| Northam Home Fans Only on 22:08 - Jan 16 with 1879 views | franniesTache |
| 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 |
I agree with everything you’ve written here. I also fully expect it to happen if the police allow it.
I don’t expect the fan survey to make the slightest bit of difference to the decision either |  | |  |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 22:09 - Jan 16 with 1879 views | hedgeend61 |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 21:42 - Jan 16 by Southamptonfan |
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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I don't know mate, I'm only going on what the Nick says, he knows more than me.
If they can move it there, wouldn't it make more sense to stick them in the Northam/Kingsland corner so there completely on the side of the pitch?
What happens when a club request 4600 for a Cup game?
All this fans mixing before/after games, isn't this the case at most grounds these days?
It's hardly like the 70's at Leeds/Birmingham/Millwall when you were lucky to get home in one piece. |  | | |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 22:27 - Jan 16 with 1829 views | kingslandstand1 |
| 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 |
Have to say, that all makes sense and as someone who comes up from the Industrial estate end and road by the railway line I can just see loads of flashpoint potentials.
I can't really see the gain as you say, and there will be loads of disruption, but if there has to be something to get away fans in a corner, surely there must be a way to put them in Northam/Kingsland corner? |  | | |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 23:28 - Jan 16 with 1782 views | dirk_doone |
Fortunately, the overwhelming majority of fans are in favour of it and so is everyone at the club. It's going to happen and that's great. Sports Republic are begnning to show that they are very good owners. [Post edited 16 Jan 23:29]
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| Northam Home Fans Only on 09:24 - Jan 17 with 1654 views | saints__fan__73 |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 23:28 - Jan 16 by dirk_doone |
Fortunately, the overwhelming majority of fans are in favour of it and so is everyone at the club. It's going to happen and that's great. Sports Republic are begnning to show that they are very good owners. [Post edited 16 Jan 23:29]
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For once I agree with everything that Nick has written.
It is utterly irrelevant if the 'overwhelming majority of fans are in favour of it and so is everyone at the club' if the Police are not in favour. Their position has been the same since the ground opened, i.e, the away fans have to be kept where they are as the only safe way of getting away fans out of the stadium is via coaches parked on Britannia Rd. I have not seen anything to indicate that has changed.
When you say 'it's going to happen' what you actually mean is you very much want it to happen. |  |
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| Northam Home Fans Only on 10:11 - Jan 17 with 1608 views | franniesTache |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 09:24 - Jan 17 by saints__fan__73 |
For once I agree with everything that Nick has written.
It is utterly irrelevant if the 'overwhelming majority of fans are in favour of it and so is everyone at the club' if the Police are not in favour. Their position has been the same since the ground opened, i.e, the away fans have to be kept where they are as the only safe way of getting away fans out of the stadium is via coaches parked on Britannia Rd. I have not seen anything to indicate that has changed.
When you say 'it's going to happen' what you actually mean is you very much want it to happen. |
When he says it's going to happen he means that barring a logistical block outside of the clubs control it's going to happen (though i'd been led to believe that had been cleared)
I'm less convinced the overwhelming majority of fans are in favour, i have a feeling a small minority probably are but a lot aren't.
Fans in the area that the away fans will be moved to won't be in favour, nor will those in the blocks either side, and the majority of those i've spoken to in the Itchen North don't want it to happen either. | | | |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 10:33 - Jan 17 with 1595 views | saints__fan__73 |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 10:11 - Jan 17 by franniesTache |
When he says it's going to happen he means that barring a logistical block outside of the clubs control it's going to happen (though i'd been led to believe that had been cleared)
I'm less convinced the overwhelming majority of fans are in favour, i have a feeling a small minority probably are but a lot aren't.
Fans in the area that the away fans will be moved to won't be in favour, nor will those in the blocks either side, and the majority of those i've spoken to in the Itchen North don't want it to happen either. |
I've decided I'm going to build a 100 storey sky scraper on the footprint of my house. It's going to happen barring the logistical block of getting planning permission. | |
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| Northam Home Fans Only on 10:37 - Jan 17 with 1589 views | Buggalugs |
Unless the away fans are put in a corner (ie Leicester), it's completely pointless and will hack off a lot of people (apart from Dirk and Grumpy). Just stick the safe standing in the Chapel ffs and incentivise those that want to sing about Pompey all game to migrate over to there.
Minimum cost outlay, minimum disruption, same result. |  |
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| Northam Home Fans Only on 10:48 - Jan 17 with 1559 views | hedgeend61 |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 10:37 - Jan 17 by Buggalugs |
Unless the away fans are put in a corner (ie Leicester), it's completely pointless and will hack off a lot of people (apart from Dirk and Grumpy). Just stick the safe standing in the Chapel ffs and incentivise those that want to sing about Pompey all game to migrate over to there.
