| Northam Home Fans Only on 14:15 - Jan 16 with 10917 views | saints__fan__73 |
The Police.
Which is why it still has little chance of every happening. |  |
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| Northam Home Fans Only on 14:16 - Jan 16 with 10915 views | mushinexile |
Good . no, Bloody brilliant. Is there enough in the kitty for a decent songwriter? |  | | |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 14:16 - Jan 16 with 10910 views | dirk_doone |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 14:15 - Jan 16 by saints__fan__73 |
The Police.
Which is why it still has little chance of every happening. |
It will happen. The Club will do the necessary work to make sure it does. |  |
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| Northam Home Fans Only on 14:19 - Jan 16 with 10893 views | saints__fan__73 |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 14:16 - Jan 16 by dirk_doone |
It will happen. The Club will do the necessary work to make sure it does. |
How exactly?
If the Police maintain the same position as they have since SMS was built they will dictate that away coaches have to parked in Brittania Road what can the club do?
The club's idea of moving away fans to the family stand would be very difficult to work as you would have thousands of home and away fans exiting through the industrial estate. Imagine the carnage if that was the case for a Pompey game lol. | |
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| Northam Home Fans Only on 14:20 - Jan 16 with 10890 views | SonicBoom |
Actually sounds good. Strange though that for years we were told moving the away fans was impossible yet now it is possible. |  | | |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 14:23 - Jan 16 with 10884 views | saints__fan__73 |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 14:20 - Jan 16 by SonicBoom |
Actually sounds good. Strange though that for years we were told moving the away fans was impossible yet now it is possible. |
Would be shocked if the club had actually got Police sign-off for this. | |
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| Northam Home Fans Only on 14:29 - Jan 16 with 10871 views | franniesTache |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 14:16 - Jan 16 by dirk_doone |
It will happen. The Club will do the necessary work to make sure it does. |
It's definitely happening, and will include building work that's already been planned |  | | |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 14:42 - Jan 16 with 10847 views | saints__fan__73 |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 14:29 - Jan 16 by franniesTache |
It's definitely happening, and will include building work that's already been planned |
This doesn't sound as if it's set in stone, signed off by the police, etc...
Where will away fans be relocated?
We're considering relocating away fans to the current Family Stand area. | |
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| Northam Home Fans Only on 15:08 - Jan 16 with 10791 views | grumpy |
Please let this happen. One can only hope. It will transform St. Mary’s [Post edited 16 Jan 15:11]
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| Northam Home Fans Only on 15:21 - Jan 16 with 10759 views | Buggalugs |
I look forward to seeing who gets blamed when it makes no difference at all. The away fans will still be louder and we'll continue to sing about the Skates. |  |
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| Northam Home Fans Only on 15:22 - Jan 16 with 10757 views | franniesTache |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 14:42 - Jan 16 by saints__fan__73 |
This doesn't sound as if it's set in stone, signed off by the police, etc...
Where will away fans be relocated?
We're considering relocating away fans to the current Family Stand area. |
i've got in trouble once for this so i'm leaving it here. But as far as i'm aware it's more or less a done deal | | | |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 15:29 - Jan 16 with 10743 views | saints__fan__73 |
I guess standing can still be put into the Northam even if the away fans end up staying where they are. | |
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| Northam Home Fans Only on 15:41 - Jan 16 with 10702 views | sotonian |
What they are trying to achieve won’t happen as a lot of our vocal support will just move to be near the away fans | | | |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 15:47 - Jan 16 with 10685 views | hedgeend61 |
If it's just a case moving them to the same position in the Chapel end/Kingsland corner, seems like a pointless exercise and money wasted.
Just get many of our idiots wanting to to show off next to them in the Chapel.
