.... and took the edge of what was a great trip with my boy to the farthest reaches of Championship England. It was'nt the failure of the referee to sent off a Boro player, or our failure to press home that fabulous early advantage, or even the booing and groaning as soon as Guly cam on and not the number of missed chances we failed to take again. The two things that took the edge of it for me were: 1. For 78 minutes I thought the Saints fans were fantastic. The noise, the partying, the fancydress, the singing were all brilliant and I can only imagine how good it sounded on the television. But I can't remember the exact order of events, but when Guly came on and they scored their second goal, the section of the crowd I was in just turned on the team. Guly was battered when he hadn't done anything wrong and around me fans just seemed to stop getting behind the lads and continued moaning. it is at this sort of time, when just gone two done, that e need to step up and really support the team. 2. The neanderthal who came and stood infront of me and my son in the second half. I didn't notice him in the first period and recall two ladis were sat/stood there. The behaviour of the lad who was there with his Dad and his mate was appalling. Now, I am no prude. I take my son knowing that the language will be choice and things will be witnessed that just have to be ignored, but this lad was awful. His father was shouting at him to stop and at one point I thought they were going to come to blows. His langauage was aggressive beyond believe and he was filled with hatred and vitriole. From the moment the second went in, he just stood there and used every foul and abusive word about all the players, the management, the fans , even his father. He was so aggressive it was stupid. He then started to try and kick and break the seat in fron of him. Stood next to my son on the other side was a young lady with her boyfriend, and she kept looking at me with a look of horror as this person continued with outburst after outburst. I don't think he saw the last 12 minutes. he spent that time pointing at individual Boro fans and trying to goad them into meeting him outside. I was close at one point to asking his fathe or him to settle down a bit, but with my boy with me, I decided it best not to say anything. But it was a display of such aggression and ignorance that it really took the edge of what had been a good day out (despite the result). Don't know how old he was, probably 16-20, but a big lad and I was just shocked at how bad his behaviour was. To top it all, he left when the official held up the injury time board. Sorry to ramble on like a prude, but I wish people like this just didn't bother going. He is no supporter, just some neanderthal who thinks he is a Southampton fan. I bet he'll be at the front on Saturday chairing the players off the pitch with a big grin on his face. If you know this person, or are him, or his father, then i make no apology. Take a look at yourself. We were all disappointed yesterday. But I had to keep myself between him and my boy in an attempt to block him out from my son's vision. Shame we didn't get promoted yesterday, but we will Saturday.
Sadly it is part of the game, only my first away game of the season and I found the majority of the support stupendous, but with that many you will always get some bad eggs, we had "noisy norma" on our coach, obviously had too many sherbets at half time, never stopped yabbering all the way back, many on board were trying to doze but it was impossible, the biggest cheer of the day was when she got off at Winchester, nobody took the opportunity to ask her to give it a rest, all too well mannered! What did puzzle me was why did everyone in the South Stand remain standing throughout the game? My two young nephews had difficulty watching the game as their view was blocked throughout.
It is part of the game SaintDon, and I myself have been known to explode at a referring decision or something, but this individual was just appalling. If I was his father, he wouldn't be going again (even if he is olde enough to make his own decision)
I do feel sorry for you fatletiss and for your son, he shouldn't have to hear language or see behavior like that. What irritates me is that you will have a young boy and his dad at the game and someone else will be effing and blinding throughout the game. You then ask them to keep the language down and they say you should be sitting in the family stand. Just because your not in the family stand doesn't mean that you should behave like an idiot in front of little kids. Sorry for ranting but this does irritate me.
It wasn't the language that got me, you expect that and my lad knows that is wrong, but it ws the vitriole and aggression. The kicking off the seat trying to break it... all so un-necessary.
