Our Support

Has been as bad as the players form lately imo , was pants last night (noise not numbers) and Monday if we expect the players to up their game maybe we should !?

It was awful. But tbf, the team gave us nothing. Atmosphere was shocking though from us, one of the worst vs numbers I've seen in a long time.

It was awful. But tbf, the team gave us nothing. Atmosphere was shocking though from us, one of the worst vs numbers I've seen in a long time.

Tbh it was my first away game for a year or so and I was surprised at the lack of effort , I took my nipper for his first away game (he reminds me he did bompey pre season) and was hoping for a bouncing atmosphere!

Works both ways I'm afraid. Was poor at Burnley and poor at Sheffield on and off the pitch. It reflected the doom and gloom at the momemt!

Away fans used to be much noisier but it has been going downhill for some while. I really dont understand why so many people make all that effort / spend so much, but then happily stand in near silence.

750 hardcore away fans will always make more noise than a 5,000 special event crowd.

Not sure why anyone is surprised at this.

Some people need to understand that many fans grow out of that need to sing all the way through a game.

750 hardcore away fans will always make more noise than a 5,000 special event crowd.

 

Not sure why anyone is surprised at this.

 

Some people need to understand that many fans grow out of that need to sing all the way through a game.

Surely those 750 would still be there and singing , it was just poo all round and United was just as bad if not worse

750 hardcore away fans will always make more noise than a 5,000 special event crowd.

 

Not sure why anyone is surprised at this.

 

Some people need to understand that many fans grow out of that need to sing all the way through a game.

For an away support at a Cup 1/4 our support was silent, large sections didn't make a noise all game, regardless of singing all the way through the game.

Surely those 750 would still be there and singing , it was just poo all round and United was just as bad if not worse

Yes, but by its nature those 750 get dissipated among the 5,000.

Not really, plenty of big away followings make a load of noise.

 

For an away support at a Cup 1/4 our support was silent, large sections didn't make a noise all game, regardless of singing all the way through the game.

We still made more noise than the SUFC fans.

For 5,000 away fans of any club there is no way that all 5,000 are going to be mad keen singers. Also, we were s hit and we lost, especially the last 20 minutes. Not really the conditions to turn reluctant singers into keeno singers.

Yes, but by its nature those 750 get dissipated among the 5,000.

I do get your point but I thought our numbers had been good lately our home support Monday night was pants too!

We still made more noise than the SUFC fans.

 

For 5,000 away fans of any club there is no way that all 5,000 are going to be mad keen singers. Also, we were s hit and we lost, especially the last 20 minutes. Not really the conditions to turn reluctant singers into keeno singers.

Can't agree with that. Ok, at the start we were a bit louder than then, however after about 15 mins they outsung us with ease. It was crap. I was at the front row though.

We still made more noise than the SUFC fans.

 

For 5,000 away fans of any club there is no way that all 5,000 are going to be mad keen singers. Also, we were s hit and we lost, especially the last 20 minutes. Not really the conditions to turn reluctant singers into keeno singers.

No-one is suggesting that 5,00 will all be mad keen singers.

But our support was crap last night, from before a ball was even kicked, so the performance can't simply to blame (it obviously didn't help). I can't see how anyone can suggest otherwise.

I don't think we were louder than Sheff Utd.

 

No-one is suggesting that 5,00 will all be mad keen singers.

 

But our support was crap last night, from before a ball was even kicked, so the performance can't simply to blame (it obviously didn't help). I can't see how anyone can suggest otherwise.

Not sure anyone is saying it wasn't weak.

But 5000 fans, in a game most thought we would win before kick off, which then went pear shaped - these are not the conditions for an electric atmosphere and loads of singing.

SUFC fans only really got going after they scored IMO.

Can't agree with that. Ok, at the start we were a bit louder than then, however after about 15 mins they outsung us with ease. It was crap. I was at the front row though.

This.

They were a bit subdued early on and prompted a few of ours to pipe up with "is this a library?" but once they got going it was very good and p*ssed all over and the feeble attempts made at our end. They even showed us how to do our (only) song better with "Oh, When the Blades".

