Football Special

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/26075271.vote-daily-echo-southampton-player-year/# Can vote here

Yeah got a lot of time for clubs like Preston, get decent crowds surrounded by towns with rival clubs like Blackpool, Blackburn, Burnley etc plus not far from Man Utd, Liverpool , generally decent folk get proper football chat in the pubs pre match, much more enjoyable than an away day at Old Trafford for me

I remember the days when teams would give cup style 'extra' allocations in the play offs, like when we took 5000 to Derby , these limited allocations are a shame really. Its a hell of a way to go for an early kick off, see official coaches leaving 4am, no point going to bed really. Fair play to MIddlesbrough for their prices, really good to see.

Are we favourites with the bookies? I can't imagine there's much between us and Middlesbrough, must be about evens

Tickets for the home leg show as available to buy if you log in on your account (season ticket holders buying own seat) , £30 in Northam

Seems like a great price that, although Middlesbrough is still a fair way from Newcastle airport . Going to be interesting how tickets are sorted, probably will be digital and can't see Middlesbrough giving us more than the mandatory 2,000

Yeah fair play, I expected a lot more to not bother, very good turn out

Surprised they travelled back via road, sure they got a flight up there

Fair point mate, our cup run this season should help us in these games, fingers crossed

Agree we look quite open, Preston could and should have scored a couple more today, need to tighten up as Boro will punish us, they looked very good at Ipswich few games ago

Going to be bloody hard games, certainly tougher than when we had WBA last time

Hope you're right but I'll be very surprised, those of us travelling should make enough noise regardless, its a great away end when having the full allocation, lunch time games can be a bit flat though

Scoring the winning goal in the last min at Wembley before being carried on the shoulders of Jack Stephens on a lap of honour whilst the fans sing his name, make it happen Tonda 👍

I could well be wrong on overall number to be fair, and still impressive turn out 250 miles away for an early kick off. not quite the same scenario but we sold out for Norwich in the league cup back in August but away end was probably half full, fans buying what were £10 tickets to get an away credit and not bothering to go. Once digital tickets become more common they'll probably start only awarding away credits once the ticket has actually been used.

Preston will fancy their chances after we lulled them into a false sense of confidence with possibly our worst performance of the season at St Mary's back in November, remembered for being the end of the Great Will Still era and Nathan Wood telling a fan to fuck off (I think it was "Thripp87" who was shouting at Wood to get some more rest)

There's loads i know with tickets not going now. 5500 sold a lot on the off chance its a promotion game , I'll guess at 3500 showing up , maybe a bit more

You've gone and jinxed it now haven't you

If we ended up with Millwall over 2 legs 100% they'd only give us the upper tier for that. On that subject only need to give away fans 2000 tickets in play offs but Saints seem incapable of reducing our away allocation at St Mary’s now

Im going to be up all night worrying about that now. If anything playing in a match reduces chance of injury as they wont be getting things out of the fridge

You are right we are very different, having Larin up front instead of Adam Armstrong transforms that. Our FA Cup run also a good rehearsal for play off football. Having said that if we have to go away to MIddlesbrough needing a win 2nd leg I dont fancy us to do it, just something about that place

Lol some of you are getting yourselves into a right panic. The club pay plenty of analysts and fitness coaches, they'll be aware of any players carrying a knock (Azaz for example) , others will be fine and will want to play games , we have a week's break after Preston to rest and prepare

Yeah i think beating Leeds away last game gave us a real lift going into the play offs. Our record against Millwall and Middlesbrough is worrying, not managed to beat either of those this season, just need Hull to finish 6th to complete the set