Saint86

Well it was on radio 5 the other night, on drive. Had an executive from Bayern on and they were discussing club finances in england. Apparently Bayern make £130m from merchandise. It completely dwarfs clubs in the uk. There total turnover is £300m

Bayern Munich - average season ticker price is around £100 - still going to brag about Wigans?

Another wasted poster than I can assume is an attempt at trolling. Original Poster is blocked!

Saint Mary's is allready included under premier league Modern...

I have to admire your sense of humur on this one Turkish. The sound of you finnaly admitting it is sex for the ears!

Ah, I can breeth a sigh of relief: Open post: Read the non sensical drivel; "you heard it hear first" Next reader posters name; "Dune" Laugh, think to self, "what a **** head" continue to laugh. Honestly, what a prat!

I don not understand you. You are either an egit, or you have got confused with your argument and lost the plot so to speak. What relevance is the capacity during the 80's - the climate has changed several times over. We now have a 32k stadium, we have had far less success in the last 10 years than in the 10 years prior to the 80's yet our attendance is 14k higher? So quoting a limited attendance from the 80's make no sense... why are you doing it? Your post have just been rude and condescending and at little to the discussion other than stating that you have an 80's dell sized brain and can't let go of the past / can't aknowledge change. There is clearly a geniunine scope to expand the stadium. However it will likely wait until midway through next season to be announced, perhaps later. To what degree it is expanded is the only unknown in my view (unless we are relegated). The simple truth is that right now, we have just been promoted. We will now get a £40m income increase.... and this is ample to support our current and indeed the likely increased wage structure we will be running. Especially when considering the fact that the ambition is to rely on 50% youth players. As a business plan, the only way to increase income is to generate additional sources (the £40m is fixed relative to every other club in the league - they all get it and will get what it changes to.) The logical next step is to increase attendances as this will boost revenues in the long term. There will also be marketing abroad, something that will have been aided by Lee's signing (although I am not saying that this is the only reason we signed him). The best time to expand the stadium is when we have an excess income due to larger TV revenues and what are effectively only large championship wage costs. Add to this the fact that several players will be on the way out. Now, if you can not see that they stadium expansion will happen, indeed that it must happen, then I quiestion your intelligence, although that is allready under review due to your continued quotage of irrelevant 1980's figures. In addition, cut out your abuse it is not needed, and you let yourself down, you also let the club down in the eyes of any other fans that visit this forum. Also, the OP was in relation to a 5 year plan. Well, as discussed, I feel that ofc the minimum objective is survival. But that is a minimum. I would imagine that they will be aiming for a position between 10-15th place. This will follow for the second season as well. They will then reassess and expansion is likely to come to the fore after either of these seasons if we are on target. They will then look to push on and go for 7-10th in the later seasons and push for europe or a good cup run. I trulyl believe that this is possible within 5 years. Look at recently promoted teams such as Ipswich who got straight into Europe and Newcastle this season. You also have the impressive performances of Norwich and Swansea, clubs that we are better than IMO. After these 5 years the club will look to stabilize at this level and push on to being a regular qualifier for europe and perhaps further. I do believe that with the right decisions and the backing and ambition of Cortese that anything is possible. I also think that the man expects and I can't fault one major decision that he has made.

Lol good luck with that - Designers of High Speed 2 will blow you if you can get them permission within 13 weeks. Good Lords. You are either and amazing troll or an overoppinionated no nothing. A football stadium is not a house. They have to consider the extra 10-15k people that will be flooding southampton which can't handle traffic for west Quay as it is, let alone when a large crusie ship is in. There is not enough parking, policing is an issue. Noise levels. How does it fit into their development plan for the city since developing St Mary's comes after the exisitng 20year plan.... My god, I mean, do you imagine that the Hindhead tunnel was submitted and approved within 13weeks? ARE YOU FOR REAL? High speed 2 - Hi guys, we are just gonna put 20 trains an our 50metres behind you back garden fence, you don't mind do you? You do? well that is unlucky... Its going to be approved in 13weeks and your house price just went down 90%!!! Enjoy!!!!!

