2003 (yellows) vs 2017 (red & white)

What do you think was the better atmosphere?

Me personally thought 2003 in Cardiff was better as everything was yellow and the fans inside were singing an hour before kick off.

I've never seen a stand caked in yellow with 100's of flags hanging everywhere.

Truly memorable despite it being a **** game.

The 10-15 minutes after Gabbi equalised were the best I've experienced as a Saints fan. Unforgettable atmosphere.

I will never forget walking out of the concourse at Cardiff & seeing the sea of yellow BUT the atmosphere on Sunday was so much better. Mainly down to the performance & having goals to cheer.

I will never forget walking out of the concourse at Cardiff & seeing the sea of yellow BUT the atmosphere on Sunday was so much better. Mainly down to the performance & having goals to cheer.

Agree

Even those fans 'of a certain age' around us were singing with Gusto...... and he is a really loud singer!!

My fav atmosphere at a game since Plymouth away in 2011

2003 was a let down. WGS showed a complete and utter lack of any sort of ambition and the whole day was a "glad to make the final" type of day. Sunday was different , we gave it a go and the loss was felt way way more IMO . 2003 felt like we were a bunch of tourists whereas Sunday we were like a proper football club come to compete.

One thing for sure is that this needs to be the start, rather than the end. We should aim for 3 finals in the next 5 years. Perfectly achievable, provided we take them seriously at every stage.

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2003 was a let down. WGS showed a complete and utter lack of any sort of ambition and the whole day was a "glad to make the final" type of day. Sunday was different , we gave it a go and the loss was felt way way more IMO . 2003 felt like we were a bunch of tourists whereas Sunday we were like a proper football club come to compete.

 

One thing for sure is that this needs to be the start, rather than the end. We should aim for 3 finals in the next 5 years. Perfectly achievable, provided we take them seriously at every stage.

 

 

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You are aware we only lost 1-0 to arguably the best team in Europe at the time? The gameplan was always to contain them for the opening 70 mins and then hope our superior fitness would see us through. It very nearly worked as we piled on the pressure towards the end of the game., even having a chance cleared off the line. It was a very different game to Sunday but you are completely wrong to say it was a letdown and we showed no ambition.

3 finals in 5 years? We've had 3 in 14 ffs, I don't think this is a "reasonable target".

2003 was a let down. WGS showed a complete and utter lack of any sort of ambition and the whole day was a "glad to make the final" type of day. Sunday was different , we gave it a go and the loss was felt way way more IMO . 2003 felt like we were a bunch of tourists whereas Sunday we were like a proper football club come to compete.

 

One thing for sure is that this needs to be the start, rather than the end. We should aim for 3 finals in the next 5 years. Perfectly achievable, provided we take them seriously at every stage.

 

 

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Totally agree.

3 finals in 5 years? We've had 3 in 14 ffs, I don't think this is a "reasonable target".

Although I agree, if you just look at the last few years we got knocked out of the league cup in the Q final by Sheff Utd and Liverpool and the previous year we lost to Sunderland.

The majority of teams stick out weakened teams, so the quarters/semis are well achievable...! If you take the FA Cup too, there is no reason why we can't get to atleast 1 cup final in the next 5 years.

Although I agree, if you just look at the last few years we got knocked out of the league cup in the Q final by Sheff Utd and Liverpool and the previous year we lost to Sunderland.

 

The majority of teams stick out weakened teams, so the quarters/semis are well achievable...! If you take the FA Cup too, there is no reason why we can't get to atleast 1 cup final in the next 5 years.

Because we too are one of those clubs that put out a weakened team...

Unless we get to quarter final for FA Cup and the semi final again for league cup then we'll reslly take it serious.

We should aim for another rinal in 5 years though definitely- this was our first one in 5 SINCE promotion- and why not aim for another in the next 3- the boys have had a taste of it too now.

It would he horrible if we go through one of our best periods in history without a trophy to boot

You are aware we only lost 1-0 to arguably the best team in Europe at the time? The gameplan was always to contain them for the opening 70 mins and then hope our superior fitness would see us through. It very nearly worked as we piled on the pressure towards the end of the game., even having a chance cleared off the line. It was a very different game to Sunday but you are completely wrong to say it was a letdown and we showed no ambition.

