| St.Mary’s 16:20 - May 9 with 7859 views | grumpy |
One of the reasons for our demise has been the lack of passion shown at home. The place is not home fan friendly ,if the club doesn’t do something about it I can’t see us improving. I know I keep on about this but the support is disintegrating. |  | | |  |
| St.Mary’s on 16:19 - May 10 with 1855 views | kingslandstand1 |
| St.Mary’s on 13:28 - May 10 by SaintNick |
You miss the point Wiz, Forest had a brilliant 2022, we had a brilliant two seasons between 2010/11 & 2011/12, we had a manager that was loved, players that were loved and a feel good factor with the club.
Was St Mary's the seething cauldron that the City Ground was on Monday night ?
You were there, you know the answer to that one.
You could say that Everton have had a worse time in the last couple of years and have a lot more to gripe about than us given their expectations of their team, but their fans have stepped up to the plate and got behind the team, even though they are still raging against those who are in charge of their club, they are able to separate both apart.
before im accused of a Scouse thing Leicester fans who again could be said to have more to complain about than us of late, turn out week in week out fill their stadium and stay behind their team.
I speak to fans of all other clubs and when i speak about it they ask " what are your fans doing about it?" when I tell them absolutely zero except from boasting about leaving 30 minutes early and not buying season tickets next year on social media and ,message boards, they are incredulous. |
Is that the Leicester that were telling the players they weren't fit to wear the shirt the other day at Fulham?
Saints do fill (well virtually) SMS for most home games and yes you'll see an exodus as the 3rd or 4th ball goes in to our net, but that happens at every stadium when they have had enough of the dross
You do have a point about Everton, and when was the last time we saw red flares welcoming the Saints team bus to the stadium? But we will never be like that down here and although the Dell used to be a sort of fortress as other teams use to hate going there, that is not going to happen at SMS unfortunately
And when the chips are down for a must win game (our first of those this season wa ironically against Forest), where were all the free scarves and atmosphere build up from the club at the ground. The difference may be between having "supporters" and "fans".
Basically we are not a vociferous bunch down here, although atmosphere among Saints fans on away trips is pretty good, and as I have said previously, at games when we get that first goal and normally during the first 10 mins or so of a game, but hardly anything to scream from the ceiling about |  | | |
| St.Mary’s on 18:21 - May 10 with 1789 views | grumpy |
| St.Mary’s on 10:19 - May 10 by SaintNick |
All the old arguments are coming out again, once again we are the victims, the home support would be brilliant overnight if it wasn't for the fact that we give the away fans half the Northam.
The fact of the matter is there is no winning formula to have great home support, all of the fans who are known for it do it in different types and sizes of stadium and with the away fans in various parts of the ground.
We as a fanbase sit back and always have a good reason why we are not loud & proud, there is always an excuse.
But the stark truth is that we just don't have enough people who are willing to make any noise, anyone who went to Forest on Monday would have been impressed, they have had 25 years of mediocrity, yet they were still up for it, yes they are newly promoted, but was St Mary's like that back in 2012 when we got promoted ?
It is not the lay out of a stadium or being next to away fans that create an atmosphere, it is down to the people in the stadium themselves.
Instead of whinging about away fans in the Northam we should get on with doing things we can change not moan about something we can't. |
Who's saying the home support would be brilliant overnight?
That would come in time.
Saints fans can be as loud and proud as any other,I can bear witness to that having supported them for a considerable time.
'we just don't have enough people who are willing to make any noise'
No! because there's no identity at St. Marys ,the most vocal fans sit either side of the away fans,and when there is a big away following most of them are told to move.Its not like its our ground.
People say ah!well it will never change for this reason and that and that's exactly why it wont.
I am just grateful most of my time supporting the Saints was at the Dell,now there was a place with an identity. | | | |
| St.Mary’s on 20:13 - May 10 with 1726 views | hedgeend61 |
| St.Mary’s on 20:46 - May 9 by barry_sanchez |
You want to put the away fans in the shittest part of your ground, that is all there is to it. |
That's fair enough, but any amount of away fans won't win a game for you.
If Man City playing at home had no supporters in the stadium and gave all 50 odd thousand tickets to away fans, they'd still probably win, cos they have better players.
City's home ground's like a library most games, don't stop them winning though does it? |  | | |
| St.Mary’s on 20:19 - May 10 with 1715 views | barry_sanchez |
| St.Mary’s on 20:13 - May 10 by hedgeend61 |
That's fair enough, but any amount of away fans won't win a game for you.
