Well, this is it then. The likelihood is that this is the day of destiny, when the question of our Premier League status is finally decided. When I joined this forum on the 8th February 2011, following the demise of the BBC 606 forum, Saints were 4th in League One on 45 points from 27 games. It had been a difficult start to the season, with Alan Pardew’s shock sacking, Dean Wilkins unsuccessful caretaker period, and the appointment of the little-known Nigel Adkins. Between February and the end of the season, Nigel’s boys amassed an incredible 47 points from the remaining 19 games to finish 2nd with 92 points. Our 2 year visit to the third tier was over, the Championship beckoned, but would we cope? Could our squad of largely lower-league players survive in what everyone told us was a very tough league? Would Rickie Lambert, our talismanic striker, step up and continue his devastating form at a higher level than he had ever played? The answer to all those questions was, of course, a resounding YES. We hit the ground running in the Championship and, from memory, only strayed outside the top 2 for a few days throughout the season. In the final game, we only needed to avoid defeat against an already relegated Coventry, but a resounding 4-0 victory sealed our triumphant return to the Premier League after 7 years. The football gods continued to smile on us for the first 4 seasons in the EPL. Nigel’s replacement by the unknown Mauricio Pochettino, saw a season and a half of magical football which ended with Poch leaving for Tottenham, and the core of our team vanishing, along with what we all thought would be our future. As it turned out, the combination of Ronald Koeman and some exceptional recruitment rebuilt our team and made it even better, and the next 2 seasons saw continual, albeit fitful, improvement. With Koeman’s departure to Everton, the slide began. Claude Puel left us with an 8th place finish and a League Cup final, but that was the last of the good times. Pellegrino and Hughes took us further into despair, and even Ralph Hassenhüttl, who started so well, was hamstrung by lack of investment. Sport Republic’s tenure as owners has been, on the face of it, a case of pissing a large sum of money up against the wall. The inability to secure a goalscoring striker, ever since Graziano Pelle’s departure, has led to our current dismal situation. Even worse, the two managers appointed under their tenure have been arguably the worst ever to be in charge of a Saints team. Fulham will welcome Aleksandar Mitrović back from suspension on Saturday. We remember his Premier League debut for Newcastle against us, when he was lucky to avoid a red card after nearly breaking Matt Target’s leg just 30 seconds into the match. He will almost inevitably score at least one goal on Saturday, will probably render yet another of our dwindling stock of centre backs unfit to play out the season, and will almost certainly not get sent off. There is a scenario where even if we beat Fulham we could still be mathematically relegated on Saturday, so as this is the most Saints-like outcome, this is my prediction.
We’ll smash em. We will win our remaining games, Leeds Leicester and Everton will lose. We will stay up.
My only hope is that the fans turn the atmosphere as poisonous as possible Saturday and turn on absolutely everyone connected with these ****cunts who've done this. The team, the manager the board, all need to be singled out for dogs abuse
Great summary… what a journey. But thank **** this season is over. I am not even going to bother going or watching the rest of this season. Absolutely huge rebuild required by a back room team that has continually gotten everything wrong for years. I think it may be a while before we are back in the PL. So to those that still care enough, make the most of it.
Just make sure you are sitting in clear view of the TV cameras, so MotD can get their obligatory fan-in-tears shot at the final whistle.
I couldn't believe the Bournemouth game. I was so incensed with the lack of effort I went down to the tunnel at FT and started throwing obscenities at the players. Surrounding me was applause and support, and one man even moaning at those of us who were criticising them. Honestly, our club could get away with anything with our fans.
Each to their own. Everyone reacts differently. I certainly wouldn't be acting like you. You might dislike me for accepting it all calmly, but then I see you as just embarrassing yourself, and being unnecessarily toxic. Who do you think you are helping by behaving like that?
I may be alone in this, but for me the time of booing and shouting expletives at the board/manager/players has been and gone. We are down. They know they've ****ed it. The people that care and who will still be here next season will be working on putting that right for next season. Half the players will be gone anyway. But theres a few that I want to make the most of seeing for the last couple of games. JWP deserves a good send off. Mr. Southampton, he's come up through the ranks and while he isn't the greatest captain and can be frustrating as a player, by all accounts he does a lot for the club and truly cares and thank **** for his free kicks as that has so often been out only threat. Lavia has given his all all season and is absolute quality of the like we might not see again for some time. KWP was amazing (whether its since his injuries or just being part of this useless team for too long, but his level has finally dropped. For about 6 months I was regularly walking away from games saying KWP was the only positive). And theres a few others that have given us good moments over the years like Che, Stu, even McCarthy was POTS not so long ago. I'd rather thank those players and wish them well at this stage then boo. I'm just over it, we've been **** for so long so I'm going to try and enjoy the good things because the bad things have already happened and theres nothing I can do about what comes next anyway.
To me, its simple. Once again, I spent a lot of money (when money is already tight) to sit through another uninspiring 90 minutes of players not putting in 100% effort and going through the motions. The players need to realise we're not happy with the lack of effort and application and the situation we're in. They certainly didn't desrvre support and applause that night, that's for sure.
BOOOO! F*** YOU! BOOO!!! YOU'RE NOT A PROPER FAN! W*NKER!! I HATE YOU! I HATE EVERYONE! WHY, MUM, WHY??!!!
Noone is saying those who don't boo aren't proper fans. Just I don't see how people can stand there and clap and support these players after what they've served up all season.
I completely understand the booing, but I would save it for full time and only if the performance is poor. Nobody expected us to stay up, from about November on, but we did expect to see the team fight. For a number of reasons we haven’t seen that, especially at St Mary’s, and the club should know how the fans feel. Largely due to mismanagement, but the players have not been playing at their potential. They have a relegation on their CV now.
That's fair. And I totally agree with your last sentence. But running down to the tunnel to hurl abuse? I know it's all heat of the moment stuff, and believe me I've done some silly things at football matches. But, just take a breath. It's been on the cards for such a long time, and there are so many parties at fault. The worst thing the fans can do is to make the atmosphere even more toxic, and potentially make those players who are thinking of staying, change their minds. We're all upset about what's happened this season. But nothing is going to change it now. Time to forgive and forget, and get back to supporting the club and the city.
It was heat of the moment, I was pissed off. I don't regret it, mind. Unwavering support during the match however. Still, like a mug, I'll be there next season front and centre supporting our club I won't be going again this season though. **** that
Fair play to you, and good man for following the team all season. I'm just envious since I live on the other side of the planet, and have to make do with watching the games on a sh*t stream at 3am. Would love to be a regular attendee again. Hopefully in the not-too-distant-future. If so, you'll probably see me charging down to the tunnel at full-time and hurling abuse, because I can talk the talk, but I can't walk the walk when it comes to staying calm watching Saints.
Saturday 13th May 2023 Southampton please log in to view this image v please log in to view this image Fulham ko 15:00 Referee: Thomas Bramall. Assistants: Derek Eaton, Steve Meredith. Fourth official: Gavin Ward. VAR: Tony Harrington. Assistant VAR: Nick Hopton.
