EssEffCee

I'd be disappointed if Fellows doesn't start. No reason at all that he can't come straight into the team.

Football violence now is nothing like the 70s and 80s though. Most trouble now is away from stadiums and generally easy enough to avoid if you wish to. I didn't see any large disturbances at Fratton in 2019 and that was a midweek game. Even in 2010 I didn't see any of the issues on Brittania Road and from second hand accounts from friends it wasn't what I'd call a large scale disturbance. How come other police forces around the country can handle it without the bubble? It's not been done for recent Tyne Wear games in the league and they got rid of it for Blackburn Burnley too.

Nah it's bollocks. Shouldn't have to treat everybody like a criminal and herd them like cattle for the sake of a few idiots. It turns an away day 19 miles away into an 8+ hour day. It's a joke. The game down there will probably be one of the worst aways of the season.

Possibly but I think the Millbrook road route would be easier to police as wider and more open, plus not really going through any residential areas. Loads of potential ambush points along Lordshill way. Avenue route would be going much closer to/through the city centre too.

Don't think it'll be either. Saw somewhere that the coaches are meeting up at B&Q Nursling which suggests to me they'll come down Millbrook road and past the docks.

Ralph certainly didn't. He played a back four the vast majority of his time here.

No way I'd want that stinking fucking thing anywhere near me. Funny though.

If I remember rightly we lifted it a couple of years later which was an absurd decision. As was letting the skates off the ticket money from the FA Cup tie in 2010.

Beattie surely should be in hero section?

Yeah there wasn't many but was definitely some left that morning.

Almost certainly will I reckon. Hull did and that's a smaller allocation on a Saturday.

Probably another reason the clubs are happy with a bubble. They'll probably be at the ground about 10 so a good money maker. Don't get me wrong I won't be spending a penny down at their hovel but I'm sure there's plenty on both sides who will.

Just ran out of steam in the end. Think Fonte being cup tied was probably the decisive issue as it left us with really slow centre backs and we got absolutely murdered on the break once we tired. Was never in a million years a 4-1 game. So glad we bettered that at Fratton 9 years later. As others have said that Lambert goal was incredible though. Right up there with the best celebrated goals at SMS. Excluding games against the skates then Camara v Norwich in 2005 is one that springs to mind.

David James was incredible that day. Hated the cunt ever since.

That game was the final straw that decided where possible all future games would be bubbled.

Reminds me of when they said they won the bragging rights that season on 'away goals' 😂

Let me guess - we struggled to sell out as every single Saints fan is terrified of them 😂 Proper odd balls the lot of them. I can't wait to see an interview with a fan next week about how his great grandfather lost his job because of us.

Yeah but that didn't come during a two week period also containing trips to Hull, Sheffield United and Derby. And yeah I'm sure they'll be all over it. This will be game 3 a season ticket holder with no always can buy for. Could easily work up from that - with places like Blackburn and Sheffield United coming up you could probably even get a skate ticket by Christmas.

Suspect that allocation will get halved after a couple of days.

Are you sure? Pretty sure pubs opened last time with the bubble.

Surely nothing the old bill can do if enough people turn up? It's not my bag and I was one of the people who mocked it beforehand but theres no doubt it set the tone for the match atmosphere wise and I think it'd be good for this game. Cans and pyro at Ted Bates statue 9am.

Sending them late as possible? Can't see that going wrong.

True 😅 Don't think accuracy has ever been important for football songs though and that one is much better than half the shite we sing these days. We've never been by the far the greatest team the world has ever seen. Rickie doesn't stand at over 6 ft 3 Les Reed didn't go to Europe to buy a Lambo Papa Waigo wasn't always... oh wait that one was accurate actually.

This is spot on. We can't afford passengers in the team and we definitely can't afford them in the stands. Even if we're struggling, well especially if we're struggling, no fucking groaning and keep the volume up. Boo every bit of sustained possession they have, cheer every tackle, roar the lads forward at every opportunity. If you're sat near the skates drown the wankers out every time they open their pikey mouths. Everyone needs to hold their fellow fans to account. Call out anyone checking bets or social media during the 90 minutes. I hate people doing that anyway but its completely unacceptable for this fixture. We're slightly off the boil on the pitch but us fans can make the difference here. Let's get right into the cunts and do the city proud.

'We are Southampton, the pride of the south' probably qualifies as an old song now. Borderline impossible to get going at away games in recent years and its like a lot of nippers don't even know the words.