Is this a football manager update? Just asking. If so could we have a football manager sharing blog on here complete with monthly updates and progress. I am currently taking salisbury to the premier. Have had straight promotions from conference south to champtionship. But finished just shy of the playoff's in that season. Managed to get the stadium expanded to 12000seated though. Fancy that should tick me over. And if I can make premier this season (this is a must becuase I have gambled on wages and I'm now loosing 250k a month) then the TV revenue will see me through to the champions league in 3 years!! Did I mention that since I have done this several times with clubs like bristol rovers and salisbury etc, that a 3 year plan of promotion to champions league must also be possible in real life? I will accept a delayed time of 5 years as Nigel probably doesn't have the same tactical nuance as I do.... But I expect us to be beating Barcelona at home in 5 years - I am talking about by salisbury side here btw!!!! Up the Whites!!!!

For me, you have to give credit to Jones, he laid great foundations with little money. Hoddle took it forward and despite his exit he was class. And then Strachan was the right man at the right time and trully got the most out of the players. Plus he has a massive soft spot for us For that reason he is my favourite manager of the last 20 years - Closely followed by our current incumbent, Nigel!!

This is not the case trying to go our trhough millbrook, which after a 25min to car then takes an additional 45min of parking in traffic. Also, the transport links would take people into different directions so would not lead to congestion - only those using that direction would queue for it. In truth it would reduce congestion crossing the railway bridge and the action of road closures heading up to Jury's inn etc. Although I do take you point about having all transport links in the excat same portion of the ground. I simply indicate that all rail links should come in along the existing track if possible. Busses could remain where they are for example. I also imagine that the Avenue gets jammed rock solid before and after games which is why I suggest park and ride schemes for the M3 and possibly even for the M271. At present the level of traffic is beyond on saturdays and this could only benifit this issue. If this was run with busses to the bargate for example it would serve both the highstreet and the ground.

I have an interesting take on this as a structual engineer. Firstly the ground can be expanded and there are not limitations with respect to space. For example, if you fully expanded that stadium on all four sides you would be looking at an old trafford sized ground as opposed to an emirates bowl of 60k. They would look to go up and back as far as they can producing the st James' effect. We could do that one one stand and we would achieve 45k. Issues would come with the brownfield status of the adjacent land and waste management/disposal during construction. And there is always the issue of capcity with respect southampton's infastructure. This is the only limitation in my oppinion. I personally do not feel that the ground is in a great place. If it is to be expanded it needs to be a city wide project. They flat out need to improve transport to the venue and to various "population sources" - you would be looking at a proper shuttle service to the stations run at say £1. They should utilize the adjacent rail tracks and redevelop them to allow for station access. I think they should also look at park and ride for the city tbh. certainly on the M3 side and provide and associtated link to the ground. Alternatively a mass transport system to the highstreet is badly needed to the centre, perhaps a tramline. The issue is that this is clearly beyond the scope of the club. It is the city that needs to develop becuase frankly for all the nice greenery and parks and a decent highstreet, the city lacks culture, resturants and a real buzz. Now we are premier league they need to work on this together. Link the club and the parks and the highstreet, link the stations, and link in oxford street. It would be good for the city and good for the club. People would come down and visit for a weekend with that set up. The ground area also needs more facilities and proper redevelopment that was hinted at when they club was provided with the land at St Mary's. Because aside from building a few apartments they have done F ALL. It is a big project that will take the best part of 10 years. But the club is the biggest consumer attraction in that city. It needs to be more involved with the highstreet, the bars, the resturants and transport. Without it, and with Nicola's ambitions, I honestly think the club will move and we will develop a landmark ground out of town. To me, whilst that would be fantastic, it would also be gutting because I think it is a missed opportunity for the city to really progress.

