Passion...

I have a deep cut, venomous hatred towards 'Glory Hunters'. Unfortunatly, I have a glory hunting family and I feel I was brought up to follow the trend.

My old man was born in a 3 bedroom house in Bitterne Park. My Mum was born in a 3 bedroom house in Millbrook. My brother (15) was born at Princess Anne, as was myself in 1987. Now, My old man made the sickening decision to follow a club that had no relevance to himself, his birth place or family... Man Utd. This then extended to my Mum (even though she used to pay her shillings worth to watch the Saints at the dell during her younger years). Unfortunatly for me, they tried to extend this upon myself. It bugs me, that all my Baby/Toddler/Kiddy photo's are of me in the Man-ure shirt.

All this took place much to the displeasure of my Uncle. A Saint. He would regularly take me down Staplewood as a kid, to watch the reserves and when he could afford it, get me down the Dell.

In the end, I had to make a decision... Do I be a plastic Fantastic and watch "My" team on Sky for the rest of my days, or do I be a proper football fan and SUPPORT the club who respresent the city of my birth, my life and my home? For me, it was a no brainer and promtly declared myself a fully fledged Saint.

I can't however, help but think I have missed out a part of childhood. My friends talk of week in, week out down The Dell, stood on Milk Crates... The thick smell of cigar smoke, looking around at angry men but being safe in the knowledge that there with you. All this whilst I was at home with my old man trying to get me passionate over seeing Teletext change to 'NORWICH 0-1 MAN UTD'.

It is a decision that I can now look back on and be thankful that i saw sense. I watched my brother at my mums yesterday, watching the Community Shield on sky... how he gave a half hearted, meaningless cheer as Valencia put United 1-0 up. I coudn't help but feel sorry for him. I have tried and tried to explain to him my feelings, telling him that Win, Lose or Draw there is nothing better than standing shoulder to shoulder with thousands of your own. Jumping up and down and grabbing each and every one of your 2,500 own around you as Michael Svensson smashes home at Loftus Road in the 92nd minute (the moment I realised I had made the ultimatly right decision) to the moments you and 3,000 of your own sing "Southampton til I die" as we watch us limp into League One at The City Ground.

I cant help but think that some plastic man Utd sat in his mums living room in Alderney, watching Man Utd v Man City on sky, as Michael Owen whipped home the 96th minute winner, could have felt anywhere near the passion i posses for what is my other Love, Southampton Football Club.

I hope this makes sense, I'm in a rush.

SSOTN.

You know you made the right choice, I salute you!

As for trying to re-educate the other members of your family, forget it. They are too far gone. Best to leave them to their plastic support.

I tried to sway my brother a fair few years ago, so he could understand what football really is about. It dissapoints me that so many people now see their faith being half heartedly thrown at a club so far from home. I don't see the point... Why follow anclub just because they win? I just cannot understand it and never will.

My 2 year old girl is already walking round the house kissing anything with a saints badge on it, so at least she is on the right path when it comes to morals and football!

Clearly you made the right choice and you echo my own thoughts on glory hunters. Ultimately we should feel sorry for them because they'll never feel that same sense of kinship with a club.

The thing that gets me is that they always justify it by telling you they've been a glory hunter for x number of years as if being a long standing one is any better than being a recent one.