TheAlehouseBrawlers

We’re the possession kings, a crown RM wears proudly, but in reality it’s nothing if there’s no end product and so painfully exposed at the back. A few months back we had some success against the lesser sides (but even most of those now know how to play it) but we’ve constantly come unstuck against the better sides in this division. They can afford us all this possession we want as they know we’ll do little with it and just pick us off when the opportunity arises, last night the perfect storm, nearly 70% possession with a 5-nothing defeat. Last night was always a dead rubber but after the second half capitulation against Cardiff’s second XI a solid performance was required for momentum going into the play-offs. We’d get eaten alive in the PL and be coming back down with the Christmas decorations.

We had around half the end on Saturday and a bit round the corner, much like we get in the Northam, but once the opposition score our lot mostly go quiet so doesn’t really matter how many there are. I started going regularly at the start of the 70s and the Milton, under the Toomers, was the main area for singing. By the mid-seventies some had moved over to under the West and the Warrens made home in the Archers. They were more ‘doers’ than singers. Jim Redpath’s “We’re the barmy Archers Army” (I shouldn’t laugh) migrated to that end late 70s.

And next season in this division. Potentially two promotion parties to endure and have rammed down our throats, wish I had some confidence with us in the playoffs.

So, not new rail seating then, just crush barriers being installed. Looks like we're keeping the pink seats.

United have history with these sort of things https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39018813

Unless he's shit and we sack him. But, yes, in an ideal world.........

Another part-of-the-furniture has left the building - sad news RIP and condolences https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/24265703.tributes-paid-former-southampton-fc-staffer-gentle-giant-big-les/

Regularly. I’m not actually knocking the idea (I prefer old school-type support from a few decades ago but accept this has changed) and hope it eventually proves a good move but it makes a tough Policing job a little more tricky. If we’re still in this division next season the skate fixtures will likely be bubble games, if promoted then those Northam prices are very good for PL (and no shortage of takers).

I’m also interested to see how they deal with away fans trying to get back to Central. Equally though, the Kingsland/Northam corner would cause issues getting them back to the coaches and would have likely ruled out use of the railway bridge for home fans. It’s clearly all happening now so everyone just needs to accept it and see how it goes - I’m happy the club are at least actively doing something to improve what’s been a mostly crap atmosphere inside St Mary’s.

Let’s be fair, it’s the first thing the third division minnows have won in their short existence. (not to be confused with the previous cheating football club that went pop)

Nice and fitting moment

I thought you were against this from the start? I'm very old school tbh, I'm still stuck in the 70s/80s to how I like an atmosphere at the football which was about noise as much as a bit of singing. You just don't really get that blood-curdling roar anymore (was always best in the northern grounds back then). It's mostly rubbish these days, it was OK for the first 30mins at St Mary's yesterday but just evaporated as soon as Watford scored, our supporters are easily knocked (and from where I was sitting in the stadium, less than 2k aways were making as much noise as far more home fans around them). So I don't mind the club trying to do something to improve it, I accept football support has changed from my day but it could certainly be better. Many don't like change (or the idea of) but I think/hope most will be saying this was a good move by this time next year.

It would and also go back to our roots. For over half a century that's what we had, only changing to black in the 50s. We had blue in our long before the skates, they were still in a dusky little pink number back in the day. This was basically our kit from late 1800s to the 1950s, I'm sure they could come up with something similar.

Tbf, I think a team looking over their shoulder at relegation would be justified in considering a point against a promotion-chasing side with a £multi-million line-up a bit of a rumble.

I don’t necessarily disagree with either of you, I used the word ‘boring’ in relation to opposition fans views as it’s something I read regularly on their forums, plenty of them have come up against RM sides over recent years. I said tedious since we’ve been rumbled, we’ve needed to change our approach but he seems reluctant to stray from the plan and we’re getting undone. We certainly lack a bit more of the urgency required. I had a stream with the Blackburn comms on Saturday and they commented about our ineffectiveness and lack of entertainment in our style and how our fans were all just stood there with arms folded. On their forums they said we were the quietest away fans there this season, contrast that to the last time we played well in the league. After West Brom away they were saying best side and fans at the Hawthorns. But I am a bit of an old git, I do like my football a bit more cut and thrust, or at least mixed up a bit.

I would think this dislike is mostly towards his stubborness of playing a certain way when it clearly isn't working now. I like the fella, he's had some tough times in his life, but I can't say I particularly like watching my team playing this way, OK when we were getting away with it, but now it's been easily countered by opposition managers it's become tedious. And reading opposition fan forums when we play them it's pretty obvious he's not very well liked and his football style is generally seen as horrible and boring. I'm sure he'd love to manage Brighton, his local team and where he lives. Is he still commuting every day? It's only along the coast but that is one shitty drive he must be fed up with. But if the link is true I'd still be amazed if he got that job.

Dirty fucking Leeds. It’s what they are.

Oh yeah, what a plonker - saw the title and then read his first line. Note to self: pay more attention.

One for the conspiracy theorists, somebody on the UI (think he also posts on here - Sven-Goran Eriksson look-a-likey) has suggested that Rotherham’s keeper Johansson stayed at a hotel in Blackburn last night. He put in two outstanding performances against us but not forgetting he was part of a relegated side that conceded a lot of goals albeit League One standard defence. Straight swap for Baz who did well at that level?* https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/southampton/forum/308005/rotherham’s-keeper-johansson/#2 *tongue-in-cheek

Someone wants to sell his ticket 😁 Think we had a 3,000 allocation in the end and, as you say, still had some available in the upper tier when taken off sale online.

Ipswich fans must be having the time of their lives, 2 excellent seasons on the bounce and (like us) a big chance of consecutive promotions. Good luck to them. My best trip there was (I think) 1981, a midweek game back in the Keegan days, decent Saints crowd up there and won 3-2 that night! Games in East Anglia have always been a long boring drag, Norwich was always a tedious journey particularly back in the 70s/80s on long slow roads.

I think one of the more concerning aspects of ‘Russball’ is, after we were all told it takes time to ‘learn’ this way of playing, it appears it is still work in progress right at the tail end of the season. Good for that spell with a settled defence and few injuries, but so easily knocked back with a bit of tinkering or new additions. If we stay down we will lose half of our best players, mostly loans, so we’ll be starting again integrating new arrivals into the system. I think it will be even harder with promotion with an urgent need to upgrade most positions for the PL even if we do manage to retain some of the loanees. By the time all the newbees get on board with RM’s philosophy I fear a lot of damage may already have been done.

Maybe someone at United already fancied him when at City. No way that he could have just skipped across Manchester to take the role, could we have been used as a stepping stone? Am I right in thinking Shields had already been linked to Chelsea before coming to us, pattern developing?

I’ve come to the conclusion that the football club has had a log-in for some time now that certain staff can use to come on here to put us idiot supporters right….

Let's be honest, would be a freak result if it happened.