Southampton Dellivery

We’re coming to the end of the last international break of the season, and it’s driven me to new lows. We were asked about the most attractive Saints’ manager of all time, and I took that and decided to make a “March Manager Madness Bracket” to find out who the sexiest manager in the Premier League is… If you are reading this sometime before 5:00pm on Tuesday then you should still be able to vote in round 3, otherwise be on the lookout for the business end of the competition and have your say.   Before I could come up with anything less spectacular than that, Aidan Small grabbed me and we had a chat about everything from the appointment of Mark Hughes, to the importance of Charlie Austin coming back from injury and the symptoms of Pellegrino that are still plaguing the squad. We also find out why I love Ryan Bertrand and much more on this episode of the show.   Aidan Small is on Twitter @MrAidanSmall and @FreshSaints, and you can read writing from him and others on his talented writing team by visiting f

Episode 63 went from being completely planned (twice) to over-crowded, to a bit shorter than normal, all within the space of a week. In the end, though, I’m more than happy with how it came together and thrilled to have gotten the chance to connect with so many wonderful people in such a short time.   The span of the last 7 days (I’m writing this about 7 days and 3 hours after Pellegrino was sacked), I’ve done more guest podcasts and TV appearances than in the past 2 years combined. Add to that I was on the road for work, and sharing a room with a friend of mine (who loves me plenty, but has little patience for me getting up at 4:00am to edit or stay up until midnight to record). Nonetheless, this week we have two separate, shorter interviews, and 4 voicemail messages sent in from listeners reacting to the hiring of Hughes and the win in FA Cup Quarter-final clash against Wigan.   The way the show is structured this week is a bit different. First we’ll have a listen to some fan opinions on the hiring of

This week was a weird one. We were absolutely torn apart at Newcastle, as Saints conceded more goals than they had shots on target. The performance was gutless and it caused the likes of Freddie from The Ugly Inside, Adam Leitch of the Southern Daily Echo, and Adam Blackmore of BBC Radio Solent to begin to turn on the entire situation. All three have tried to remain neutral in their analysis and judgment, and although they have been critical in the past, this match really did it.   The same goes for me. I generally try not to be as harsh or critical as some, but this weekend put me over the edge. The manager had to go, and he did! But, Pellegrino didn’t make his way out until my guest and I were done recording, the episode had been edited, and was pretty much set to go out. Nevermind, that, though, I don’t mind doing a little extra work in this case.   My guest this week is Josh, who runs @thesaintsfcpage on Instagram and @SaintsFcPage on Twitter. Josh has the distinct disadvantage of speaking to me after

This week I’m joined by Rob Adam Evans to discuss the scoreless draw that took place at St. Mary’s  against relegation rivals Stoke City on Saturday. Despite the storm that blew in and brought snow to much of England in the days leading up to the match, volunteers and the staff at Saints gave it their all to make sure fans could get safely to and from the stadium.   Rob and I didn’t talk all that much about the snow or the walkways, but we did look at the match and discuss the few positives that were there, the impact it had on our standing in the table, and what we need to do going forward in order to remain in the Premier League.   Rob was fantastic to chat with, and I hope you enjoy the hour or so of our two hour conversation about the team and life in general that made it into the podcast. Rob is on Twitter @RobAdamEvans and writes for @FreshSaints. You can find his articles and many more at freshsaints.com, and if you haven’t done so yet I encourage you to check it out. The articles there are top no

Michael Kurn is Southampton born and bred. He always wanted a career in professional football and he’s created one for himself as a presenter and reporter for the Premier League, working on studio shows such as Premier League FanZone and bringing pre and post match interviews with players and managers to many of our TV screens. Michael also does a lot of work with charities and other sporting organizations. From Hampshire Cricket, to England Hockey and the Olympic and Paralympic games, Michael has been around world doing what he loves.   Michael and I discuss his journey and career, as well as his current speaking engagements and upcoming book by the same title “Desire Dream Vision.” Michael is truly a motivated and inspirational character. From his positive attitude to his work with charitable organizations, just listening to him will inspire you. We also talk about Saints, the draw at Burnley, and what the rest of the season looks like for Saints as the club strive to stay in the Premier League and make a

