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To Renew or not to Renew ..........


Bourne Valley Saint

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Today is the last day for discounted renewals of season tickets. I've had one for years but am not sure that I have the inclination to renew (the kids ones as well). I've watched them win the FA Cup, come runners up, relegated, League 1 and the subsequent recovery to a solid 8th position last season. I had enormous pride in seeing our players called to the national team and looked forward to seeing the name Southampton as the team they represented alongside their name in the England squad. Oh how things have changed in the space of four weeks. The manager has been nabbed by Spurs - why? He allegedly loved our academy and introducing the young home bred players into the first team. That's not going to happen at Tottenham. Our talismen, Lambert and Lallana, who took us from the depths of L1 look set to join Liverpool whilst our young left back looks to be heading off as well. No doubt others will follow.

 

I love the club and have put my all into supporting them over the years, home and away but I can't really see the point in carrying on if this is what happens when we have a hint of success. I really thought we'd move on next season with a superb manager at the helm, a predominantly English squad, a few top internationals and the potential for more academy players to make the grade. But no - little old Southampton can't be a success. The vultures gather and pluck them off one-by-one until just the bare bones are left. The same happened to Norwich after their flirt with success in the mid 90's - manager nabbed by Everton, Sutton and Fleck tempted away and relegated a season later. Can I bear sitting in the Kingsland watching a team bereft of Lambert, Lallana, Shaw, Lovren, Schneiderlin, etc., replaced by mercenaries who have no affinity with the club, being torn apart by the likes of WBA and West Ham? Why not cut out the next two seasons, spare us the pain and put us back in L1!!

 

So today is deadline day for discounted renewals for the fans who had season tickets last season. Apart from loyalty, can anyone give me a good reason to renew as things stand at present? I'd really like to!

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Think Steve Grant confirmed there were about 20,000 season ticket holders last year x say £550 average = £11m

 

Say 60% renewed this year at an average of £572 = £6.8m

 

That leaves a comparative cash flow difference of around £4.2m

 

There will be new season ticket holders to factor in but can't see too many people beating a path to the Ticket office door unless there is better news on manager/players.

 

Wonder if this quite large (guesstimate) reduction in cash flow revenue will affect transfer policy.

 

Problem is our collective expectation level has been badly affected by recent events.

 

I really don't like seeing empty seats!!

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It will be interesting to see the take up. I have renewed already, but had I left it until today I am not sure I would be. I think I would be making an assessment based on managerial selection and the Boards performance in keeping our stars. I would then come occasionally and buy my tickets game by game - like many ST holders I can't get to every game but enjoy the craic with those around me.

 

But I could afford to wait to make that decision, many can't.

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Today is the last day for discounted renewals of season tickets. I've had one for years but am not sure that I have the inclination to renew (the kids ones as well). I've watched them win the FA Cup, come runners up, relegated, League 1 and the subsequent recovery to a solid 8th position last season. I had enormous pride in seeing our players called to the national team and looked forward to seeing the name Southampton as the team they represented alongside their name in the England squad. Oh how things have changed in the space of four weeks. The manager has been nabbed by Spurs - why? He allegedly loved our academy and introducing the young home bred players into the first team. That's not going to happen at Tottenham. Our talismen, Lambert and Lallana, who took us from the depths of L1 look set to join Liverpool whilst our young left back looks to be heading off as well. No doubt others will follow.

 

I love the club and have put my all into supporting them over the years, home and away but I can't really see the point in carrying on if this is what happens when we have a hint of success. I really thought we'd move on next season with a superb manager at the helm, a predominantly English squad, a few top internationals and the potential for more academy players to make the grade. But no - little old Southampton can't be a success. The vultures gather and pluck them off one-by-one until just the bare bones are left. The same happened to Norwich after their flirt with success in the mid 90's - manager nabbed by Everton, Sutton and Fleck tempted away and relegated a season later. Can I bear sitting in the Kingsland watching a team bereft of Lambert, Lallana, Shaw, Lovren, Schneiderlin, etc., replaced by mercenaries who have no affinity with the club, being torn apart by the likes of WBA and West Ham? Why not cut out the next two seasons, spare us the pain and put us back in L1!!

 

So today is deadline day for discounted renewals for the fans who had season tickets last season. Apart from loyalty, can anyone give me a good reason to renew as things stand at present? I'd really like to!

 

I feel the same way, it was with a heavy heart that i have renewed my ST today but something in my head tells me this may be the last one for a while. My son who has had a ST since we moved to St Mary's has given up his ST

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Have renewed on the payment plan very tempted to cancel my direct debit and tell them I've cancelled it , no way I'm happy at paying more money to watch a team stripped of all out best players !

