Southampton V PNE (Carling Cup)

Poor attendance?? Maybe lack of interest due to opposition but the pricing has to be questioned as well. I've shelled out for a season ticket for me and my son, £245 increase from last season. Leicester away : £45 just for tickets, might do Cardiff as well. Would of cost me £19 tonight, decided against it.
Basically I think pricing could have been better tonight to get more fans to the game.

 

You have got to except guys that money is tight out there. How some of you can go to away matches so regular is beyond me. I am not sure I could afford it. I wasn't there last night for other reasons though.......this time of year mid week is a nightmare for me. Moving things from Tuesday to Wednesday isn't helping either.
I am glad Hoover got a goal and another for Lallana. I hope that the injury to hoover is not too bad.......someone said he was injured?
Nice to see Forte get a game but there were not that many shots at goal though. Seemingly it was a midfield battle which we won 53% possession no mean feat but not converted to shots though. Bart also dropped a gooly too I gather, for their goal. Mind you keeping your concentration after long periods of non activity is not easy. Nice to hear they won though.

 

I agree with the above comments, mid-week games are a logistical nightmare for me as I finish work late and often have other commitments. I'm sure there are many fans in the same boat so I don't think it's fair to have a go about attendence. Add to that, it was a Carling Cup game and for whatever reason, cup tickets are over-priced this season.

 

Agree that we could of done with more fans there last night but also agree about the pricing and the fact people just can't afford it.The only thing that i hate about the low gate is how tinny the stadium gets and the fact you can hear the players shouting,feels really strange.

 

Morning Saint fans (and Northenders of course).

Well done again and hope you progress still further. Phil Brown isn't too happy with PNE's performance from what little I have heard, but if true I think he is being a bit harsh. Like the Saints PNE had a much weakened team out last night including a player making his debut, plus several players 20 years old or younger. Not excuses at all but it was always going to be a uphill battle against the Saints. It is clear that the Saints fully deserved their win so good luck to you.

What I would appreciate is for one or two of the Saints fans (if you can spare a couple of minutes) to give your thoughts on the PNE performance both as a team and individual players, did anyone stand out or was anyone very poor etc.
It's always good to have the opposition fans give their impressions of the game/players etc.
If you have any problem with names don't worry about it, there were two or three players last night who many fans have yet to see...

Thanks in advance..

 

For me personally, pricing wasnt an issue. Tickets could have been £8 or something and i'd still not have turned up. It was a competition that i care very, very little about; it was against lower league opposition; it was on the back of back-to-back home league games (so i was hardly bored/frustrated at not having been to st marys for a while); our starting XI was always going to be weaker than usual.

I treat cup games, and in particular league cup games, very much like friendly matches. And the one and only thing which makes me attend them is the opposition.

 

I'm the same as that regarding cup matches,take them or leave them to be honest but i went yesterday for some reason and didn't particulary enjoy it,no atmosphere,when we scored said it all for me really,alot of people gradually just got off their seat and clapped with a slight cheer (including me),think that says it all with regards how the fans treat the cups,if we progress brilliant but if we don't we move on.

 

I agree with the notion that Carling Cup games are like friendlys but at the same time, I feel it's important to win them in order to maintain the form and feel good factor. It's never good following up a weekend victory with a mid-week defeat in the cup before the next weekend game in the league - it's a lot better to keep winning as a defeat in any competition has the potential to unsettle everything.

 

St Brendy, Can I bagsee your ticket for the final then, if I need any extras.... would be nice to take the wife

 

For me evening games are best as I can go straight from work down the M3 so if there is a game on (league or cup) I'll be there. Nothing more miserable than having to follow a game on the internet.

 

I totally agree with that. So long as Adkins keeps on playing the fringe players (so that the main guys aren't burnt-out going into league matches), i want us to go as far as possible. Winning is important, for all the reasons you've described.

But it still doesn't mean that i'm going to turn up. Unless we're talking final, semi-final, or possibly even quarter-final, then the only way you're going to get me into a ground for a league cup match is, as i say, the opposition. Same as a friendly.

 

I didn't go so I have no axe to grind, but if we should go far in this competition or play a fancied team the brave souls who go to the early rounds should get priority with tickets.

 

agreed, there definitely needs to be some sort of loyalty scheme.

 

It seems to me that if the club is going to trot out the reserves onto the pitch, then I wouldn't expect the fans to put a lot of effort or energy into going to those games. NA made it clear that he isn't as interested in winning the game as other games, and therefore the fans don't have an obligation to be there. Pricing helps - If it was 10 quid would significantly more people show up? Would they buy a concession or two, as well?


theflyingplumber: I only listened to the game but it sounded to me like Morgan was giving us fits.

 

Didn't think Preston offered much, got lucky with the goal as it bounced off him into the net. Forte up top on his own didn't work, he needed somebody playing just deep of him like at Swindon away when Guly played that role. Subs calmed the game down.

 

I agree, I know they had a weaker side but Preston really are on a downer despite their fairly good start to the season. Nowhere near the Preston of a few years back who where often feared by opposing sides and were a good match for any team in the Championship or even the Premiership in cup games. It's a shame, I hope to see them back up sooner rather than later - they are one of a few sleeping giants in League 1 this season.

 

Just caught Meridian sports news: when Dinage reported our victory and congratulated us on 14 home wins you would have thought he was reporting on a funeral. Had to laugh.

 

Evening DanW...

Morgan gives most of the PNE fans fits as well.. He is on borrowed time at Deepdale and doesn't play in the team unless it's a cup tie like last night or a massive emergency..

Incidently I dont think last night's gate was bad at all to be honest 7000 ????. PNE are not an attractive opposition in a mid week Carling Cup game. Most attendances are down and no wonder the way finances are. 160 Northend fans went last night but I dont know how they can afford it, the cost of following a team now is ridiculous.

Have a good season ..