At times it was rattling around that ground with all sides making a racket. That bunch to our right was their 'Itchen North' just ten times louder and their Kop was excellent at times. If anyone thinks our lot got anywhere close to their support then they're deluded.

Very quiet at the start. So much so I actually kind of wanted them to score so we'd get the decent atmosphere we did. For some strange reason I thought we'd easily have enough to come back and win to give the travelling faithful the kind of cup memory that lasts for years. We don't have enough. We are exactly the side I thought we'd be after losing Lallana' Rodriguez and Shaw

The away support at Arsenal foe the league cup win wasn't so dire was it?

Not sure anyone is saying it wasn't weak.

 

But 5000 fans, in a game most thought we would win before kick off, which then went pear shaped - these are not the conditions for an electric atmosphere and loads of singing.

 

SUFC fans only really got going after they scored IMO.

But there are plenty of games with thousands of away fans that create a top atmosphere, having 4k+ away fans isn't a reason for there being poor/quiet support.

What games?

We were playing Sheffield United in a completely winnable match with fairly low intensity. It wasn't the Old Firm.

Sorry, our poor support entirely explainable.

What games?

 

We were playing Sheffield United in a completely winnable match with fairly low intensity. It wasn't the Old Firm.

 

Sorry, our poor support entirely explainable.

It wasn't the Old Firm, but it was a 1/4 final of a cup competition. You seem to be the only one that thinks our support was reasonable.

I feel let down by the fan's. As a plastic I expect more singing when I watch games on my pc. Thinking about demanding a refund.

For just Saints games off the top of my head, Fulham away last season, either of the two Orient aways, Reading away in the Championship, all games where we took many thousands and made good noise.

 

It wasn't the Old Firm, but it was a 1/4 final of a cup competition. You seem to be the only one that thinks our support was reasonable.

Palace away in the Championship too.

We've made more noise before with less than a quarter of the fans we took last night.

Yes, but by its nature those 750 get dissipated among the 5,000.

There was only around 1,500 in the upper tier who were mostly unaware of the 3,000 in the lower so you can hardly blame that for a reason for a poor atmosphere up there. Only once or twice were both tiers singing the same song (you know the one) at the same time.

There was a semi-final at stake, if some of our fans can't get up for that then they never will. No excuses, it was poor.

There was only around 1,500 in the upper tier who were mostly unaware of the 3,000 in the lower so you can hardly blame that for a reason for a poor atmosphere up there. Only once or twice were both tiers singing the same song (you know the one) at the same time.

 

There was a semi-final at stake, if some of our fans can't get up for that then they never will. No excuses, it was poor.

I was in the upper tier and it was poor. The people around me were more interested in trying to be wacky and hilarious than get behind the team.

For just Saints games off the top of my head, Fulham away last season, either of the two Orient aways, Reading away in the Championship, all games where we took many thousands and made good noise.

 

It wasn't the Old Firm, but it was a 1/4 final of a cup competition. You seem to be the only one that thinks our support was reasonable.

Funny that all those games were Saturday afternoon train ride pi ss up games in London (or close enough).

Didn't go to all of them but I did Reading and the first Orient game and the atmosphere there (brilliant) was as explicable as last night's was weak.

Are talking about zany people Turk's?

Building sites, decent pubs and football tend to scare these gifted individuals away. I am back in a position to go to more games, earning more and wife has left me. Thing is I'm not really in the mood for zany.

Has been as bad as the players form lately imo , was pants last night (noise not numbers) and Monday if we expect the players to up their game maybe we should !?

I find this statement odd. I don't know where you were standing but I thought there was plenty of noise. When we went one down immediately the whole stand was getting behind the team. I am not sure we were anything to do with the performance last night, very woolly thinking that is! Personally although I go to a lot of games home and away I don't feel the need to sing my head off. I just enjoy watching the team applauding when the play is good, when we score etc. I must be in the minority and am donning my steel hat as I am writing but the singing about Pompey....... and when I was born my mother said to me...........****** is just boring. I don't give a f..ck about Pompey [good luck to them]. Why does how much you hate Pompey or how loud you sing define you as "proper" supporter. I must be weird but I find that attitude a bit moronic? [please some one tell me it isn't just me].

