Can you remember a better time to be a Saints fan? I'm lucky enough to have had a season ticket for nearly 20 years (now I feel old!) but to those of you who are familiar with the Saints triumphs and tribulations of the past 30+ years, now does this compare? Does it beat the feel good factor of '76? How does it compare to when we signed Keegan? For me, the highlight of my 20 years was going to see Le Tiss at the Dell week in week out for the sheer unpredictability of it all. But this season has trumped it in terms of feel-good factor. So, wise old folk, how does it compare?
I first saw Saints in 1975. It isn`t just this season, but the last 4 seasons in which the momentum has been continually building. Most pleasing for me is that it hasn`t been done with an expensively assembled side - taking Ramirez and Osvaldo out of it, who haven`t been key to this success (yet!).
There are highlights that are about feel good seasons and highlights around individual games. For me winning the FA cup when everybody played their best team available and being on TV was rare was the biggest high. But for childhood memories, (I was 12), why football out did whatever I read in a comic book has to be the series of games against Forest in the 6th round in 1963. Forest were a top 4 side, Saints had had a terrible start that season in division 2 but were the form side in that league coming out of the worst winter on record. The draw away to Forest seemed likely to be the end of our run, but the wonder of the cup was to unfold before my eyes. A late equaliser from Terry Paine secured an unlikely draw at Trent Bridge, and when Forest were 3 up with 16 minutes to go in front of a packed Dell in the replay all seemed lost. 16 minutes later 3 all, no goals in extra time but a second replay at White Hart Lane where we didn't so much beat Forest as much as murder them 5-0 in front of over 42,000 most of whom seemed to be Saints fans. I was already hooked but the pitch invasion at the end of that game still kindles a little fire in my football soul.
Not an easy question to answer........I have been a Saints fan since I was 5.....a very, very long time ago. The period when Saints first got into the top flight was good...even when we went down the climb back and for long periods after it was good. The only difference I guess is this time I feel we just might go even further than the heights of previous years perhaps. We have a better base than last time and a more forward looking board/owners this time. We are not too far away from the big club status that most crave I guess must enlarge our capacity by about 12/15000 and continue in the top half for a few years and we should make it. So to answer....a better time...no perhaps not......more expectations....most definitely...........
As does the coach trip that night......there was so much traffic we did not get into the ground until just before half time after leaving Southampton at around 3.30pm!!!
My first game watching Saints at the dell was in the late 60's/early 70's. Since that time I have witnessed so many great moments when not every decision was scrutinised like it is now. The final in '76 was one of the highs, then getting back into the top flight a couple of years later another. The final game when both Saints and Spurs went up. The result more important than the performance. The great years of the 80's with 2 cup semi finals, and finishing just 3 points behind Liverpool as runners up. I was living in the north east of Scotland when things started to go wrong, the relegation from the Premier League followed by the hitting the depths and beginning on -10. Since then it has only been a journey I as a long suffering Saints fan could only dream of. Back to back promotions, and now the realisation that a place at the top table of English football is or could well be a realist goal. These last few years have certainly been the best years in my opinion, despite so rarely being back in Southampton I am able to watch and listen most weekends to enjoy the highs we are living now and hope the highs can continue for many years to come.
As a long time Saints fan for over 45 years I have seen some really great players and one or two good teams as well as some truly memorable matches I loved the Dell and would get a real tingle of excitement going to the games. Perhaps as I have got older some of the excitement has gone but like David Armstrong said on the wireless the other day this current team has brought all of the excitement back and I am really enjoying watching them but I have been here before. For every single one of our current crop of players I can name a former player who was every bit as good if not much better but we have never had such quality all at once. The difference now though is I feel we have something sustainable and that with the ambitions of the chairman and the owners this club is going to be a real force in English football for a long time.
Like Aberdeen I go back to 75 and a home game against Butch Wilkins Chelsea. I think what's been so great is the continuity with the core of the current side, Jose, Morgan, Adam and Rickie taking us through the leagues. THe fans feel that they have a real bond with the players. Long may it continue!
That brings back a few memories. I remember getting to the match as a young lad with my Dad about 30 minutes into the game, nevertheless a great, great night? The Paine, Sydenham, Davies era was also pretty exciting times. Another period I really enjoyed was the time we had the class act of Channon up front and 10 animals behind him [Hollywood, Docker Walker, Gabriel, Paine, McGrath etc etc] the football was crap, but it was pretty entertaining to watch, albeit whilst cringing most of the time. 1st May 1976 was also a great time to be a Saint, but I have to say that this current Saint side is man for man, by far the best team I have seen as a long term supporter. The 1st half on Saturday was probably the finest football I have witnessed in all my long suffering years as a lifelong Saint. Comparing the early years teams with today's team is like comparing chalk and cheese. The only thing I would say was the game was so simple then, a working man's game, affordable to supporters, players were approachable, the game was not awash with money and all players were British.
