Done us a few times over the years haven't they? Remember a 3-2 win at St Marys and a certain Rickie Lambert knocking us out the FA Cup in our relegation/admin season I think?
I was in the home end for the Bournemouth v Saints in League One when we won 3-1. To make it worse I was surrounded by Bournemouth players 'family and friends' as my daughter's boyfriend at the time got me a ticket. When Lambert scored the free kick, the guy next to me, turned and said, "You're a Saints fan aren't you?" I said "What makes you think that?" (I was pretty sure I was quiet etc) "The smile on your face" was the response
I was there! And I’m ashamed to say I was one of those who ran on the pitch... “We hate Rovers, we hate Rovers, We hate Rovers, we hate Rovers, We hate Rovers, we hate Rovers, We are the Rover haters!”
Sat in the home end at Carrow Road 2004 I think with my Norwich supporting mate. Beattie duly scored I went nuts forgot myself and is the only one up screaming and going mental with delight in the whole of the stand. Well dogs abuse for the rest of the game , but to be fair done in a friendly way. Not once did I feel threatened but boy I was glad we lost that the day! Always had a soft spot for Norwich ever since.
Ronnie Ekelund is the only one I can think of that comes close, what a player he was in his short time with us, Le Tissier's favourite player he played alongside which says it all really!
Just think how my Pompey mates felt....... all of us in the chocolate box down at the dell. I was 15 they were 16-18........Or me down at Fratton in the home end with them........Although in truth there wasn't quite the hostility in those days. Then the dare..........to wear a Saints shirt and scarf in the home end at Fratton....this was in the early 60s in my mad naval days. Pompey were not playing Saints although I forget who they were playing. When the other side scored I revealed my shirt and scarf.........There were a few mainly down the front that got upset....but most around me, although they didn't know I was a Saints fan, just laughed as they had seen me in the stands with my mates for years. My mates and I used to go to each others games since we were small kids. Surprisingly quite a lot of the younger fans did........and yes they came to St Marys God bless them all...they're in the big crowds in the sky now.....but we had some fun.....happy days.
A certain memory of mine was a 2-0 win at home to Bristol City in the season of 07/08. I know quite a few City fans and had heard so much about how they were going up and we were going down, and was ready to accept another defeat in a pretty abysmal season. We played them off the park and won comfortably. We also, somehow, didn’t go down, and they lost the play off final thanks to a Dean Windass belter.
Interesting post that Beddy, although there wasn't the hostility then would you say that that was around when things started changing in that respect and we started becoming the more successful club?
Yes mate there was hostility soon afterwards I gather (I hope it wasn't me and my antics that started it.......) My Saints attendances in those days was a little scarce because of my time away admittedly, although I still went to matches both at Fratton and the dell although mostly in uniform, when ever I could. I have to admit I didn't have any problems although I did hear of the odd fracas. Also another perhaps strange phenomenon was in London around 64/65. Pompey were playing one of the London clubs as were the saints. We bumped into a load of Home supporters (Sorry cant remember the club) they were giving the Pompey fans a real beating. About 6 of us went to the aid of the Pompey boys to even things out a bit (as you do) Both we and Pompey gave a good account of ourselves. Sadly one of the Pompey fans was taken to hospital. (I heard later that he had in fact died). I wasn't able to go to any more matches until towards the end of that season. Now a civilian I met my Pompey mates and went into Fratton. I was recognised by one of the lot from the day in London who paraded me amongst his mates (as a Saints fan I might Add) and that didn't seem to matter. They took me to a pub after the game not far from the ground and I swear I have never had so much drink in my life. I ended up sleeping on my mates floor. He drove me home the next morning still hardly able to stand, puking up every where. My head felt the size of a house. My young wife going bananas (we didn't have mobiles in those days) It took me about a week to recover. As penance to my wife I had to buy her an automatic washing machine I seem to remember. Happy days though although the football violence was to escalate with most clubs especially Millwall I gather.
