Now 10 years consigned to History. Some nice pics at this website please log in to view this image http://www.homesoffootball.co.uk/collection/search/southampton/1/937/
Can't believe it's 10 years. Loved it, but a move was essential for progress. Of course, we didn't know it was to progress to near oblivion and league 1. Don't regret leaving the toilets (or should I say toilet in the case of the family section!). Still, we are all in a happy place now.
I just wonder how long it will be before the visionary Nicola builds us a stadium to fit our ambition.
I think Nicola knows he has to spend on other things first. He'll need to be prepared to pay out heavily on players if we get promoted again. We need to be consolidated in the Premiership before risking on extending SMS and it will be ages (if ever) before we move again. It was paying for St Mary's that caused all our problems after relegation. Like Nicola, I want Saints to be successful and self-financing.
No I agree Fran, the last thing I would want is a repetition of the mess we got into after moving to St. Mary's, and I totally agree about the need to be sustainable and self-financing in the Premier League. I only brought up the new stadium because I am fairly sure Nicola and Markus did mention it as being in the long term plans when they first arrived. I've nothing at all against St. Mary's but I just wonder how sustainable we would be with a 32,000 capacity ground if we become firmly established in the Premier League with European campaigns on the agenda. "Let's get there first!" I hear you say.
I loved the Dell; that shot is the view I had as a 13 year old season ticket holder. Progress moves us on though.
Remember some Premiership sides don't get 32,000 gates, so we can compete. I don't think Nicola spoke in any depth about moving/extending. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it may have been a throwaway line that everyone's dived on and expanded to virtually a promise. As you said, let's get there first.
Nice pictures, trying to spot myself in the one you posted...Used to sit in the junior saints section at that time close to that supporting pillar. As for the future, I thought the talk was improving facilities of the surrounding area. For example a number of clubs have their own hotels. What land could be acquired for this is another matter.
You forget how small the Dell was when you see the old photos of it - I still remember being in a 32000 crowd to see Man Utd though crammed into the old place What an atmosphere we could generate - you could smell the liniment on the players as they ran by they were so close. Must have been an intimidating place to come unlike most of the new grounds
Nicola said that it was a possibility that they would extend the ground and maybe even move away from st marys didn't specifically say it was going to happen just that they wouldn't rule it out! I personally don't see the point in a move, even if we reach the level we all dream of. A ground extension seems more practical to me, not that we will definitely need it!
I think these days wealthy owners have an eye on getting income 365 days a year not just fortnightly during the season - building a larger stadium with hotels, confernece/exhibition halls and a business centre brings income in all year round - look at the Ricoh, Coventry even got a casino for a post match drink and flutter. How cool is that?
