When we are no longer a small club, but have finally made it to become a "big club" which many of our fellow fans from other clubs delight in telling us, we will never be? It might be a cabinet room full of shiny cups and a European tour, but personally I know the moment that realisation will dawn that we have finally joined the elite. It will be that first rousing chorus directed at our supporters at the expanded St Marys or new megastadium of "We support our local club!" So that's my yardstick. What's yours? (and no, I am not getting a round in)
So that's my yardstick. What's yours? __________________________ A good thread, a valid question. Me personally, well I find myself being more proud of the way our club is run, how we go about things. Bringing through youngsters & watching them develop into some of the best young talent fills me with pride, but as we haven't got a cabinet full of trophies, I don't know how I would compare my feelings. I was born at the start of our 27 year reign, but I can honestly say I wouldn't have swapped the two decades I remember of not just near survival, but great football experiences for one day out at Wembley & a open top bus parade. Even when we were at the Dell, we were only smaller, not small.
When we are linked with every young promising english player who appears on the 1st XI of bottom 10 prem team, just before we play said team?
When a player is linked to ManU, but they have no chance of signing him because Southampton have shown an interest.
I suppose the point I was making is that the point where we are considered a big club is when people call themselves our supporters despite having no family or geographic links to the city. I am already proud of the way our club or run and the style football we play and I am not bothered that a Leeds fan might argue that we are not a big club yet (accurately) because I am more interested in having a glorious future than a glorious past.
TBH, I couldn't give a monkeys. The whole "our club is bigger than yours" is a pointless argument. Size is no guarantee of quality, and past history is no guarantee of future performance. If we are successful and fulfilling our potential then why care? If some mong from some other club says "we are a big club and were a good side twenty/thirty/forty years ago and you are not therefore you should defer to us and gift us three points" right before we kick their collective asses then all the more satisfying for us. RLT
When you go abroad and a waiter says in pigeon English "Ah you English, the beetles, royal family, Safhampton football club, very good"!
When the words "X has handed in a transfer request to Manchester United to force move to Southampton" crawls across the bottom of a Sky screen...and turns out to be correct.
What is a big club...anyone know?.......Yes you would probably Say Man United because where ever you go in the world you would see a united shirt. They also get crowds on a regular basis of 65000 plus. Same can be said of a lot of "Top clubs" Benfica, Madrid Perhaps. Same with a few Italian Clubs. What of the other clubs though like Arsenal 60000 odd, Chelsea 41000 odd, Man City 47000 odd currently. Do you see that many shirts abroad of either of those three? No, not that often in fact rarely, but they are considered to be big clubs. So the answer for me has to be a combination of pulling power, crowd sizes, say a minimum of about 40/45000, top league you play in and your frequent level in those leagues including Europe. You have to play fairly regularly in Cup finals. Also have a top class marketing team to go with the success. No easy combination at all.........
I think it's fairly accurate what Lawrie McMenemy said about Saints in the Keegan era 1980's when he mentioned that almost every club had their best attendance when Saints came to town. We were... a big club in a small stadium/ground/package [can't remember exactly].
Lol had to chuckle about this one. Went to Marmaris, Turkey 20 years ago. So Saints were top flight. Shopkeepers trying to get you to go in their shop (quite literally every single shop you go past you get hassled) would small talk trying to strike a chord and I got pissed off with the multitude of 'Aaaah Soondarlend. Engleesh. Warner buy somm gold..........F*****G Southampton you cock and no I don't want yer f*****g gold. LMAO. So I guess we weren't actually big back then
When the Champions league draw is taking place and the presenter says:- "Ball no. 3 - Barcelona play........ Ball no. 12 Southampton. Oooh horrible draw for Vilanova's men there, Pochettino must be really fancying his chances of a 3rd consecutive European Cup now Jeff" I live in hope.
When the media start questioning pre kick-off why we've rested over half of our supposedly best XI in a league match against another Premier League club, but we still win anyway ;-)
One drunken night a month ago, I bet £50 with my Arsenal supporting friend we would finish the league above them in the next 5 years. when that happens that is my yeardstick
