Match Day Thread Alehouse Brawlers vs Baggies Friday 17th May 8pm

We go into the deciding match having drawn the first leg 0-0 and knowing who the opposition will be for the winner. Lots of post match critique of course with little to choose between the teams. Now time for to move on with constructive advice for the manager, coaches and tea lady who's positive influence in the dressing room should never be underestimated.

The Baggies may well come out with all guns blazing as they did at the Hawthorns or will they sit back and try to catch us on the break? Whatever, we have to cope with it. Hope Che Adams is fit and Ross Stewart will probably have a part to play. Stuart Armstrong is a big miss of course but could make the euros for Scotland.

We remain slim favourites but, as someone famously said "ït's a funny old game" The semi second leg is on let's just 'kin do it!

Match officials
Ref. Tim Robinson.
Lino: Timothy Wood.
Lino: Mark Scholes.
In the stands: Keith Stroud.
Reserve Ass. Ref: Graham Kane.

Thanks St Osp and Tom.

 

A familiar spot in the stands yet today is different. A rarefied atmosphere. The buzz of excitement so real your hair stands on end. Friday night under the lights. Groups of men swaying, fresh from the pub, geeing each other up. Families wait while mums unwrap bits of cake from a backpack. Someone slapping the backboards. The starts of a chant.

A few rows over, men and women in other shirts, but otherwise the mirror image of the first. They gird themselves for the ritualistic combat of the match in different accents. Each group, just for a moment, is allowed to fixate on the otherness of their rival. Southern. Midlands. Same. Alien. Good. Bad.

Beneath them, in the green colosseum, the players are hopping and jumping, kicking long balls across the park, striding out superstitious paths around the ground. They hide their fear with bravado, or with crosses drawn on chests, kissed crucifixes, expletives shouted to the heavens. A leader draws them together into a circle. A hush settles around the ground.

They line up. Two teams who have battled hard to get here. One will be left behind.

The fans of both sides pray it won't be them.

 

Loading is Brian Blessed

COYS Let’s do this!

 

Lets make some noise but for heavens sake ignore the messages on X and the Echo, please no flares and no effin bells...

 

I think this game could be decided by which team scores first. WBA were very well organised in their press and knowing when to apply it. I also thought they were well set up defensively and if they score first I think they will circle the wagons and just try to keep us at arms length.
Having said that there were 2 or 3 times on Sunday when the ball was played in to Adarma in decent positions where a decent touch could have given him a shot on goal, but his touch was poor.
Might be a game for Fraser and Adarma out wide, making runs behind the CBs, especially if they continue to press high up the pitch.
If we score the first it should force them to take more chances and hopefully leave gaps for us to play through.
Shame Stuart isn’t available.

 

More Richard Attenborough describing tribal behaviour in his mammals series humans episode.

 

https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/be-early-bring-the-noise-and-show-your-stripes

We’re encouraging supporters to turn out early, be in their colours and bring the noise, as we head into Friday evening’s playoff semi-final second leg against West Bromwich Albion (KO 8pm).

The Saints team bus will arrive at St Mary’s at approximately 6.15pm, with food, bars and music from 5pm to get the party started.

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Supporters can also take advantage of discounted food and drink offers up until 7.15pm.

Bring the noise and show your stripes

The support this season has been brilliant, and now we’re asking supporters to take it up a level and bring the noise to be our 12th man for this important semi-final.

We want the players to walk out to a sea of red and white as they arrive, as well as in the stands, so we encourage supporters to wear their colours.

Whether it’s a new shirt or an old shirt, we’d love to see the Saints red and white army out in full force to make the most of an important second-leg home advantage.

Supporters can take advantage of over 50 per cent off in the club store and online including this season’s shirt.

Food and drink discounts

Arrive early to make the most of your matchday, with 25 per cent off until 7.15pm - the discount will be made available via our app to redeem. The offer on our app will give a discount on drinks at the Gasworks and all other external bars from 5pm, and on all food and drink in the stadium concourses (open at 6.30pm) until 7.15pm.

Simply show the app discount to our bar and concourse colleagues to redeem.

Family Zone: Burgers and drinks. Food vans: Burgers, chicken, duck wraps, ice cream, churros and coffee (Discount not valid here). Concourses (open from 6.30pm): The usual offering including pies, hotdogs, snacks and drinks.