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I always said if we had another version of Rupert Lowe I'd not renew. Not due to loyalty but more of a one man protest. Well, when we finished 8th in 2003 we had an opportunity to step up. We didn't take it and sold Wayne Bridge. Now in 2014 we had a much better chance of actually achieving something and it looks like we going to cash in on the lot instead.

I renewed yesterday. I'm very tempted to cancel that.

Putting the prices up to then let the manager go and sell all the players is completely unacceptable and I don't want to be taken for a mug.

 

Unfortunately I am a mug and will probably miss match day too much.

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Today is the last day for discounted renewals of season tickets. I've had one for years but am not sure that I have the inclination to renew (the kids ones as well). I've watched them win the FA Cup, come runners up, relegated, League 1 and the subsequent recovery to a solid 8th position last season. I had enormous pride in seeing our players called to the national team and looked forward to seeing the name Southampton as the team they represented alongside their name in the England squad. Oh how things have changed in the space of four weeks. The manager has been nabbed by Spurs - why? He allegedly loved our academy and introducing the young home bred players into the first team. That's not going to happen at Tottenham. Our talismen, Lambert and Lallana, who took us from the depths of L1 look set to join Liverpool whilst our young left back looks to be heading off as well. No doubt others will follow.

 

I love the club and have put my all into supporting them over the years, home and away but I can't really see the point in carrying on if this is what happens when we have a hint of success. I really thought we'd move on next season with a superb manager at the helm, a predominantly English squad, a few top internationals and the potential for more academy players to make the grade. But no - little old Southampton can't be a success. The vultures gather and pluck them off one-by-one until just the bare bones are left. The same happened to Norwich after their flirt with success in the mid 90's - manager nabbed by Everton, Sutton and Fleck tempted away and relegated a season later. Can I bear sitting in the Kingsland watching a team bereft of Lambert, Lallana, Shaw, Lovren, Schneiderlin, etc., replaced by mercenaries who have no affinity with the club, being torn apart by the likes of WBA and West Ham? Why not cut out the next two seasons, spare us the pain and put us back in L1!!

 

So today is deadline day for discounted renewals for the fans who had season tickets last season. Apart from loyalty, can anyone give me a good reason to renew as things stand at present? I'd really like to!

 

I renewed yesterday... may have had second thoughts had I seen the Lambert rumours coming to reality... can only say its more than just the football, a social gathering for me, it maybe my last for all the reasons you mention.

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Thanks for the comments so far. It really is a sad time and to be asked to buy into a product that looks sure to be stripped of it's prized assets just doesn't make sense. I love the day out with my kids and mates at St Marys and the away days but do not wish to be taken for a mug by the club or Premier League football. Apparently money is the root of all evil and that is certainly true with the Premier League. As Stan Collymore tweeted earlier today with reference to Saints - "Feel for Southampton, getting mercilessly picked off now. The glass ceiling for progressive clubs is getting lower every year". Spot on Stan.

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I was tempted not to renew but reminded myself of the almost 60 years of supporting the saints. Have been here many times and still have red and white blood cells. Bit aneamic at the moment but what I need is a few Saints Iron tablets and I'll be OK again.

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In 30 years time, with Southampton FC having just been beaten 2-1 by Portsmouth FC in the Conference South, the grandchildren will turn to me and ask "where did it all go wrong Granddad?" I'll reply: "2014 kids, the great squad stripping of that year. But I was there kids, I was there."

 

Although I can't get a season ticket due to being a shift worker, I'll still attend games next season. And who knows, we might do better than we all think.

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Renewed mine and my son's today. By the first match of the season, we will have a new manager and some new players. Why would I wish to miss seeing live how they all fare? I'll be able to say that I watched their first match in a Saint's shirt, the first steps on the onward march to 6th place at the end of the season.

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Jeez, I hate to say but it looks like Pompey have more loyal supporters than Saints. Just reading this thread you'd think we'd just gone through a triple relegation and face a season in league two with a bunch of part time players......

 

It's about time we'd stopped crying about the injustice of life in the PL, man up ffs!

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I wavered today. Not least because, having sat in the same seat since the ground opened, I was told I would have to move as it is now part of the Family Centre & my son is now twenty. I could move two rows to the left and pay another £140 combined for their convenience. I was sorely tempted to tell them to stick it. But...

It will be my forty-fifth season. It MAY not be all bad and I have known worse. And what else could you I do with £1000+? (Lucky I didn't ask the wife).

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Got ours.

Been a jolly old roller coaster ride since my first game in 1978, just a nasty little addiction I suppose with the added twist of drinking to numb the pain of a gutless defeat or drinking to prolong the euphoria when I get home on a Saturday evening.