If Man City playing at home had no supporters in the stadium and gave all 50 odd thousand tickets to away fans, they'd still probably win, cos they have better players.
City's home ground's like a library most games, don't stop them winning though does it? |
No because they have superior players and we don't have that luxury as they're shite by and large, we need to make it as uncomfortable for away teams as possible, that would be the start of an identity, bollocks to the nice day out to Southampton, make it as difficult as possible, no away pubs, make it as shit as possible for them. |  |
| He who is silent and bows his head dies every time he does so. He who speaks aloud and walks with his head held high dies only once.
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| St.Mary’s on 21:09 - May 10 with 1668 views | grumpy |
| St.Mary’s on 20:19 - May 10 by barry_sanchez |
No because they have superior players and we don't have that luxury as they're shite by and large, we need to make it as uncomfortable for away teams as possible, that would be the start of an identity, bollocks to the nice day out to Southampton, make it as difficult as possible, no away pubs, make it as shit as possible for them. |
Barry's right,why make it such a nice day out.
'Move over this our place'
Put them in a corner,why give them a end?
Didn't Pompey put away fans in an end without a roof for years?
Teams didn't like coming to the Dell,don't think their fans did either.
The atmosphere was intense(not always I grant you) but for big games it was intimidating.
Who could ever forget the likes of Channon,Keegan and Ball running on to the pitch on a midweek evening game,they loved the atmosphere,the opposition did not. | | | |
| St.Mary’s on 21:45 - May 10 with 1629 views | saintwizzler |
| St.Mary’s on 13:28 - May 10 by SaintNick |
You miss the point Wiz, Forest had a brilliant 2022, we had a brilliant two seasons between 2010/11 & 2011/12, we had a manager that was loved, players that were loved and a feel good factor with the club.
Was St Mary's the seething cauldron that the City Ground was on Monday night ?
You were there, you know the answer to that one.
You could say that Everton have had a worse time in the last couple of years and have a lot more to gripe about than us given their expectations of their team, but their fans have stepped up to the plate and got behind the team, even though they are still raging against those who are in charge of their club, they are able to separate both apart.
before im accused of a Scouse thing Leicester fans who again could be said to have more to complain about than us of late, turn out week in week out fill their stadium and stay behind their team.
I speak to fans of all other clubs and when i speak about it they ask " what are your fans doing about it?" when I tell them absolutely zero except from boasting about leaving 30 minutes early and not buying season tickets next year on social media and ,message boards, they are incredulous. |
Hard to get an atmosphere going when you’re getting dicked every home game.
Even before we get to the game we get baffling team selections from the past three managers.
St Mary’s has been rocking in the past.
It’s been a long time.
I wonder why?
In this cost of living crisis and with the piss poor results I am surprised that St Mary’s continues to get the good crowds it has.
Fair play to all those who still turn up.
And the away following has been fantastic this season.
For all the social media slagging off of the club the fans have turned up still.
That is something to be proud of.
I hope the owners and players realise there is a good following and have got off lightly following the shit show of 2022 and so far in 2023.
HOW MUCH MORE WILL SOUTHAMPTON FANS PUT UP WITH? |  |
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| St.Mary’s on 22:42 - May 10 with 1570 views | hedgeend61 |
| St.Mary’s on 21:00 - May 9 by grumpy |
Everton and Leeds have won 3 more games at home than us,if we had done that we would have been out of the relegation zone.
The reason we're bottom of the league is that we have been managed by two of the worst managers in Saints history.
Cant wait for your next supercilious comment.  |
IF?, both teams and Leicester have better players than us, they should do.
So not having a decent PL goalkeeper, only having one PL defender, not having a creative midfielder or leader, and not having a decent PL level striker doesn't have anything to do with being bottom of the table.
Wake up, Pep would have struggled to keep these lightweights up.
You call yourself a Saints fan, yet you post pony on here saying you'd support Pompey if they played a Foreign side, that's not a Saints fan, no Saints fan would support Pompey ever, what don't you get? you're a disgrace and an embarrassment.
Apologise immediately.
Were you that Grumpyolddelldays who posted copious nonsense on that Pompey forum and constantly got ripped to bits ? | | | |
| St.Mary’s on 22:51 - May 10 with 1552 views | Buggalugs |
| St.Mary’s on 21:09 - May 10 by grumpy |
Barry's right,why make it such a nice day out.
'Move over this our place'
Put them in a corner,why give them a end?
Didn't Pompey put away fans in an end without a roof for years?
Teams didn't like coming to the Dell,don't think their fans did either.
The atmosphere was intense(not always I grant you) but for big games it was intimidating.
