Much has been spoken on social media about ramping up the atmosphere for this evening's play off semi final against West Bromwich Albion, but talk is cheap and actions speak louder, tonight both players and fans need to be as one.

Sometimes games come along where there is no room for passengers and that means both on and off the pitch, in football there is the saying often used by managers when urging their players to give the proverbial 110% to leave nothing on the pitch.

What they mean by that is that every player should run themselves into the ground, when they leave the pitch they should be physically drained, they should not have shirked in any way shape or form, they should have no regrets that they could have done that little but more.

That is also the message to Southampton fans this evening, whilst we should all appreciate that not every fan can spent 90 minutes stood up and singing, every supporter should be able to at least offer some form of support, whether that is wearing something red & white or just offering words of encouragement, it all helps.

Football crowds are like football teams, not everyone can be the start striker, some have to play at the back and make minor but vital contributions.

If you cant say words of encouragement,, then say nothing, I don't go as far as Jo Tessem a member of the 2003 FA Cup final team, a day when Saints fans truly excelled, who suggested that if you are not going to support the team vocally then give your ticket to someone who will do, but I do say if you can't say something positive, then say nothing.

Behind me at West Brom in the first leg was a Saints supporter who spent virtually the whole game abusing his own side, "F****** hell Mara/Manning/Saints" was pretty much the only words of so called encouragement that he loudly offered, that is not support, it is abuse.

I don't argue with his right to have those opinions or express them, but not during a game and especially not one as important as the one on Sunday and indeed the one tonight.

So the message coming out from the club, the players, the ex players and indeed the majority of the supporters is clear, we need to be as one and make this one of those special nights that we have all experienced at either the Dell or St Mary's whether we are young and old.

Tonight is one of the biggest games the club has played in years, if we want the players to leave nothing on the pitch, then we need to leave nothing in the stands !

Photo: Action Images

codge added 13:22 - May 17 Totally agree Nick this is onetime we all should be on the same page,so let’s go Saints and get the job done.COYR
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JGH added 14:26 - May 17 Spot on. If there is even the smallest possibility that the crowd can be the marginal gain to get Saints over the line then everyone should be doing what they can to contribute to that. No one wants to hear the FFS's etc...
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wibbersda added 14:33 - May 17 Here's hoping we don't end up runners-up, as our History would suggest.
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SanMarco added 16:17 - May 17 I think the abusers Nick mentions are often people who have forgotten to take their tablets. We all have negative thoughts about our players at times. I just keep them in my head where they belong. You can look at it the other way and say we are due for better things wibbersda!!
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