Not that was doing that at 13! :D

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Thanks for the comments so far. It really is a sad time and to be asked to buy into a product that looks sure to be stripped of it's prized assets just doesn't make sense. I love the day out with my kids and mates at St Marys and the away days but do not wish to be taken for a mug by the club or Premier League football. Apparently money is the root of all evil and that is certainly true with the Premier League. As Stan Collymore tweeted earlier today with reference to Saints - "Feel for Southampton, getting mercilessly picked off now. The glass ceiling for progressive clubs is getting lower every year". Spot on Stan.

Sums it up for me. Not renewing, my choice, always will be a massive fan. Done my bit in the past, Europe, loads of aways, Cardiff, wembley three times etc. going to pick and choose when it suits. I may return to a ST but I need an incentive.

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Renewed, but literally last minute. Had thought about doing the payment plan but realised I was kidding myself.

 

Stupid thing is, if we were going through this situation with Cortese in charge, wouldn't have even questioned it. Would have trusted him to get the right manager and bring in players to replace those going out (if they even went out in the first place). With the new board, they've done nothing to inspire any faith. Desperately wanted to give them benefit of the doubt, but finding it so hard.

 

Club has my money now. Will just wait and see how it unfolds.

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Sums it up for me. Not renewing, my choice, always will be a massive fan. Done my bit in the past, Europe, loads of aways, Cardiff, wembley three times etc. going to pick and choose when it suits. I may return to a ST but I need an incentive.

 

personally i have never needed an incentive, my club and my city, good or bad.

after saying that i was a "Branfoot Out" and "Lowe must Go" man and will have no problem expressing my opinion to the current board if they allow to many to leave or replace MP with a cheap option and rely on Uncle Les, who imo can run the youth set up but whose track record when he has direct first team involvement is poor,

BUT the time for moaning is when these events happen not before they do

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Can't see the problem - spent years on the waiting list for a season ticket at the Dell, have had 3 for the family at St Marys since we moved ,and apart from the Double Dutch season have never been disappointed.

Premier League football again - it's ago brainer for the stalwarts.

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I have not renewed for the first time since we have been at SMS, This is not due to lack of interest but because of my age, I can longer make a 160 mile round trip to attend evening games especially in the winter and also due to amount of TV coverage. I worked out that last year, a paid double for my concession season ticket than I could by buying tickets before games, due to non attendance. I will still support the Saints and go to the same number of games that I did last season, but it will cost me less.

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I renewed a couple of weeks ago and would have done anyway, come what may !

Having said that, I already feel a bit cheated and if it carries on as predicted I will no doubt feel royally shafted !

The next few weeks are absolutely critical to the club and the fans, the custodians must take their responsibilities very seriously now, stand up and be counted, give us some hope and at least a trace of optimism !

My wife has just asked me (yet again!) why I bother ? This question is becoming more and more difficult to answer I'm afraid !

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I had serious doubts about renewing but mainly because of my round trip of nearly 400 miles for each home game and the fact that I although I have supported Saints for

50 years I am not getting any younger. However, you do not give up something that has been so much a part of your life for so long. I renewed yesterday.

 

What is happening with the manager, players and press speculation should never be part of the question of renewing for a true supporter.

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I've renewed but I am not happy at the prospect of losing all our best players and having to watch mercenaries who have no affinity with Saints. The board need to wake their ideas up. Those speeches by Krueger and Reed have an increasingly hollow ring.

 

Lets see if I got this right?

 

Poch and some of the players want to move on, basically they dont want to play for or manage us.As soon as the first offer comes in, whether from spurs or Liverpool ,they're offski. We get a new manager in who wants to be here, players that want to play for us , and they're the "mercenaries"?

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Today is the last day for discounted renewals of season tickets. I've had one for years but am not sure that I have the inclination to renew (the kids ones as well). I've watched them win the FA Cup, come runners up, relegated, League 1 and the subsequent recovery to a solid 8th position last season. I had enormous pride in seeing our players called to the national team and looked forward to seeing the name Southampton as the team they represented alongside their name in the England squad. Oh how things have changed in the space of four weeks. The manager has been nabbed by Spurs - why? He allegedly loved our academy and introducing the young home bred players into the first team. That's not going to happen at Tottenham. Our talismen, Lambert and Lallana, who took us from the depths of L1 look set to join Liverpool whilst our young left back looks to be heading off as well. No doubt others will follow.

