LET'S PACK ST MARY'S FOR THIS GAME!! IF YOU DON'T TURN UP, YOU ARE NOT A PROPER FAN. #AND WE'LL REALLY SHAKE THEM UP WHEN WE WIN THE CHECKATRADE TROPHY CUP, BECAUSE SOUTHAMPTON U23'S ARE THE GREATEST FOOTBALL TEAM AT BEATING TEAMS THAT DON'T WANT TO PLAY IN THIS POINTLESS COMPETITION#
Don't know when this will be played as Wed/Thurs are taken up for Europa League against Hapoel. They need to train there Wed night, we need to play Thurs night.
I am disappointed in the reaction to this Competition, at least we have actually got some real positive coverage on SSN for change, perhaps we can put it back on the map. It does highlight what we are doing with the Academy, it does give players needing playing time genuine match experience. If all you want is Premier Football that is your choice. I feel that supporting your Clubs needs more effort at all levels. The game is scheduled for 5th December, subject to the usual changes.
What useful experience do our Young Players get from playing in empty stadiums against teams who don't want be in the competition and clearly don't take it seriously? Is that a "genuine" match experience?
If you were there last night you would have seen our youngsters learning how to deal with physically stronger opposition, and showing the class to win it, you would have seen Florin gaining confidence the longer he played. You would have learned something about the talent coming through the ranks. The lack of respect for the Competition irks me. Are we really "too good" to be in this Competition? We didn't think that when we won it as we strived to return to better things. I suggest that you all think again about how you support your Club and the game overall. There is more to the beautiful game than the arrogance being offered that demands greatness and nothing less acceptable.
When this was the JPT with just league 1 & 2 teams, it actually meant something - as we well know! Adding in youth sides has made it less competitive and more trivial to many.
Genuine matchday experience? I think 6 u21 sides are out already so you're saying they learn more from those 3 games than say 10x that out on loan in more competitive action? The whole idea has devalued the competition massively. A lot of lower league teams aren't taking it seriously, and most fans aren't either with lots posting their lowest post war/all time attendances. Also who said I don't take interest in the lower age group teams? Just not this competition as it's a ****ing joke. I wonder how you would of felt back in 2009 if we had gone out to wba u21s...
Not to all of us though, it is a Competition that is being reinvented, it needs supporting and of course sensible ideas on how to improve it, not to be criticised out of hand.
Why does it irk you? Do you not think it irks the perennial lower league teams fans that tge competition has been taken over by a lot of the bigger clubs? Yes we are too good for it, it's a competition for tier 3 & 4 teams.... no we weren't too good for it in 2009, because we were in the 3rd tier. The other problem with the 'development' argument is that due to it being in International breaks, arguably, the best youngsters won't play in it anyway. I believe this is why United, Arsenal etc. turned it down... So I'm wrong but you're not willing to debate any indicivual points? Wow you've convinced me
Good news for me, the game is during my 2nd to 11th December visit to England so I can get to Crystal Palace away, this game and Be'er Sheba at St Marys
I could get in to a mega diatribe if you wish, but perhaps others could get a word in on the subject, quite willing to listen to reason. I have seen a few gripes from lower League teams on line, but not to any great extent, I have also seen a few messages saying how they welcome the opportunity to play these teams, it works both ways.
I put the low crowd numbers on Wednesday down to a lack of publicity and late information about the venue and how to attend the game. I also think that the fact that so many games at Staplewood were behind closed doors meant that our fans have lost interest in attending these games. I have been able to follow several of them live on line and take notice of what we have in the U18 and U23 squads as it is important to see what we have to look forward to.
At the beginning of the JPT Cup run, the attitude was very similar to this current apathy, a little bit of success and suddenly people sat up and took notice, and on that Final day, I and over fifty thousand Saints fans were having the time of their lives at a Wembley Cup Final, people moaning because they couldn't get a ticket. How do explain that? A Minnow Cup that really meant something. We put it back on the map, it isn't our fault that the subsequent standards were allowed to drop again and they had to find a way to change the format in an attempt to resurrect the Competition.
Fair enough mate... To be fair talking attendances I'm not really on about our ones, more the lower league teams. Like I said earlier there have been a few who have posted their lowest post war attendances... that can't all be a coincidence. I think that it's fans voting with their feet as they feel that the competition has been devalued so are not taking it seriously. I think the EFL ****ed up by assuming all the tier 1 academies would jump at the chance of competing. I know the clubs voted for it but I can't help think that if they knew that 5/6 biggest clubs wouldn't participate the voting might have been different. We'll see what happens next year anyway and if they continue with it. I stand by hoping we don't get very far though.
I wasn't in favour of the U21s entering as I felt for the lower league sides....however it seems to be giving our lads some experience and competitive games which they welcome. So purely from a Saints POV, I hope we progress.