Minimum cost outlay, minimum disruption, same result. |
Absolutely, seems they promoted the braindead who wasted £20m on TP to a different role at SMS to waste more dough. | | | |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 10:57 - Jan 17 with 1532 views | SaintNick |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 23:28 - Jan 16 by dirk_doone |
Fortunately, the overwhelming majority of fans are in favour of it and so is everyone at the club. It's going to happen and that's great. Sports Republic are begnning to show that they are very good owners. [Post edited 16 Jan 23:29]
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How do we know that an overwhelming majority are in favour of it and i know and so do others on here that not everyone at the club is in favour of it, in fact complete the opposite.
Im surprised at your last comment "Sports Republic are begnning to show that they are very good owners."
Why on earth does this show that SP are showing they are very good owners, Moshiri at Everton did a lot of things like this to get the fans eating out of his hand and football is full of owners who put in distractions to divert the attention away from other areas of concern.
I personally at the moment don't have a problem with Sport Republic, but it worries me when those in charge put something like this forward, that is completely against advice, this is a sop to the fans. |  |
| Satisfying The Bloodlust Of The Masses In Peacetime |
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| Northam Home Fans Only on 11:03 - Jan 17 with 1520 views | SaintNick |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 22:09 - Jan 16 by hedgeend61 |
I don't know mate, I'm only going on what the Nick says, he knows more than me.
If they can move it there, wouldn't it make more sense to stick them in the Northam/Kingsland corner so there completely on the side of the pitch?
What happens when a club request 4600 for a Cup game?
All this fans mixing before/after games, isn't this the case at most grounds these days?
It's hardly like the 70's at Leeds/Birmingham/Millwall when you were lucky to get home in one piece. |
The issues regarding fans mixing are in regard to the confined space behind the ground.
For most games away fans coming from the city centre they used to let them come over the footbridge, now you cant do that and cant get to the away section from behind the Northam stand.
They have isolated the away fans in that corner.
Anyone who goes in the Kingsland stand and comes out of it after the game will know how congested it is and before the games the queues come out a lot.
We would now have the away fans in an area where it is hard to isolate them without major disruption.
Most grounds arent hemmed in on both sides as St Mary's is | |
| Satisfying The Bloodlust Of The Masses In Peacetime |
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| Northam Home Fans Only on 11:14 - Jan 17 with 1502 views | UTS1885 |
I object
I dont believe there is another area of the ground, that can safely house away fans and contain them if needed, than its current location. I think we're seeing some minority fan appeasement from this 'advisory group', who dont speak for everyone. Im a firm believer in tradition, in that away fans are located somewhere behind a goal. It looks like the decision has already been made without proper consultation. Up until recently, it wasnt that hard to get a ticket in the northam if you wanted one. So, where are the extra 3000 going to come from ?
When it comes to atmopshere, that has always been down to whats happening on the pitch. Over the last couple of months with a row of home wins, its all good.
I think the former Hants police liason officer is now in charge of stadium secuirty so has probably got some leeway with his new counterpart.
I suspect the club will have to increase stewarding around this new away area to a significant higher level to get authority to sanction it. |  | | |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 12:41 - Jan 17 with 1447 views | stmichael |
| 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 |
Move the family centre and put safe standing and cheaper ticket prices in the Chapel.
Barely any upheaval.
We’ve had a home end since day one so really don’t see why the club get criticised.
The fans have chosen not to use it.. |  |
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| Northam Home Fans Only on 13:44 - Jan 17 with 1419 views | Number_58 |
Wouldn't it be easier just to move the away fans round a bit to the Itchen/Northam corner. It would mean re-configuring the areas below the stands quite considerably and maybe sacrificing a couple of hopitality boxes at the back, but at least this would mean that Saints fans get the whole Northam End and are still next to the away fans, and the segregation outside the ground remains the same. Obviously PatfromPoole would have to move his seat, but we all have to make sacrifices... |  | | |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 14:06 - Jan 17 with 1394 views | BLEEDRED |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 13:44 - Jan 17 by Number_58 |
Wouldn't it be easier just to move the away fans round a bit to the Itchen/Northam corner. It would mean re-configuring the areas below the stands quite considerably and maybe sacrificing a couple of hopitality boxes at the back, but at least this would mean that Saints fans get the whole Northam End and are still next to the away fans, and the segregation outside the ground remains the same. Obviously PatfromPoole would have to move his seat, but we all have to make sacrifices... |
If you move round into the Itchen North (up to 4500 seats required) you will lose quite a few boxes plus away fans near the hospitality areas!! Not very likely. | | | |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 14:13 - Jan 17 with 1384 views | grumpy |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 11:14 - Jan 17 by UTS1885 |
I object
I dont believe there is another area of the ground, that can safely house away fans and contain them if needed, than its current location. I think we're seeing some minority fan appeasement from this 'advisory group', who dont speak for everyone. Im a firm believer in tradition, in that away fans are located somewhere behind a goal. It looks like the decision has already been made without proper consultation. Up until recently, it wasnt that hard to get a ticket in the northam if you wanted one. So, where are the extra 3000 going to come from ?