Matchday entertainment

We will be joined by a whole host of Saints Legends, with Matt Le Tissier, James Beattie, Franny Benali, Mark Dennis, Nicky Banger, Glenn Cockerill and Peter Rodrigues all in attendance at the match to cheer on Russell Martin’s men. Some of our legends will be making a guest appearance talk as part of our matchday entertainment, something you won’t want to miss.

In the family zone, live music will be starting at 5pm and we will have face painters on hand for fans of all ages.

From 6.45pm we will have competitions, prize giveaways and an interview with the British long-distance runner and local lad Mahamed Mahamed. He recently came fourth at the London Marathon and is the third fastest British marathon runner ever.

Your kids will be able to test their skills in the family zone, with our gameday challenges.

And don’t forget Sammy and Mary Saint will be walking around the ground, so feel free to stop them for photos.

 

I won't be getting there early, but I'm nervous about this already! Massive, massive game. I think I'm more nervous because we should win if we play near to our best, if we come at it with the right mentality and intensity and the players perform. We've beaten them twice this season and drawn once. It just feels like set up for us to **** it up.
Completely agree that the first goal is so so important. Which is why it's good we managed to keep them out on Sunday. They are much more solid defensively than we are and will be a nightmare to break down should they take the lead as they'll just sit deep and defend with 11 behind the ball.

 

On X there are fans boasting about purchasing flares. Being a big game, it seems that the lunatic fringe are coming out of the woodwork? Where have they been all Season?

Ground Regulations. (excerpt)

7. The following articles must not be brought within the Ground - knives, [Illegal Substances] , fireworks, smoke canisters, air-horns, flares, weapons, dangerous or hazardous items, laser devices, bottles, glass vessels, cans, poles and any article that might be used as a weapon and/or compromise public safety. Any person in possession of such items will be refused entry to the Ground.

It would be ironic if we were to win promotion and then get kicked out for not being able to control the fans. No doubt any offenders will be subject to life bans e.t.c but that will be too late. I am all for a bit of chaos and mayhem, but I worry it could all go very wrong, and I am still not convinced about the Premier with VAR!
Life as a Saints fan is never easy and it doesn't appear to look to improve any time soon.

 

As far as I'm aware, the vast majority are just coordinating and buying them for the bus arrival moment (which the club appear to be encouraging) - I'm sure a couple may end up in the ground but stewarding on entry should/will sniff that out a bit too.

 

I'm hoping for a spine tingling atmosphere.

Friday night, under the lights, a slow but loud "Oh When the Saints", followed by the deafening roar of the first (of three) goals.

 

"boasting about purchasing flares"? I bought mine in the early seventies, but I don't think I'll be boasting about them. Mostly because I now need a pair with a waist size of about twice the diameter of my early seventies figure.

 

I mentioned elsewhere the only flares we need at St Marys should be from the waste downwards if you want to be retro.

 

Great preview - thank you. That's this about Stuart and his injury? I thought it was more serious so great to hear that he could be available for the Euros.

 

It's a definite maybe, here's hoping. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/68861708

 

I think that it's all about before the game mate. The club are trying to cajole the fans down to the ground before kick off to meet the team coach in a sea of red and white to roar the boys on*. Lots of our youth want the old smoke and flares to create an intimidating atmosphere, so we can cosplay that we're Galatasaray. If you close your eyes and squint a bit we can easily pretend that St Mary’s isn't in a **** industrial estate but Italy/Turkey. I don't think anyone bar the odd idiot would bring it in to the stadium during the game.


*the cynic in me definitely isn't assuming they've got absolutely **** loads of overpriced kingfisher with a July sell-by date to get rid of.

 

Can’t believe flares are back in fashion. Just shows, if you wait long enough everything comes round again eventually. Quite looking forward to going to football in doublet and hose.

 

Fair enough, unusual for the players to arrive in the team bus, I thought they normally arrived in dribs and drabs in their own transport?

 

Yep they do. Occasionally (maybe on a big occasion like this) they stay over the night before at a hotel (can't remember the name now in Soton) and team arrive by bus to give them a sense of occasion too. Good idea I think - builds morale and hopefully gees them up!

 

Hopefully a grade up on a B&B Bevois valley?