 

I love the club and have put my all into supporting them over the years, home and away but I can't really see the point in carrying on if this is what happens when we have a hint of success. I really thought we'd move on next season with a superb manager at the helm, a predominantly English squad, a few top internationals and the potential for more academy players to make the grade. But no - little old Southampton can't be a success. The vultures gather and pluck them off one-by-one until just the bare bones are left. The same happened to Norwich after their flirt with success in the mid 90's - manager nabbed by Everton, Sutton and Fleck tempted away and relegated a season later. Can I bear sitting in the Kingsland watching a team bereft of Lambert, Lallana, Shaw, Lovren, Schneiderlin, etc., replaced by mercenaries who have no affinity with the club, being torn apart by the likes of WBA and West Ham? Why not cut out the next two seasons, spare us the pain and put us back in L1!!

 

So today is deadline day for discounted renewals for the fans who had season tickets last season. Apart from loyalty, can anyone give me a good reason to renew as things stand at present? I'd really like to!

 

Your job is to pay your money,turn up and go home thats it!

If u dont want to do that then thats fine,somebody else will take your place.

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Lets see if I got this right?

 

Poch and some of the players want to move on, basically they dont want to play for or manage us.As soon as the first offer comes in, whether from spurs or Liverpool ,they're offski. We get a new manager in who wants to be here, players that want to play for us , and they're the "mercenaries"?

Quite. I'm afraid you're probably wasting your breath trying to offer logic on here though.
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I missed the season ticket renewal. Had a phone call from club today asking if I want to renew at renewal price.

 

Anyone looking to renew this week might want to use this info.

 

Oh dear. Would suggest renewal take up wasn't great.

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Oh dear. Would suggest renewal take up wasn't great.

 

I expect the Club don't have a clue as to why this is ??

 

 

As far as I am concerned, it's quite simple ... Let me know the details of your next "Project" and I'll decide if I want to be part of it

 

I (We) all knew Markus's Project, a Great one

 

Somehow I don't think we will be told anything upfront re the new one, just bit by bit

 

Krap Manager, followed by second rate players to "replace" the Gems KL sells

 

I she were to say I was wrong, that would help, and many more would renew

 

But the lady aint for talkin'

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I expect the Club don't have a clue as to why this is ??

 

 

As far as I am concerned, it's quite simple ... Let me know the details of your next "Project" and I'll decide if I want to be part of it

 

I (We) all knew Markus's Project, a Great one

 

Somehow I don't think we will be told anything upfront re the new one, just bit by bit

 

Krap Manager, followed by second rate players to "replace" the Gems KL sells

 

I she were to say I was wrong, that would help, and many more would renew

 

But the lady aint for talkin'

 

You really do chat utter sh*t.

 

Personally I believe that those of us living away from Soton really struggle to get to all the games now that they are shifted around by TV and so STs no longer offer value for money.

 

In addition the big jump in prices when kids turn 12 is also an issues.

 

If I lived in Soton then my lad and I would have STs and any fan who decides on whether they have a ST by the league we are if, the players on the park or the man in the dugout, you'll not be missed.

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I can't stand the hypocrisy of some here who claim to be lifelong supporters and regular season ticket holders who won't be renewing because of the attitude of manager and players who've decided to cash-in on a successful season.

 

Just like the manager and players they're withdrawing their support for financial gain...well done! Enjoy your windfall, while real supporters try to make up for your absence.

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I can't stand the hypocrisy of some here who claim to be lifelong supporters and regular season ticket holders who won't be renewing because of the attitude of manager and players who've decided to cash-in on a successful season.

 

Just like the manager and players they're withdrawing their support for financial gain...well done! Enjoy your windfall, while real supporters try to make up for your absence.

 

For some it is that simple, but for others it isn't. I will renew always but increasingly for social reasons rather than football. As far as I can see, English top division football is dead and probably can't be revived. The ultimate dream for the huge majority of top tier fans is to finish comfortably clear of relegation. That does not make for an exciting competition. We all hope to consolidate in the Prem for the sake of the club but to what end?

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I would renew but i can not afford it, i do have 180 pounds left from my ST money that had to go towards baby stuff, dam kids, so that should get me the 1st 2 home and 2 away games, before my 2nd child comes along, then its a case of me going to one game a month, unless i win a big bet or lotto.

 

IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT, DO IT...

 

However i would love it if we do fail to sell out alot of games it may force the club to reduce tickets or freeze the price.

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I would renew but i can not afford it, i do have 180 pounds left from my ST money that had to go towards baby stuff, dam kids, so that should get me the 1st 2 home and 2 away games, before my 2nd child comes along, then its a case of me going to one game a month, unless i win a big bet or lotto.

 

IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT, DO IT...

 

However i would love it if we do fail to sell out alot of games it may force the club to reduce tickets or freeze the price.

 

I can understand that and sympathise. It's just the people who can afford it and don't have the guts for a fight...for most real supporters of all but the top 4 clubs success will always be tough going. If it's too tough for you'd be better off as a top 4 plastic.

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