The whole day we were like a noddy club. Supporters enjoying their day out as "little Southampton " were patted on the head & there to make up the numbers. Personally I thought we were way too negative & didn't do ourselves justice.

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Because we too are one of those clubs that put out a weakened team...

Unless we get to quarter final for FA Cup and the semi final again for league cup then we'll reslly take it serious.

We should aim for another rinal in 5 years though definitely- this was our first one in 5 SINCE promotion- and why not aim for another in the next 3- the boys have had a taste of it too now.

 

It would he horrible if we go through one of our best periods in history without a trophy to boot

I think my point is that if we want to get to Wembley, then we have to not stick out the reserves and we stand a really good chance of getting back there

I think my point is that if we want to get to Wembley, then we have to not stick out the reserves and we stand a really good chance of getting back there

But we did play our reserves versus Palace, Sunderland and a weakened team versus Arsenal.

Its about using the squad wisely, which Puel absolutely did.

I think my point is that if we want to get to Wembley, then we have to not stick out the reserves and we stand a really good chance of getting back there

And build out the squad with more quality in depth which would allow for the rotation we deem necessary in the cups. I'm not against rotating players for cups, but with a little more depth (rather than sell a good player and replace with a good player, we could keep the good player and add another good one on top) we'd be putting stronger sides out that should see us through early rounds. Difficult to do and keep people happy, but who knows, let's see if RK sticks to his word and we do exactly that this summer. I'm reserving judgment.

Worth noting that had we taken the Arsenal FA Cup game seriously we should be heading back to Wembley this season, given they've drawn Sutton and then Lincoln in the quarters. And as we lost the subsequent game to Swansea, resting people proved pointless.

2003 was a let down. WGS showed a complete and utter lack of any sort of ambition and the whole day was a "glad to make the final" type of day. Sunday was different , we gave it a go and the loss was felt way way more IMO . 2003 felt like we were a bunch of tourists whereas Sunday we were like a proper football club come to compete.

 

One thing for sure is that this needs to be the start, rather than the end. We should aim for 3 finals in the next 5 years. Perfectly achievable, provided we take them seriously at every stage.

 

 

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Trouble is we got smashed to bits at their place only 10-11 days before the final 6-1 (?) WGS was fearful that we might get a repeat battering live on the world stage, he did want to risk subjecting the Players, the Fans, the Club, or himself to that damaging embarrassment.

Shame really.

You are aware we only lost 1-0 to arguably the best team in Europe at the time? The gameplan was always to contain them for the opening 70 mins and then hope our superior fitness would see us through. It very nearly worked as we piled on the pressure towards the end of the game., even having a chance cleared off the line. It was a very different game to Sunday but you are completely wrong to say it was a letdown and we showed no ambition.

We lost the match a short while before when Arsenal took us apart in the league. WGS bottled his team selection and played it safe. Kevin Davis wasn't even on the bench. I certainly got the impression that it was more about not being humiliated again than trying to win it.

And build out the squad with more quality in depth which would allow for the rotation we deem necessary in the cups. I'm not against rotating players for cups, but with a little more depth (rather than sell a good player and replace with a good player, we could keep the good player and add another good one on top) we'd be putting stronger sides out that should see us through early rounds. Difficult to do and keep people happy, but who knows, let's see if RK sticks to his word and we do exactly that this summer. I'm reserving judgment.

 

Worth noting that had we taken the Arsenal FA Cup game seriously we should be heading back to Wembley this season, given they've drawn Sutton and then Lincoln in the quarters. And as we lost the subsequent game to Swansea, resting people proved pointless.

Even if we had taken the game "seriously" there is no guarantee that we would have won it. And I stand to be corrected but if we had got through that round, would we have had the same number in the draw as Arsenal?

2017 for me was the better atmosphere

Even if we had taken the game "seriously" there is no guarantee that we would have won it. And I stand to be corrected but if we had got through that round, would we have had the same number in the draw as Arsenal?

Maybe not, but given the side they put we'd have had a far better chance of progressing. Don't know the answer on the draw number, but anyway, that's a draw we could have had.

