Just how do you preview a game when you do not have a clue what team either club will put out ?

The game at St Mary's on Saturday would normally be the highlight of the season, even back in the days we were in the top flight, a FA Cup tie against the Red Devils was always seen a something special, but for some reason this game has just not captured the imagination.

Of course the cup is often cited as being devalued nowadays, but up until now we seem to have bucked that trend, a year ago saw a full house for pompey, OK a local derby, but back then neither team talked about priorities in the league, which both at that time had, merely about beating the other.

But perhaps the strangest thing is the fact the game hasnt sold out !

So why is this all so low key, well its all down to the perception of the Saints fans, when the Club took the decision to scrap the season ticket repayment plan and half season tickets, in one foul swoop they changed the mood of the fans from positive to negative and despite fine words from some, that mood still prevails, yes we have the biggest average crowd in League 1, but truth is its only a rise of 2.5% on last season and given the feel good factor after the JPT final and the fact we are now firmly in the promotion race, this isnt exactly a great increase.

This is now impacting on the FA Cup and the fact so many are saying that they arent going and the way the club is struggling to sell the tickets and this is all down to the way the club has marketed itself to the supporters and doing that positively needs a lot of help from the local press.

Foe this game there has been little positive spin put on it by the club, not helped by the way the supporters have percieved the way tickets have been sold, for my mind i think the Club in the main had no choice to do it how they have given their lack of a membership scheme, but it seems folly to stay with a linked sale for so long when it was clear that the club were struggling to sell tickets well over a week ago.

Of course there are many who will say we are a league 1 club and 29k or so is a great crowd, but that is thinking like a League 1 club and if we have aspirations then we have to think like a Championship club and higher, two years ago a full hosue saw United at SMS, at a time when unrest amongst the supporters had never been higher than at any point in its history, but why were they willing to come then but not now.

Hopefully Saints over the last year will have learnt a lesson or two in marketing and the main lesson is if you treat the supporters as mere commodities, then they will respond in kind, the most succesful clubs are those that make their supporters feel part of a Club, United are a fine example over the years, but they have faced in recent years a similar communications problem with a change of ownership.

So to the game, what side will United put out ? who knows ! what side will Saints put out ? who knows ! Probably the real answer is that Saints will put a hybrid out and United to a lesser extent with a few big guns on the bench for insurance, for me football is all about pitting yourself against the likes of United and i feel sorry for those who will miss out on the atmosphere tomorrow, because it might nnot be quite full but it will still be the first time this season we have got anywhere near 30k in the ground and once the game starts everything will be forgotten apart from the fact that its 11 Saints V 11 Red Devils, just how football should be.

Photo: Action Images

Spot51 added 10:13 - Jan 28 2009 - match on minority channel EPNS or whatever it is called. 2011 - match live on ITV. Now I know ITV are to football broadcasting what Hitler was to Human Rights but on a cold January evening, sat at home with a bottle of Adnams and a bowl of nuts with Saints on the telly sounds hard to beat. I'm looking forward to the game now - as a one off. If truth be told, I'd be happy to see us play well but go out because a cup run is exactly what Saints do not need now. Get it over with, then bring on Exeter.

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eusebio added 10:16 - Jan 28 Not a preview then just another little pop. Well done
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winchesterbob added 10:57 - Jan 28 2009 - season ticket holders could buy as many tickets as they wanted.... so many did and floged them on to their mates who were closet.... and not so closet.... Man U fans. Or did I imagine that?
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geezershoong added 11:08 - Jan 28 Preview, what preview? Is this not a ramble about tickets & attendance figures for the day. No speculation on the team selection or the way we might play or anything like that. You may have intended this to be a Preview but you've completely lost focus & just blathered on about your favourite subject again. Can we have a proper preview pls if not too much trouble.

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SonicBoom added 11:19 - Jan 28 It's more an indictment of the FA Cup. You said it yourself - we have no idea what teams both sides will put out. Man U will put out a less than full strnegth side indicating they think they can win without risking their stars, and the fact they won't risk those stars also shows they don't consider the FA Cup a priority. We may well put out a full side, but the fans know that we also have other priorities. SO football in general has given the messaage to the fans that the cup no longer matters (regardless of the hard sell we get from the TV companies). Attendances will merely reflect that. 1o years ago I would have made the cup priority, now it is reduced to an inconvienience.

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SaintNick added 11:24 - Jan 28 As I mentioned how can i preview a game when I havent a clue what team either side will put out, so i spoke about a current topic, of course its just me losing focus
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geezershoong added 11:32 - Jan 28 Well at least have a guess FFS!
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eusebio added 11:41 - Jan 28 Suddenly you now can't have an opinion on how we should set up, who should play etc. Give it a rest
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bstokesaint added 12:45 - Jan 28 Let's not dwell on the attendances for now, as a crowd approaching 30,000 for a televised game in which we're not expected to progress far is actually very respectable. Let's just put in a hard working respectable performance to match and then in two or three seasons when we're living the Liebherr dream we can think about winning a trophy or two.
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SaintNick added 13:04 - Jan 28 Ok I guess that Nigel Adkins will take this opportunity to try a few youth team players whilst Sie Alex Ferguson will put out a mixture of the U16 team and relatives of Wayne Rooney to give some punch up front. Seriously how on earth can i try to even guess what side will be put out Saints 1st V united 1st Saints 1st v united 2nd Saints 1st v united mixture 1st/2nd saints 2nd v united 1st saints 2nd v united 2nd saints second v united mixture saints mixture v united mixture there seven possible permutations

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PatfromPoole added 13:08 - Jan 28 Both teams will put reserves in. It is a completely meaningless game, which is why it hasn't sold out. Adkins got in spot on in his interview on Solent, the Exeter game is far more important. You don't need to feel sorry for me not being there, Nick, I'm not that bothered about watching it on TV either to be honest.
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Andylad63 added 14:17 - Jan 28 As I have to work on many weekends it is impossible for me to justify continuing to hold a season ticket. As a result I had to line up with other like minded souls to get my ticket early dawn on 18th, the point is, about half the people where being turned away for not being on the database. Perhaps SFC have made a big marketing mistake; however I'm much happier with 2,000 less pastic m*nks infiltrating the crowd and knowing the fan in the seat next to me is a true Saint not a closet Red Devil.

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Andylad63 added 14:25 - Jan 28 Just for the record I'd love to see Gary Neville get another outing switch Oxo to the left and let the fun begin.... My Suggested Saints Team:- Davies Razor Fonte Seabourne Harding Oxo Hammond Chappers Dickson Lambo Guly
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Kiwifiedpom added 18:59 - Jan 28 I agree with Eusebio, I think you are letting your prejudeces get the better of your judgement Nick.
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