Saints have announced that they will be opening their new fanzone when Liverpool visit for the opening game of the season.

Saints are unveiling a new initiative for the opening home game of the season, several other clubs have fanzines and now Saints are following suit and opening their own.

It will be an acquired taste and although some supporters will ridicule the concept of fanzines, they are a positive step in encouraging youngsters and cementing relationships with those who will be supporting the club for decades to come.

SAINTS' commercial director David Thomas has confirmed that the new St Mary's fan zone will open for Liverpool's visit on 17 August.

Having been in discussions with Southampton City Council for over a year, the club has finally been given the green light to build it.

Thomas said: “A couple of weeks ago we had our planning permission come through.

“It’s something that we’ve been working with the council on for over a year.

“We are currently building the fan zone off-site as we speak, and it will be in place for the Liverpool match.

“It’s really exciting.

“It’s going to be in the south car park and it will have live music, a big screen, food and drink, and places to sit.

“It’s going to be a really big step forward for us.”

As I said not to everyone taste but in order to continue to develop and flourish the club has to look to build it's supporter base in all directions and the fanzone can play a part in this.

Photo: Action Images

SaintBrock added 17:06 - Jul 19 It seems modern fans need to be entertained all the time and not just for the 90 odd minutes of a football match. Personally it's all beyond me the need for this beer, music, singing culture of the modern game. It reminds me of a few years ago when I was a corporate guest at the F1 Grand Prix at Silverstone. As an F1 fan this for was like manna from heaven but 90% of guest colleagues spent the whole day in the hospitality tent boozing and never once went outside to watch the race. Long ago at the Dell it was entertainment enough to listen to the half-time cough pastille seller walking around the touchline with his tray of "sweets" calling out "Cough no more for sixpence!" No doubt many who bought his remedy did not live long enough afterwards to cough again.

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RednWight added 19:59 - Jul 19 We’ve had this fanzine for years Nice that the club is catching up,
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saintpete01 added 08:44 - Jul 20 I still have fond memories of the daganem girl pipers 😂
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saintmark1976 added 10:22 - Jul 20 What ever happened to the Albion Band or the idiot policeman who thought the target "criminal" for the police dog display team was a half time pitch invader?
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arfurdent added 11:21 - Jul 20 I also remember the Albion Band and the dog display team who were RAF police. Watched form the Archers. Fanzones are just an attempt to get fans to spend on poor quality food and drink. The catering quality inside SMS is crap on a long term contract. This is obviously an attempt to get around it. Unless it is Wetherspoons prices they can shove it
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redwight added 16:54 - Jul 20 As well as the Albion band, there was also the Dixieland Jazz Band with the guy at the front twirling his umbrella. I seem to remember thinking they were pretty good.
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saintmark1976 added 19:17 - Jul 20 redwight, thanks for reminding me in regard to the Dixieland Jazz Band and yes, they were good. I used to watch games from the Milton near the players entrance and when they took to the pitch you could smell the liniment. Happy days indeed.
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LoisDeem added 15:04 - Jul 22 Fanzone? Just what is it?
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