Not using this as a thread to bash Puel's rotation - I'm more in the camp that he has had to do it and its had mixed success - was more commenting that if we retain key players and add, rather than replace each summer, we'd have more depth which would serve us better when it comes to rotating in the cups.

2003 under the roof at the Millenium Stadium was very special. I didn't go to Wembley last week but by all accounts it looked like another great atmosphere.

I don't think we were overly negative back in 2003, we basically played our best team that day, the only difference really being Telfer in for Fernandes, with Baird at right back. The latter would have played in the final if he hadn't been so utterly useless in the 6-1 defeat. You can have bad games and you can have games where you are hauled off after 27 minutes!

Trouble is we got smashed to bits at their place only 10-11 days before the final 6-1 (?) WGS was fearful that we might get a repeat battering live on the world stage, he did want to risk subjecting the Players, the Fans, the Club, or himself to that damaging embarrassment.

Shame really.

Who was the ex-player who used to give the halftime pep-talks to the crowd? We had a referees meeting just after at which he was the speaker. I asked him if that result the week before had affected their planning. His reply was something along the lines of 'Not really. We wanted to at least get a goal and we were dispappointed not to'. Too bloody right we were.

Who was the ex-player who used to give the halftime pep-talks to the crowd? We had a referees meeting just after at which he was the speaker. I asked him if that result the week before had affected their planning. His reply was something along the lines of 'Not really. We wanted to at least get a goal and we were dispappointed not to'. Too bloody right we were.

Denis Rofe?

Wembley was the best atmosphere I've seen in a saints game in my life time. When Gabbi equalised it was amazing. A moment that will live with me forever!!

Cardiff was much better in the buildup, but everything changes when goals enter the equation.

When Gabbiadini scored it was utter bedlam in the lower tier behind that goal. The next 20 minutes were among the best I've ever experienced.

Denis Rofe?

Of course! Thanks.

When Gabbiadini scored it was utter bedlam in the lower tier behind that goal. The next 20 minutes were among the best I've ever experienced.

Also the top tier.

Any idea who were the middle tier as my view never allowed me to see it other than on the screens miles away.

Gotta agree about the 20 minutes or so after Gabbi scored his second. Bugger me, never seen it like that. Was so pleased how the upper tier were also going mental.

To add to the debate, 2003 was an incredible occasion and probably the main reason I went from casual follower of Saints to full blown supporter. The incredible passion and desire was just something else. (Before I get stick for this my dad had been a supporter for decades and was in fact at the final, he was just raising me right).

I think a lot of people are just caught up in the league cup final as it was more recent but 2003 was incredible. I also don't agree we rolled over although Claus vs Henry still gives me nightmares.

Also the top tier.

Any idea who were the middle tier as my view never allowed me to see it other than on the screens miles away.

Unfortunately it mainly consisted of Mancs and Surrey based United fans where I was, although the Saints fans more than held their own despite being outnumbered. The view of the scarf waving red and white blur below and above us was quite incredible and surreal.

If only that header 62nd min....next year white!!!

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The whole day we were like a noddy club. Supporters enjoying their day out as "little Southampton " were patted on the head & there to make up the numbers. Personally I thought we were way too negative & didn't do ourselves justice.

Yeah, much better we'd gone out and lost 6-1 to them again like in the League a few weeks before. That would have been SO much better. :/

i had no idea Saints fans had the atmosphere at 2-2 in the. Right after the equaliser was just the best by some way.

Yeah, much better we'd gone out and lost 6-1 to them again like in the League a few weeks before. That would have been SO much better. :/

Good job Palace didn't think like you or WGS and went for it against league champions Liverpool in '89. Having got beat 9-0 at Anfield, they took them on and beat them 4-3 in the semi final. Perhaps they should have played for a narrow defeat.

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Good job Palace didn't think like you or WGS and went for it against league champions Liverpool in '89. Having got beat 9-0 at Anfield, they took them on and beat them 4-3 in the semi final. Perhaps they should have played for a narrow defeat.

 

 

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Exactly. Some people think the objective was not to lose by too many. There me thinking that you would want to try and win a trophy. Would rather lose by six trying than lose by a single goal defending. Though in saying that, when I watched back the final years later I was surprised at how good we were that day. Always had the impression on the day that we were not up for it and a dull performance but it didn't actually play that way, we should have gotten level.