Fitzhugh Fella

I wrote an article on ex-Saints for the Norwich programme which included a mention of Otterbourne FC's Ian Ritchie (the person responsible for organising the appeal for Kevin Moore). He has just sent me this article which is a nice comparison between football today and 1962. it will probably only appeal to those of a certain age but what is interesting is how the price of football has risen far in excess of the cost of living. Have a look for yourself "I started supporting Saints in 1961/62 when, at the age of 12, I moved to Southampton with my family. Oh the happy days of watching Derek Reeves, George O’Brien, Terry Paine & co from the ‘boys’ chocolate box at the Milton Road end. Fast forward to the present day and after following Saints for over 50 years, I finally had a mention in the matchday programme for the recent home game against Norwich. That mention was purely a by line in an article by Saints’ historian Duncan Holley, but it nevertheless encouraged me to buy a programme, which I don’t normally do these days. I have to say that the presentation and look of the current publication reminds me more of the handbook that you get given when you buy a new car, running as it does to 76 pages. Just out of interest, I decided to have a look back at my programme collection from 50 years ago, when of course, buying a programme was part of the matchday ritual. In looking to get as close to the date of this season’s Norwich game (28th November) I found that Saints were at home to Norwich on Saturday December 1st. Incredibly, like 50 years later, the previous home game was against Newcastle. Amazing coincidences. Comparisons with bygone years are sometimes a little unfair, but here are a few things that I found. The 76 page compared to the more modest 16 of the 62/63 version. However the present day version cost £3 compared to the sixpence (2 ½ p) of the 62/63. A quick check on inflation rates tells us that if the programme price had only matched inflation, the cost today would be 42p! I paid £34 for my ticket the other night, in the Itchen stand wings. The equivalent West Stand wing seat back then would have set me back 6 shillings, which with inflation would have risen to £5.05 at today’s value. The Boys gate entry was one shilling, 5p. Back then the threepence on the ball competition (that’s just over 1p in today’s terms) returned to the winner £25, which would equate to £420.75 today which suddenly looks a lot more attractive than the £75 paid out by the Saints Foundation to the holder of a £1 winning ticket. Oh and by the way, the second prize back then was the match ball. The Norwich programme from 62/63 shows the winner of the £25 as a Mr Hazelton of West Grimstead near Salisbury. I wonder if he is still around? The ball was won by a Mr Diaper of Valentine Road in Sholing. I wonder what happened to it and whether he is any relation to Dave Diaper, today’s Sholing FC manager! Of the programme advertisers back then, most have gone. The brewers, Brickwoods, Watneys and Strongs have long since been acquired by others. Other old Southampton businesses now disappeared include Toomers, who used to supply Saints’ kit, Perrins Motors, Basticks Mens Shop in Above Bar, Hargroves & Babey, and Criterion, the old Citroen Garage then sited in St Mary’s Road. Surviving to this day are Beestons Funeral Directors, R H Hammond the builders, The Florida Restaurant in Pound Tree Road, Barfoot & Powell and of course, The Echo! One advert that took my eye was from the Aldershot District Provost Company seeking recruits to the Territorial Army, describing the ideal candidates as ‘young men of integrity and resource’ to fill the few remaining vacancies. For me, one of the copouts in today’s programmes and not just Southampton, is the modern style of listing the entire playing squad for each team on the back page, with tick boxes so you can record who was playing for yourself. I suppose in these days of keeping line ups a secret until an hour before kickoff, we will never revert to that form of presentation. With only 16 pages, there was of course nothing like the editorial coverage that one gets in today’s version. ‘Manager’s notes’ have stood the test of time, with Ted Bates and Nigel Adkins featuring in their respective issues. In the 1962 version there was also ‘From the Boardroom’ with comment from the then chairman, Mr John Barber. Many supporters today I am sure would love to know the views of the current chairman, but we’ll leave that one out there. Whilst today’s publication provides an interesting magazine, to me it serves little purpose as a match programme, and to a large extent, up to the minute information supply has been overtaken by the internet. I will confess to checking my phone at 7pm on the night of the game to ascertain the starting line up. The other ritual we have lost now is the rush at the final whistle from The Dell back into town, to peer into the shop window of Radio Rentals to see the one and only running of the day’s results. Then it was a question of hanging about in Above Bar until around 5.30 when the Football Echo (to give it its proper name!) came out and you could see all the results and the league tables. They were much more innocent times. Football Clubs were football clubs and not plcs. I was saddened to hear recently of the demise of the external programme sellers at St Mary’s for no (apparently) good reason and then to learn that the programme booth concession behind the Chapel goal was also given summary notice to quit. Those at the top need to realise that football, particularly British football is part of our culture and history, otherwise why would I be moved to write an article such as this? It was not my intention to end this nostalgic article with negative comments concerning the current regime. Much has been achieved since the injection of the Liebherr family cash, and like all Saints fans, I am grateful for that. I fully accept that in today’s tough world a football club has to be run as a business, but I sometimes wish for a bit more openness, and perhaps more ‘football club’ and less plc. ‘Southampton ‘til I die’ but not sure when I will next invest £3 in a matchday programme"!

