Andoverian

I'm afraid you are dead right. For the first time since 1954 I will not be physically supporting my beloved Saints next season. A hike of 72% in the cost of my season ticket is totally unacceptable and therefore my 2 friends and I who have travelled down from Andover for many many years have regrettably made the decision to call it a day. Thank you Mr Cortese you have succeeded where many others including the notorious Rupert failed. I never thought I would be writing something like this as it is very hard to stop something that you have loved through thick and thin for so long but there are times when you simply have to say enough is enough. I have to admit that I have been very uneasy about the way the present regime have conducted themself in the last couple of season and this latest decision has just proved to me that my negative thoughts were well founded.

The simple fact is this. The club were happy to supply me with a senior season ticket for the last few years at a price. They have now decided for reasons best known to themself to ask me to pay 72% more to renew my seat for next season. After 57 years supporting the club I will be packing up unless they realise the unfairness of their actions. It's pretty simple really !!

a 70% rise out of the blue is ok is it?

thanks beatle saint

In my case ill health but in this current climate redundancy has forced many retirements prior to 65.I dont see how you or anyone else is subsidising me

Thanks Um Pahars. I hope you are right as deep down I feel and believe that the club did not truly realise the magnitude of this decision. Time will tell if they take the steps to put the matter right. I truly hope so.

Thanks for your support. I hope that there are more of our fanbase that take the same view.

I went to my first Saints match 57 years ago. I have been a supporter home and in earlier days away ever since. At the age of 64 the huge hike in my season ticket price for next season now means that I will have to call it a day. Retired on a fixed income does not give me the necessary funds to renew my ticket at the new price. I have protested to the club today that existing senior season ticket holders should not have been hit so hard and I await a response. I simply do not understand why this relatively small group of fans have been treated in this way.What happened to Saints being a family club. I'm angry but most of all just very sad.

totally agree. would love to see the little fella back

Good post -My thoughts entirely

Excellent post. Couldn't agree more.

Exactly my view. I have been almost a voice in the wilderness when I have made the point that owning Saints is probably not the big deal that some would believe to the present owners. I am less than sure that the present ownership is the best thing for this club and my view on NC is well known. He makes me very uneasy by the way he works on a day to day basis. If the club was sold to rich Arab owners, and it might be absolute rubbish, it would not bother me in the slightest.

Liverpool at home. That would be tasty and they wouldn't fancy coming down here one little bit.

I was delighted to see the standing ovation our fans gave Brett Ormerod when he was substituted towards the end. He gave Saints great service and is a real tryer. Well done everyone.

Sorry not very good with the computer but surely this post is suppose to be a joke !!

[ A statue as company for the great Ted Bates would be a good gesture especially if the fans could contribute something towards it.

Despite being a pretty decent player at our level he also seems a pretty decent bloke. I like what he says.

I've done a fair amount of moaning this season about things that have happened off the field that have annoyed me but I walked out of St Mary's today with a huge grin on my face. I know Tranmere were poor but make no mistake we were sheer class. A terrific performance and the passing was great. Let me put my vote behind Guly as MOTM. He looked tremendous and is far far above this league if today's performance is correct. Everone played very well and it won't be long before someone in this league is going to get a real hiding. With a bit more clinical finishing it could have been Tranmere today. NA looks to be getting a real buzz from this team and I'm absolutly delighted.

What other illogical acts have we seen from Cortese? Banning media from taking photos, Banning the Saints Trust Chairman from a ST, Ending a payment scheme for STs without explanation, Installing car park charges for supporters going to away games etc etc All petty stupid actions that were also badly communicated. How many examples of illogical acts do you want? Dont forget hiking up match day parking and introducing booking fees. All these savage actions are in danger of pricing out some long term fans who are on fixed incomes and pensions. If this policy of trying to extract the maximum from fans continues, especially if we manage to get promoted, there is no doubt, in my mind, that it wont be long before some of us will no longer be able to support the club we have loved for so long. Don't tell me this a family club We are now just consumers of a product that we may or may not be able to afford. Sorry to be so downbeat but I have never been so depressed in our club. Even during the dark days of Lowe I still felt it was my club and worth fighting for.It now seems like I am only as good as the money I have to spend.

I totally agree with this view.

. If he said "self financing" then that means he didn't intend to put any money into the club so that surely proves my point. The present regime is no different to any other club in this league. They are all trying to be self financing so why have we got any more chance of success than anybody else. Under this regime our expectations should surely be a lot lower than the hype that has been spewed out to the fans. We have a potential fanbase of 20,000 and the income that has generated over the past year and will generate in the future is all that will be available for player investment in my opinion. Therefore why are we so pleased to be owned by the present incumbents.

I hope and pray that NC IS having second thoughts as his plans and the way he has been running this club have not impressed me in the slightest. I suspect that there is a buyer out there who is more in tune with the fans and our expectations and aspirations. This club is now debt free and isn't a bad buy at the right price. Don't be surprised if the Leibher family sell in the not too distant future. I see no sign whatsoever of investment and I don't buy into the idea that the money is tied up because of the Liebher death. All I can see is an ongoing attempt to raise income from the fanbase (well documented on this site) and greatly reduce costs including player expenditure. It hardly smacks of a regime who have strong ambitions to take the club forward as per the original Cortese/Marcus Leibher plan. Watch this space.

We rarely go to away matches now. Not because we dont want to support the team but the fact that, as we are getting on and have a few relatively minor physical problems, we cannnot stand for 90 minutes. On occassions we have asked people in front of us to sit down but we have either been ignored or at times had to put up with abuse. It is amazing how selfish some people can be. Whats the point in going if you cant see. I have a great deal of sympathy with kids who have the same problem. It's a shame.

Dead right mate Spot on !!

After what has been happening over the last few months this does not surprise me. The way Cortese has been running this club has done nothing but dissapoint me and I found myself losing my enthusiasm after supporting this team for 55 years. Even in the dark days of Lowe I never lost my faith. This latest move is deeply depressing and embarrassing.