Being a resident of Ooh-Aar-Ampshire close to S'fampton (yes, the really do speak like this down here) I have to say that I'm pretty annoyed that they're having a good time of it right now. For many years S'fampton were my second team (if such a thing is possible, which I'm sceptical about) because of my proximity to the city and the fact that I used to cadge a season ticket in the days of Keegan, Shilton, Channon, Ball etc. and you couldn't help but get caught up in it all, except of course when Stan came to town. Most of my neighbours are S'fampton fans except one who's a Swansea supporter, but he keeps himself to himself, except for the strange bleatings emanating from his garage, the coal dust and the close harmony singing. But I digress... You see, it's ever since Redknapp took over that these Saints fans have started wishing ill on the Rs. Never minded 'em before that, see. But soon as 'Arry took the helm they've started telling me in no uncertain terms how they wished relegation on us, how richly deserved it was because we thought we could buy our way out of trouble, how physical and cynical the Rs were when they won at St Mary's last season and all manner of similar ill wills. I was at a dinner at St Mary's a couple of weeks ago; a black tie soirée dominated by very boring fat men droning on about FRS102 and US GAAP and the deficit in between forcing bits of quail down their Ruud Gullits. Even at this dull affair in aid of charity I didn't escape the ire of some young S'fampton upstart who was a dead ringer for James Dreyfus out of Gimme Gimme. Having told him I was a QPR fan he asked me in all seriousness "what is it like having the worst manager in the world?" Boy do these prats carry a grudge like forever! There was pretty much dancing in the streets when Redknapp joined them, then extreme hatred when he went back to Pompey and called it his spiritual home or sumfink. I s'pose many here would feel the same way if we'd had a similar experience with a manager ping-ponging between the Rs and that bunch down the Fulham Road, but surely with the Saints riding high, the Rs in the league below and a good few years having gone by they might be able to move on? Listening to it nearly every damn day by dreary old foreskins that ought to know better is starting to grate, particularly when said with such vitriol by people I thought I was on reasonable terms with. Tossers, all of them, and I'm absolutely hating this uptick S'fampton are having in their fortunes. There, I've said it! Is this a similar experience for you, Flyer?
I'm sure you told him that he should pay more attention. Mark Hughes now manages 5th from bottom Stoke City.
Damn, that would be one hell of a millstone around your neck. Successive managerial appointments, both get relegated from the premiership.
Their ire toward us is indeed stupid. The same way Stoke fans could rightly feel annoyed at some of our fans wishing misfortune on them because they have a former Manager of ours who we don't like. Leave them at it mate.
In short, saints fans are ****ers. I agree. Good job we'vehad an excellent record at St marys as they seem pretty quiet after every game, they'd be giving it large if they managed three points against us.
'Ampshire 'Ogs - Me too, my parents lived in Andover, then Winchester, later Chandlers Ford, so the Dell was a very easy drive to catch Division 1 football, especially when the R's played there. Living in Hampshire I used to travel with my Dad 1966 - 1975, to see R's games at places like Bournemouth, Portsmouth, Swindon, Bristol City, Oxford United, plus quite a few Loftus Road games, but my older brother and his mates used to go down to the Dell to watch Saints, so I used to join them as a "neutral" for those games. Now Dad, a West Kilburn lifelong R, had absolutely no interest in watching Saints, and for some odd reason my brother had no interest in the R's - that was always an activity, or "obsession" for just Dad & myself.
I lived in Hampshire for 6 months. I was seconded onto a project at IBM Hursley and stayed in Romsey which is not far outside Southampton. Glad to see them doing well. I wouldn't begrudge them having a good season. Good luck to them.
Usually I'd be right there with you with that point of view, Fingals. But the cacophony of unpleasantness from seemingly respectable people in their "executive homes" behind the pampas grasses is really starting to piss me off. If you had to listen to it practically everyday, unsolicited, unwarranted, unwelcome, and maybe another word beginning with 'un' thrown in for good measure, you might find yourself occasionally wishing S'fampton a ten-match losing run too. They have short memories, these S'fampton fans. It was but a few seasons ago that they were languishing in The third tier themselves, and very nearly stony broke. Unlike Rs fans, however, they don't appear to have that self-deprecating gallows humour, but instead have an expectation and a delusion of grandeur built upon a handful of modestly successful years in the mid-70s to early-80s. Swords' remark about Stroke under Hughes is fair enough, except I believe many here are wishing the Potters would sack him for being crap, rather than they themselves nosedive to oblivion. The Saints fans I'm encountering right now seem to want the latter for QPR simply because Redknapp has previous with themselves and Pompey. Most of them don't even know why they hate Portsmouth. Why, I even had to correct the Dreyfus character when he referred to them as the 'scummers'... That's what they call you, sonny boy; they're the skates. If you're gonna hate somebody, at least work out why!
Sorry you have to hear that über. Like the majority of 'ampshire residents I have a dislike of saggy chops, but I didn't wish relegation on you or wish you failure in your current promotion campaign. He won't get a great reception next season (I'm assuming we'll stay up) and I'm happy to give the old 'onest crook a bit of stick. Well done to QPR for keeping some football likability despite the triple threats of Redknapp, Barton & obscene wealth.
Lots of us dislike Arry but have nothing against QPR. In fact Rangers have been one of my favourite other clubs since the days of Gerry and Stan.
Thanks 'Hero. Reading that was like shaking hands with somebody whilst they kneed you in the bollocks.
Poor little uber, I do hope no nasty unsaintly saint makes him cry today, I really do! What a thoroughbred pansy! (Go Burnley.....just for good measure)
Dont mind Southampton the team or the town, much nicer than portsmouth. Some comedian, cant recall who, once said Portsmouth looks like a city out of place on the South Coast and that it should be situated between Widnes and Runcorn. Although I guess you need to know the South Coast and the Dee estury to appreciate that.
I need only go as far as Andover, B.R. I have an acquaintance in the medical profession who dreads receiving patients from Andover because there's too many that are aggressive, ignorant, obese and just plain weird. On one occasion he accompanied an ambulance to a static caravan park where the attending fire brigade were required to remove the side of one of these homes in order to extricate the patient (as he was too large to fit through the door). As a measure of the length of time he'd spent confined to barracks, it was then discovered that the flesh on his legs had grown into the trousers he'd been wearing so that man and apparel were one and the same. It doesn't bear thinking about.
I thought I'd come up with a thoughtful, witty and well-reasoned piece for the digestion of my fellow Rs, Swords, but obviously hadn't bargained for the incisive retort of a latter day Oscar Wilde. When you're up against that sort of intellect its best to not re-engage for fear of being completely humiliated. The man's simply too powerful for a mere mortal such as I.