When it comes to atmopshere, that has always been down to whats happening on the pitch. Over the last couple of months with a row of home wins, its all good.
I think the former Hants police liason officer is now in charge of stadium secuirty so has probably got some leeway with his new counterpart.
I suspect the club will have to increase stewarding around this new away area to a significant higher level to get authority to sanction it. |
Of course there can be another area of the ground that can safely house away fans ,it requires Police cooperation yes, but it can be done.
You don't know its a minority fan appeasement,from what conversations I have had with other Saints fans and what I have read there is a Majority in favor of the move.
Atmosphere doesn't just develop with what happens on the pitch,it builds before a game too.
Just look at the Derby games.
Games are not like they used to be in the 70/80s,the violence at them was intense, its not like that anymore,so moving away fans is not asking for trouble.
Why some want to find the negatives in a move that would transform St. Marys is beyond me,do we really want a ground where our loudest fans are in the corners,the Northam fans get moved when there is a big game.
I don't believe there would be a move by some fans to be next to the away fans, that's what used to happened in the past.
The Northam End must be a Home End. |  | | |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 14:26 - Jan 17 with 1378 views | SaintNick |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 14:13 - Jan 17 by grumpy |
Of course there can be another area of the ground that can safely house away fans ,it requires Police cooperation yes, but it can be done.
You don't know its a minority fan appeasement,from what conversations I have had with other Saints fans and what I have read there is a Majority in favor of the move.
Atmosphere doesn't just develop with what happens on the pitch,it builds before a game too.
Just look at the Derby games.
Games are not like they used to be in the 70/80s,the violence at them was intense, its not like that anymore,so moving away fans is not asking for trouble.
Why some want to find the negatives in a move that would transform St. Marys is beyond me,do we really want a ground where our loudest fans are in the corners,the Northam fans get moved when there is a big game.
I don't believe there would be a move by some fans to be next to the away fans, that's what used to happened in the past.
The Northam End must be a Home End. |
To take some of your points, you say that moving next to the away fans is a thing of the past, sorry but that isn't true, the migration of a number of fans into the Itchen North only happened just before Covid and then in the year or so after it there was a bigger influx on the return of the fans to the ground culminating in disorder that led to the closing of block i in October 2022, so the issue is still there.
Yes there would be a majority of Saints fans who would say yes to the move, but they do so just on the headline about creating a red & white wall, they know nothing of the logisistics.
Also how many who say yes will actually move seats and move to the Northam | |
| Satisfying The Bloodlust Of The Masses In Peacetime |
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| Northam Home Fans Only on 14:43 - Jan 17 with 1360 views | BLEEDRED |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 11:14 - Jan 17 by UTS1885 |
I object
I dont believe there is another area of the ground, that can safely house away fans and contain them if needed, than its current location. I think we're seeing some minority fan appeasement from this 'advisory group', who dont speak for everyone. Im a firm believer in tradition, in that away fans are located somewhere behind a goal. It looks like the decision has already been made without proper consultation. Up until recently, it wasnt that hard to get a ticket in the northam if you wanted one. So, where are the extra 3000 going to come from ?
When it comes to atmopshere, that has always been down to whats happening on the pitch. Over the last couple of months with a row of home wins, its all good.
I think the former Hants police liason officer is now in charge of stadium secuirty so has probably got some leeway with his new counterpart.
I suspect the club will have to increase stewarding around this new away area to a significant higher level to get authority to sanction it. |
I object also
I agree with everything that Nick states.
The home stand has been there from day one!!
Just tell those in the Northam to move to the Chapel.(only blocks 40-42)
Of course, they won't because they want to be next to the away fans.
I sit in Itchen North and everyone around me (mainly season ticket holders) are there because they want the banter with away fans. Some have already said they will move, possibly to Kingsland South (blocks 28/29) the club will not be able to charge top dollar for those fans to sit next to the away fans, those sitting there at the moment would mostly want to move away.
Some may move to the Chapel to be close to away fans.
Are there 3000 fans on a waiting list to move to the Northam?
One expensive way out which the club won't approve is to build an upper tier to house 4000-5000 then the exit of away fans could operate in the same way as it has done from day one (successfully) The area can be isolated easily if on rare occasions needed. Maybe we will play Pompey one day (I know not likely!!)
I don't believe the majority are in favour of this, just the few that like to shout loudest and belong to committees.
