Sardonic Squirrels

sorry, fast fingers. Tried to say, With all respect to Hull I do feel their promotion fills one of the automatic relegation places next season so that only leaves two others to avoid the drop. Potentially us particularly after the last campaign there but suppose time will tell. I feel a little sympathy for Middlesbrough as I don't have an axe to grind there but on the face of it spy issue or not it's not really on to lose a game fair and square in the semi final stages and then be reinstated to have another go. The spy issue saga, it's regrettable and unfortunate particularly for all Southampton fans who were blameless in the whole sorry episode. A handful of individuals within the club structure got involved in something they shouldn't have and everyone misses out as a result. The innocent were caught up in it and paid a price far more than the guilty ever could. Middlesbrough played a significant part in 1981 where a defeat at their old Ayresome Park ground or whatever it were called back then a week or two before end of season saw us miss out on being Champions of England, in fact we could have won the treble that year. So - today offers a kind of justice this end but they've suffered many times at the national stadium. Won the League Cup (against Bolton !) a few years back but that was played in Cardiff I'm sure. They lost today because they were poor and ineffective. As is often at Wembley they fold on the biggest stage. If a team in years past containing Ravanelli, Juninho and Emerson couldn't beat their opponents, what chance did they really have in future years and opponents. Spy issues and authorities and all their messing around aside, that should have been you in the final today. Expulsion from competition was taking it too far but as everyone has attested to a certain redemption was witnessed earlier. I look forward to seeing what Hull City can put together over our two games next season.

W

Listened to extra time and closing stages on the radio. Would have joined in discussion but somehow felt wrong as a fan of neither team to participate while it were underway. I'm pleased the bloody thing's over with, we've declared a winner and identified who's playing who in the final . The build up and all that other issue was just sometimes too much. Just a sense of relief we've got a winner and some sort of order has been restored. There may be ramifications from the FA or further legal issues to sort out but really that's between you and the other team involved. What they can't do is replay the game or deny your chance against Hull in a few weeks. Would have been fun to have been at the stadium tonight even as someone from another club but not of a game or atmosphere of that magnitude. 20 years ago maybe but the advancing years probably wouldn't keep up now. As all have said you've had a great season, FA Cup semi finalists and one game away from a return to the top level. Wasn't too long ago Russell Martin was really making trouble and holding things back and now look at it. When or if you make it by August teams like ourselves are going to find it hard again competing in the premier league where money rules or destroys everything it comes in contact with although close season provides everyone with a chance to regroup and just hope for better things. Well done on getting the result required.

I won't lie I look in on this several times a day to keep up with events as with One Boro forum for their own thoughts and in truth it's a great read, better than most stuff on TV. Two club names hundreds of miles from each other at other ends of the country who up til now didn't really have to do with each other, now locking horns and a sense of animosity brewing. It's fun as a neutral fan trying to keep out of it but we were largely responsible for denying them three points a few weeks back with a late penalty that wasn't. They were upset then but thankfully this new issue has seen all that go off the boil and divert attention elsewhere and then some. Irony is if they'd rightfully won that night Millwall would now be promoted and they'd still have failed to make it. I hope you don't get excluded from the play offs because of this issue but they surely can't exercise that as a cause of action at this stage. Think someone said in an earlier response probably the best thing to settle this spat was simply have a Boro spy infiltrate a Saints training session and tit for tat kind of thing. All talk of expulsion and points deduction, excessive fines, fuck knows what else, is all largely unnecessary and out of hand. Hope someone in authority can see through all this for what it is and exercise some common sense. It's a shame all Saints good work in the league and Cup heroics seem to have been largely overlooked now with this spying caper, it just detracts from a fine season and other endeavours of praise. Be aware one more time Boro can play and fight hard when they need to whether home or away and this issue is only going to galvanise them to work harder in the return fixture in a few days. Yes OK we've already made it up and for that I have to be thankful but this altercation between clubs involved hasn't gone unnoticed by other fans. The return at St Mary's promises something epic that we can sit back and watch unfold.

I'd be content with the draw. Not sure if away goals are applicable in these things anymore and taking a goal less draw back to Hampshire is risky if that still applies but would imagine the semi final battle went a long way to being won today by avoiding being beaten up there. Middlesbrough are actually a good team at least when they choose to be. Came to Portman Road a week or two back and really came at us, gave it a go and then some. We were fortunate to get a point from it, assisted by a dubious penalty award but fact is that point went a long way as to why we've already made it up and Boro are in these play-off games. I wouldn't assume this tie is a done deal by virtue of playing off a 0 - 0 draw in the home return game as once more they can cause problems on the day and actually fight to achieve something. The unfortunate nonsense of the spying training ground issue left a shadow over this contest but it'll soon blow over and seems you weren't affected by it too much today. It'll retract further into the distance once the second leg comes around and from a neural viewpoint this tie is still very much exciting and has something to offer. Applaud any Saints fans making the arduous trip to the north east today. Came away with an encouraging score from it too.

