http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24905905 With Hull city's proposed name change, what would be your reaction if NC tried to do the same thing to Southampton FC?
It depends what he proposed to change it too. If it was just to "Southampton Saints" (basically what seems to be going on there), I really couldn't care as it's so close to the original. I could even probably live with something as different as "Solent FC" if the research had confirmed it'd widen our supporter base I think that the only thing that would bother me is if he actually moved the club physically as happened with MK Dons.
Your right **** it NC can do what he bloody likes, we've just sold our soul as the minnows now it's time for the big time. Premier league, champions league and world super club champions winners!
In terms of, what if Cortese called us... 'Southampton Saints' or 'The Southampton Saints', although it sounds horrifically Americanised, I'm not sure it's THAT bad. Most of the people in Southampton I know or have encountered just refer to the team as Saints anyway.
This is really a question for somewhere like the ugly inside rather than here on not606 - you'll get a load of angry reaction to Cortese's every move on that board. Well, when they're not busy slitting they're wrists and finding the negatives in our season; though even they are finding it hard to be downbeat right now.
I was up in arms when they changed our name from 'the ball, scarf, sea, trees' to 'the saints' but I quite like it now. Much more succinct and easier to chant. Glad they kept the crest though.
What I find ridiculous is that if Hull City supporters had a ballot on whether or not to change, they would overwhelmingly vote to stay as City. You can be Tigers by nickname, but don't screw around with something as fundamental, to a supporter, as a club name, whether it lacks charisma of not. The person who does that doesn't understand the culture of football, and it will come back to bite him [sorry]. On the othe hand, if Saints once again became Southampton St Marys, I couldn't argue with it. It would be absolutely returning to roots. Let's hope Cortese knows which priorities are important and which aren't though.
There would have to be a reason for the change if Cortese chose to do it. No money, no league positions at stake and he'll leave well enough alone.
I don't really care. I'd be very surprised though, he's not exactly tried to force the name "Saints" into anything so far.
It would be a less dramatic change for some clubs than for others. The Saints nickname is fairly synonymous with the club, so changing the name to Southampton Saints or some such wouldn't be as profoundly different as changing Hull City AFC to Hull Tigers, or Manchester United FC to Manchester Red Devils, etc. Still rather silly, though...was delighted when Toronto's MLS franchise opted to be simply Toronto FC rather than force some cringeworthy nickname (or completely appropriate something that they did not understand, ahem, Real Salt Lake). Any revenues gained by catering to the whims of the most superficial and poorly-informed overseas fans will always be fleeting, while the accumulation of bad will in one's home community could be long-lasting.
Well the Canadians where always a lot more sensible than our american cousins, maybe they understand football? or do they call it soccer too?
Coincidentally, your women's team is called Southampton Saints. Hopefully we'll meet in the Hampshire Cup. Do you know if they pronounce Real the Spanish way?
They do. It's funny. More so when you consider America's historic antipathy toward royalty...and the Spanish language, for that matter.
A professional club is starting up in Birmingham, Alabama. It'll be called Birmimgham Hammers. http://birminghamhammers.com/#
Bang on the money. I ****ing hate this. As does every Hull fan bar one or two attention seeking prats.
Better than the American football team they once had: the Birmingham Fire. Birmingham was known as 'Bombingham' during the civil rights era due to the number of dynamite attacks/firebombings conducted by segregationists, so it may have been a wee bit insensitive.