First game at the dell 1964, reserve evening game, god know who against. As a seven year old I was just transfixed by the floodlights! I just have great difficulty not reverting to my "we're doomed" Saints persona as insurance against anything good that may be happening. However even a miserable sod like me is swinging between joy, pride and excitement at present. 3 players in the England squad? Oh yes I'd believe that if you'd told me the day Soccer AM introduced a special "and the rest" section to show our -10 in L1. This time is unique.
I missed the excitement of supporting Saints in the FA Cup year, though of course like all neutrals I supported Saints when I watched on tv. Don't remember the date I started watching Saints but it was the 'Branfoot out' season. Have always been proud to be a Saints fan as opposed to a ManU etc fan...that didn't change even if we were in the bottom three. My highlights: the honour of watching Tiss play, the Great Escape, WGS season (when I felt that good times would roll!), our 3 consecutive wins over ManU (which Fergie couldn't remember when asked by a journo if Saints were his bogie side), and when I saw Markus had bought us on a shop tv. After that has just been full of great times: JPT final, 2 promotions, Rickie in England squad , Rickie scoring against Scotland. Just goes on and on.
Boruc < Shilton Clyne < Ivan Golac Lovren< Mark Wright Fonte < Lundekvam Shaw < Steve Mills Wanyama ? never had anyone like him before. Schneiderlin ? one of the best players to put on a Saints shirt. (I had to say that but I agree with it) Lallana < Matty Ward-Prowse < Jimmy Case Rodriguez < Channon Lambert < not quite as good as Osgood or the greatest Saint of all time Big Ron Collectively our current team is the best we have ever had but individually they are not all necessarily the best but I don't care I just love watching them play. As for our manager can he sustain this level of performance and team evolution over twenty odd years? If so he will be a legend.
Agree Godders...our strength is as a team. This is why few will be tempted away as they know it is Saints that is making them look great or have helped them to become great.
Well, I've been going regularly since 1965 and of course this is the best time ever. Having said that, nothing beats the thrill you get as a kid supporting your local team. We used to arrive at the Dell at 11 am to get in the queue. Sandwiches would be eaten by 11.05! The gates didn't even open till 1.00pm. Loved every minute of it. Saints teams have always been unpredictable. Generally, just managing to survive but with moments of brilliance and loads of characters at the club. May 1st 1976 is without doubt the single best moment of my watching Saints (the 2nd was Tiss' last goal at the Dell). The FA Cup was the biggest thing back then and also one of the few live games you saw on TV. The whole world, it seemed, wanted us to win. Walking around London after the game we had taxis stopping to shout their approval, people hanging out of windows, people in pubs. Not Saints mind you, amazing. The year we came second in the top flight is interesting. At no time do I remember thinking that we could win the league. We had a back-log of fixtures so we came up late to that position as I recall. That was a proper team though, no superstars and there, you could say, is the link with the current team. This is different though. We are more predictable, we know how to win, and winning is a nice feeling after many years of disappointment.
I've been a Saints fan since I was 6, next year that will be 50 years. Christ I'm getting old !! There have been many highs (and unfortunatley far too many lows), but like several others have said the 1976 FA Cup Final has to be by far the biggest moment for me. I can still see that goal play through in my minds eye as if it were yesterday. Throughout all those years though you were always on the edge of your seat waiting for the next implosion, either from the team or far more likely the Boardroom. Selling our best players to make ends meet was a far too often occurrence, so the big difference now is that I don't feel that is going to happen any time soon. Sure there have been many great moments in the past to match those that we see at the moment, but I don't think I have ever had the feeling of stability in the club as I have now. I really get the feeling that there is more to come and the best highlights of all are still ahead of us.
Like most on here 1976 was as a one off the highlight of my years supporting saints , i also enjoyed watching the chris nicholl era , thought they played good attractive football with again a youth encouragement in the side eg the wallace trio ,but until now we were never in the position to be supported financially by the board so were always regarded and felt like a small club ,that seems to be changing and we could be looked at as one of the top teams in the epl for years to come , time will tell as its early days but boy is it fun , its the first time ever ive spoken to opposing fans from other teams and all have said ,saints are a good side and not sure of result when has that ever happened , ? all the arsenal fans i know are not confident about the next game which is amazing considering they are top of the league and at home ,
Been supporting Saints since 1966-67 and this is the best era, by far. Not because any other high points on the pitch were worse, far from it, but because this time there's a proper sustainable vision and ambition behind it. Saints were always a smaller club which punched above its weight, if it got into the higher divisions. That may remain the case for some time, but punching above its weight will go to a new level, if this club's vision and ambition has anything to do with it, with the potential of a permanent place at the highest table.
