Our opening match record!

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saintgreg10

saintgreg10

Well-Known Member
May 10, 2011
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Southampton
Just looking at our opening matches from the last decade and realised that we haven't actually won on opening day in this millenium! The last time was when we beat Coventry 1 - 0 away in 1999/2000.

Here are our opening day results since then:

2000/01 - Derby 2 - 2 Saints
2001/02 - Leeds 2 - 0 Saints
2002/03 - Saints 0 - 0 Middlesbrough
2003/04 - Leicester 2 - 2 Saints
2004/05 - Aston Villa 2 - 0 Saints
2005/06 - Saints 0 - 0 Wolves
2006/07 - Derby 2 - 2 Saints
2007/08 - Saints 1 - 4 Crystal Palace
2008/09 - Cardiff 2 - 1 Saints
2009/10 - Saints 1 - 1 Millwall
2010/11 - Plymouth 1 - 0 Saints

0 wins, 6 draws and 5 defeats!

Do you think we can end this long run without an opening day victory when we take on Leeds? We're on Sky as well, which doesn't bode well as our TV record is equally as bad!
 
To be honest a "first game curse" has nothing to do with it. No one looks up the 11th or 34th game of the season for the last decade, and goes on about us winning, losing or drawing those games. It's one game of a very long season, if we beat Leeds fantastic, if we lose or draw then we know we have to improve in the next game. Simplessss!
 
sotonsaint said:
To be honest a "first game curse" has nothing to do with it. No one looks up the 11th or 34th game of the season for the last decade, and goes on about us winning, losing or drawing those games. It's one game of a very long season, if we beat Leeds fantastic, if we lose or draw then we know we have to improve in the next game. Simplessss!
Click to expand...

I know it's one game in a long season, and it doesn't matter what result you get amongst all the others. However, it's nice to win on opening day as it's one of the footballing highlights of the year. The same as it's nice to win on the last day of the season, Boxing Day, New Years Day and the FA Cup 3rd Round weekend (if you're in the third round). They are big dates on the football calender!
 
I hear what your saying. And yes it would be nice to win on those dates you highlighted. But at the end of the day, are target is to get promotion. I dont care how we do it.We could lose on boxing day, new years day, easter, who cares as long as we get the job done.
 
It's a marathon not a sprint - yet saying that it would be nice to win on the first game of the season <ok>
 
It'd be nice to get off to a good start. The outcome of our opening game(s) could affect how we perform in latter parts of the season. Anyone any idea when we last won at home on the opening day of the season?
 
The 4-1 victory over West Ham in 1988 was my 1st ever match and we won the 1st three games that season to go top. I hope it's not but would not be surprised to hear if that was our last opening day victory at home.
I remember after that Coventry game a big thing was made of it being our 1st opening day win in some years!!
 
What is just as scary is our record of different managers opening up the season for us during that time (Off the top of my head, I believe the following is correct)

2000/01 - Glenn Hoddle
2001/02 - Stuart Gray
2002/03 - Gordan Strachan
2003/04 - Gordan Strachan
2004/05 - Paul Sturrock
2005/06 - Harry Redknapp
2006/07 - George Burley
2007/08 - George Burley
2008/09 - Jan Poortvliet
2009/10 - Alan Pardew
2010/11 - Alan Pardew
2011/12 - Nigel Adkins

Something tells me that Nigel might just break this run, and eventually become the first man since Dave Jones to be sitting in the dugout for three consecutive opening day games.
 
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