franniesTache

Pretty sure he played for Everton too, definitely have memories of a player of that name playing there though it might not be the same one. That was the game where i realised just how screwed we were going to be in the premier league, it was a game that displayed all of the worst Martin traits and the only shining light was dibling, remember mentioning to the mates i was with that we were going down rock bottom

If what i was told on saturday is right, and i've no reason to not believe it, we're planning on spending big in the January window. Saying that though spending big doesn't mean a hell of a lot with SR, it could just mean we over pay for players that don't improve the team.

That 8-2 was my first ever game, think it's probably safe to say i peaked early in my time supporting Saints

The police dog display where the dog ran into the milton road end The Valley Slags winding up the away fans when performing on the pitch The midweek league game that got stopped because some kids were chucking tennis balls and footballs over the top of the east stand/archers onto the pitch (probably the same youth who put the razor blades in the whip at center 2000 i reckon)

When i got ours for doncaster this morning mush there were a a few blocks greyed out again, assume some are supporters groups but can't be all of them. And so far we've had these empty blocks at Hull, Norwich, Charlton off the top of my head. Your problem is we just follow you 🤣 Obviously didn't spend enough on your cabin mush, no perks for you proles. I don't think many would begrudge tickets at st mary's, to use totally made up numbers 500 tickets in a crowd of 32k isn't going to be noticed, the same number in an away end of 2k is a pisstake. As @Noodles34 said i'm in the "i'm alright jack" camp, there's basically no away game i don't qualify for as i do most of them, but it's the principle of those people who do them being overlooked for corporates that pisses me off. It's the same way i think season ticket holders with no aways getting preference over members who do away games is a pisstake too, those folk who put in the leg work should get priority, that's just the fairest way to do it. I don't want to de-rail the important work they're doing on making sure there's chips at st mary's, or how we make home games friendlier for away fans, you know, the things we really care about

Bigger issue is by spending money in their ground you're helping them out, we shouldn't be spending a single penny there and should be hoping this games costs them money. That's how we get rid of these cunts once and for all, cost them money so they go under (again)

So we've now see at multiple away games entire blocks that have been empty despite games "selling out", for example Hull, Charlton and Norwich, and we all know that when people first logged in to buy tickets for Fratton at least three large blocks were greyed out and unable to purchase. Obviously we also know regional supporters groups get tickets, as do staff and players families, but that doesn't seem to account for the amount that are seemingly now being held aside. Doing some digging i came across this from publicity P&O did when they agreed to sponsor us "This collaboration marks P&O Cruises’ first venture into sports sponsorship and will provide exclusive benefits and experiences to P&O Cruises guests and Southampton FC members and fans. Perks include special cruise offers, match tickets, meet-and-greet events and onboard coaching sessions." https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2024/08/po-cruises-partners-with-southampton-fc/ Maybe the club need to be honest with fans, are they holding aside away tickets for people taking cruises with P&O? And if they are how can they justify doing that at the expense of the mushes who go home and away supporting us. Some serious questions need asking of the club about this because with lower allocations in this league it's taking the piss to give tickets to people who potentially aren't even Saints fans

For single games then i don't think i can go far from the 4-1 win against liverpool under Nicholl, which i think is still probably the best Saints game i've been to. Aside from that the JPT just because it was a celebration of us still having a club, beating Inter Milan and playing at the San Siro (things i could never have imagined as a nipper), the league cup semi final win at Anfield, the 4-0 at Fratton in the league cup, the 6-3 against United at the Dell, and a bit of a leftfield one Dellhurst, just because i don't remember ever seeing so many Saints fans at a league away game

Given the "originality" of our support and their absolute obsession with the skates i'm surprised it's not, Tonda (wo-oh oh oh) Tonda (wo-oh oh oh) He comes from germany He fucking hates pompey (clap like seals)

The regional groups still need to meet the qualifying criteria, also knowing a few of them they're one of the most loyal groups of fans we have, some of the london saints lot are the same faces you'll see at every single game home and away. I have absolutely no issue with the regional groups, it's the corporates who are the problem, as you can see from the empty block at Norwich on saturday

They deserve statues if you ask me, as they really speak to what's important if you read the published minutes, questions on the women's team, catering, ground redevelopment, they absolutely have their fingers on the pulse of what most of us want. It's definitely not a whitewashing exercise that's stuff full of people who don't represent the majority of the fanbase, nope not in the slightest. https://assets.ctfassets.net/qtmbc4zcgkle/3E7UARQclwb9siY4lVQCHO/9ca56c2887a5eea0a4df38bd23655b5a/FAB_Meeting_Minutes_26.06.2025_Final.pdf

Fucking pisstake that and properly offensive by the club. The mushes who put in the miles should get those tickets not some corporate numpties. These games are games for Sotonians not for tourists and corporate cunts. Really annoys me that they're doing this

I'm absolutely against it in principle as it basically criminalises fans with no evidence that that is needed, it also takes away the decision making from people and ruins the day out. Yup same, noticed a fair few were already booked which seemed a bit suspect to me, hope to god the club aren't being cunts and holding some for corporates

They were the ones pushing for it, both our fans and the skates fans wanted the bubble. If what i've heard is correct the police weren't actually pushing for it, but based on the club and fans groups they went with it. Absolutely fucking galling that a small group of fans who don't represent the people who actually want to do Fratton away get to make a decision that basically ruins the best away game of the season. The Saints Voice, THE ONLY VOICE! It's hardly a surprise that lot wanted a bubble is it?