If they could put them in the corner side of the Kingsland, next to the Northam, out of the way of the TV cameras like Everton/Palace, that would be sensible. |  | | |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 15:54 - Jan 16 with 10659 views | dirk_doone |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 15:41 - Jan 16 by sotonian |
What they are trying to achieve won’t happen as a lot of our vocal support will just move to be near the away fans |
A straw poll from the main Saints forums would suggest that most will stay in the Northam. The fans who want to sing the most will congregate in the safe standing area, which will be the back of the Northam. So, what they are trying to achieve will happen and the vast majority of Saints fans are very happy about it. [Post edited 16 Jan 15:55]
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| Northam Home Fans Only on 16:14 - Jan 16 with 10604 views | Number_58 |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 15:41 - Jan 16 by sotonian |
What they are trying to achieve won’t happen as a lot of our vocal support will just move to be near the away fans |
If they introduce safe standing in the Northam then there will probably be zero tolerance towards fans who stand in other areas. And looking at our lot in the Itchen last week, most of them seem incapable of throwing abuse at the away fans without standing up. |  | | |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 16:17 - Jan 16 with 10593 views | kingslandstand1 |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 15:54 - Jan 16 by dirk_doone |
A straw poll from the main Saints forums would suggest that most will stay in the Northam. The fans who want to sing the most will congregate in the safe standing area, which will be the back of the Northam. So, what they are trying to achieve will happen and the vast majority of Saints fans are very happy about it. [Post edited 16 Jan 15:55]
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I thought the "banter" between H and A fans was better when they are adjacent (with the black netting obviously) so will that now be lost? You'd lose the opportunistic chants that we can hardly understand from where we sit, as well as the likes of the WBA(?) video of the guy "He's fallen asleep, he's fallen asleep, he's woken up" etc
Will the "singers" still give the away fans stick in stereo? Though not so sure about the "We're the Northam/Itchen" chant being around either so not too bad and may get some new 'uns
I can't see the current Chapel incumbents being too pleased |  | | |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 16:18 - Jan 16 with 10589 views | kingslandstand1 |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 16:14 - Jan 16 by Number_58 |
If they introduce safe standing in the Northam then there will probably be zero tolerance towards fans who stand in other areas. And looking at our lot in the Itchen last week, most of them seem incapable of throwing abuse at the away fans without standing up. |
Would they show zero tolerance to the away fans then? | | | |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 16:23 - Jan 16 with 10578 views | grumpy |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 16:14 - Jan 16 by Number_58 |
If they introduce safe standing in the Northam then there will probably be zero tolerance towards fans who stand in other areas. And looking at our lot in the Itchen last week, most of them seem incapable of throwing abuse at the away fans without standing up. |
'zero tolerance towards fans who stand in other areas'
Nah! they wont throw anyone who stands up other than safe standing in the Northam that would be ridiculous. | | | |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 16:34 - Jan 16 with 10558 views | cocklebreath |
I really hope the drips who only want to be next to the away fans don’t move down that end, stay in the Northam and actually sing, it used to be good back in the day, awful now. Maybe make the Northam the only stand which can have alcohol and only strong lager and each pint comes with a chaser.
Clamp down on standing in all other parts of the ground, carrot and stick approach, woukd be great to have a proper end. |  |
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| Northam Home Fans Only on 17:05 - Jan 16 with 10504 views | Number_58 |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 16:23 - Jan 16 by grumpy |
'zero tolerance towards fans who stand in other areas'
Nah! they wont throw anyone who stands up other than safe standing in the Northam that would be ridiculous. |
I wouldn't be so sure. But it'll be interesting to see if they introduce safe standing in the new away sections. | | | |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 18:07 - Jan 16 with 10406 views | kingslandstand1 |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 17:05 - Jan 16 by Number_58 |
I wouldn't be so sure. But it'll be interesting to see if they introduce safe standing in the new away sections. |
Spurs do! | | | |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 20:41 - Jan 16 with 10241 views | SaintNick |
Lets take away the emotion for it for a minute and look at the logistics , assuming it is the family centre that will be used. Safe standing isnt the issue here that can be put in the Northam or the Chapel
1. We are moving the away fans from one half of an end to another half, so there is absolutely nothing to be gained in terms of position in the ground
2. Displacement of supporters.
A. The family centre, where do you create a new family centre, 2-2,500 need to be displaced, if you shuffle them to the centre of the Chapel, then you have women and kids right next to away fans and you also have to move those currently in the centre of the chapel.
B. fans in the Northam, our most loyal fans there would now not be in the centre of the action but to the side, many of them would want to move.
C. Fans in the Kingsland they will not want to sit next to the away fans, especially when they find a couple of hundred from block 1 & 2 move in.
So potentially to do this you have around 6,000 season ticket holders who will have to be moved.
3. Building work, when this was last looked at there would be a new turnstile block created and issues with snack bars etc.
