...................West Ham and Leeds claim them to be? Reading the Yorkshire Evening Post this morning the Leeds fans are suggesting we are the media's darlings and get favourable coverage by both TV and the press. Just a few weeks ago West Ham fans were claiming the same probably because they have lost the top spot as the media's darlings since they opted for hoofball, gained a reputation for poor on field discipline and everyone started to laugh at their continued claim to the academy tag. They really have become a clone of Bolton Wanderers FC and that is not surprising with big Sam at the helm. Do we get favourable and preferential coverage or is the exposure to be expected when you are top of the league with great players, a great manager, great fans and playing wonderful football?
It's about bloody time. For too long we've been the last match on Match of the Day and the smallest article in the Sunday papers. It's about time this massive football club got it's deserved media attention.
We're not media darlings, we're a club that are exceeding expectations, playing lovely football and the media want a slice of the action right now. Leeds and West Ham have had massive coverage over the years, so they are just throwing their toys out of the pram because the light is shining on someone else. What's so special about West Ham... A club that were predicted to go straight back up, have spent millions and have a massive squad. They should be happy that we have taken attention off them because they have just been able to get on with things. As for Leeds. They still live on past glories. Despite the current league positions they will believe that that are still the no.1 team in the country and that all other clubs are just in football to play against them now and then. We are getting what we have earned and deserve for the style of football we play. It's jealousy and just something else for them to whinge at.
Wasn't there a thread recently about the lack of coverage? I don't think we are media darlings, but are getting the coverage you'd expect at the top of the league. I noticed that the minute we lost top spot to West Ham, the media immediately decided that West Ham would be champions because that was the team they'd backed from the beginning. Up to us to prove them wrong.
Yep, that just about sums it up. However, if people want to complain about poor coverage, it's not at the expense of some other club, it's the Football League itself, which picks up the crumbs left when the Premier League has been covered 10x over. I'll say it again, at least half or more real football fans are supporters having a team somewhere in the Football League. Add up all these fans and they will equal or outnumber real fans from the Premier League. Yet their coverage is appalling by comparison.
media bloody darlings! The Sun wouldnt even print our name a year or so ago cos they couldnt take their own photo's!!! We play good football and have lots of english players, english manager and good support so yep we should be shown in a good light imo.
im not so sure this was said as a derogaitve way, so surprised this was picked up on. each to their own, i guess.
I just don't understand what having English players and managers has to do with being respectable. Seems odd to make that connection.
I think it gives some people a "home grown" feel. Nothing wrong with that and I didn't read it as derogatory comment. You must be a left wing student who reads the Gruardian...
Left wing - yes student - yes Guardian - yes But don't be thinking you've got me all figured out I'm a complex individual. For example, I also like the Independent and the Financial Times.
God bless Guly and Morgan, my favourite Saints players. Oh and Rickie and Adam and all the rest as well really. I am an Internationalist in the modern sense of the word. I don't care what colour, creed nationality or religion if they pull on a Saints shirt they are all OK by me.
The thread is about 'media darlings,' yes? The main-stream press like to big up england so yes if we have lots of english personal at the club and we're successful it will get big ups from the likes of the daily mail, the sun etc. Hence media darlings. We're not talking about 'respectability' which is a spurious meaningless word in this contect for me.
I don't know a single Leeds fan who cares the slightest about the amount of coverage Southampton receive, except on the Football League show where the top two are guaranteed massive coverage even when they've played a crap, boring game. I'm pretty sure we get televised more than any other team outside the Premier League, but that doesn't mean we're media darlings.
Yes I suppose you're right, sometimes I forget how fickle this country can be. I think I can be forgiven for the times that I've spoken out against national pride on here. We don't have a lot to be proud of.
