aintforever

I wouldn't be surprised if this info has been released to smooth the way for liquidation. Even the most die hard skate must find the way they treat charities disgusting. It doesn't matter how skint the club is or if it's in administration - there is no defence for stealing money from charities, especially as they did it last time. They just need to be shut down now.

In 1999 the same people were saying we will never fill St Marys. I remember it well.

Last time we were in the Premiership we were generally sh!t apart from a couple of seasons under Strachan. Even then we reached a cup final via an easy run of games and got into Europe by the back door, and got dumped out in the first round - Millwall managed that. Our record signing was Rory Delap and we had Brett Ormerod up front. We had a flirtation with "success" yet our home game against Chelsea that season sold out in 6hrs. Sure, if you really wanted a ticket you could get one but it's the casual fans who just want to pop along and watch a big game that you need to attract if you are going to grow. People who are not going to queue up 4 weeks in advance to get a seat. We shifted 50,000 for a Wembley game vs Carlisle with the tickets not even going on general sale. There is obviously potential for growth.

Quoting history is meaningless, we have NEVER had the opportunity to fulfil our potential. We have ALWAYS been limited by lack of resources or/and ambition. I think the potential is obvious. I'm amazed at how many fans look backward and think we can't achieve this or that because it's not what has happened before. Thank god we have someone like Cortese in charge.

Easily yes, I expect Cortese would as well.

Of course young males are the main group but you must be thick if you think the demographic hasn't changed in the last two decades.

To be fair Saints support is a bit of an unknown quantity. We have always been limited by either the size of the ground or the lack of resources/ambition of the owner. We have NEVER had the opportunity to fulfil our potential so there is no point looking at historical stats. How big we could go is up for debate, I know for a fact that Cortese will have a clearer idea than you. He will know how many unique visitors there are to the website, how many people are interested in buying tickets, target catchment area etc. Another thing in Saints advantage is the changing demographic of football. It's no longer a working man's game it's all about a day out for middle class families and corporate. We are in one of the wealthier areas of the country compared to some of the historicaly bigger clubs.

NOW they are thinking of playing their kids. NOW! A matter of weeks away from oblivion and it suddenly dawns on the thick ****ers what they need to do.

The comments on here are so predictable. When Cortese said he wanted to win the Championship it was the same mongtards saying he was a loon. I don't think we will ever get CL football but Cortese will have a plan in place for achieving exactly that, he will also have plans in place for if we get relegated, or if we stay up but SMS is half empty. It all depends on how we perform next season, ticket demand etc. I don't expect the hobbits on here to get the concept tho.

Are you planning on buying a ticket?

So you agree it's possible then. So worth aiming for?

OK, I've read the article. Still don't get what they are booing for.

To say it's impossible is retarded. No one knows what the financial situation in football will be like in 5 years time, especially with these new rules taking effect. Also if Man City and Chelsea's owners walk away they will be f*cked and a whole host of clubs will be eying the spots behind Man Utd, Arsenal and Spurs. Cortese is a very clever guy, in terms of handling the finances probably the best person we could have. He's stupidly ambitious and backed by one of Europe's richest families. I think he will surprise the local hobbits we have on here.

I don't think by "follow the Arsenal model" he means we will be as big as Arsenal, more the way they do it. I've sat down and had a chat with one of the backroom staff when we were League 1, when he told me Cortese's ambitions I laughed. 22 months later we are in the Prem. CL football is very unlikely, but I think you will find the aspirations deadly serious, and from what I have seen so far we are well placed to punch above our weight.

Bit of a difference between aiming for a top 4 spot and becoming an established Champions League side. No one has said the aim is to be a new Arsenal, as you say Everton level is achievable.

Saints, West ham and Reading have been head and shoulders above anyone else this season. The hammers will win easy at Wembley IMO, doesn't matter who they play.

If you havn't got a clue what our resources are why are you saying Cortese's plan of aiming for CL football is b*ll*x?

Totally agree. No reason why we shouldn't aim that high though.

We have billionare owners, don't you get it.

Exactly. Invest moderately and run the club well and we could do exactly what Everton did. We will never be a top 4 club year in year out. We could easliy be an established mid table side who could have one or two freak seasons knocking on the top 4.

When did Everton spend spend circa £100m on players?

The problem with Saints fans is that all those years at the Dell mean many are stuck with Dell-sized brains. I think many will be surprised at how big we can become and how successful we can be.

So, we wont aim for a top 4 spot because it would be very hard to achieve. Aim for something easy instead. That's ambition Southampton style!

I never said it was likely, just possible. Everton proved that. Most people thought that automatic promotion this year was "very unlikely". It's quite clear from this thread that Cortese is way more ambitious and open minded than the average hobbit-like Sotonian. Thank god we have someone like him in charge.

Why were they booing?