Whilst i don't think there was a Saints fan at Selhurst Park who would have warmly applauded Virgil Van Dijk on his return to the Saints side, those that gave him such a hostile reception could have cost the team dearly.

It was a brave move from Maurcio Pellegrino to bring on Virgil Van Dijk for his return from the naughty stair with 13 minutes remaining of a game that could at that moment go either way.

There is no doubt that to a man(or woman) the travelling Saints support were not feeling the love for Van Dijk so his entrance into the fray was going to be interesting.

Up until this moment the 3,000 Saints fans had been magnificent in their support for the team, but the reception they gave Van Dijk was not appropriate, one man should not be bigger than the team, but suddenly abusing Van Dijk was more important than the task that lay ahead, ie hanging on to a 1-0 lead and leaving with all three points.

Did the anti Van Dijk chants inspire him to put in a shift ? I would say no, did it inspire the rest of the team who needed the fans backing in the final segment of the game ? Again a resounding no !

Suddenly Van Dijk was the centre of attention and he really should not have been.

In fairness it was not all of the Saints support, perhaps only about half, but the noise they made made it seem like it was a unanimous abuse of the Dutchman.

This is not defending his actions over the past months, all I am saying is that there is a time and a place to vent the anger at him, and 13 minutes to go when you are defending a 1-0 lead was not that time.

Im sure that the manager was keen to get him back into the team at an away game in the hope that it would take some of the sting out of the situation rsther than his return being at St Mary's, this has perhaps made it a worry for what his reception will be next weekend for the visit of Manchester United.

This is a big test for Saints, certainly the first time this season we have played one of the big six, we certainly need Van Dijk in our team, but we do not need a toxic atmosphere in the stadium that will drag the team down.

Yes there will be those that are determined to vent their anger, they will not be happy till they do, but they have to consider what is best for Southampton Football Club not what is best for their own personl satisfaction.

We have to turn the situation to our own advantage, get the abuse out of the way during the pre match warm up and then turn that energy into supporting the team for 90 minutes, if that is still not enough satisfy your blood lust then after the final whistle boo him again.

What we need as a team is Virgil Van Dijk in it, even if it is just to January we need him to help him get us the points that will push us up the table, nothing more nothing else, its business only now in our relationship with him and as they say in all the good Mafia films "Its only business it's nothing personal"

So lets not make the return of Van Dijk to St Mary's counter productive, indeed the opposite lets turn it in our favour and use the energy to get behind the rest of his team mates who deserve our support and backing.

Photo: Action Images

SanMarco added 12:09 - Sep 17 I only watched on the tv and this wasn't heard. If it really was more than just the usual few nutters who have forgotten the medication then it does make we wonder about certain Saints 'fans'. Throw away 2 or even 3 points just to vent some speen? This player has to come back and be one of us for at least the next 3 months. No one is obliged to applaud him but surely leave the abuse until he is playing against us.

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arfurdent added 12:13 - Sep 17 I was at the match and there was some booing. I clapped as he was wearing a Southampton shirt. I can understand the frustration of others. However at the end of the day he is a highly paid employee of the club who we need to play well until he leaves. So cut him some slack to get what is best for the team
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highfield49 added 12:18 - Sep 17 Considering the number of supporters who have posted that VVD should grow up perhaps they need to take their own advice?
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densham41 added 12:28 - Sep 17 I seldom post on here, however I have to agree with Nick100%. For me supporting Saints is about supporting the shirt and club. While VVD wears the shirt he'll have my support. Yes he reflects everything wrong with modern football, but he's not bigger than the club. All those on here who complain we are a selling club your job now is not to boo him. You got what you wanted. Don't be too faced. If he plays well on the pitch we win , off the pitch when his value goes up we win. Don't harm his value to SFC. On this one use your brain not your emotions. Rant over

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saintpp added 12:35 - Sep 17 I dont like abuse fellow fans but booing him was pathetic what did his team mates think of that how will it help him play better or convince him to stay full season? A match fit and back form on VVD for however long is to saints benefit fans advising him grow up should look at themselves. And they wonder why players want to leave.What do they think Lemina and Hoedt thought of that frankly childish behaviour?

