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Why are we continuing to defend the away fans end in the second half.


derry
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It's a fact that away fans all together make a lot of noise. When the ball is into our goalmouth all the home fans are quiet. That makes the away fans supporting from a few yards away very noisy and lifts the attacking side and puts us under pressure.

 

We keep leaking goals in the second half under pressure. I think it would be far better if we played towards the Northam in the second half.

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It's a fact that away fans all together make a lot of noise. When the ball is into our goalmouth all the home fans are quiet. That makes the away fans supporting from a few yards away very noisy and lifts the attacking side and puts us under pressure.

 

We keep leaking goals in the second half under pressure. I think it would be far better if we played towards the Northam in the second half.

 

100% agree with you here mate, we've been saying this for years.

 

look at our relegation season, Middlesborough & Everton to name just 2 games got a massive lift attacking their fans and the rest is history!

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I asked Drew Surman about this but the only answer he was aware of was that the winter sun is lower in the second half and is less troublesome to those kicking towards the Chapel end.

 

Doesn't make sense for me Ron. 4 months almost no effect, most of the time it's cloudy anyway. In any event the sun would effect block 5, but for the goalkeeper be well over the Chapel/Kingsland corner. We still do it for night matches.

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It's a common convention that teams attack towards their own fans in the second half. The more relevant complaint is that there are not enough home fans surrounding the away fans thus nullifying their support.

 

A full stadium of home fans wouldn't drown out a few thousand committed away fans in full voice. It's always the away fans that are more vociferous and committed. Fact is, the away fans section should not be placed at one of the ends of the stadium. That's the obvious St Marys stadium faux pas.

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A full stadium of home fans wouldn't drown out a few thousand committed away fans in full voice. It's always the away fans that are more vociferous and committed. Fact is, the away fans section should not be placed at one of the ends of the stadium. That's the obvious St Marys stadium faux pas.

 

they are not directly behind the goal...unless it is a cup game..they are to one side...

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A full stadium of home fans wouldn't drown out a few thousand committed away fans in full voice. It's always the away fans that are more vociferous and committed. Fact is, the away fans section should not be placed at one of the ends of the stadium. That's the obvious St Marys stadium faux pas.

Yup, there were a lot of complaints about it at the time. We are too nice to the opposition, the away fans should be stuck up in the corner at the back of the stands like we are at Newcastle, Tottenham, Chelsea, Man Utd. etc.

 

Er sorry, that should read 'like we used to be at ...'

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A full stadium of home fans wouldn't drown out a few thousand committed away fans in full voice. It's always the away fans that are more vociferous and committed. Fact is, the away fans section should not be placed at one of the ends of the stadium. That's the obvious St Marys stadium faux pas.

 

I agree with you, but the Northam is where they are. I would sooner they were 100 yds from our goal in the second half than almost right behind.

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Yup, there were a lot of complaints about it at the time. We are too nice to the opposition, the away fans should be stuck up in the corner at the back of the stands like we are at Newcastle, Tottenham, Chelsea, Man Utd. etc.

 

Er sorry, that should read 'like we used to be at ...'

 

 

how can we stick away fans up in the corner...which is what they sort of are..aren't they...?

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how can we stick away fans up in the corner...which is what they sort of are..aren't they...?

The away fans go down to pitch level and around behind the goal. Additionally, there is a large clearance gap between them and the Northam hardcore supporters. I have some photos of Strasbourg FC which show how it should be done - wire fencing and all that stuff. ;)

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The away fans go down to pitch level and around behind the goal. Additionally, there is a large clearance gap between them and the Northam hardcore supporters. I have some photos of Strasbourg FC which show how it should be done - wire fencing and all that stuff. ;)

 

umm...unless we have another tier (which we dont)...how the hell can this be implemented...

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they are not directly behind the goal...unless it is a cup game..they are to one side...

 

Think about it. They are still in the corner, at one end. The perfect place for their noise to be maximised like a sound horn. Away fans should be placed in some section of the Itchen or Kingsland stands where their loud noises would have a much smaller affect.

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what serious difference does that make...???

 

if that part of the ground is going to be open...what about those who liek it there..?

Then we could have home fans behind both goals. This was all debated when we move to St Mary's and there were many who didn't like the present layout. It doesn't bother me, I'm one of the fuddy-duddies halfway along the Kingsland.

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Then we could have home fans behind both goals. This was all debated when we move to St Mary's and there were many who didn't like the present layout. It doesn't bother me, I'm one of the fuddy-duddies halfway along the Kingsland.

 

 

but we do have home fans behind both goals...plenty of times over the years I have been sat directly behind the goal in the northam...:confused:

 

I hope you like the kingsland...however..dont venture to the chapel...done that once.. OH MY GOD..

 

in an ideal world..I would have had the away fans in the kingsland/northam corner if you get me

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but we do have home fans behind both goals...plenty of times over the years I have been sat directly behind the goal in the northam...:confused:

 

I hope you like the kingsland...however..dont venture to the chapel...done that once.. OH MY GOD..

 

in an ideal world..I would have had the away fans in the kingsland/northam corner if you get me

 

I was thinking about this very subject at the game yesterday and agree this is the best place for away fans and stretch them towards the half way line instead of towards the goal - was fine like that at The Dell

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but we do have home fans behind both goals...plenty of times over the years I have been sat directly behind the goal in the northam...:confused:

 

I hope you like the kingsland...however..dont venture to the chapel...done that once.. OH MY GOD..