Its going to be a few years before my little one is old enough to go to a match and I guess I will go in the family end for the reasons above. That option is not there for away matches so unfortunatly there is always the risk of this type of individual being in ear shot of children. I don't think a quiet word would have had any positive impact, more than likely his focus would have shifted to you and you would have received the abuse. Its a shame when things are going well that some deem it acceptable and think they are more of a supporter by being the loudest and most insulting. In their warped mind they probably see it as being passionate about the team and more of a fan.
The shame is that Guly is a confidence player. He had a reasonable first half of the season, his goal tally proves that and he was excellent at Coventry. At Peterborough we was warmly cheered when warming up and came on and you could see him respond appropriately. If he hears the pathetic abuse from the stupid few he will react negatively. Will the hell do these people think it helps to pick on a player like Guly? NA has proven to know what he's doing so we should trust him that Guly is the right man for job
If you were there on Saturday you would have known that when Do Prado came on, he was NOT booed, it was a chant of "Gooooooooly" along the line of the one given to "Steeeeeeve", the player heard it and gave a sheepish sort of wave, seemed a bit embarrassed, and as I have said elsewhere, if his blockbuster shot had gone in, it would have been zero to hero with one kick of the ball, let's hope he starts on Saturday in his best position, just behind the strikers to pick up the pieces, not out on wing near the halfway line.
Not booed when he came on, but the immediate groan the first time he didn't do what the crowd were hoping for.... it was an audible groan. He has a close shot and header, and there is a ripple of applause. If it had been Adam, they would have gone wild.
Some people just can't control their emotions, and really shouldn't be following a football team. God knows why you'd travel the length and breadth of the country to follow your team if you can't bear the pain of disappointment. Must have been a long journey home for everyone who went, but spare a thought for anyone who had to share a vehicle with that idiot. As for the Guly knockers, I wish they'd all s*d off and follow Man Utd. Most of em probably do when Saints aren't going well.
To be honest I didn't hear Guly getting booed where I was, I've found the groans come more at home games tbh. As for your other point, FLT, regarding the idiot, it's just embarrassing behaviour. There are always 3/4 at every away game that act like twats and a great deal number mroe that seem to spend their time facing the opposition fans rather than watchng the action. Then you hear their half time analysis which usually consists of "loada ****, they're **** and we're ****...what a load of ****ing ****!"
Sadly even when you are in the family stand you still get a few people who have very little respect for the fact you are in the family Stand. When you ask them to tone the language down a bit they just tell you they have paid their money and can shout as they want. They then proceed to tell you, you shouldn't be bringing the young kids to the match!!!! The last lot that would not tone their language down were spoken to by the security staff who received a load of abuse but were not thrown out, however their bottles of beer were confiscated. The family that had ask them to tone the language down kept being taunted by them. It's rare for me to get that angry, but I very nearly got involved as they were clearly trying to cause trouble. In the end they left with about 20 minutes to go and every one cheered.
Beddy Interested to read these stories as my Dad stopped taking me to football the season Keegan left because of the same problem. We used to stand in the Archers and an old bloke was effing all the way through the match and throwing vitriol left, right and centre. I was not the only knipper there and my Dad politely asked the bloke to cut the langauge out he then turned my attention on to my father. A policeman then interviened as the other bloke was getting so aggressive and I never went to a match again until about '84. I don't think this is so much of a problem these days although we moved seats the firtst season at St. Mary's as there was a "pub bore" know-it-all next to us and he quickly got on your nerves. Sitting in the Chapel these days, I haven't heard or seen any abuse for years and you tend to forget about it. That said, there is a different atmosphere when I have got to away matches and you cannot cater for who you might sit next to or get on the coach. Generally not a problem these days so rather shocked to read Fat Le Tiss' comments. I wouldn't appreciate experiencing that.
What is a shame is that you can't "choose" your seat at away games. If this was the case, you can easily move as I did away to Rochdale last year. It just got so bad where we were in that game, that at half time I asked a Steward if we could move and he pointed out where there were some free spaces.