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steve73 added 12:39 - Sep 17 I think a mixed reception was inevitable and it's up to each and every one of us how we behave. I disagree with abusing him, much as I detest the guy I agree it doesn't help but I don't think the people that travelled to Selhurst deserve to be called non supporters for feeling strongly about this. His behaviour was a disgrace, his motives are self serving and I don't see why it should be forgotten. When somebody disrespects the club like that it's hard to bite your lip and put up with it sometimes. I thought MP was playing with fire bringing him on with such a slender lead. Thank god it all worked out tho, excellent win.

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aceofthebase added 13:09 - Sep 17 What I hate is the talk of him leaving in January. If this happens the last few months will have been a complete waste of time and effort. We will still be a selling club so we need two more seasons from VVD
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legod7 added 13:11 - Sep 17 Perhaps it affected his game. Perhaps not. What I find very counterproductive is when some supporters boo ex-Saints players like Liellana, Lovren , Mane etc. Surely it makes the players concerned play even better against us.
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Saintsfc added 13:22 - Sep 17 Nice point of view densham41.. Seems like the type of people that gave him stick would have booed if he went and obviously if he stayed.. Lose / lose with certain fanbase.. It's a shame
2

halftimeorange added 13:57 - Sep 17 When we have a fan base which spends large parts of every game inciting murder by the shooting of supporters of a club twenty miles down the M27 who Saints are most unlikely ever to meet in a future league match you cannot seriously expect that same element not to abuse someone they consider to be a traitor in our own ranks. One can only hope that the overwhelming dislike of next week's opponents results in the reviling of Van Dijk being relegated to a relative whisper.

2

A1079 added 14:03 - Sep 17 Had I been there, I would not have booed him, but equally, at this moment I could not bring it upon myself to cheer him. It is a team game and no one player is bigger than the team and overall it is about supporting the team and willing them onto a win etc or even getting behind them when they are struggling. However, I may be at odds with everyone else thus far, but I take some exception to this article. We are paying fans, most of which work long hours, with endless commitments and not alot of expendable cash. The person who has solely and selfishly been counter-productive to Saints has been VVD himself. His attitude, his approach has been all about him and never mind his fellow team mates, the club or the fans and this with less than a year into a 6 year contract. We are there week in and week out, no matter how the team is playing, no matter the weather or whatever gripes etc that may be going on in our lives Don't try and turn any failings of this player or club onto the fans/supporters. We aren't perfect and our vocal support etc at home, especially when things are not going well could be a whole lot better but any failings are not because of us. We pay our money and whilst I agree booing is not going to help, I can understand why supporters might. I equally find the booing of past players and managers pointless. The player though, needs to know that he has let us down no matter what gloss you try to put on it. I doubt if it bothers him anyway because I suspect he will still go at some point. I want him to play well whilst he is with us, because it helps the team but I am not bothered whether he feels loved or not.

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the_saint added 14:38 - Sep 17 It certainly not half only a mindless few and some fans were even singing the vvd song, I for one applauded him as I would any player.do not agree we should boo him in warm up what good is that going to do. It's only football he hasn't committed a crime move on
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Sanguin added 15:15 - Sep 17 I completely agree. I was really disappointed in the VVD boos. It wasn't just booing the player, it was booing every time other fans tried to sing his song. I think it's petty and those fans booing need perspective. Are they going to boo him until he leaves for Liverpool? If they're going to boo players for wanting to pay for bigger clubs then why not save some time and start booing Lemina or Hoedt now? Why not just boo the entire squad?

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DockersRottingCorpse added 15:20 - Sep 17 The VVD song was a different version saint!
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SanMarco added 15:40 - Sep 17 A1079 - a good counter viewpoint. In my view silence is fine but the actual abuse is counter-productive. Were those people that booed him in those final minutes of an important game really so angry that they couldn't help themselves? I like halftimeorange's point as I suspect some thrive on the hate and it was the highlight of their day...
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skiptonsaint added 16:33 - Sep 17 What is needed for me is some encouraging words from vvd about being committed. Not an apology But something through the official site next week that encourages the fans that he is back onside after now playing again after a long injury and all the crap All parties Maintaining a silence makes an introduction risky against Man U. We have a great media department and the positive words from Bertrand this week helped imo. Lets see em earn their money

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SaintBrock added 17:09 - Sep 17 No doubt he was prepared for some hostility when he made his entry and might have expected worse. It was a trial he had to face and hopefully it is over. Of course a few home supporters will give him stick next Saturday but he will ride the storm and will know that the bunch of fair-weather idiots on the other site who profess themselves fans, will soon be chanting his name.

