ShotGunn dismissal leaves Canaries reeling

In fairness, when I tipped Norwich for the title - just a week ago - I did say that my predictions have a tendency to end in tears. But I didn't expect this one to go tits up quite so quickly.

After just a game of the new season, the Canaries have ditched their manager Bryan Gunn. Given their terrible start - they were beaten 7-1 by Colchester at home on Saturday - this decision will surprise few. Despite restoring some pride with a cup win on Tuesday, having supporters throw their season tickets at you on the opening day puts you in a rather irrecoverable position and he had to go. So much for them emerging as champions in May - although the bookies had favoured them too, I add in defence.

Raises an interesting point, though. Out of all the relegated teams - us, Norwich, Charlton - who would you rather be supporting? Norwich's season may have ended before it started and while Charlton look solid, there is nothing to set the world alight. Down here on the south coast, however, we have a solid manager who is doing and saying all the right things, a couple of respectable results and some very positive signings. We may still be 9 points behind but the feel-good factor is back. Give me Saints any day.

Cup success sees Ricky off the mark

Saints got their first competitive win under Alan Pardew last night as they beat League 2 Northampton in the first round of the Carling Cup.

Saints 2 - Northampton 0

A crowd of over 10,000 watched as Ricky Lambert's debut goal was added to by Adam Lallana's second half strike. It marks another step in the right direction for Saints and should fill them with confidence ahead of Saturday's trip to Huddersfield.

Ricky! Rickayyy!!

Good work Pards. The Saints boss has wasted no time in adding a proven goal scorer to the ranks, with Bristol Rovers striker Ricky Lambert joining today. The 27 year old (right) was joint top scorer in League One last year with 29 goals and got off the mark this season on Saturday. But a deal was wrapped up today for a fee that could rise to £1m - but if he can keep on banging in the goals it looks like money well spent.

Another positive step for the Pardew era - COYR

Solid start to Pardew era

Saints got off to a rumbustious start in the third tier yesterday, earning a point in an exciting season-opener at home to Millwall. With St Marys bathing in rich sunshine, a crowd of over 20,000 came to witness the real start of the Pardew regime and left feeling confident about the season ahead.

Saints 1 - Millwall 1

Chances were shared fairly evenly in a match where a combination of heat and fatigue meant players were truly puffing by the end (Graeme Murty certainly was). But it was Saints who got the lead early in the second half as Matthew Paterson latched onto the loose ball following a goal mouth scramble. It was a sloppy but not undeserved goal and the perfect start to the Pards era. But in characteristic Saints fashion, the defence - which had been strong throughout - then suffered a wobbly ten minutes. The colossal Wayne Thomas was unlucky to concede a penalty and Kelvin Davies came to the rescue with a fine double save. But the excitement cost Saints dear as a lack of defensive organisation two corners later saw Nadjim Abdou rise unmarked to head home. Millwall had chances to win it as Saints ran out of steam but the side held on to move a point nearer to 0 points.

Positive Signs: A great atmosphere and good to have the crowd back. Aside from the 10 minute panic, our defence looks very solid, as good as any in the league. Dan Harding and Wayne Thomas both excellent and Graeme Murty, well, entertaining.

Room for improvement: Once injuries kick in, the cupboard is bare. Rahdi Jaidi was a big miss, but we also badly need another striker; we only have Pats and Saga, and the latter is probably off anyway.

Comedy moments: The distinctly unintimidating Millwall crew wore shirts with the phrase "we fear no foe" printed on the back. I bet midfield behemoth LLoyd James had them quivering in their steel toe-capped boots.

Prediction Time

Like it or not, the time has come for me to make an idiot of myself once more by sharing with you my predictions for the forthcoming season. To limit the likelihood of a series of great footballing eggs decorating my face, I will be restricting my predictions to tiers one and three. And if you think I sound overly negative about my predictive powers, remember - I thought we had a shout for the play-offs last season.

Premier League:

Winners: Chelsea Runners-up: Liverpool 3rd: Man U 4th: Arsenal
Relegated: Burnley, Portsmouth, Wolves

I think Chelsea have the strongest, most balanced squad of the top four and that United fans will have a frustrating season after a poor summer. Liverpool, meanwhile, will have a strong season but finish up the bridesmaid once more (a good shout for Champs League though). Arsene will again deliver wonders given his resources - gooners should show some respect. Mark Hughes to be fired by Christmas as City prove that clubs need time, as well as great players, to compete at the top. At the other end, things look gloomy for Pompey (hurrah!) as takeover uncertainty continues. I expect them, along with new boys Burnley and Wolves, to be for the chop.

League One:

Winners: Norwich Runners-up: Leeds Also promoted: Huddersfield
Relegated: Yeovil, Stockport, Tranmere, Walsall

If you want to make some money from a season-long bet, put your house on Stockport going down. Rookie manager, weak squad, club in chaos. Got this tip from my mate - and he supports them. Norwich and Leeds should dominate this league and as for Saints, if only, if only, we weren't starting ten points behind. Holding on to one of Rasiak and Saga is crucial, along with a commanding ball-winner in midfield and centrehalf - missing out on Jaidi was a big blow. Given the handicap, it would be foolish to put Saints anywhere higher than 12th.

