Yeah, I do get that. Give us something to sing about, and we’ll sing. But how about singing when we’re losing? How about supporting your team in the tough times as well as the good? For what it’s worth, I think the players deserved better yesterday. Chelsea are a very good side, we’re a pretty average one, but we never really stopped trying; well the Northam did, hence the thread.
I really don't get this point as I believe it's the supporters job to get behind the team regardless of what's happening on the pitch. Poor form to suggest 'well we can't be ****ed cos we're a bit ****'.
As already pointed out, the club ****ed up any chance of having a good atmosphere at SMS when they gave half the Northam to away fans. It’s like cutting your nob in half and still trying to bone your bird, try all you want to get it going but it’s still gonna be a **** performance either way.
Sorry mate can't agree.........its not that they don't care because we both know they do.......but you have to admit even the most ardent supporter is going to groan if week after week you are getting the same ole, same ole. Its human nature surely?
Yeah but isn't that the singers area because the away fans are there? I'm too young to remember but was the Northam advertised as a singing area when we moved? Regardless, those away fans are never moving.
It is and it isn't. It hasn't always been this way mate, I remember times when we'd support the team no matter how we are playing. Now we sit in our 'arena' and 'spectate' until something happens. The first response to this thread is spot on, we have some of the most entitled and arrogant supporters in the country.
Surely you are not suggesting that the supporters believe or demand that we win something rather than just give a decent go at things??
Think it’s always been the “home support” end in that sense much like the chapel has the family section or whatever area it’s defined as. The Northam used to be quite decent in our last era in the PL before we got relegated, I just never understood why the gave half of it to the away fans. I get the police and security side of it and all that stuff but surely there was a better way of doing it. Leicester put there away fans right in the corner not like half and half so why didn’t we do that I’ve never understood it.
They have priced out all the youngsters that would make noise. It’s not surprising really, no one that I had a season ticket with in league 1/champ days has one anymore.
I believe that the a large chunk of the support expect us to be top half and challenging for Europe most seasons which is quite simply ludicrous for a club of our size.
I have to say, all the times I’ve been to St. Mary’s, the Northam has pretty much always given a good account of itself compared to the rest of the ground, and I have sat in various places. Occasionally the other stands will join in with a rendition of OWTS but it’s becoming increasingly rare. My impression from watching the game on TV yesterday was that the Northam at least were singing well throughout. As has been said, SMS has always suffered since its early days through not having a proper “home end”. If, say, the north end of the Itchen were given to the away fans and the entire Northam populated by Saints fans, it would help to concentrate the singing. Having said that, the best atmosphere I’ve experienced in recent times was a couple of years ago when we beat Newcastle 3-1 the year they were relegated. They had sent some tickets back and I, having made a late decision to go, got some of them for myself and my Magpie daughter and her boyfriend. The result of all this was that there was no segregation, and Saints and Newcastle fans mixed together for nearly a whole block. Obviously it wouldn’t work with many away fans, but to my knowledge there’s never been a problem with the Toon visiting Southampton, and they were in holiday mood that day having resigned themselves to the drop. Good times.
Best game I've attended at SMS was Inter Milan. When we went one-up against Brighton. The entire stadium was almost reverential in its hush - really weird atmosphere, especially as we were leading at the time. Away fans shut up, but (after cheering the gaol) we were making no noise.
Trouble is I guess a fair few got a taste of the cherry for the couple of seasons we did manage to get into Europe and now they expect nothing less. I can understand that I guess.......but it isn't my opinion that the majority go along with that.
The way I look at it is I regard my love for Southampton Football Club as unconditional (but that does not necessarily include the Board, Manager and Players) like loving members of my family. They may piss me off occasionally, but when they need my support I will always be there for them, I won't critcise them and make it worse, same as the Saints during a match.
You promise the wife you'll cut the grass and paint the hall and you will take her out to supper and book for a show but do none of it. Wife sulks. Saints promise to be a top team and play in Europe and build from their academy and keep their best player but do none of it. Fans sulk. FFS what do you expect? We have been treated with utter contempt by the club and now the fans watch a mediocre team with mediocre players led by a mediocre manager and the club has mediocre ambitions. No wonder we have mediocre fans.
I'm fairly sure there was segregation, given that Saints would have been in very hot water if there wasn't any. I remember going to that and I was right next to the Newcastle fans and there was the usual line of stewards and the netting over seats IIRC. Like I said, home and away fans must be segregated - FA regulations.