This weekend I had the pleasure of speaking with Kirsty Whitton(@Whitton_8), midfielder and Captain of the Southampton Women’s Football Club. After Kirsty helped lead her side to a 4-0 victory on Sunday afternoon in the semi-final of the Fa Hampshire Cup she sat back and chatted with me about her career, coming to the South Coast, her goals for the season, and more. We also took some listener questions (thank you to everyone who sent them in!).   Kirsty is sponsored by Keila Tucker (@keilatucker), but the club is always looking for new sponsors, as the players and coaches often have to pay their own way to the matches, for training, etc. If you are interested in sponsoring a player, coach, or advertising, you can visit the contact page on the website, or email the club secretary (email below).   A special thank you to the Southampton Women’s Football Club, Lee Calendar, and Kirsty for making this happen. It’s a pleasure to be able to work with such a fantastic organization.   Kirsty Whitton on Twitter

I had the pleasure of chatting with Lucy Highnett (@lucyhighnett on Twitter and Instagram) for this week’s podcast. To be completely honest, I’ve wanted to have Lucy on the show for some time, but we couldn’t find a time that worked for both of us. But, finally, with her PhD studies wrapping up, this weekend worked. I was excited to hear her perspective on the team and what I thought was some momentum being built, and then we played Liverpool, with 5 ex-Saints in the squad (all of whom played in the match). Even after going into the break down 2-0, but having played a decent 45 minutes, I was feeling okay. Then the team came out flat in the second half and rarely looked as though they were going to threaten LFC’s lead. At the end of the weekend Saints are back in 18th place. 18th. Relegation Zone. The board is silent. Pellegrino still employed. No matter, though, because the conversation I had with Lucy was by far the highpoint of my weekend where Saints are concerned. Even though the message may be grimm,

This week I’m joined by a wide variety of guests from around the world to help cover a range of topics related to the sport of football and the Southampton Football Club.   First up I spoke with Andrew Coulton, a Baggies fan originally from Burton-on-Trent but now living in New Hampshire in the USA, about our most recent match against West Brom, his history with the club, coaching a former Saint, writing, the legacy left by Cyrille Regis, and more. We easily could have spent more than a full episode talking about all of it, but we kept it to a reasonable time given we still had more to cover. Andy is a passionate, caring, and knowledgeable man who understands the connection fans share and what makes the relationship between us and the football so special. I am truly grateful for the time I was able to spend with him. The link to one of his recent articles on Cyrille Regis is below. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend it!   As we have done previously, after the transfer window closes, it’s nice

Ben Hernandez-Stroud, the man behind The Archers Road End blog joined me this week to discuss our FA Cup 4th Round victory over Watford. The win pushes Southampton’s unbeaten run to 4, but we’re still in the relegation zone and I personally am somewhat unconvinced. The team looked good for large parts of the match, but some of the decisions made by the manager cause me to question what’s going on, even after I heard his explanation of tactics.   Ben and I talk tactics, social media, writing, life, and the outlook for Saints FC over the next few matches. Ben provides some true insight and clarity into what is a murky and somewhat bleak outlook. I hope you enjoy it, and please be sure to share the episode on Social Media, if you are into that sort of thing.   Follow Ben on social media @archersroadend on Twitter and Instagram, and at facebook.com/archersroadend, and be sure to visit the blog at archersroad.wordpress.com.   This podcast is partnered with The Saints Report. For your all your Southampton FC

We got a point, against Tottenham no less. The same team that absolutely trashed Saints just a few weeks ago was held largely at bay by Saints on Sunday in a hard fought match which saw each team walk away with a point.   That point is about the only positive thing to come out of Southampton this week. No new signings, we fell into the relegation zone, and things seemed to be getting more bleak by the minute. But, with the performance on Sunday, maybe there is more than just a little hope that we could be playing Premier League football come next August.   Joining me to discuss the match and try and put it all in context this week is Allen Gunn, who’s on Twitter @a_gunzy and who often writes and Tweets for @StMarysMusings. Gunzy also writes and does media for Myerscough Basketball Academy (@My_bball on Twitter), so feel free to check it out if you are into that sort of thing.   Allen was nice enough to speak with me immediately after the Tottenham match, before I left town for work for the week.... I t