If you are so bored the club down the road play in blue and are having an equally exciting time. May suit your mindset tbh....

I'm sorry but this argument is flawed. My younger brother is a saints fan, they are his number 1 club and he has supported them since we were nippers and went on the saints football courses for kids over the summer. Now, him and his mate (saints season ticket holder) went to watch guildford's last game of the season where they won their local league, whatever that is. They are a fair few of them who do this. I am a saints fan (obviously) and come down from Bristol to watch as many games as possible, including coventry (the game my bro missed to watched Guildford). So to argue that Guildford is full to the brim Man United fans who dwarf all other teams is craziness. I honestly think I know more saints, pompey and brigton fans from guildford than manchester and Arsenal combined. At university in southampton I would say the same, and at work in Bristol, 300+ people, there is 2 man utd fans in the office, and more reading... So please, I get that you are comenting on the vast number of bla bla bla fans spread around the country who never actaully go to their stadiums, but in southampton there are 2 universitys. Do you know how many bums on seats that contributes with 25% off tickets? P.S. the answer is a **** load. And then southampton has a population of what? 200,000 + then their is the catchment area which is literally huge, and guessing by the que through millbrook at about 1-2 hours before kick off, a **** load come in from Romsey, salisbury and the forest. Look at Newcastle and sunderland, before they increased the capacities to what they are now they were no different to us. We are in a richer part of the country so people can afford tickets. There is lierally no competition now except Brighton who are 2.5hours away (more with traffic on a saturday). And we have higher average attendances in league 1 than several premier league teams. It is not about what was won 50 years ago, it is about now. We have momentum, we have talent, and we are financially secure. Our wage structure will pale in comparison to most clubs and be equal to the likes or Norwich and Wigan, but our gate attendances and match day income will be higher, especially since Norwich have 22,000 season tickets and the rest go to away fans (massive discount on prices). Then we have our youth set up, Shaw, ward-prowse and others. We have a golden opportunity, we will get between 15th and 10th next year, probably the same again the year after, and then what..... Do you really think that with Nicola we won't progress? That is lunacy. This is our time, it will be like Lawrie Mac again, the future wallace brothers and Shearer are 5 years away and this time , we will actually win things!! Get ready you dellsizedbrainers! THE SAINTS ARE GOING TO THE TOP!!!!! :smug:

Ipswich, birmingham? get real dude, saints are going up!!! And Newcastle, 2 of those clubs achieved it within 2 years or promotion to the prem btw! Saints will do the same, or 3 maximum. Who are you shirveled up old men, the saints are back, Nigel is our cup winning, promotion winning manager, the new boys will come through, Lambert will lift a major cup before he retires!!! COYRS!!!!

I think you could rightly argue that man city have wasted most of that money with redundant players and manager changes. Also their youh set up isn't a scratch on ours. You people are ridiculous. Imagine a team with bale and oxlade on the wings, lallana behind the front 2 and lambert and walcott upfront. Cost to saints. £1.2m to saints. Result- champtions league attack. Get real, we literally have the best youth academy in england in the last 5 years. And if a league 1 oxlade can play champions league in 5months, then what do you think warde prowse et all can do. WE ARE GOING TO THE TOP. be pessimistic if you want, but in 5 years we will be champions league.

I totally disagree about these comments. We can do what we like with the media. the bond between Cortese, Nigel and the players will not change, it is all kept behind closed doors and handled properly. If the press print anything bad they are disasociated from the club,the end. Long may it remain so. Do you think that Tadanri lee, Sharp or Guly read the papers to decide if they come here? Football is a very closed word and our football and ethics to the talking for us. Our standards also make us stand out which is what has started to be noticed, not least by pundits on the BBC. So again, I repeat, **** the media, they do not matter. They don't affect our clubs running at all, and if anything our attitude is refreshing. We WILL be news becuase of our success. If the papers want to be a part of that it is by our rules. They need us, not the other way around. The club has its own websites, forums, fans (youtube) addvocates (Le Tissier, theo, bale and oxlade) and on the pitch we have kicked ass, won a cup and 2 promotions. People like the club, they like visiting the south coast and they like Adkins. So I repeat again, screw the media, we play it Nicolas way and we don't second guess his running of the club becuase if Markus trusted him then we trust him.