I hope the club will give every Season Ticket/Member a vote on this. | | | |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 14:43 - Jan 17 with 1360 views | Number_58 |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 14:06 - Jan 17 by BLEEDRED |
If you move round into the Itchen North (up to 4500 seats required) you will lose quite a few boxes plus away fans near the hospitality areas!! Not very likely. |
Just stick down a bit of mesh netting in front of the boxes and bung in a few of our rapid-reaction (not) stewards and it'll be fine! Biggest problem with away fans having any of the corners is that there's no dedicated disabled areas in any of them. I would assume this would be a league stipulation. [Post edited 17 Jan 14:46]
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| Northam Home Fans Only on 14:55 - Jan 17 with 1351 views | Scoot |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 15:21 - Jan 16 by 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. |
Clubs best ever run. You still find something to moan about 👏👏👏 just enjoy yourself for fuucckks sake. | |
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| Northam Home Fans Only on 14:56 - Jan 17 with 1347 views | BLEEDRED |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 14:43 - Jan 17 by Number_58 |
Just stick down a bit of mesh netting in front of the boxes and bung in a few of our rapid-reaction (not) stewards and it'll be fine! Biggest problem with away fans having any of the corners is that there's no dedicated disabled areas in any of them. I would assume this would be a league stipulation. [Post edited 17 Jan 14:46]
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There is no easy answer! And everyone has different solutions. Whatever happens, it will P off some of our fan base, so here's to the next few months of argument and counterargument!! | | | |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 15:08 - Jan 17 with 1338 views | Number_58 |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 14:56 - Jan 17 by BLEEDRED |
There is no easy answer! And everyone has different solutions. Whatever happens, it will P off some of our fan base, so here's to the next few months of argument and counterargument!! |
Indeed. For the Walsall game I was in the Northam and I didn't get the impression many of them were only there because it was next to the away fans. For one thing, unless you're right next to the away lot you can't actually see them (unlike the Itchen North). It's only a hunch, but I think most of the Northam will stay at that end, especially if it means they can legitimately stand up. In fact I might give it a go if I get turfed out of my usual seat down the other end. | | | |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 16:31 - Jan 17 with 1269 views | dirk_doone |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 15:08 - Jan 17 by Number_58 |
Indeed. For the Walsall game I was in the Northam and I didn't get the impression many of them were only there because it was next to the away fans. For one thing, unless you're right next to the away lot you can't actually see them (unlike the Itchen North). It's only a hunch, but I think most of the Northam will stay at that end, especially if it means they can legitimately stand up. In fact I might give it a go if I get turfed out of my usual seat down the other end. |
90% of the away fans are totally unaware that there are home fans singing in the Northam/Kingsland corner. They can neither see them or hear them. They can see the ones in the Itchen North but they'd notice them a lot more if they were facing them from behind the goal at the other end. More importantly, so would the players and the officals on the pitch. [Post edited 17 Jan 16:34]
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| Northam Home Fans Only on 16:36 - Jan 17 with 1260 views | UTS1885 |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 14:13 - Jan 17 by grumpy |
Of course there can be another area of the ground that can safely house away fans ,it requires Police cooperation yes, but it can be done.
You don't know its a minority fan appeasement,from what conversations I have had with other Saints fans and what I have read there is a Majority in favor of the move.
Atmosphere doesn't just develop with what happens on the pitch,it builds before a game too.
Just look at the Derby games.
Games are not like they used to be in the 70/80s,the violence at them was intense, its not like that anymore,so moving away fans is not asking for trouble.
Why some want to find the negatives in a move that would transform St. Marys is beyond me,do we really want a ground where our loudest fans are in the corners,the Northam fans get moved when there is a big game.
I don't believe there would be a move by some fans to be next to the away fans, that's what used to happened in the past.
The Northam End must be a Home End. |
Like i said there isnt another part of St Marys that can be isolated if need be like theyve done with the corner of northam and britannia road. Rows of coaches can be parked up easily in britannia road and escorted out. This i suspect is only happening becuase the club are willing to pay for a lot more stewards as the Police will not provide the numbers for safety. I highlighted that you could if you wanted get a ticket in the Northam end. SO yes its a minor amount of fans that are already in the northam anyway. It will be interesting to see how they cope with vocal fans moving alongside this new away section and them standing. We already have a home end its called the chapel end.
There is no finding the 'negative' its about considering other fans ie the majority that attend games. But it looks like they have no say and the decision has already been made. | | | |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 16:50 - Jan 17 with 1245 views | Buggalugs |
| Northam Home Fans Only on 14:55 - Jan 17 by Scoot |
Clubs best ever run. You still find something to moan about 👏👏👏 just enjoy yourself for fuucckks sake. |
What a gimp. | |
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