2

TheKingatSaints added 18:24 - Sep 17 I have never posted any comments before but this subject has made me. I go to every Saints game home and away at great cost in money and time so I am entitled to my opinion. I hope that I'm not included in the 'nutters' group, but when VVD came on yesterday I boo'd him and proud of it. This is a man who has no respect for Saints or its fans, all he is interested in is himself, he's a greedy selfish little man, so why should I respect him and cheer him on when he comes on the pitch. These players need to understand that when you sign a contract you honour it and not want out after 12 months, you can't do that in the real world. If he does play for us how can any fan trust him, I won't. We can play without him, we don't need him. Let him rot in the reserves. Rant over.

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BuyEastleighFC4aBtea added 19:23 - Sep 17 Aswe all know football is a passionate game. We all Love our club but we all show it in our own way! Writing an artical like this makes no sense to me I am afraid. We are all human which makes us passtionate. After all why does a player get themselves sent off after being booked once in a match and then gets booked again thus sent off! It's passion because they care. We won't win every match regardless if give 100% backing to the team! We need that passion I say sod it if you wish to give V.V.D what for give him give it to him big time get it out of your system vent the anger. Things will settle down in time they always do.

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SaintBrock added 19:51 - Sep 17 The problem would be skiptonsaint that any apology from VD would be faux and nobody would believe him anyway. Look what happened when Lallana tried that particular brand of ill-advised bridge building. We are where we are with VD and have to accept that nothing has changed and that he is damage limitation mode for his own career for he rest of the time he is stuck here until he can get parole. We accept that or we don't. If it helps the team then the bargain is worth the candle.

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brownk added 20:56 - Sep 17 Spare a thought for Jack Stephens ........stepped up and gave his all for the team in adversity! Not sure how I would feel being on the bench and VVD is chosen before me! For me Jack should have gone on until VVD had earned the right to play again. By all accounts VVD was useless for the U23s and his reward is to be on the bench and play. Seems totally wrong to me, especially as VVD has said that he doesn't want to play for us!!!

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skiptonsaint added 21:59 - Sep 17 Good points stbrock but I was suggesting he just say some positive things about being back and pleased with a win, not apologise . But you are right probably a minefield and he should just show it on the pitch .
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A1079 added 21:59 - Sep 17 BrownK - excellent point. Someone steps up and fills in, gives their all, and then is sidelined because the petulant one decides he will play again. Now if Stephens demands a move, who could blame him.
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Muzza added 22:33 - Sep 17 Bearing in mind there were boos at half time of the second home game of the season! There is a huge percentage of people now that don't support the shirt or the team,and wouldn't be in the ground if we weren't in the Prem.Some of these mindless plastic fans will boo Van Dyke and justify it with the fact that they have paid their money so they have the right to express their view!!...regardless for how that effects the team...it's the same crowd that walk out on 83mins every week ,for reasons that I will never understand! Bringing him on against Palace was a political move, to see how the fans reacted, not a football move..why did we need 3 centre halves at that stage of the game...I hope they don't gamble with him against Utd. Not only from the crowd point of view,but he clearly isn't match fit anyway!!

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bstokesaint added 23:36 - Sep 17 The booing certainly didn't come across too loudly on the TV. I respect fans' opinions, especially those who spend a fortune travelling to games all around the country, but booing your own player in the dying stages of a pivotal game doesn't do anything positive for the team. As I've said before I think the best course of action is to do nothing other than to applaud him for anything he does well and no more. I still believe he is angling for a move in January (despite this seemingly undermining our previous actions), but to get that move he needs to be at his best and so it's in everyone's best interests that we accept him back and move on. I'm pretty sure he'll start against Man U and we'll see the first of the VVD - Hoedt pairing. I'm excited, but for me one thing we will lose is Yoshi's leadership and desire to do well for a club he enjoys being at. Another clean sheet for him.

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