Who could ever forget the likes of Channon,Keegan and Ball running on to the pitch on a midweek evening game,they loved the atmosphere,the opposition did not. |
…but for the most part, the away fans were in the Archers Road end at The Dell, which was obviously behind the goal.
…and when the club we were playing had a large following, our fans would get kicked out of the half they used to occupy so the away contingent could have the entire end.
Not really sure what point you’re trying to make as the similarities to away fan positioning and treatment of home fans is almost identical between The Dell and St Mary’s. |  |
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| St.Mary’s on 22:58 - May 10 with 1544 views | felly1 |
This season we got a home win percentage of 12%...12 effing percent .
Leicester and Everton are 22 and 29%. |  | | |
| St.Mary’s on 23:00 - May 10 with 1542 views | Buggalugs |
| St.Mary’s on 22:42 - May 10 by hedgeend61 |
IF?, both teams and Leicester have better players than us, they should do.
So not having a decent PL goalkeeper, only having one PL defender, not having a creative midfielder or leader, and not having a decent PL level striker doesn't have anything to do with being bottom of the table.
Wake up, Pep would have struggled to keep these lightweights up.
You call yourself a Saints fan, yet you post pony on here saying you'd support Pompey if they played a Foreign side, that's not a Saints fan, no Saints fan would support Pompey ever, what don't you get? you're a disgrace and an embarrassment.
Apologise immediately.
Were you that Grumpyolddelldays who posted copious nonsense on that Pompey forum and constantly got ripped to bits ? |
Meltdown from Grumpy incoming, with a vow never to post on here again.
Fast forward 3-4 weeks, yet another thread will be started about all our woes being down to the positioning of the away fans.
Repeat cycle again...and again…and again  | |
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| St.Mary’s on 11:28 - May 11 with 1399 views | Bar_Brother |
In the championship you will find there a more vocal fans in relative terms- as a premier league club we have a lot of passive fans - who will watch the game relatively quietly- this dilutes the atmosphere and has a domino effect on other fans in these 'quiet areas'.
This is not just a Southampton thing- lots of clubs in the Prem have pretty poor atmospheres. The days of groups of lads rocking up and the spontaneous banter and hostility that came with them is a thing of the past... I loved the Dell but we have moved on.
If you want an atmosphere it has to be somewhat choreographed and organised (probably with reps from the club and supporters groups- Arsenal have the Ashburton Army - Its not everyone's bag but its the only way you will get anything resembling an atmosphere at SMS I'm afraid.
Fill the Chapel with loads of flags and scarves and get fans bouncing up and down will at least give a bit of noise and colour. The alternative is a souless depressing bowl with the occassional slow and painful rendition of 'oh when the Saints' breaking the silence. | | | |
| St.Mary’s on 11:35 - May 11 with 1391 views | Ifonly |
| St.Mary’s on 22:51 - May 10 by Buggalugs |
…but for the most part, the away fans were in the Archers Road end at The Dell, which was obviously behind the goal.
…and when the club we were playing had a large following, our fans would get kicked out of the half they used to occupy so the away contingent could have the entire end.
Not really sure what point you’re trying to make as the similarities to away fan positioning and treatment of home fans is almost identical between The Dell and St Mary’s. |
That's not true. When Channon etc ran on the pitch there was a real home end that was very obvious. We don't have a home end now. That's the big difference.
In those days, whoever we were playing, the home fans would maker more noise than the away fans. These days most of the noise comes from away fans. We are the only side who's away form is better than our home form. The set up of the stadium and the lack of atmosphere is a key reason for that. | | | |
| St.Mary’s on 12:41 - May 11 with 1374 views | franniesTache |
| St.Mary’s on 11:28 - May 11 by Bar_Brother |
In the championship you will find there a more vocal fans in relative terms- as a premier league club we have a lot of passive fans - who will watch the game relatively quietly- this dilutes the atmosphere and has a domino effect on other fans in these 'quiet areas'.
This is not just a Southampton thing- lots of clubs in the Prem have pretty poor atmospheres. The days of groups of lads rocking up and the spontaneous banter and hostility that came with them is a thing of the past... I loved the Dell but we have moved on.
If you want an atmosphere it has to be somewhat choreographed and organised (probably with reps from the club and supporters groups- Arsenal have the Ashburton Army - Its not everyone's bag but its the only way you will get anything resembling an atmosphere at SMS I'm afraid.