Do you know Ian you have just reminded me of an incident that happened down the Dell in the west stand seating area. It must have been 72/73 era. The one and only time I can remember taking my eldest Daughter to a match. I can't remember what the occasion was but if memory serves me correct it was something to do with her school. There was about 5 of us families all in a row and we were on the outside of that row. A man behind us was being very abusive to an away team player this kept on right up to half time. To be honest it was quite tame abuse but annoying none the less as it was constant. I see my daughter turn round to look at him several times and was tutting but as you do I just patted her head and said not to take any notice. As the game went on he badly fouled one of our defenders who was being treated just below us near the corner flag. The player in question came over while the defender was receiving the treatment I think to apologise. As he did so the fellow behind let out some choice language and called the player something like an effin black ****** or words to that effect. To which my daughter stood up and turned round and shouted out something like......"Sir...... you should go and wash your mouth out, It is not his fault he is black." Which made all around laugh and they said in unison "quite right girly you tell him" What a put down......we never heard another peep from him all game.... Mind you she has never wanted to go to a game since...........(I forgot to mention she was maybe 6/7 at the time)
We only got back from Middlesbrough a few hours ago as we stayed overnight after the game. After reading FLT 's experience above i'm afraid that we had a similar experience with a bloke and his young son ( i assume it was his son )just in front of us. After Boro scored their 2nd goal this idiot started hurling abuse and shouting aggressive insults towards the Boro supporters in the corner away to our left and giving them the one-fingered salute repeatedly - however not only was he doing it but he was actively encouraging his lad to do the same, and this kid was no more than 6 or 7 years old ! I was with my son, my brother and his two sons and our boys ranged between 12 - 14. We are no prudes and have been to hundreds of football matches, but i looked at our 3 and they were looking at one another just shaking their heads with disbelief - that a father would be encouraging his young lad to behave like this. I was ashamed that he was one of ours. Having said that there was c.3000 Saints fans there and the vast majority were excellent and gave great support to the team - for most of the game. I have been shocked by the amount of bickering and comment bordering on abuse of the team and management that i have read on this forum since this game , and after other games where results have not gone our way. Perhaps i shouldnt be shocked ! I can understand disappointment and disagreement on how a teams performance is viewed, but some of this is plain bloody daft imo. I feel that too many people cannot accept defeat in a football match - and yet that is crazy as somebody usually loses and it is only 11 men v 11 men and they are human ! Passion is one thing - much of this is not passion, it is inability to control emotion. I spoke to quite a few Boro supporters before and after the game and all said that they admired Saints this season, want us to get promoted and understood our long trip for a losing cause - as some of them had made the reverse journey when they lost 3-0 at SMS. It was good in Dr Browns pre match, once you got to the bar ! Loads of Saints stayed in same hotel as us and it was a good crack - even if not the promotion party that we were hoping for ! Lets hope Marcus gets the gods on our side come Sat !
Hi fatletiss, I was sat 2 seats to your right - nice to meet you!! I couldn't agree more with you about the guy, the only thing that stopped me saying something to him was the fact that he was so stupid I don't think he would have responded very well! There is no place for people like him in our support, there was also some choice racist comments coming from him that need to disappear quickly from our support. Lucklily idiots like him are few and far between so that your son can enjoy games for years to come. I have no idea why Guly gets the abuse he gets and you are right if AL had done the same everyone would've shouted pure encouragement! Here's to next Sat and 100% TRUE support to the team
I must of been a couple rows behind you then, me and my mates were laughing at how angry he was getting, I did notice a few younglings in the area actually and the responsible adult in me did frown upon his actions, But i was also very drunk.
Btw to the Female saints fan who saw me drop my scarf in the concourse, picked it up and chased me to give it back. Thank you, ive had that since i was 9. I offered to buy you a beer but i jumbled up my words and you thought i said thanks and walked away. You're fit.
I heard nothing negative about Guly, when he came on i was somewhat surprised at the volume behind the Guly chant. Yeah i remember him misplacing a header and a few groans but i dont think that was just because it was Guly. It was just a piss poor header and would have gotten a groan whether it was Guly or Adam...
