Match Thread: Watford v Southampton

ofh: it depends a bit how strict you are when defining "true lover of the game of football". That suggests such a person puts his love of the game before his passion for his club, and maybe this is not the best place to find such a rare beast! Also bear in mind that however fair-minded and noble we try to be about Pompey, there were a large number of their fans, or "fans", who took pleasure in gloating at us in our darkest moments, so it's scarcely surprising when some of us lack a bit of tact towards them now they're in a worse mess. I lived there for a couple of years and when they played v Liverpool in the semi-finals of the Cup I was behind them every minute of that match, but I'm not saying all Saints fans should do the same, because we're all different. Good luck to Watford in the run-in.

 

You're a wag. That really made me laugh.

 

I wouldn't bet against Leeds chairman Colonel Sanders laying off the ground staff to save money.

 

terrypaine....I take your point, but I have been to grounds such as Workington, Halifax, Darlington, Chester, Aldershot, I think you will see where I am going. To follow your team to the outposts of the English leagues gives you hope that one day you will be actually successful. This can happen and you will finish near the top of the Premier division in the country, but the effects of losing that status can be worse than not having been there. I do feel very sorry for the towns that had league football, but very often through no fault of the fans, have lost it and now struggle to get the anticipation of a win for their team on a Saturday.
Last time that Watford were in the Prem. we had many people turn up to watch 'their' team, not Watford of course, simply because it was nearer to home or cheaper. That type I do not think of as true fans, but the ones who will go, come good or bad times I would consider to be the "true lovers of the game".

 

On Portsmouth: my attitude towards Lootonne was that I would enjoy whatever happened football/points wise whether they deserved it or not. If they didn't deserve a particular penalty, I'd acknowledge the unfairness but point out that if you overspend and don't in future convince someone to underwrite it, you have enjoyed a level of football and calibre of player that you were not entitled to.

The line in the sand I drew was that under no circumstances did I want them to go extinct or lose their physical assets (stadium and training facilities), and had no problem saying so publicly.

 

Training facilities for Portsmouth are in Southampton as they don't have the means to have their own.

 

30th January 1960 I was in St.Marys Southampton and I had a great afternoon with lots of friendly fans (unsegregated of course) who could talk about football in general. Of course both sets of fans wanted their team to win, yet football was the winner because we parted knowing that we all had seen a great match (2-2) and battle would be commenced again the following Tuesday. Snide comments were not required, but we did have plenty of good natured banter. Somehow that sense of 'the football family' has been lost due to the ever increasing influence of money in the game. Will it ever come back? I don't think it will. The game has become too expensive to promote and attitudes in general have changed.

 

Just got in about 20 minutes ago and knew nothing about what happened today - not a sniff. Totally overjoyed about the result. I've actually had quite a good day besides, but Saints winning 3-0 away has put a 6 inch layer of icing upon the cake.

 

Highlights from the game today. 1st goal- What the hell was the goaly doing. 2nd Goal- Lovely. 3rd Goal- Soft Pen but an absolute stonker of a finish.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQMLyXxP-VI

 

Do you think it is the fault of the fans or the succession of dubious owners? We as fans have virtually no say in how 'our' club is run, and we are very lucky when an owner who loves the club or football turns up.

 

agree with ofh that we've lost what you rightly call "a sense of football family". To those fantastic venues you mention, can I add Coventry (pre-Ricoh), Yeovil, Exeter and the slagheap at Walsall (as it was then!).

 

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That is ****ing brilliant!!!

 

This is the first proper match thread since 606 thanks to everyone.

 

hahahaha that made me laugh out loud!

 

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also from the camera angle shown the penalty was incorrect. the defender is making sure chun is blocked off so the keeper can come and collect the ball and should have scored the original opportunity.

 

Can we play you every week?!

Thanks for making the match thread.

 

It was a very nicely put together thread!
Good luck for the rest of the season

 

It's a great feeling isn't it. Like the whole 90 minutes squeezed into 1 second.