Fill the Chapel with loads of flags and scarves and get fans bouncing up and down will at least give a bit of noise and colour. The alternative is a souless depressing bowl with the occassional slow and painful rendition of 'oh when the Saints' breaking the silence. |
If Arsenal's Tarquin Army are the future of terrace culture i'd rather sit in silence |  | | |
| St.Mary’s on 12:50 - May 11 with 1368 views | MytchettSaint |
| St.Mary’s on 11:28 - May 11 by Bar_Brother |
In the championship you will find there a more vocal fans in relative terms- as a premier league club we have a lot of passive fans - who will watch the game relatively quietly- this dilutes the atmosphere and has a domino effect on other fans in these 'quiet areas'.
This is not just a Southampton thing- lots of clubs in the Prem have pretty poor atmospheres. The days of groups of lads rocking up and the spontaneous banter and hostility that came with them is a thing of the past... I loved the Dell but we have moved on.
If you want an atmosphere it has to be somewhat choreographed and organised (probably with reps from the club and supporters groups- Arsenal have the Ashburton Army - Its not everyone's bag but its the only way you will get anything resembling an atmosphere at SMS I'm afraid.
Fill the Chapel with loads of flags and scarves and get fans bouncing up and down will at least give a bit of noise and colour. The alternative is a souless depressing bowl with the occassional slow and painful rendition of 'oh when the Saints' breaking the silence. |
I agree with you, but I can't see anyone from the club (especially our man from Millwall) wanting any sort of organised fans groups chanting or bringing in flags etc. That would mean a lot more work for them. If they can't catch out fan x from Basingstoke who only buys a ticket when team z is playing and then wanders into the ground with his team z replica shirt on, then imagine what sort of things might slip through the net with all that lot going on....someone might sneak in a plastic bottle with a top on...
A souless bowl suits them just fine. That isn't just me taking a cheap shot at the club, when have they ever engaged with fans to improve those things you have mentioned? Surveys about how happy you were with the price of your burger is about the level of engagement they want.
I am so grateful I had those years at the Dell as you have mentioned, turning up and standing wherever. Paying on the gate at away games. Is it any wonder fans are threatening to bugger off to Eastleigh. |  |
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| St.Mary’s on 12:54 - May 11 with 1364 views | Bar_Brother |
| St.Mary’s on 12:41 - May 11 by franniesTache |
If Arsenal's Tarquin Army are the future of terrace culture i'd rather sit in silence |
Terrace culture is embedded in the past- something we can all look back on with great nostalgia and something we were lucky enough to be part of- I would personally like to see a bit of atmosphere- does not have to be completely plastic and choreographed- it can grow organically | | | |
| St.Mary’s on 12:54 - May 11 with 1363 views | 1ASIN12 |
| St.Mary’s on 11:28 - May 11 by Bar_Brother |
In the championship you will find there a more vocal fans in relative terms- as a premier league club we have a lot of passive fans - who will watch the game relatively quietly- this dilutes the atmosphere and has a domino effect on other fans in these 'quiet areas'.
This is not just a Southampton thing- lots of clubs in the Prem have pretty poor atmospheres. The days of groups of lads rocking up and the spontaneous banter and hostility that came with them is a thing of the past... I loved the Dell but we have moved on.
If you want an atmosphere it has to be somewhat choreographed and organised (probably with reps from the club and supporters groups- Arsenal have the Ashburton Army - Its not everyone's bag but its the only way you will get anything resembling an atmosphere at SMS I'm afraid.
Fill the Chapel with loads of flags and scarves and get fans bouncing up and down will at least give a bit of noise and colour. The alternative is a souless depressing bowl with the occassional slow and painful rendition of 'oh when the Saints' breaking the silence. |
I agree the club and fans should get together and make the Chapel "end" our home end including safe standing.
Move the family center to the home section of the Northam which would help encourage fans to go to the chapel.
Close the old family block in the Chapel Kingsland corner, close the Kingsland Northam corner and then as the club want to close blocks 1 and 2 of the Itchen .
This will help reduce our costs and also help to make the ground look fuller.
Don't agree with the Arsenal "Ashburton Army" as from where we were sat they looked a very small group who we couldn't hear - the main noise seemed to come from the other end. No different to other season at Arsenal.
However we have a fanbase that wont want change and a fans group "the saints Voice" that are too busy thinking they are special rather then representing the fans they said they were going to. Lets face it have any of them asked fans what they want ? | | | |
| St.Mary’s on 13:50 - May 11 with 1343 views | Buggalugs |
| St.Mary’s on 11:35 - May 11 by Ifonly |
That's not true. When Channon etc ran on the pitch there was a real home end that was very obvious. We don't have a home end now. That's the big difference.