I feel like we’ve seen this, heard this, said this, and written this before, several times, and I’m afraid we’re going to run out of new ways to say, “we sat too deep once we had the lead,” and “where is our leadership on the pitch?” And, “what is Pellegrino doing with his substitutions?”   Luckily, my guest for this week’s show, Alex Hammond (@sainthammond on Twitter), writer for Read Southampton and La Liga News), speaks 3 languages, so at the very least he brought some variety. Alex and I break down the woeful second half performance against Watford, the manager’s decision making, take listener questions, discuss Alex’s writing and fan history, look at how Saints will HANDle that last minute goal from Watford, and more.I hope you enjoy the conversation, and ple ase be sure to check out Alex’s writing- links to the sites are above, and his match report for the Watford match can be found here.   This podcast is partnered with The Saints Report. For your all your Southampton FC news and needs, visit Th

***Quick note*** this episode is long. It’s my fault and I apologize. My illness caused me to lose track of what was happening, so please excuse the meandering questioning at times during the interviews. 2018 is beginning a lot like 2017 ended.   Episode 53 marks the beginning of the second year of the podcast. We made it 52 straight weeks with an episode. I’m proud of that, but it wouldn’t be a thing, or mean anything, without all of you taking part in, listening to and/or giving feedback about the show. Still a lot to learn and improve on, but this journey has been fantastic so far and I’ve learned a ton from so many of you. Thanks for all of it, and hopefully the team and the podcasts continue to improve (and learn from our mistakes).   This week I’m joined by Cameran Alavi, a Saints fan based on the East Coast of the United States. Cameran is a coach and football (yes, we call it soccer) enthusiast. From MLS, to the USMNT to Saints and even a Manchester United connection, he’s in it and on it. We ch

Episode 52 marks the end of the first year of the podcast. 52 weeks, 52 episodes, more than 60 guests and countless hours of audio. It’s been a fantastic experience for more than one reason. Thank you to everyone who has supported in one way or another. This wouldn’t be anything without you.   For episode 52 I am away with family. This episode was recorded a few weeks ago with Simon Parker, head coach of the Southampton Women’s Football Club. We talk about Simon’s journey to being the manager, his philosophy on managing the club, the struggles associated with earning promotion in two straight season and fighting for the league lead, and we take some questions from his players (which he didn’t know was happening). I hope you enjoy the chat, and I look forward to speaking with you all again in the new year.   A Special thanks to Simon Parker for giving me his time, and to the club for allowing me access to their players and coaches this season. You can follow Simon on Twitter @1swparker. Give him some encou

First off, if you are listening to this instead of being with those you love, for whatever reason, consider pausing the episode and calling them, or going in the other room to see them, or texting them or whatever you can do to let them know you love them. That’s what this time of year is all about. Before Jack and I went on our respective holiday shenanigans, we decided to discuss Southampton, our current form, and the issues we are having at the moment. We discuss everything from poor player performances to manager, the board, recruiting and more. I think you’ll enjoy it, and I’d love to hear about it if you do. If you re a Twitter user and don’t follow Saints News and Views, you should. It’s @SaintsfcViews and it is well worth a follow to keep up on all things Saints. We spoke about a Saints fan, Mark Taylor, at the end of the episode. Give him a follow and send him a messge of suport on Twitter. You can find him @Saint_Mark_211. This podcast is partnered with The Saints Report. For your all your South

What a week for the club...2 losses, 0 points, and a -4 goal difference after Claude Puel’s Foxes came to St. Mary’s and ran us ragged, and then we made the trip to Stamford Bridge, only to lose on a cheaply given free kick that Forster failed to get down and block.   There’s truthfully not a lot to say, other than the performance against Leicester was unacceptable, and we need to start getting some points, now. The manger shook up the lineup against Chelsea, and spoke of player commitment to the club. It will be interesting to see who gets gametime and who finds themselves on the bench or completely left out going forward.   Joining me this week, for episode 50, is Chris Rann (@crstig). Chris runs the website http://georgeweahscousin.com/ and you should make sure to visit from time to time, just to check out the funny and interesting takes he has on the club. It’s worth a visit, even if it’s just for a laugh or two. Additionally, make sure to check back towards the end of the season for the Ali Dia awar

