Southampton FC’s application to have Michael Poke return early from loan has been turned down. Odd considering our first choice is out, I suspect this is another one of those cases where if it was a big club, it would have been agreed. But as it is Poke is now stuch at the Gulls until January 2nd.

Meanwhile Alan Pardew is spending time watching on loan striker George Donnelly put through his paces in training sessions and reserves matches with a view to taking him on in the January window. It is though he may take Donnelly on with a view to Saga moving on to Swansea in the New Year, being they have showed interest again in the Pole lately.

Pardew has even revealed he may be looking to bring in one more face before today’s deadline on emergency loans. With at least seven games in December, as well as this weekend’s FA Cup trip to Northampton, Saints are embarking on a hectic schedule.
Pardew said it is a time when they could use as much squad cover as possible, not necessarily just for someone to slot straight into the team.

Pardew said “I’m just keeping my eye on the market; we want to try and cover ourselves for this period.  We’ve got a lot of games and a big squad as it is, but there’s still one or two areas that I feel it would maybe be nice to have a look at one or two players.

As I say, reading between the lines, clearly he feels Saga is outta here and maybe he needs cover in this period in case Rickie or Connolly get injured. So perhaps by tomorrow morning we will see Donnelly as a new signing!

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