My family moved to the Southampton area, from Devon, in the celebrated "Summer of '69", because my Father had to relocate to find work as a Shipwright. I fell in love with football the following year watching the iconic 1970 World Cup and it's wonderful moments (I collected the Esso coins), but I had yet to form an affiliation with any team, apart from England. Later that year, just before my 9th birthday, Dad took me to The Dell because Man Utd were in town, with their Holy Trinity of Charlton, Best and Law ( Saints had their own Holy Trinity of Paine, Channon and Davies!) Upon entering the old West Stand, I felt an anticipation and excitment inside and all of my senses were alive with sounds and smells and of the vivid colours that came int my view from beyond the people in front of me, My Dad managed to get us down to the pitchside with the assistance of many kind fans ushering us through. After the game started, I guessed that Dad had come to watch Bobby Charlton in particular, because he commented when he had the ball and called one of his shots a "brommer" I was captivated with it all and found myself wanting the home team to score along with the fans around me and I was fascinated with the singing emanating from all around the ground. Then Jimmy Gabriel scored and the place erupted with noise (I later found out that there were over 30,000 in the old ground that day!). Saints won the game by the only goal and from that point on I was a disciple of Southampton Football Club and I can remember pestering my Dad to take me again, luckily my older Brother started going regularly and I tagged along with him.
When I said Sheffield Utd what I actually meant to write was Shefield Wednesday. Finished 1-0 (Le Tisser Goal).
Well, as my profile shows, I am Southampton born and bred and have always considered myself a Saints fan, although nobody in my family went to watch football. I was only taken to the Dell once as a young nipper. I remember being pushed through towards the front of the terrace by the grown-ups although I still had a pretty restricted view. I always followed the results though, and watched MOTD when I was old enough (no iPlayer or Recorders in those days!) My first match at St Marys was the first victory there, vs Charlton. After that I bought the odd ticket with my mates/brother. I also started to take Fodder Junior along, his first game being the most dire goalless draw, again against Charlton, one miserable Boxing Day from memory. Curiously, by the time I was a regular, Saints were already on the slide so I watched the miserable decent under Lowe, saw most games in the Championship and L1, had a super day at Wembley, culminating in us getting season tickets on our return to the Premiership, mainly because I knew it might be difficult to get tickets otherwise. But I don't feel any different now to when I was a kid; Saints were always "my team" and my only football interest.
What about ceefax Channon... We're you one of us that followed games on ceefax waiting for the pages to turn. "First page of ceefax, we're on the first page of ceefax" was one of my favourite chants
Yes, I had almost forgotten about that! What rubbish graphics they were, but what an innovation it was at the time. British invention, too I think!
I was born in Northern ireland in 1965 .Lived in Africa until 1973 . Dad worked for the GPO in Africa . When the contract ended we came back to the UK . He was given a job in Southampton in the marine depot involved with the submarine cable ships . We lived in Wilton road . Not a Million miles from the Dell......... So Saints were my local team , and I could hear the crowd when we scored Yes I did attend games . If you could combine the Dell's atmosphere with the SMS set up , PERFECTION ( IMHO ) .
When I left school, I joined P&O as an engineer cadet, and went to college in Soton from 1975-79. Saints had a few Scottish players who I identified with - McCalliog, Steele, O`Brien, Fisher. I thought the Dell was a bit odd, in a nice way. I saw most of the home games in 75-76, which culminated with the cup win of course. I don`t recall seeing Saints lose at home that season, and they always seemed to play good attacking football - I thought every season would be like that ! Now my son is a brain-washed Saints fan.
I think Chelsea or Manchester United predominate there now. Look at the shirts worn in the shopping centre any day of the week. Glory hunters!!! More respect for Pompey fans that those two.
Lol - I suppose but I do have a local link and born locally to fall back on. As for the post saying I could've ended up a Pompey fan? Who? Relatives used to stay with us when they played teams local to Lincoln. Always that team in the now championship as I remember.
My Grandad was from southampton, and has had a season ticket since '71 so my whole family are saints fans really. I live in Fleet (so not too far), my first game was at the Dell when I was about 3/4 but from the age of about 13 I've been down to Southampton most weekends. Bought my first season ticket in the glory days of our first season in League 1 and never looked back. I can't afford a season ticket this season so I've been putting on ridiculous world cup accumulators in the hope that one comes in. Football paying for football