4. Situation outside the ground.
A. Coaches could potentially park in the industrial estate, so no real difference from now, so no real issues.
B. Fans on the train, if we are promoted this is a real issue in getting fans to this corner, if you take them over the footbridge then you will have large groups potentially clashing in the corner of the Kingsland & The Northam and also large groups of away fans trying to get to their turnstiles in the small concourse outside the Kingsland and the railway line which between 2.30-3pm is usually congested with queues going back from the turnstiles to to virtually the railway line.
If you give them the route they now take over the road bridge and down Brittania road that is a trip of over half a mile to the away turnstile when it is 150 metres away from the footbridge.
They then have to go past the family zone and home turnstiles to reach their corner, with plenty of flashpoints along the way including fans going into the new home fans only Northam.
Someone suggested away fans could cut across the parks and go via Chapel road, again too many flashpoints and hard to control for the police.
C. Home fans, most come from the City centre direction, those in the Chapel coming from the footbridge will now have to take a big detour with the away end now being cut off.
5. The fact that fans might just abandon the Northam and go to the chapel and Kingsland stand, then there has been a lot of upheaval and cost for no real gain.
6. The club are trying to create an outdoor concourse where fans can sit outside bars both before the game and this is a big plus point, but these plans will be scuppered, at the moment they can do this on all three sides, with away fans confined in the Northam corner, if they move them, then it will be an island in the middle, the police won't be happy with flashpoints of Saints fans drinking outside the ground and clashing with away fans. Also it will restrict opening out the Chapel and Kingsland at half time
There is plenty of evidence for that, back in 2001, Saints fans could have opted for the Chapel as the home end, they knew that the Northam would not be available for cup ties etc, but they still chose to go there, likewise the Itchen Corner, that was pretty quiet for about 18 years up to just before Covid, but then it started to fill with those who wanted "banter" with the away fans and shunned going in a big home end.
The fact is that plenty of people speak big about having the Northam as a home end, but how many would actually go in it, it isn't sold out of season tickets now, so where are they going to find 3,000 more who want to go in there and stand up, on this note I think they might well do so, but it is far from certain, given the numbers that migrated from the Northam and other parts to the Itchen North.
As was hinted on here the reason for this is allegedly our new CEO who is looking to ingratiate himself with the fans by making a big gesture and this is it.
The plans for the stadium building work have been drawn up, but they have to be agreed by the police and Stadium licencing authority and given their recent issues a year or so ago when they were looking to close the Itchen North, this may be far more difficult to get past them.
In theory it's a great idea to have a big home end, but the reality is that since 1975 when some of those in the Milton at the Dell migrated to Under the West stand and also the Archers, we are a supporter base that shuns a big home end and prefers smaller groups around the ground and this should perhaps be taken into account.
Another factor is what division we are going to be in, it could be late May before this is determined and that would then leave just over 2 months to displace and re seat 6,000 supporters.
I am not being negative here, I am just being pragmatic, if we dont go up and we have a half empty Northam with half of that end and Block 1 & 2 in the Kingsland then the same people who were saying what a great idea this is now, will be slagging off the club for not spending the money on a new striker.
Truth is this debate has been going on for years and the Police & Licensing authorities have also turned it down every time it has been raised, the club have also baulked when they realised the costs .
I have tried to look at it from all sides here, but what comes out of it is one plus point a potential home end, but a lot of issues and problems to be able to do it.
As Dirk has always said we have had a home end for 23 years, the solution is simple, it is just no one seems to be interested in doing the simple thing |  |
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| Northam Home Fans Only on 21:37 - Jan 16 with 10162 views | hedgeend61 |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 20:41 - Jan 16 by SaintNick |
Lets take away the emotion for it for a minute and look at the logistics , assuming it is the family centre that will be used. Safe standing isnt the issue here that can be put in the Northam or the Chapel
1. We are moving the away fans from one half of an end to another half, so there is absolutely nothing to be gained in terms of position in the ground
2. Displacement of supporters.
A. The family centre, where do you create a new family centre, 2-2,500 need to be displaced, if you shuffle them to the centre of the Chapel, then you have women and kids right next to away fans and you also have to move those currently in the centre of the chapel.
B. fans in the Northam, our most loyal fans there would now not be in the centre of the action but to the side, many of them would want to move.
C. Fans in the Kingsland they will not want to sit next to the away fans, especially when they find a couple of hundred from block 1 & 2 move in.
So potentially to do this you have around 6,000 season ticket holders who will have to be moved.
3. Building work, when this was last looked at there would be a new turnstile block created and issues with snack bars etc.
