Match Day Thread Interlude: Granny checks her phone (Tuesday 6pm)

As someone said “wish I could get an away season ticket” - at least you know you’ll be amongst really passionate fans!

 

Agree with that Dave, I have some great away days memories filed under what goes away stays away. Pre Mrs Jab I hasten to add.

 

We need a volunteer for the last match thread of the season please.

 

I nominate you.

 

I am crap, we always lose when I do one

 

I agree with most of what your saying, but thought I'd offer a view from the doom and gloom camp.

I'm Old enough to have supported Saints through the ****e times, the constant staying up by the skin of our teeth through the late 90s to the 05 relegation from the prem and subsequent relegation to league 1.

Since the Adkins era we've been treated (and I mean really treated) to the best footballing times of my life. Wembley, back to back promotions, playing inter Milan. It's been amazing.

Rightly or wrong, as a fan base our expectations have changed. We've seen what we could do, and seen what we could have been so close to (are Leicester really that much bigger than us?) This has been taken from us over the last few years, always waiting for the second half of the table to be shown, nervy moments with relegation and knowing the sum total of the ownerships ambition is hoping they're 3 worse clubs than us.

The second half of this season has been ****ing awful. None of us can deny it. The fans are deflated, more than a little pissed off and know full well without some decent investment we're likely to be in trouble next year.

Now, the actions of the fans in the stadium; we're treated as customers these days, can you really blame them for acting like it? I feel more disconnected from the club then I have in the past decade, and I doubt I'm alone in that. People don't really have an outlet for letting the feelings be known other than whinging and griping on social media or in the ground.

I thought (from the comfort of sky sports) that the crowd were pretty vocal 1st half, but can you really blame them for switching off second half? It became a bit dull, predictable and everything we've had to watch for the last 5 months. It's like groundhog day.

A poor transfer market and start to next season will mean things will get so much worse.

**** those who left litter though. Twats.

 

Well get it out the bloody way this season then

 

I was there last night, sat on my own on the Kingsland/Northam corner. I had other friend in the ground to share a pie with at Half Time. The atmosphere was really good. I was singing, clapping and getting involved (even though I don’t know some of the words to some songs!). The only thing I didn’t like were a smattering of boos for the take the knee. No need for that but it was a minority. And that’s the point. The vast majority were positive spirited and vocal. You will find negatives if you look hard for them - people on their phones- it’s not a crime! Yes it got quiet at the end but we had lost and it was an end of season affair with nothing on it. I stayed to applaud the few of the staff who bothered to recognise the fans - Ralph, Jack and JWP from memory. It’s a 2-way thing!

 

Yeah historically there's certainly been a case to criticise our home support. But not last night. The only booing I heard was also when taking the knee. But during the match itself, it seemed really positive and supportive to me.

 

Got to be @LincolnSaint

 

Excuse me, you have a thread to create!

 

Booing the knee not criticised?

 

Only when it's Millwall fans.

 

We aren't.

 

Always pleased to see a post from you, now get on with the match thread.

I am a fair bit older, I'm guessing, and my best memories also take in that golden 'three-wins-from-the-double' era under Lord Lawrie. But your analysis that 'expectations have changed' is absolutely spot on. In the early 80's we had the 'superstars' team with Channon and Keegan having us believe that anything was possible. It was at that time when the Guardian came up with the phrase 'The Archers Road Whine' to describe the reaction of our fans. Best summed up by the overheard phrase '****ing Channon should have had four today' after the ruthless destruction of an opponent who had dared to share the pitch with us and been beaten 4-0 but St Mick had only scored one.

It is always thus. I have a number of Manc mates who have supported City since the 50's who now complain of loss of atmosphere, and that things were actually more exciting when they were playing in the third tier - because the fans actually cared.

Of course, everyone is entitled to support the club as they choose, but the fact remains that I've enjoyed being among Saints fans standing in the driving rain on the 'Grace Kelly' stand at Blackpool far more than some of the Chapel inspired offerings at St Marys.

Final word from me on expectations. Coming out of Wembley one fan said to me 'We'd have won today if we'd had De Gea in goal'. I said nothing, but thought 'No ****? We would also have won had we signed Lionel Messi in time'. We are Southampton FC. We've got the players we can afford, and we can't even compete with Wolves and Leicester when it comes to transfer fees and wages. I've always taken a simple line as a fan. If the bugger's wearing a Saints shirt and doing his best he gets my support - even though inside I know he might be a little bit crap.

 

Spot on!

I would add to your last line though:

 

Please will someone do the West Ham thread?

 

If no one has done one in a few hours I will give it a bash as I'm a bit busy at the moment

 

We've always been a small club on the south coast punching above our weight. Our net transfer spend of -0.6 million over the last five years is second only to Norwich.

 

Good point, well made!