Any way there was nothing "pants" about the support last night, there was no problem there.

There was a problem with the team, which I think is down in part to the lack of quality in depth but also more worryingly about the fighting spirit unfortunately Sheffield United had in spades. I think Koeman needs to look at the commitment of some of the players and I do wonder if there is any break down in the dressing room cohesion. It feels like something is not quite right.

Apart from that another creative midfielder a la Tadic and another top class striker so there is competition in these 2 areas and with Rodrigues back in the team and we should be in a better position to get back to where we were 3 weeks ago.

Still positive about everything but last night was depressing..................

There was only around 1,500 in the upper tier who were mostly unaware of the 3,000 in the lower so you can hardly blame that for a reason for a poor atmosphere up there. Only once or twice were both tiers singing the same song (you know the one) at the same time.

 

There was a semi-final at stake, if some of our fans can't get up for that then they never will. No excuses, it was poor.

The tier that went on sale to non season ticket holding, low loyalty point latecomer fans you mean (like me)? I wonder why that was quiet.

I went on my own as I work near (ish) and saw another three or four similar loner types near me, a couple of couples, a girl and her mum, assorted old blokes, kids etc. I had a bit of a join in but frankly no one was singing around me.

I'm going to stop going on about it, but stick to my original point the atmosphere was predictable.

Are talking about zany people Turk's?

 

Building sites, decent pubs and football tend to scare these gifted individuals away. I am back in a position to go to more games, earning more and wife has left me. Thing is I'm not really in the mood for zany.

Yeah, here's an example of the side splitting comedy that was going on in the upper tier last night. Someone shouted out 'got no fans' in the style of the wealdstone raider, which was mildly amusing the first time, but by the 40th time in the first half I was wondering how my head hadn't fallen off due to laughing so much. The real golden moment came when they tried turning it into a chant, witty and original as it was hilarious, here's how if went..

Got no fans clap clap clap clap

Got,no fans clap clap clap clap

Got no fans clap clap clap clap

Got no fans clap clap clap clap

Got no fans clap clap clap clap

(Repeat until fade)

Who said terrace humour was dead? its alive and well in southampton.

Hhm that sounds like the type that go to a gig or festy and have an amazing idea/s when the band are playing but are completely bereft of their own entertainment when there's nothing on.

Hhm that sounds like the type that go to a gig or festy and have an amazing idea/s when the band are playing but are completely bereft of their own entertainment when there's nothing on.

By the way if any one reads what I've said and has a problem with it I was one in the flat cap and black barbour jacket and if you want some I'll give it yah. PMSL.

Funny that all those games were Saturday afternoon train ride pi ss up games in London (or close enough).

 

Didn't go to all of them but I did Reading and the first Orient game and the atmosphere there (brilliant) was as explicable as last night's was weak.

Right, so your point about taking big numbers away leading to quiet support was a load of rubbish? Fair enough.

Arsenal in the cup this year too, good atmosphere there.

Sad to say the support from the Northam has been poor over the last few games at home - the rest of SMS need the Northam to lead everyone else, but one goal down and the ground falls silent.

Anyone who says the majority of our support wasn't awful vocally must have been one of the many standing in silence, I imagine . I'm not saying everyone is going to be bouncing up and down singing all game but come on a bit of effort ffs? It was sh*te from the start which shows it wasn't just the players to blame. If it wasn't for the level of frustration you would have thought it was an end of season meaningless league game, not a 1/4 final tie. Clearly one of our problems is we don't have enough songs.

Right, so your point about taking big numbers away leading to quiet support was a load of rubbish? Fair enough.

No. I'll stand by that all day long. Smaller hardcore away followings will make more noise than massive followings.

One of the factors that explain our weak support on Tuesday.

No. I'll stand by that all day long. Smaller hardcore away followings will make more noise than massive followings.

 

One of the factors that explain our weak support on Tuesday.

