Colinjb

The results before he took over on the 4th March 04 stand as: Man Utd 3-2 Saints Saints 0-0 Fulham Arsenal 2-0 Saints Saints 3-3 Everton Blackburn 1-1 Saints We had only won one game in 10 games, a 2-1 Home win against hapless Leeds United. His first result was a 2-0 home win v Liverpool, we then proceeded to win 4 in 6. He revived a team that was beginning to lose it's way after Strachan announced his intended departure. His record in the season he was sacked was won 1, lost 1. Certainly no grounds for sacking on results alone.

Such is the nature of football that freak results occur. It's why we love it and at times hate it in equal measure.

Tempting........

His lack of performance at those levels could again be due to his lack of personal savvy rather then a lack of ability. The top two divisions are ruthlessly professional and Sturrock has proven to be no mug with his achievements at Plymouth and promotions at Swindon and Sheffield Wednesday. It's easy to forget just how few league managers there are.... naturally only 92 in employment at one time. Sturrock's record puts him as one of the top 50 managers in the country. You do not achieve that without having a good knowledge of football, tactics and training. He was obviously not the full package though. The lack of appreciation of how his own personal image and demeanor could effect people's confidence in him, regardless of ability alone, will have been a shock to him. His own personal health issues will not be helping either. As for the managers you have mentioned, I rate Sturrock higher them all of them.

I remember rumours at the time saying his attitude and manner were unprofessional and slack, this didn't encourage confidence in the squad or his paymasters. There is no doubt that Sturrock had an excellent footballing brain but despite his CV and interview his face ultimately didn't fit. I personally believe that had he been backed over the players that didn't believe in him we would have survived that year.

The blue few won't like it, but Adrian Durham makes a good point!

It would certainly play a part. The possibility of drinking on the terraces though is a worry for the points i've previously made. Turkish, you do have points to make, why hide behind a curtain of tw*t?

If only you made your point directly.

Trolling at it's finest.

They have no shame!!!

Fair enough. Personally speaking, I am cynical enough to think the chance will be wasted. I'm pretty sure you guessed that already though. I would love to be proven wrong but can't see it.

I see the point you are making, but where do you draw the line, how do you be certain that allowing alcohol in one game is ok, but not for another.... And I mean 100% certain....

Are you seriously comparing the fan tensions of the Premier League to the Wessex Premier League? In that example, yes, a little daft. But in the context of Southampton Football Club, irrelevant. And Munich... the part of Germany I love, the bars around Marienplatz, even around the area I stayed in near Machtlfingerstrasse. Been there many times, and a far more respectful part of the world then any part of England I have ever seen.

Which part of Germany out of interest?

I hope your idealism isn't falsely placed. I do not trust the British public, having been to Germany, the mentality of the two countries is different. Germany is a country where they trust you to buy train tickets and they don't check. It is also a country without fences around industrial estates, because people respect the property. There is, from my own experience a mutual respect in German culture that doesn't exist here.

Human beings are unpredictable creatures. I have seen otherwise rational individuals become idiots thanks to drink. And football is a polarising element that exasperates this behaviour. There are people who will both have a drinking problem... and be partisan that will abuse the prospect of being able to drink on the terraces. I don't want that possibility. I hope I am being too cynical, really, but I cannot see how it cannot end in something bad.

And why are you? I thought this was a debate, a place for opinion to be heard. My own opinion is just that.... Why react so strongly to it Kraken?

The football match itself. It's more tribal then rugby and attracts the worst side of many otherwise rational human beings.

I'm sorry, why would it be necessary? You can drink in the pubs and at half time. Why extend it, why make the risk of anything happening bigger? It would be a needless measure that would only cater to those that would seek to abuse it. Those that actually come to watch football wouldn't care less and those that make a session of it would simply see it as a chance to get more of that. Those that live to emulate darker times would abuse it to the hilt. No need, just no need.

Crowd trouble and the legacy it could bring is enough. A family club can become a rabble in seconds. At least if this idea comes in it would be all clubs in one go rather then just one. What a relief!

No, I considered it, and saw many down points. The risks are huge, the damage could be rather large. while management in certain games brings sense, the very idea itself brings massive, massive risk. I will not agree to it, will not wish to see it happen.

How do you know for sure that allowing alcohol on the terraces wouldn't facilitate idiotic behaviour? You are making quite a big assumption. What is to stop them going down for another, and another, and another? And within 120 minutes they have consumed an utter tanker load. There are people that will do that!

There wouldn't be "carnage" on a grand scale as you imply. You are using dramatic language for effect. But if Alcohol would be allowed on the terraces it would exasperate the elements of the fanbase that would be inclined to rowdy behaviour. 1% of fans, just 1%..... of 30,000. 300 idiots beered up and being essentially out of control in the stadium. 0.5% is 150. 0.25% is 75. The fractions make the difference and fanbases have their idiot fringe. No need to reintroduce it. As many say, if you can't go 45 minutes without a beer...... And for those that can't, don't encourage them.

Soft drinks do not have the same appeal to the elements of the crowd that would engage in rowdier behaviour. The comparison is irrelevant.

Who are you?