The atmosphere at St Marys has been pretty poor this year maybe Inter and Liverpool aside , possibly the quietest i have ever heard it. The mindset of Saints fans has seemed to change with a real lack of fans roaring the team on. Also i cannot believe we havent got anywhere near selling out the liverpool semi and apparantly some tickets have been sent back, whats going on?
Money- people just don't have it to spare any more. Travel - people just dont have time with other commitments. Location - impossible to get to Liverpool in time if you finish work at 5. This season - hardly been a cracker has it so motivation and enthusiasm aren't there. This season in general has just been a bit laboured and going through the motions so can't blame fans for not being 100% committed.
The europa league games were pretty well received but I too have noticed it being quieter this season. Sunday was expecially poor but that's what happens when you play 12pm on Sunday. Of course this problem would be solved if it was more than just a 5th of the ground that bothered to sing and support their team.
The atmosphere was appauling on Sunday until we scored. Shame, but St Mary's definitely feels flat when we're not playing well. I don't think many teams this far south would sell out to Liverpool on a weekday, just too far with other commitments.
Maybe fans have got a bit frustrated, with the style of play, the various rumblings behind the scenes. For some Fans who play good money and attend regularly home and away, are fed up with the lack lustre way we have played. The fans did perk up after the weekends goals it is true, however if we are true to form it will be back to norm when we next play in the league. We have become so inconsistent sadly . Maybe though it will cheer us all up when Saints beat Liverpool and we get into a final........COYS
Atmosphere's been poor for a lot longer than this season. Still think it was better with 20k in League 1. As for tomorrow it's hardly suprising for me though still disappointing. Our fanbase just isn't that big, and we've never really travelled in big numbers. What did suprise me was the fact we still had tickets on sale on day of the home leg
I don't remember the atmosphere at St Mary's really being anything other than flat, on the occasional game (usually after we're winning) it can be quite loud. I can hear away fans from my flat in Ocean Village over the home fans more often than not.
Exactly. Though we must remember that this isn't specific to us, it's the same up and down the country.
Add safe standing in the Northam & Kingsland corner would help The issue is we only have a few thousand fans that are prepared to sing up and they are in the upper levels of the above mentioned area that I feel is because the average age of our fan base is so high. The younger fans tend to want to sing and get verbally involved more than those of more advanced years.
The main problem lays in the design of the flat pack Stadiums, it creates poor quality in the acoustics, those on the pitch still get a better quality than those in the Stands, the ground affect microphones used by Solent seem to pick up more noise than you can appreciate when on the terraces. However, not every fan goes to game to make total twonks of themselves, but are still capable of a bit of rabble rousing when the time is ripe. Appreciation of the game comes in many levels, not enough vocal support from us in my opinion, but that's a bit hypocritical, as I never let my hair down normally and I can't sing for toffees. I can rumble along to My Way, as it seems to be in my key!
Liverpool is a long way from Southampton. It's midweek, just after Xmas and don't forget we took 7000 fans to Milan a few months ago - that wasn't cheap. I considered it, but it meant 2 days off work and that isn't an option at the moment. I'm sure many are in the same boat. Milan was a one off, (I know a semi is too), but Liverpool just doesn't have the same draw as Milan.
Never been great at St. Mary's anyway, but the loss of underdog mindset and togetherness coming back from the bottom has created a void that's been filled with expectation and entitlement. Far more fans who go to a game to celebrate than there are who go to encourage. Which is fine as to each their own and it's not like we sell out often anyway. Though it baffles me when those who feel the most outrage fail to realise they haven't done the one actual thing they can do to affect things positively (whilst usually contributing plenty of negatives).
Acoustics are better at St Mary's than at the Dell. Everyone is under cover of a tin roof (so to speak). Just the lack of people singing that means there is less singing. It's only going to get worse. Too many go to games and watch it like they are sitting at home on the sofa. If you are at the game, you should be involved, otherwise, what's the point in going? Kids are on their phones constantly. Families are up and down to the bloody concourse every 5 minutes. Many seem to think a game of football is 80 minutes long. Lower ticket prices for a "singing section" is the only way the club can do anything. But they won't.
You are right about the lack of singing, but wrong with the targeted demographic. Where I sit in block 35, it is not families up during the game. Bloke next to me is probably 55 and goes down 5 minutes before half time every game and leaves every game two minutes before the end. Same with the two blokes sat next to him and they are not together. One lot go so they don't have to queue for beer - they should watch it in a pub.
Some strange young nipper sat next to me on Sunday and was texting on his phone throughout the match.
I I don't think it's much different to most other grounds in the country. Most away games I have been too I find the home fans are quite poor. Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk
Its a pack mentality. At away games I'll sing all match, but away from home I barely sing because no one around me is singing and I'm not enough of an extrovert to start singing on my own in hope a few might join in. Those that do sing tend to be treated as an amusing side show as opposed to chorus leaders.
Having the vocal home crowd sharing the Northam with the away fans and separated by a swathe of empty seats hardly helps. I know the club once investigated the possibility of a "home only" Northam but the Old Bill put their oar in and that was that.
Never understood the fuss, both sets of fans meet eventually of the bridge tunnel anyway so surely it makes no odds where the away fans are located.