To be fair, there are plenty of 'hardcore' who will travel to somewhere like Hartlepool on a Tuesday night and happily sit in silence. You'd be surprised, it's not necessarily just day trippers who stand/sit like cardboard cut outs. It is clear though that we've got progressively worse over the last two years.

Do you really think that making a great deal of noise actually affects outcomes? Of course not, the players are either in form or not and the team is either clicking or it is not. If you go into work feeling like death warmed up no way are you going to do a good day's work whether the boss gives you encouragement or not, right!your just waiting to get through it and hope you feel better the next day. We've all been there, done that....

How can 5000 fans away in midweek to Sheffield be called poor support. It was magnificent support. Just because a lot of fans are grown up and don't need to sing anti Pompey songs etc doesn't mean we did not have impressive support. On the radio it came across very decent. It is sometimes hard to tell how many are singing or how loud it is when you are in the middle of it.

How can 5000 fans away in midweek to Sheffield be called poor support. It was magnificent support. Just because a lot of fans are grown up and don't need to sing anti Pompey songs etc doesn't mean we did not have impressive support. On the radio it came across very decent. It is sometimes hard to tell how many are singing or how loud it is when you are in the middle of it.

No. I'll stand by that all day long. Smaller hardcore away followings will make more noise than massive followings.

 

One of the factors that explain our weak support on Tuesday.

How can 5000 fans away in midweek to Sheffield be called poor support. It was magnificent support. Just because a lot of fans are grown up and don't need to sing anti Pompey songs etc doesn't mean we did not have impressive support. On the radio it came across very decent. It is sometimes hard to tell how many are singing or how loud it is when you are in the middle of it.

Funnily enough the loudest chant of the night was "one Les Reed" and the biggest cheer when his face came up on the big screens.

This quietness from the fans is not a sudden malaise it's been happening for years, Lawrie Mac said after being in charge for a while that the Saints fans are a quiet knowledgable bunch on the whole, and that the players need to get them going by their actions on the pitch, but once the players perform and get them going even the most gentile of Hampshire folk will become as raucous and loud as the biggest crowds in the land.

so it's in our genes.

So give us examples of all these massive away followings that are really quiet? What about Chelsea down at ours in the cup the other year? 5k+ wasn't it? They were really quiet

This. A bit like those 750 hardcore singing Utd fans last Monday doing an excellent job of covering up for their 2,250 silent fellow fans

Works both ways I'm afraid. Was poor at Burnley and poor at Sheffield on and off the pitch. It reflected the doom and gloom at the momemt!

Yeah, that, and the fact that some seemed more focused on where to drink all day. Probably spent most of the game peeing.

This. A bit like those 750 hardcore singing Utd fans last Monday doing an excellent job of covering up for their 2,250 silent fellow fans

So give us examples of all these massive away followings that are really quiet? What about Chelsea down at ours in the cup the other year? 5k+ wasn't it? They were really quiet

So now we're on to supporters of other clubs. Well done.

Personally I think the drab atmosphere cam be explained and really not all that surprising.

But you want to act all shocked and appalled, fill your boots. After all, we have such a world famous reputation for the rollicking noisy passion of our fans when we are playing terribly so your horror is understandable.

So now we're on to supporters of other clubs. Well done.

 

Personally I think the drab atmosphere cam be explained and really not all that surprising.

 

But you want to act all shocked and appalled, fill your boots. After all, we have such a world famous reputation for the rollicking noisy passion of our fans when we are playing terribly so your horror is understandable.

So no examples then? And now this well known footballing phenomenon of big away followings equaling quiet support is unique to Saints

Well, they'll be 28,000 Saints fans at St Marys on Saturday which no doubt will be a bubbling cauldron of non stop throat ripping deafening song after deafening song in every seat in the stands, from the first kick to the bitter end, win or lose. We're famed for it.

Well, they'll be 28,000 Saints fans at St Marys on Saturday which no doubt will be a bubbling cauldron of non stop throat ripping deafening song after deafening song in every seat in the stands, from the first kick to the bitter end, win or lose. We're famed for it.

Vicious circle

Crap results = crap support