Phil Drake, author of To Be A Saint, joined me this week to talk about writing, his new book and the recent happenings with the club. It was a real honor to have him on the show and to get the chance to talk about the history of the club through the eyes of a fan from 1976 to present. This book is almost 20 years in the making, and you can tell. It’s a fantastic story, and it’s beautifully told.   Phil has written a bunch of other books as well, both fiction and nonfiction, so do be sure to check them out!   If you’d like to get a copy of To Be A Saint you can do so on Amazon. If you’d like a shot at a free copy, make sure to retweet the pinned tweet on my page (here as of 2:00pm Tuesday, 12/12) and follow both Phil (@pdrakeofficial) and I for a chance to win. Additionally, you can like the post for this episode on Instagram (@sfcdell_ivery) and tag 2 people in the comments to give yourself an extra chance to win. Good luck!   Links to Phil Drake’s online livelihood: Twitter- https://twitter.com/pdrak

In a week where Saints’ fans had both one of their longest and shortest away trips if the season, I’m joined by Aydin Osman to help sort out what to make of our performances against Manchester City and Bournemouth. It was a pleasure to speak with Aydin, and although the technology and Skype gods did their absolute best to foil our plans, we managed to talk about a range of things, from our recent team and individual performances, to Pep’s pep talk with Nathan Redmond, a Sterling strike, the possible penalty at Bournemouth and much more (don’t worry, I did cut out the 15 minutes or so we spend talking about internet providers and TV licenses… which I didn’t even know existed). Anyway, I think you’ll enjoy it… and don’t worry, there isn’t an overwhelming amount of stoppage time on this episode. Enjoy it.   About a month ago Aydin wrote an article looking back at the year since we played at Inter. It’s a worthwhile read, and the link to it, and the Read Southampton Facebook, Twitter, and Website are all below.

Well how about that? We all know Everton are garbage, and it’s not just former Captain Ron that thinks so. But, no matter what you think of the blue side of Merseyside, you have to give some credit to Saints for their performance on the pitch on Sunday. In the immediate aftermath of that bare-bottom spanking we gave Everton, I spoke with Jamie Grant of @TheSaintsReport about the match, mental health, and the upcoming trips to Manchester City and Bournemouth. It’s not often that Jamie steps out from behind the Instagram filter, but it’s always a pleasure when he does.   The Saints Report Twitter- https://twitter.com/TheSaintsReport?lang=en The Saints Report Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/thesaintsreport/   Special thanks to Jamie for having the courage to speak about his ongoing battle with depression and mental health. I know it’s hard to speak about, but the only way we can change the stigma surrounding mental illness is to speak out about it.   Resources and Links for Mental Health NHS Depress

This week is pretty special. I got to see a few of my good friends for the weekend, and, currently, my family and I are at Disneyland, the happiest place on earth. It’s a good thing, too. I consumed so much alcohol Friday night and Saturday that I remember very little of the Saints performance against LFC. And, what little I do remember is being replaced by memories of my kids screaming with excitement at the sight of princesses, wild rides, or spinning teacups. I also know that this episode is pretty special.   This weekend I spoke with Millie Peak, #1 for the Southampton Women’s Football Club. Millie and I spoke on Friday evening (pre-alcohol) about her career, being a goalkeeper, the team’s recent form and more. It was a pleasure to get to pick her brain about the game and get her thoughts on it all. I think you’ll enjoy it.   Millie is sponsored by Dosanjh Convenience Stores (link), but the club is always looking for new sponsors, as they players and coaches often have to pay their own way to the matc

This week I had the opportunity to speak with Greg Baker, head of the Saints Foundation about serving the communities in and around Southampton through his work at the Saints Foundation. As always, we start with being a fan and work towards his current position as head of the Foundation. From there we look at the different projects the Foundation are currently focused on, how it’s changed since its inception in 2001, how new and current projects are developed, how you can get involved, and, most importantly, why he and his team do the work they do. If you didn’t already think the Saints Foundation was doing wonderful things in the city, I think you will after listening to this.   The links to get involved and follow the Saints Foundation are below, so be sure to check them out, whether you thought you heard of a program that would benefit you or someone you know, or there is some way you would like to help. Get in touch and get involved in what Greg and his wonderful team have going on.   Links for the