4. Situation outside the ground.
A. Coaches could potentially park in the industrial estate, so no real difference from now, so no real issues.
B. Fans on the train, if we are promoted this is a real issue in getting fans to this corner, if you take them over the footbridge then you will have large groups potentially clashing in the corner of the Kingsland & The Northam and also large groups of away fans trying to get to their turnstiles in the small concourse outside the Kingsland and the railway line which between 2.30-3pm is usually congested with queues going back from the turnstiles to to virtually the railway line.
If you give them the route they now take over the road bridge and down Brittania road that is a trip of over half a mile to the away turnstile when it is 150 metres away from the footbridge.
They then have to go past the family zone and home turnstiles to reach their corner, with plenty of flashpoints along the way including fans going into the new home fans only Northam.
Someone suggested away fans could cut across the parks and go via Chapel road, again too many flashpoints and hard to control for the police.
C. Home fans, most come from the City centre direction, those in the Chapel coming from the footbridge will now have to take a big detour with the away end now being cut off.
5. The fact that fans might just abandon the Northam and go to the chapel and Kingsland stand, then there has been a lot of upheaval and cost for no real gain.
6. The club are trying to create an outdoor concourse where fans can sit outside bars both before the game and this is a big plus point, but these plans will be scuppered, at the moment they can do this on all three sides, with away fans confined in the Northam corner, if they move them, then it will be an island in the middle, the police won't be happy with flashpoints of Saints fans drinking outside the ground and clashing with away fans. Also it will restrict opening out the Chapel and Kingsland at half time
There is plenty of evidence for that, back in 2001, Saints fans could have opted for the Chapel as the home end, they knew that the Northam would not be available for cup ties etc, but they still chose to go there, likewise the Itchen Corner, that was pretty quiet for about 18 years up to just before Covid, but then it started to fill with those who wanted "banter" with the away fans and shunned going in a big home end.
The fact is that plenty of people speak big about having the Northam as a home end, but how many would actually go in it, it isn't sold out of season tickets now, so where are they going to find 3,000 more who want to go in there and stand up, on this note I think they might well do so, but it is far from certain, given the numbers that migrated from the Northam and other parts to the Itchen North.
As was hinted on here the reason for this is allegedly our new CEO who is looking to ingratiate himself with the fans by making a big gesture and this is it.
The plans for the stadium building work have been drawn up, but they have to be agreed by the police and Stadium licencing authority and given their recent issues a year or so ago when they were looking to close the Itchen North, this may be far more difficult to get past them.
In theory it's a great idea to have a big home end, but the reality is that since 1975 when some of those in the Milton at the Dell migrated to Under the West stand and also the Archers, we are a supporter base that shuns a big home end and prefers smaller groups around the ground and this should perhaps be taken into account.
Another factor is what division we are going to be in, it could be late May before this is determined and that would then leave just over 2 months to displace and re seat 6,000 supporters.
I am not being negative here, I am just being pragmatic, if we dont go up and we have a half empty Northam with half of that end and Block 1 & 2 in the Kingsland then the same people who were saying what a great idea this is now, will be slagging off the club for not spending the money on a new striker.
Truth is this debate has been going on for years and the Police & Licensing authorities have also turned it down every time it has been raised, the club have also baulked when they realised the costs .
I have tried to look at it from all sides here, but what comes out of it is one plus point a potential home end, but a lot of issues and problems to be able to do it.
As Dirk has always said we have had a home end for 23 years, the solution is simple, it is just no one seems to be interested in doing the simple thing |
1.' We are moving the away fans from one half of an end to another half, so there is absolutely nothing to be gained in terms of position in the ground'
Pretty much a pointless exercise even considering it really then?
Lot of expense and ballache for nothing. | | | |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 21:42 - Jan 16 with 10151 views | Southamptonfan |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 21:37 - Jan 16 by hedgeend61 |
1.' We are moving the away fans from one half of an end to another half, so there is absolutely nothing to be gained in terms of position in the ground'
Pretty much a pointless exercise even considering it really then?
Lot of expense and ballache for nothing. |
Are they not moving the away fans to the corner? I assume the idea is that "shoving" the away fans in the corner, is better than them having half an end behind the goal. They can't give the away fans the corner in the northam because of the police box and ticket office, so are moving them to the other end. The main issue has been that a noisy away following suck the ball into net when they have half an end. If they are in the corner, they will have in theory less influence. [Post edited 16 Jan 21:44]
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