Pink Article: After Dutch Revolution, Swiss Evolution?

On the eve of another new season, my thoughts on the months ahead were printed in local sports weekly The Pink on Sunday. Here is the article in full.

It has been a tough twelve months for the St. Mary’s faithful. But, with investment secured and an experienced manager in place, Saints fans have reason to be positive this season, writes Will Wainewright.

So much for a relaxing summer! Pre-season is supposed to be a restful period for football fans, a couple of months free of worried Fridays, stressful Saturdays and gloomy Sundays. Not for Saints supporters.

Even after the season from hell, the takeover saga was something else as the club flirted with armageddon. Despite plenty of bellicose talk from Mark Fry of his hopes for a sale, flogging the once mighty SFC turned out to be a tougher task than initially thought. Even Matthew Le Tissier, our saviour so many times before, failed in his attempts to find the club a buyer.

But now, despite entering highly in the pantheon of football failures, Saints could have a brighter future. The purchase of the club by Swiss Industrialist Markus Liebherr has secured the future of SFC and allowed fans to emerge from behind the sofa.

And it seems there are reasons to be (whisper it) hopeful. Though the shotgun dismissal of manager Mark Wotte is redolent of the Lowe era, the appointment of Alan Pardew is an encouraging sign. The English coach has a strong track record of steering sides to promotion in the lower levels and ranks as a managerial heavyweight in League One. That he would only manage at this level at Saints makes it pretty clear how highly he respects the club – and where he sees its future lying.

Just as encouraging was Kelvin Davies’ decision to remain at the club. Like Pardew, he would not be out of place in the Championship or higher and his loyalty to the club shows his belief in the club’s future, especially after performing so well in such a dire season. Both will be a class above in League One.

Pardew now has the job of building a side that can flourish at this level – by no means an easy task after the years of instability that have resulted in such a ramshackle look to the squad. But with all the off-field drama settled he has a clean slate to build a side worthy of promotion. Thankful to still have a club, fans will give him time to do this and will not be expecting miracles – particularly given our ten point handicap.

It may take two or three seasons – or even more – but that is not the important thing. After the chaos the club has gone through in the last few years, what fans want most is to be able to turn up on a Saturday and know their team will be well-managed and work their socks off. That is something for which Pardew’s sides have been renowned and bodes well for the future.

After the rushed desperation of the Dutch Revolution, we are hopefully in for a period of calm Swiss Evolution. A tandem of stability on and off the field has not been had at Saints for many a year and that is why fans are so positive now. After coming so close to losing their club, all are doubly keen to preserve and support it now. It’s strange, but if you had asked me in 2003 whether I would ever look forward to a season in League One, the answer would have been no. Not any more. Yeovil away – bring it on!

Jones revelations shed new light

Away from pre-season worries, it has been interesting to get the chance to read parts of former Saints manager David Jones’ autobiography, No Smoke, No Fire, which was serialised in the Daily Echo last week. He never struck me as the writing type – but if anyone has had a life to write about, he has.

I always thought he was a good manager, and his achievements with Wolves and Cardiff since his spell at Saints have demonstrated his ability to bring stability and success to middling clubs. He kept us up twice, finishing twelfth in his first season – a feat that recent events have shown to be harder than once thought. We will never know what he would have achieved at Saints as his stint was tragically interrupted by unfounded charges of child abuse from his days as a care worker in Liverpool. Jones was given time off to clear his name and Glenn Hoddle came in, setting the stage for our relative success in the early noughties.

But Jones’ successes on a small budget should not be forgotten. He was particularly effective in the transfer market, making a huge profit out of Kevin Davies and bringing in James Beattie and Dean Richards. Particularly interesting have been his thoughts on key figures at the club.

On Le Tissier –

Jones thought Le Tissier was a little too comfortable at Saints as a big fish in a little pond and should have moved to a bigger club. Oh, that and he “did like his hamburgers too much.” In a weird passage, he recalls being told by members of SISA (Southampton Independent Supporters Association) not to drop Le Tissier in any circumstances. Oddly, he says he replied by saying he would get “two bus loads of scousers down there to sort them out if that was a threat.”

On Lawrie MacMenemy –

Saints legend Lawrie apparently told Jones that “finishing fourth from bottom constituted success.” How’s that for ambition? Another example of old Macca dwelling on past glories for too long.

On Rupert Lowe –

Jones pokes fun at Lowe for “thinking he was one of the boys.” He marks him out as a “patrician” figure; backing it up with Lowe’s claim that he picked potatoes as a child. But unlike one of the coaches who did the same, Lowe “drove the tractor.” How fitting. More damaging is the revelation that Lowe claimed Saints were “going to burn up the Championship” last year with the kids they had. Not sure about that one, Rupes.