Watched highlights from game three times, just to take in what happened and for one I'm content with the point. Would have been great to win and confirm promotion but we'll have our chance at the weekend. That was a very entertaining contest with both teams going for it and a draw was probably a fair result many would argue. Clarke when he wants to can be a good player when he doesn't spoil it for himself and others and that appeared evident from tonight. Walton after being kept out the team by Palmer or Muric has been back to his best in recent weeks and helped get us another share of points but how much is he really going to be threatened or tested by QPR on the last fixture? I applaud McKenna and the team for really giving it a go and actually coming near to taking all three points had other chances gone in when I imagined we'd rest up a bit there and put all focus on the final weekend. It's a stressful situation knowing that four club names will be trying for automatic promotion on the last game when we could have made sure tonight and avoided such a scenario but one last time that was highly entertaining from the highlights provided but think somehow couldn't quite match the excitement of in Paris. I wouldn't like to play Southampton over two play off games being truthful but if the entertainment gets to be anything like tonight then fans all over can have something to relish.

Apologise on behalf of any posts or registered members you've viewed from our own forums TWTD etc where they believe we'll finish the job later tonight and Southampton may as well award us the victory now. Shows a lack of respect but some are just over zealous, others are misguided. I can see the picture for what it is in that it's a tough trip and ask to another club side with hopes of automatic promotion themselves. If we were to lose then I'll expect it, not pinning everything on one penultimate game and collecting the prize before it's due. That's indeed if we even make it. We've been aided by some dubious referee decisions in recent weeks that some of our fanbase won't readily admit to but I don't make the decisions or dictate who does what. I really hope none of that occurs later tonight particularly in our favour as just want a clean fair game with the best team getting the right result through hard work and commitment. Either McKenna and the players really go for it and make it with the QPR game to spare or we play ineffective as we can or have and pin hopes on the final weekend that will put intense pressure on the players. Going swimming in an hour or two the whole time game is underway as maybe it's better to focus on something other than the match itself. When it's over and done with we can then pick out the relevant talking points of what occurred. Yes I'm nervous but suppose we were to get promoted by end of season, 1 or 2 players aside we're not top level standard and weaker than the last promotion 2 years ago. May the best team prevail from this for the right reasons and wish could be there. Should be some atmosphere.

We were fortunate to leave there with a point today. Largely outplayed but it's a valuable point all the same. IF we get an auto promotion it'll be a case of straggling over the finish line, not racing along at a canter. I'm not looking forward to our game next week as there's too much at stake and we can still just as easily finish third or below. As Saints can still mathematically make an automatic finish themselves it creates a whole lot of tension and nerves for all. I still think the final game home to Queens Park Rangers is key to promotion and where it will be done but don't really want to leave it to last fixture. Whatever happens both teams are assured of a top six finish and play off involvement whereas there's going to a number of disappointed club names who won't even get that chance. I think I'd take a point at Saint Mary's right now if they offered it although sorry to say would obviously hope for more.

That wasn't fair. To be beaten like that. OK Saints fans took a large number to London for the event and had a great time (score aside) and an experience to take away or even pass on to future generations but that must have hurt. Rival promotion fan or not that was harsh and I feel for the fans who came so close but were denied in the closing stages. Would have been great half a century on from 1976 for Southampton to have won it again and I'm sorry you fell at the penultimate hurdle. Manchester City (who we ourselves lost to in 1981 at the semi-final stage incidentally) are a very good team granted but even they must know they really had to dig in for victory there and put to the test by a really improved team since Russell Martin left that can once again challenge for honours. Don't be upset by today even though you must be as you really gave it a go and only just narrowly missed out. I'd wish you well for promotion now as you deserve something from the season but the team I follow makes that a little awkward. Sorry again you missed out today and can't repeat 50 years on. Would have been great for neutrals, Saints fans, I would have applauded it or been one of first in line to offer congrats. It's a pity we won't get to see that. You did well.

Good luck in your game tomorrow. It's nothing to do with league placings or who gets what in the Championship this season, just sincere wishes you can do it and go on to reach the Final. Wanted you to do it back in 2003 when think Gordon Strachan were manager but wasn't to be. Now there's another opportunity in clear sight to win it again and it would be great for neutrals on the 50 year anniversary. mid-late 1970's was a great time when teams like ours won the competition, beating bigger clubs in the Final when few gave it a chance. Just go out this weekend and believe you can do it, the opposition are far from indestructible and last years final just goes to prove all things are possible at this stage of competition.

Ipswich fan here of many years. Felt compelled to register what with both teams involved for automatic promotion and we play you in a short time in a game of huge significance. Your FA Cup involvement is going to be interesting, in fact it already is, and if you were to reach the Final again it'll make interesting focus on the remaining league games. Disappointed that Leicester couldn't hold out for a win tonight. Awful team there with mediocre players that are now relegated and they came within seconds of beating a team that really required it and now occupy the automatic promotion places because if it. It surely didn't help Saints either. We now have to win at least 1 of our remaining games to overtake and we're not always playing that good and helped at times by questionable referee standards. QPR at home final day is the key fixture but even that may not be enough. That draw tonight may have seen them drop two points but it's made both our jobs tougher with games remaining. How do you get an avatar around here 😐