ant

Dunno, perhaps that's the case more recently. Certainly in the lower leagues I can recall several fantastic midweekers - though granted the extra games per season meant they were a lot more regular. Agree that it wasn't necessarily vociferous on Tuesday, but the positivity (as opposed to the stadium audibly groaning every time a pass is misplaced) was evident. Shouldn't do, but demonstrably does. If I had to fathom a guess based upon where I 'sit', it'd be that the spread of those willing to sing is more vast when JCLs/plastics (delete as preferred) are in the ground. I'll happily try to get stuff going on my own, but if there's nobody in the vicinity to pick it up, there's only so much you can do. Really is only relative. Atmosphere's been simply dire at times this season. Even getting half of the Northam singing OWTS for a few minutes felt like a victory.

Well, quite. Perhaps a little perspective filtered through. Mind you, midweek games often feature more positive atmospheres. Probably a correlation between that and the lack of day-trippers (who'd do that for an evening game?) Less impatient people that want instant success and get irate when they don't see it.

Very much so. Was surprised to hear Block 43 piping up and starting some of the chants. Normally I look across and see a load of people sat on their hands, with the sort of steely gaze that suggests they've almost got somewhere else they'd rather be. Welcome change - more of this sort of thing!

Less fans in the ground, less glamorous opposition; louder support. Funny that.

Bloody hell, that's concerning! Maybe it's necessary to do a bit of vetting beforehand

Zzzzzippp. In retrospect, let's just say "I'm on POF, it's not all bad".

Muse - Citizen Erased. Seems thematically kinda apt; plus it's probably my favourite song and everybody would have to wait an awkward 7 and a half minutes while it plays. Job done.

"Howard’s Arse" means "prison". "One nil at half time" means "food". "Woggy coconuts" means "air breaks". "Gazza" is a "gas coin", used as currency for cigarettes. "Plank sanction" is a one-for-one fag exchange. "Sue my chin" means give us a fag, I’ll give you two next week. "Buff my pylon" – give us a fag, you owe me two, so I’m letting you off the other one. "Don’t buff my pylon" – switch over the telly. And lastly, very important this one: "Portillo" means "Look out behind you". Learn the language, better communication.

Or: Badge kisser but left, Mark Clattenburg's right, Adam Lallana, He changed overnight. But yeah... Bang up for giving him abuse, though I'd rather spend the majority of my energy roaring Saints on.

Excellent work, sir. That all tallies with my sources (which strangely don't have any information for Chris Johns either). When it's written like that, it's interesting to see quite a few young players have contracts expiring this Summer. Would've been even more without the recent flurry of contract announcements. Wonder how many more will be secured?

Fair point. I prefer just to show all options and rejig as necessary, but that's a good shout for anybody that simply wants to download an image and use it as-is.

In the absence of any native wallpaper content being posted, use the Search Tools (underneath the search bar) on Google Images. Click the 'Size' dropdown and select 'Larger than...' and '2MP (1600x1200)'. It doesn't work that well with a search for "Southampton FC", but put in "Pelle Tadic" for example and you get a range of massive resolution images. Often it seems that newspapers upload the full quality agency images sans watermark. I'm currently using THIS image on my work iMac. It's about twice the resolution I needed! Should be easy enough to crop to the appropriate height/width proportion, or you can let the your operating system give its best attempt.

Wow, feeling pretty flukey now. I left Bitterne at 9.50pm and was back in Alton (NE of Winchester, S of Basingstoke) by 10.35pm. Must have got a jump on the M3 as it was clear when I got there

It's not 2008! Believe me, wanting more than a fumble is a major advantage on there these days.

Fair point, I'll come say "hi" next time What a charmer! In it for the long game, not a quickie. Apologies if that's not banterific enough.

I contemplated dropping in, but it would've been really awkward if there was only the three of you as I don't think I've chatted to any of you on here! Ended up having a drink with a lovely lady that I've been chatting to on POF, so rest assured I made good use of the time.

Exactly that. One little run at the big boys and already we're acting like entitled brats.

Web/graphic designer at a digital agency just outside Southampton. Pretty self-explanatory, I should think.

Good shout. I'm amplifiedant (at) gmail (dot) com.

I've been tasked with getting a ticket as a surprise birthday present. Can't really ask the person in question for their customer details for obvious reasons... Got my own and several other ST numbers but they're no good until Thursday. Any customer numbers available that have been used to buy tickets this season but aren't season ticket holders?

Yep, seats were virtually disappearing in front of my eyes as I was attempting to book. Hopefully there'll be a little more of a buzz in the ground than there was against Ipswich.

Nothing new at Old Trafford.

Don't have a Vine, but captured a still of Koeman looking like a kid let loose in a sweet shop.

Well I've been in the same spot for the entire journey and have a near-autistic memory of individual matches, but if you say so! I'm not only talking about the sense of noise generated throughout the ground. Around me (halfway to two-thirds back in Block 42), almost everybody sang during our jaunt through the lower leagues. Most games now I feel blessed if a dozen in the vicinity pipe up, aside from during obvious moments such as goal celebrations. It is what it is and I do accept that my desired matchday experience isn't shared by all.

90% of the time you remain a lone voice. Encountered that enough this season, though I'll be buggered if I'm letting it ruin my matchday and persist regardless. If others don't want to vocalise their support then fine - but it's a shame that it's often quieter now than when we were in L1 and the Championship (and probably our PL spell before that too, by way of more direct comparison). Though it's the same at virtually all top-flight clubs that doesn't make it any less disappointing. On occasion this season (both home and away) I've heard fans being asked to shut up when attempting to get chants going. Bizarre.