Match Day Thread Baggies vs Alehouse Brawlers Sunday 12th May 2:15pm

Why the Baggies? Before their current nickname WBA were known as the Throstles (song thrush) which appeared on the club badge although it may have croaked rather than warbled the Hawthorns being located in the Black Country pre clean air act.
The Baggies was first heard at the Hawthorns in the 1900s, but its exact origins are uncertain. One suggestion is that the name was bestowed on Albion supporters by their rivals at Aston Villa, because of the large baggy trousers that many Albion fans wore at work to protect themselves from molten iron in the factories and foundries of the Black Country. Club historian Tony Matthews, however, suggests that it derives from the "bagmen", who carried the club's matchday takings in big leather bags from the turnstiles to the cash office on the halfway line. Other theories relate to the baggy shorts worn by various players during the club's early years.The official club mascots are named Baggie Bird and Albi; both are based on the throstle depicted on the club crest.

It's a game of four halves with the return leg of the tie at St Mary's Friday 17th May K.O. 8pm.

 

Fingers crossed that the Staplewood gates are locked and won’t be allowing access to “training ground” injury.
Need to train without being too robust to ensure that everyone stays safe.
Oh and keep Flynn Downes out of the kitchen and give him his own chef until the playoffs are over.

 

https://www.not606.com/threads/southampton-vs-leeds-sat-30th-sept-12-30-ko.408796/
https://www.not606.com/threads/southampton-vs-cardiff-city-saturday-2-dec-15-00.409887/
https://www.not606.com/threads/southampton-vs-swansea-tue-26-dec-15-00.410305/
https://www.not606.com/threads/swansea-vs-southampton-sat-20-jan-12-30.410712/

Here are a few of the highlights of our season so far. When I took the threads on we were about to play Leeds and everyone was feeling low. We weren't just losing - we were losing really badly. Then Leeds came along and we got good. Really good. Or hard to beat at least. For 25 games we were riding a wave. Then we crashed again - until Jabbo took over just before Leeds.

I say history repeats. Three more unbeaten (including penalties!) coming up!

 

We'll ****ing smash em 1-1

 

This is not any attempt to throw spanners in St Jabbo's good works, but is there any precedent with regards to threads for two-legged fixtures? Does this semi-final consist of four halves, two away and two home, or is the home leg a separate entity to the home leg? I'm really just playing devil's advocate, as we'll win both matches, before crushing someone in the final, but does Jabbo hold the reins for the entirety of the two legs, whatever the 'half time' score is? Personally, I'm all in favour of as much Dutch Courage as I can hold, so the thread/threads are St Jabbo's, but I'm pre-empting any thread-related meltdowns/schisms/uprising, should we need to overcome a deficit in our home match?

 

I'm definitely not thinking with rose tinted glasses that: Ross Stewart is about to become our key player, scoring us in to the Premier League - making the money we spent on him totally worth it. Stop thinking about it!

 

It will be interesting to see how Martin approaches this game. I think we need the mindset of getting a first leg lead rather than playing for a draw. I think with no away goals West Brom would take a draw in the first leg and I'd feel much better about our chances if we took a lead to St Mary's.

 

I fancy our chances over 2 legs….any crazy result can happen in a single match.

Yep, that’s as wildly optimistic as I’m going to get.

 

Away goals don’t matter in the playoffs do they?

 

That's what I said. "No away goals".

 

This was briefly discussed in the DL/AHB match thread and, I think, without checking back, it was the tie result that counted.

 

This is only SFC's second foray into the play-offs while WBA are quite experiences. Other than the referee, Nerves, whoever he plays for, will determine the outcome.

 

Excited.

For me the pressure is off as I don’t care if we win or lose in the playoffs. I much prefer the championship anyway.

Being promoted would be good for the club’s finances but awful for me personally. Can’t stand VAR or the media circus around the PL.

 

Only closed southbound though so fine for journey up.

 

And afterwards fans will be so happy after beating The Baggies 4-0 that they'll willingly drive around the Berkshire countryside, just to extend the time that Red & White scarves are fluttering from car windows.

 

We are exactly the same. Cant help wanting us to win but perversely we will only be renewing season tickets if we don’t go up!

 

Am going to be in Eastleigh for the night of the second leg...anywhere decent to go and have a beer or several somewhere that might show the game?

 

In Eastleigh? You have to be kidding! Read Bill Bryson's account of Eastleigh in his book, "The Road to Little Dribbling."

 

I'm not looking for perfection Ides, just wondered if any of the pubs are worth a visit