Sign Steele from Boro and leave it at that. Good competition for Davis and will be a top goalie in a few years anyway.

FFS people, if I hear any more of this negative ********, about the squad making the wrong transfers, buying the wrong players, not getting cover, selling so and so when we don't want them to etc etc then I think we will collectively shoot you. Everything will be done properly and done well, we have Nicola and Nigel at the helm... SO STFU with any negative ******** and enjoy the summer!

One!!! Just Now!!!! AND IT WAS F U C K I N G EPIC!!!!

Thank you to Marcus, his family, to Nicola and to Nigel. Without any of them this simply would not have happened. God Knows what the future holds, but if we hold true to Marcus' legacy, remember where we have come from and have trust and faith in both Nicola and Nigel, who may now need to learn the next level, then we have exciting times ahead. I see us as the New Arsenal, and Nigel as our Wenger! Great support, went to the game and I'm now watching it on BBC iplayer! We sang our hearts out and it shows. We deserve this promotion and I can't wait to see the lads in the Premier next season. Lastly great job to all the players. Kelvin, fox, harding, martin, Jos, Fonte, Richardson, Butter-me-up-field, Lallana, Holmes, Guly, Punch, Chappers, Hammond, Morgan, Jacky Corkedo, Ward Prowse, stephens, Connoly, Sharp, Rickie, Lee and Barnard, and Bartoz and anyone else I have forgotten!! You played your hearts out for us and it is a magic day!!! Long live the Saints!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know a few west ham fans in Bristol and have been chatting to them about the KUMB forum (I should add that they think most of the fans who use it are a bunch of tossers). Anyway, following our promotion today, and well played to the lads and our fans! Epic day out and well deserved, although I feel it was a bit flat considering we should have won the league and there was never any doubt we would smash Coventry, I mean we were what, 5-1 to get 4 goals or more..... Anyway, I wanted to check out the west ham forum to see how they feel about us. Promising thread about "congratualtions to southampton etc" so I was like, allright, lets have a look see here. Anyway, here are some of my favourite quotes from the forum, should provide some enjoyment and promote some much deserved smugness at their impending defeat in the Playoffs.. 1.) by Coops on Sat Apr 28, 2012 3:37 pm I used to quite like Southampton. Mick Channon, Matt Le Tiss and all that. But having read their forum this season I have come to realise what a bunch of deluded know nothing tossers their fans are. So no congratulations from me and I hope we get a chance to stuff them next season. 2.) by Av it on Sat Apr 28, 2012 3:16 pm Awful awful imbred odd fans. Deserved to go up granted but I hope they don't get a single point next season. 3.) by smuts on Sat Apr 28, 2012 2:13 pm **** em. ****ers. 4.) by chappo59 on Sat Apr 28, 2012 2:17 pm Don't like their smug ****hole of a manager - I presume that this was not Chappers I for one am loving the amount of abuse some of their fans need to send our way, makes beating them so much better and takes my mind off not coming first. Did anyone else see the epic banner at the ground - "Saints up, pompey down...LIVING THE DREAM!!!" Well played to the lads and lets enjoy the premier league!!

I have just checked sky and I'm relieved to see that saints are not going to be broadcast on the final day!! I don't know if that is hypocritical of me, but frankly, our recent form on the box has been horrendus! Plus I have a ticket for the game I should add that when we are on TV and i attend anyway, we seem to win. But when I don't attend we lose, with the exception of Brimingham, where we tried to lose but the snow saved us!

The saints are going up!! The saints are going up!! so would you please shut up!!!! Because the saints are going up!!