we get out of the door the more quality we can hopefully get in.
Dibling will go, so will Ramsdale - they’re too good not to. THB, Sugawara, ABK, Downes, Armstrong, Diaz and Archer aren’t as good as they think they are, but would all be handy in the Championship. Any of them going wouldn’t be a bad thing.
I still think we will get a lot of movement - the big clubs are sorting out their front lines, meaning the mid table clubs will then use the cash they have to sort theirs, and will look to find deals or spend big on quality - once that’s done, they’ll buy in other areas. As we don’t fall into the first category, it’s just a waiting game or seeing what interest we get overseas.
We need a GK, RB, CM, CAM. With Ramsdale and Dibling money, we should be able to do that. I don’t think they will go for CBs - we bought potential players two years ago in Edwards and Wood - and we have five strikers on the books all of similar quality. We won’t be able to afford to splash out for more.
Problem area for years has been in attacking midfield - we haven’t had a properly good winger since Mane left - but if still goes back 3 then it’ll be more on #10s hence the importance of Fernandes, though I think he may be off too, purely for the fact that we could double or triple our money in a year.
Two weeks to Wrexham, I think we’ll be unpleasantly surprised by a 1-2 loss!
02 Jun 2026 10:54:11
No doubting there are worse acts but we've still committed an offence and correctly been punished for it. The punishment was the harshest option, but it was an option which was on the table and we have to accept that.
Even after the latest round of releases we still aren't admitting fault and are trying to lay the blame with others. We cheated, own it, make the necessary changes and let's go again. It seems the club's stance is an us against the world siege mentality. Fine. But if no changes are made, that's how a club starts to rot.
01 Jun 2026 21:51:26
Yes it is commonplace, but no-one else has been caught doing it except us in the last seven years. We blatantly broke the rules, for which there is no excuse.
I think a bullying mindset may have grown from such a terrible 2024/25 season, people's jobs being on the line, and wanting to do whatever they can to start winning games. From that comes desperation, aggression, cheating to try and gain an advantage.
I really don't see any justification. We've knowingly broken the rules, expecting the sanctions to be minimal, totally underestimated the reaction - as have many fans it seems - and the club themselves are coming out saying 'it's not us, it's the people who caught us that are the bad guys'. Which is nonsense.
When the reward of promotion is so high, we can't expect a small penalty. Swindon were promoted then that was nullified and they were relegated a few years back. Juve were relegated for breaking rules. It's simple. Don't want to face any punishment, don't break any rules, no matter how minor the infringement may seem.
The league have to protect the integrity of competition. We snuck around spying on clubs even on the day of matches. It's not on. And the club and fans still don't seem to see the problem.
We've been rotten for years. I could take being bad at football, but I can't stand us trying to cheat. I'd appreciate if we at least admitted we'd done wrong which we still haven't, nearly a month on.
19 May 2026 22:12:36
We can't have any complaints. We've admitted to cheating, the media doesn't come into it. We've said ourselves that we're guilty. They have every right to sanction us as heavily as they want to. And apparently Tonda was leading the spying efforts not realising it was against the rules.
That's not an excuse. This is systemic cheating, and we've been penalised to the largest extent (expect being relegated).
The main point of frustration and anger from the fans shouldn't be at the decision, it should be at our club for wasting this season on lies and fraud, and they haven't had the immediate courtesy to admit it to us, apologise, or stop when they knew what they were doing was wrong.
19 May 2026 20:04:21
Disgusted with my club. No complaints with the sanctions. We knew what we were doing was wrong and did it multiple times. Idiots. That 20 game unbeaten run, the extra time winner, probably the run to the cup semis, all lies.
We wouldn't have only spied on 2nd, 3rd and 22nd. Unless they happened to be the easiest targets. This surely runs deeper. Tonda will go, most of the board will go, most of the squad will go.
This is one of the worst days in the history of the club and I don't see how we come back from this. We blatantly cheated. For months. We probably really were a team bound for successive relegations.
But the real worst part. We admitted to spying for three games. Games we lost, drew, and drew. If it is just those three occasions, WHAT WAS EVEN THE POINT OF ANY OF IT.
So deeply upsetting. All that hope and expectation built on cheating. I could cope if we were relegated. If we were just not a good football side. I cannot abide by my team cheating.
Unless heads roll, this club may slowly start to die.
03 May 2026 18:02:16
Provided we don't lose at the Riverside I'll feel confident of progressing, but that'll be a right old battle over 180 minutes.
Hull aren't to be underestimated but Millwall must fancy their chances. We have been there and done it recently. Hopefully that gives us the edge.