Problem is the fans they ask are the same ones that cried about a lack of a bubble in the league cup game. Also nothing ever actually fucking happens these days anyway, it's not like the days of Alan Knight's testimonial, a few gap toothed yokels stand around and make noises and you get into the ground late. They should've just let us had the choice of coach or train and those noddies that wanted the safety of the coach could've done it, and those of us who wanted to laugh at the yokels could've had our day out too.

absolute fucking pisstake of requirements, 7am start at the ground, be there probably before 10am to stand around and do nothing, forced to use coaches, and looks like they're going to try and force people in the blocks nearest the home ends to sit. Complete fucking shit and ruined what should be the best away day of the season. I can't believe our own fans said this was a good thing, noddy fucking pricks.

If we let Rasmus cook he'll get us a false nine pivot who can recylce the ball and and form sequences against the ball, then we can use the xG to work out our offset pivot's movement and when to break the low block. I trust him to do this because he's employed a team of management consultants from Deloitte to look at the data on it and create a slide deck with AI that tells the fans forum why it'll work. WE NERD ON!

Wasn't digging you out specifically mush that language just does my head in, proper business speak bollocks

When the fuck did the world decide to start talking about football as if they're a management consultant?? "sequences" so you mean attacks, "cycle of the ball" so you mean passing? It's this sort of god awful nerd speak that's let idiots. like Ramus and Martin to get a foothold in the game

To be fair they have a long and proud tradition of fiction there, in fact it's integral to their culture to make up stories and share them with as many people as possible.

At this stage and with the way we're playing it would be insane to give the job to someone else other than Tonda and then expect them to start all over again whilst maintaining results. So given who our owners are that's exactly what i expect to happen

I'd actually argue Koeman failed worse against midtjylland than Puel did in his campaign. I was at every single one of those games home and away during the european campaign/s and the midtjylland one was the worst performance by a mile.

This is such bullshit, the football was not dire at all. At home it was measured and he set out not to lose, but away from home we were sharp and attacking, also in that season we drew away to Man City, beat Inter Milan at home, beat Liverpool away and didn't lose to them all season. Watford away in the 4-3 game and Sunderland away in the 4-0 we were blistering and played brilliant counter attacking football. To be honest i've long been convinced Puel's downfall came from the fact he didn't want to lose home games so set up to defend at home and took more risks away from home. This meant a large chunk of our support had a bizarre idea of what his team was. Also it's worth remembering we lost our best player in the run in to the end of the season and had to adapt, which meant he had to adapt his tactics and style too.

That Nicholl side that played the 4-2-4 formation and fast attacking passing football was an absolute joy to watch, and definitely one of my favourite periods of going, crazy to think we went from that to Branfoot ball really. And lets not forget Branfoot was managing the youth team and highly thought of behind the scenes, then promoted to a job where he was inept and backed by owners who didn't listen to the fans, it's almost like things have always been the same. Also know what you mean about groups of nippers, our group would've been 10-15 of us, all going by ourselves for the first time, and often we'd play football together in the morning, or help out with a mates paper round before deciding on the day to go and traipsing up to the Dell and queuing outside the Milton to get in. A lot of my mates i have now were mates i made on those terraces 30+ years ago, and i always find it a bit sad that there's a generation or three that have completely lost that, and going to games for them is a military operation of planning and costs a packet (though i swear the milton was £1.50 then not £2, but i could be wrong)

I was lucky enough to be there from Matty's debut right through to his testimonial - standing on the opposite side of the milton to @Turkish though as our spot was on the right hand goal post under the CLC part of the advertising on the roof - and to this day he's the best natural footballer i've ever seen in person. I'm sure i've said it on here before but everyone focusses on his goals but they forget he also turned Ian Dowie into a 15 goal a season striker (mainly by hitting him in the face with the ball so it went in) and his passing was just absolutely breath taking. I can also remember his less than energetic "warm ups", where when other people were running around he'd stand 10 yards out of the box and hit the crossbar with the ball, and i reckon he probably did hit 9 times out of 10. His close control was also just so much better than everyone else, there was a game early season against nottingham forest and i can vividly remember him being surrounded by about four players and he just sort of walked through them dinking the ball round them, faking them off and completely confusing them. Also funny to think too he started out as a "tricky winger", playing number 11 and running at people. What i wouldn't give to see another Le Tiss in my lifetime, but i honestly think he's a once in a generation and most of us will never get to see a player like him again.