In those days, whoever we were playing, the home fans would maker more noise than the away fans. These days most of the noise comes from away fans. We are the only side who's away form is better than our home form. The set up of the stadium and the lack of atmosphere is a key reason for that. |
The point I was making is the setup of St Mary's is no different from what the Dell was, ie away fans split with home fans behind one of the goals. We have 3 sides of St Mary's to ourselves, so there's no excuse for not having a "home end". To suggest that has to be the Northam, the part of the ground that houses the away fans is ridiculous.
Do you not think the deterioration in atmosphere has got more to do with how the demographic and football supporters behaviour in general has changed? | |
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| St.Mary’s on 14:58 - May 11 with 1318 views | Ifonly |
| St.Mary’s on 13:50 - May 11 by Buggalugs |
The point I was making is the setup of St Mary's is no different from what the Dell was, ie away fans split with home fans behind one of the goals. We have 3 sides of St Mary's to ourselves, so there's no excuse for not having a "home end". To suggest that has to be the Northam, the part of the ground that houses the away fans is ridiculous.
Do you not think the deterioration in atmosphere has got more to do with how the demographic and football supporters behaviour in general has changed? |
Yes, the demographic and fan behaviour have changed (not all for the worse) but theses are national trends, so that is not a reason for the lack of atmosphere at SMS.
The home end could be the Chapel but it would require a redesign for that to happen. The family section and disabled seating would have to be moved, safe standing should be put in. The way I see it is it's a choice for the club. They need to make changes, either to the Northam or the Chapel to change the atmosphere. They need to choose one of them. The set up of the stadium needs to say: this is OUR stadium, it doesn't belong to the visitors. If they don't make changes then things will never improve. | | | |
| St.Mary’s on 16:28 - May 11 with 1291 views | stmichael |
| St.Mary’s on 13:07 - May 10 by franniesTache |
I'd rather shit in my own hands and clap than have "ultras" at St Mary's, f*cking god awful fancy dress crap that should stay in Europe.
Even when it's done "well" in this country - like at Celtic or Rangers - it's still sh*t. No response to the game, no humour, just noise for the sake of noise.
And can you imagine how tinpot it would be if it was our fans doing it, would end up looking more like those freaks down the road with their bandstand than Italian ultras.
What we need is to get back to our own football culture, we had some of it returning pre-covid in the Itchen North but that got completely over run and infested by children that had watched Green Street and ruined, and now it's just the Northam in smaller numbers. |
Crystal Palace have probably the best atmosphere in the premier league..
A wide variety of songs all started by a group of around 50 and its escalated to what it is today..
Brilliant home and away..
Id rather shit in my hands then continue with a funeral march of our own song which we copied from Spurs and singing Come on you reds when our opponents are playing in red.
Now that is utterly pathetic.. | |
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| St.Mary’s on 11:33 - Jun 24 with 1028 views | AnonSaint1 |
For anyone not on Twitter, there seems to be a movement starting with people buying at the back of block 15 and 16 in the Chapel end. The aim of this echos some of the other views in this thread so I thought I’d post on here in case anyone wasn’t aware. | | | |
| St.Mary’s on 13:16 - Jun 24 with 941 views | PatfromPoole |
| St.Mary’s on 11:33 - Jun 24 by AnonSaint1 |
For anyone not on Twitter, there seems to be a movement starting with people buying at the back of block 15 and 16 in the Chapel end. The aim of this echos some of the other views in this thread so I thought I’d post on here in case anyone wasn’t aware. |
Could do with being more central behind the goal, I would think.
I’m not going to get a season ticket, partly as it will give me flexibility to try out places different from the Itchen North, which is my favourite place by a mile.
Open-minded about giving blocks 15 and 16 a try, good luck to the lads willing to try something different.
Hopefully if it takes off, the Club will consider moving the family section to help give it some real impetus.
Though I wouldn’t bet on that. [Post edited 24 Jun 2023 13:42]
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| St.Mary’s on 13:19 - Jun 24 with 941 views | cocklebreath |
I think people are over thinking this, we’ve been absolutely sh!t for 3/4 years at home, it’s killed the atmosphere although there are too many weirdos who sit on there phone when the match is on. |  |
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| St.Mary’s on 13:44 - Jun 24 with 922 views | saintwizzler |
Is there any news on the away fans being moved? | |
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| St.Mary’s on 17:53 - Jun 24 with 819 views | PatfromPoole |
| St.Mary’s on 13:44 - Jun 24 by saintwizzler |
Is there any news on the away fans being moved? |
Think they might be going to the Chapel, and the lads moving to Blocks 15 and 16 are pre-empting this, bae…. | |
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