Kelvin Davis Testimonial Arranged

I can't wait to see Iago Falque.

 

Me too, he played such a massive part in, er, something or other. If he ever actually existed that is!

 

Kind of crazy really. Seeing ashe is actually a good player.

 

I'm hoping that current Saints will be 2 goals ahead with 25 mins to go, only for the Promotion Saints to bring on Jonathan Forte to score twice in 2 minutes.


Without those 2 goals I don't think we'd have gone up that season

 

I'm going to put my neck on the line and say there is no way whatsoever Lallana can win my respect back. Never seen anything so insultingly ill-conceived as that Echo page in my life. Signing other team's shirts. Using the press to badmouth our club to force a move. That beard.

I'm sorry, I don't hate him, I just respect him less than an ingrowing toenail.

 

I will respect him for turning out for a mate despite the abuse he gets at SMS. Hope people don't ruin the evening for Kelvin.

 

This is a bit like the love of your life turning up to support you on your wedding day (marrying someone else, obviously).

Not actually very helpful.


Anyway, isn't he due another few months off injured? Doubt we'll see him.

 

Not sure your analogy works too well (wouldn't it all end Graduate style with the love of life running off with the bride or groom?), but can see where you're going. It could all be a bit embarrassing. However, where your analogy does work is that at this hypothetical wedding the guests would all make sure the bride and groom had a great time and wouldn't start shouting "Who are you?" and "We ****ing hate you" at the interloper. So I hope people just stifle all that for Kelvin's sake.

 

This gives an opportunity to actually show appreciation for a player who stayed with us throughout our relegations and played a major part in our promotions. I find it strange how much abuse he gets (irrespective of how he left) given the number of opportunities he had to leave for 'bigger' clubs when we were in the lower divisions. I doubt we would be where we are now if he had left earlier. If two goals by Forte against MK Dons was significant in our promotion, what price the contribution of Lallana?!I think the least he deserves is silent appreciation.

Right, now to put on my hard hat, climb into my tank and withdraw to the bunker for protection.

 

Why would you say this? I think everyone on this thread has said the same thing. You can come out from the bunker and take off your hard hat...


*right lads, as soon as he is in sight, batter him

 

Kelvin says in the Pink that he is well into talks with Southampton about a post-football career. Glad to hear that, but he does say that it is a big decision to finally hang up his gloves. I would say go for it Kelv....better to stay at Saints than have your career fade away at a lower league club.

 

Don't get me wrong, I want him to stay, however a lot of.people would say it's better to keep playing as long as you can no matter how far down the pyramid you go.

 

Steve Davis, his snooker playing namesake, was asked when he was on top why he didn't retire and he said something along the lines of "it's your job to keep playing as long as you possibly can and allow the next generation the joy of overtaking you". I always liked him for that.

Vin

 

Bugger that. Playing for fun is one thing, competing proffessionaly when your body just won't respond anymore must be heartbreaking; time to move on whilst you're still on top and not risk being remembered for having a shocker against Luton.

 

I agree. A player dropping from the PL won't necessarily do well in a lower league. The same demands will be put on his body as before, but he is no longer as fit. Might work for a young player who just isn't PL material, but not for a fading player. Stay with us, Kelvin. At least you would still be in football, but that poor old war horse of a body can take a well earned rest.

 

I love the way we all describe him as a decrepit wreck (which I guess compared to our young players he might seem) but he's only 40 and actually in good shape for his age. If he were in another sport it wouldn't be unreasonable for him to still be on top of his game. Maybe that's me getting older!
But I agree stay at saints, good presence to have around.

 

You get the odd jockey still riding well into their 40s and even their 50s, presumably because they're in a sport where the benefits of experience continue to outweigh the impact of physical decline. Can't think of many other sports where someone in their 40s would still cut it though. What age do ballet dancers normally retire at I wonder?

 

Darcey Bussell retired from ballet at 38 but she still performs less punishing forms of dancing. Margot Fonteyn, on the other hand, carried on until she was 61!

 

It's not just fitness with a GK...it's reaction times as well. Ballet dancers can adjust their style and jockeys let the horses do the work. Perhaps Kelvin could be given an assistance dog to help him.

 

Or he could take up ballet...

By the way, I would bet that any principal dancer in a major ballet company has to maintain fitness levels well above those of even Premier League footballers. Not only that, but they often dance carrying injuries which footballers would be out for weeks with, such as broken toes and ligament sprains. This obviously has a long-term effect on their health: Darcey Bussell recently revealed she needs a hip replacement at the age of 46.