alehouseboys

You're easily embarrassed. Ignoring the half dozen or so big clubs, our attendances are some of the best in the country, certainly not "embarrassing". And "over 4000 empty empty seats" against West Ham is just bulls*t, one of our lower crowds, and loads of empty seats in the away section but still over 29k. With segregation the stadium capacity is under 32k. With the new TV revenue, these part reductions are disappointing, particularly compared to what some other clubs are doing (you can buy a 2 year adult season ticket at West Ham which works out to less than half the price of our cheapest for a season) and there's still the option to watch for free at home, as many now do.

Rory Delap. ...................................................... Huckleberry Clampitt

"Boland" *Holland* - f**kin predictive text!

He was a fantastic player, as was that Dutch side in the mid 70s. Despite England painfully missing out, I loved the 1974 World Cup, Boland with the likes of Cruyff, Neeskens, Krol, Rep et al...not forgetting the wonderfully named 'van de Kerkhof' brothers, particularly Willy! Great memories.RIP.

Could be in Wales sooner...if the English authorities allowed it for Welsh teams playing in the English leagues. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3383927/Safe-standing-football-matches-possible-Wales-safety-powers-devolved.html

Been done a few times on here over recent years http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?45024-Safe-Standing-Back-In-The-News&highlight=safe+standing#.VuCVhJyLTIU This was a decent thread that spanned a year or so. Be good to have the choice again.

I'm not so sure. I know quite a few 'hardcore' that only go now and then these days, priced out and watch for free elsewhere. They're getting out of the habit and who's to say they'll suddenly all return on relegation if the day-trippers disappear, even with lower prices. Next season could be a wake up call for a lot of clubs, I'll hazard a guess that renewals will be down all around the country. I'd also guess that plenty now have a 'tampered' Firestickthingy to watch football, sports, new release films, all for the cost of one ticket for a PL match. It's not like the match day 'experience' is a draw with regards atmosphere in English grounds these days.

They do get good travelling support but this is the second year running they've done a cheap trip for their fans down here, more than they've brought before. But fairplay to them, that's twice as many as they had at West Ham last weekend. Still only one long trip the other end of the country, we'll probably have 4 to the North East next season.

Out of all the Barr constructed stadiums these two are the closest look-alikes but there are subtle differences. Every seat was sold Saturday, even after the ticket exchange system so there must be differences in segregation/number of seats held back for various reasons.

I trust MOTD highlighted this last night and all the other Chelsea theatrics? Particularly Costa tho, dirty ****.

I guess it helps the poor plucky little skate get over yet another poor show in Division 4. It must despearately hurt despite massively outspending their rivals to find themselves floundering outside the playoffs. He had probably never heard of p*money before they started spending money they didn't have to get to the Premier League, cheat their way to cup finals and European football Now they're back to being in the lower leagues where they've been for most of the past half a century they're moaning about their "misfortune", someone remind them of the £150m debt they had wiped out

That's a blast from the past but call me a bitter ol' scuuummmmaaaaahhhh! I prefered my one Very entertaining reading back through those pages, lots of posters that no longer post on Saints Web and I see it's 4 years ago next month that ol' Rosey, the dolly-fiddler, had a hissy fit and stormed off never to return. Well, other than popping back most days to have a read. And another 'blast' from the past, best it's looked in years.

Very sad for all concerned, of course, but a pretty lame attempt at an insult to 'rival' football fans. Talking of mayors, this must have killed them. http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/11701189.Swapping_shirts__Mayor_of_Bournemouth_dons_new_Cherries_shirt_after_fan_spots_him_in_Southampton_colours/ Anyway, back on topic, are plucky little p*mpey still joint top?

I've got no stomach what so ever for a Euro Super League but if it does ever come off, and this suggests it could be getting closer http://uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/idUKKCN0VI1GO?irpc=932 Then there's only one place the big TV revenue is going. English football would then be a better place for an old git like me, but that's only if what's left aren't all going bankrupt.

With all these extra £billions coming into the PL...and going straight into the already mega-rich players pockets...let's hope some of these new fat contracts aren't too long because if this breakaway European Super League comes off, that's where the TV money will be going. It could leave every club outside the 'Big Six' in financial meltdown.

"BETTER" stadium than St Mary's "...might cost £50m" "I remember the days in the 90's when we had terracing and could fit in 24k yet rarely was it sell out." Yeah that would be the days when skate crowds ranged from 2,700 up to about 10k :) "Twickenham" :)

A good place to get your Levi's, Wranglers and Lee Jeans back then was Owen Owen, usually best prices in town. And there was the Doc Martin shop for...well...DMs and Pods. Although a London concern, most football fans around in the 70s/80s would probably remember the advertising hoardings at grounds around Europe for 'Dickie Dirts Shirts'.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/video/sport/football/4050849/What-Tony-Adams-said-to-the-ref.html

Best part of 3,000 Gasheads, it was a bit of a 'Ricky Lambert' tribute match for 'em.

Yep. Chant of the day after they chirped up with "Your ground's too big for you" was "Our ground's too big for you" while pointing at all the empty seats in the away section. Big London clubs would have filled the full allocation.

It's very different here, it's away fans more so than home fans that produce the atmosphere in English grounds. We see it at St Mary's, small away following affects how the home fans respond. Around Europe it's all about the noise and spectacle the 'Ultras' put up at their home stadiums, really a show. Whether the game is sh*t or not, these fans groups are just intent on keeping the show going. Different world.

On a similar thread on here a couple of years back, someone asked what what would stop me going to football and I said I couldn't see it happening. It's what I do on a Saturday (...Sunday, Monday, etc., etc.) and have done since the early 70s. But this has really gripped my wotsnames, the pure greed of this stinks. The obscene amount of money already in the game and the colossal figures about to arrive, this was an opportunity for clubs to do the right thing. How could they not agree to this, if every club thought of their own travelling fans and agreed on £30 max (f*ck, I agreed 20s-plenty for aways) then no one had an advantage over the other, and the cost is peanuts in the bigger picture. Just helping loyal fans with the vast expense and effort of travelling around this country. What your 'average' PL player earns in a WEEK is 2 or 3 times most of us earn in a YEAR...these obscenely overpaid players don't need any more money. Football dies a little more for me today, pure greed.

Not forgetting a great tribute to Alan Ball. [video=youtube;LySs-IE4in8]

I'm sure they're just setting him up for a good old "scumming" as the excitement of the 'big boys' coming to town builds down there. plucky-little-p*mpey v the South Coast's second best club. Heady heights.

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/football/pompey/saints-fan-cargill-s-pompey-snub-1-7188787