Not being funny but there are umpteen threads where our goalkeeping frailities are being discussed. Old folk like me can't keep up

I think Adkins (a goalkeeper himself) should shoulder some of the blame for the mess we are in. For one reason or another we have three flawed keepers on our hands. Hardly ideal organisation.

Good and bad in this Good Gets rid of the Europa Cup Spreads the money around a bit more Gives clubs like us the chance we otherwise wouldn't get Bad The 5th best club in Scotland would not reach in the Johnstones Paint semis so there has got to be a robust sytem devised for qualification

This has to be the most retarded, dim-witted, no sense of irony bull sh*t ever to be typed on Allen's keyboard. Does he not realise that to get to play games like that the club were blowing off both feet with a blunderbuss to make it happen and now they want to elevate it to Remembrance Day proportions. it a bit like a guy who loses his legs in a car crash enthusiastically celebrating the anniversary of the accident by organising a knees up at the actual scene. Neil Allen has taken self deception to a new level and what's even funnier, with all the players at their cheating disposal they didn't even win the bloody game. This reporter is surely an embarrassment to any vaguely intelligent, principled P++++y fans, assuming there are one or two still left.

Ramirez reminds me of Ekelund (in his prime) and remember MLT enjoyed playing alongside him more than anyone else. When Gaston scored yesterday all the players looked really pleased for him - if there is any dressing room disharmony then it wasn't apparent yesterday. He is real class.

Good point. We were excellent going forward yesterday but it is still nice to have a bit of pace on the bench

No, not really, your warped mind just chooses to see it as such - you just need to get out a bit more. HTH

Not sure that his him - I think it someone who is having a larf as they say!!!!

I don't think the Chairman has to be liked but I think it important the fans, players and city at large have respect and trust. There was an intersting article in yesterday's Guardian about Chelsea's owner who while delivering titles and wealth etc has created a toxic club that no one likes. Some Chelsea fans are feeling now that perhaps the old days were best when many neutrals felt affection for Chelsea. The funny thing is Abramavic (sp) wants everyone to look up to his team in awe and respect but the way he has gone about it has created the exact opposite. NA's remarks on AP were most telling for me - most unlike NA not to be gracious.

I see Nile Ranger has been chosen for Sunday's squad

Ta for that

Yeah but the trail then goes cold

played in "that" game exactly 16 years ago today, but where is he now - he has disappeared. Anyone know? Someone reckons he is living in a caravan in Souness's back garden. I remember being on the pitch prior to the Leeds game helping film an award to MLT and watching him (Dia) kick a ball about as they did in those days. He did not look right then and later when he came on, despite nearly scoring, he looked like the proverbial fish out of water. Still can't believe it happened. Would love to hear his side of the story but someone has got to find him first.

1. Boruc 2. Gazzaniga 3. Davis

David Connolly is still without a club?

Just finished all the building work on his new place in C Ford too - the nefarious life of a footballer!

Info wrong we are going to share with HCC at Northlands Rd - Keep up! Freemantle wanted to gound share but we refused.

Trouble is Vectis I don't think Ron can face coming over now - he is very set in his lifestyle such as it is.

Interesting revisiting this. I don't think the club are sending anyone to Eric Day's funeral tomorrow. David Bull usually goes of his own accord and expense and is going (he went all the way to Lancs recently for Eddie Brown's). I don't think it is too much to ask for the club to at least send a card or some flowers.

I have a 90 seconds colour film footage of Leeds v Saints in 1948 which features Wayman - I bought it from a private amateur collection

I don't think it was too sinister Trousers, just a case that he wasn't prepared to play it the NC way - two egos and all that. NA is, shall we say, more diplomatic

I am assuming it is going to be positive (and so it should be, despite the fact he crossed swords with Cortese and subsequently took a bullet). However what ex-managers, still (potentially) involved in football would not get a warm welcome? Obviously Redknapp and Hoddle and I guess Burley would hardly get the Northam singing their praises but I think David Jones, Dave Merrington, Stuart Gray, Gordon Strachan, Paul Sturrock, Graeme Souness, Nigel Pearson and Steve Wigley would. Ian Branfoot? No probably he would get booed should he ever show his face and I guess the red carpet would not be laid out for Jan Poorvilet and Mark Wotte. Lawrie Mac? Actually I don't think I would go there, for he is a man who polarises like no other in our history. Personally I think his pluses just outweigh his negatives and his legacy of 76 at Wembley deserves respect. And let's not forget his successor, Chris Nicholl - a popular guy but a negative manager (according to Channon). So are you going to welcome Pardew, despite the fact he fell foul of NC?

I am still a bit mystified why the Courts can seemingly impose a compulsory purchase order on Farton Park. Surely if Chanrai owns it he should be able to decide a) whether he wishes to sell and b) the price or am I missing something?

I only have one agenda and that is to find out who "Once Bitterne" is as I have a feeling "he" is my ex-wife.