The idea is to create a 'wall' of support behind both goals so that neither end offers an advantage to the away lot. Unfortunately we have a large number of corporate seats that go unused outside the Premiership.

 

I've had my Kingsland seats since we migrated from the Dell. The view's ok, but nowhere near as good as the old place! (and the football was better, but dont get me started.)

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quite like sitting in the kingsland..near the back around the half way line...

 

I used to be very loyal to the northam but some of the people that sit there are pretty dreadful...the youngsters I mean...around th 17-21 year old mark....some of their behaviour is pretty embarassing at times..those who call themselves or known as "the youth"...lol

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quite like sitting in the kingsland..near the back around the half way line...

 

I used to be very loyal to the northam but some of the people that sit there are pretty dreadful...the youngsters I mean...around th 17-21 year old mark....some of their behaviour is pretty embarassing at times..those who call themselves or known as "the youth"...lol

That Northam lot can get quite noisy, some of them even cheer and sing at times. You don't get much of that where I sit.

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The idea is to create a 'wall' of support behind both goals so that neither end offers an advantage to the away lot. Unfortunately we have a large number of corporate seats that go unused outside the Premiership.

 

I've had my Kingsland seats since we migrated from the Dell. The view's ok, but nowhere near as good as the old place! (and the football was better, but dont get me started.)

 

Agreed. But I think I should defend St Marys good points a little here. The view isn't OK, it's actually more like Superb. There are no poor viewing areas at St Marys, even though we might have more affection for the Ol' Girl.

 

 

I think I might devise some sort of poll to get some interesting answers. ;)

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Agreed. But I think I should defend St Marys good points a little here. The view isn't OK, it's actually more like Superb. There are no poor viewing areas at St Marys, even though we might have more affection for the Ol' Girl.

 

 

I think I might devise some sort of poll to get some interesting answers. ;)

 

you want to calm down on these polls...:D

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It's a fact that away fans all together make a lot of noise. When the ball is into our goalmouth all the home fans are quiet. That makes the away fans supporting from a few yards away very noisy and lifts the attacking side and puts us under pressure.

 

We keep leaking goals in the second half under pressure. I think it would be far better if we played towards the Northam in the second half.

 

I've made this very same observation/suggestion on here the last three years and the only (semi) logical reason I ever got back was someone saying that the Saints dressing room is closer to the Chappel end and so they naturally run out to that end at the start of the game and it's rare for teams to swap ends after the pre-kick-off coin toss. (They said something along the lines of it being "too complicated" for footballers to cross over sides between changing rooms and the tunnel. Bless the poor confused little darlings.)

 

To me, we should (a) be running out towards the Northam end before the start of the match and (b) playing towards the Northam end in the second half.

 

Not an opinion, just logicical observation.

Edited by trousers
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In order to choose ends don't we have to win the toss? Maybe our captain is not much of a tosser. :)

Perhaps we should let one of our Chairmen do that part, either of them, both of them are tossers of the highest order.:D

If you win the toss you have choice of ends. It used to be that you could choose to kick-off but that went some time ago and apparently Tony Adams took some seasons to learn about the change in the Laws. Most teams have an agreement that whoever wins the toss will choose to kick towards their own fans in the second half unless there is a clear advantage in changing it such as sun in the eyes, rain in the face, a strong wind that might die down.

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I've seen the exact opposite to this argument put forward here on numerous occasions - kick towards the Northam in the second half to encourage the team blah blah blah .

But you can't have it both ways can you ? - or maybe you could if the fans were to swap ends at half time as well as the players . It remains my opinion that it doesn't make the slightest difference .

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I've seen the exact opposite to this argument put forward here on numerous occasions - kick towards the Northam in the second half to encourage the team blah blah blah .

But you can't have it both ways can you ? - or maybe you could if the fans were to swap ends at half time as well as the players . It remains my opinion that it doesn't make the slightest difference .

 

I sit in Block 5 and the noise is bloody deafening. It certainly does help the opponents playing into a noisy 3000+ fans. I hate to think what noise 5000 MU fans will make for most of the game on Sunday.

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I sit in Block 5 and the noise is bloody deafening. It certainly does help the opponents playing into a noisy 3000+ fans. I hate to think what noise 5000 MU fans will make for most of the game on Sunday.

 

Don't make much noise at OT, I am confident we will outsing them.

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They have one of the best away supports in the country, and we'll have a stadium full of plastics. They will outsing us from start to finish.

 

Yup. As with the team, I'm just hoping we give a decent account of ourselves and don't get too embarrassed.

 

As for what end we're shooting towards, I say we do away with all this allotted seat and segregation nonsense and swap ends at half-time, 1950s/non-league stylee 8)

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Haven't been to a Man United game down here before? They have the best away supporters in the country.

 

He is right the hardcore united away fans are mental dont shut up the whole game.

 

I also agree we would be better attacking the northam second half we need to do something to try and change our home form who knows changing ends might help it couldnt make things worse

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The Reading fans didn't make any noise until they scored, so it's not like they lifted them to score.

 

We buckle under pressure whether there's 100 away fans, or 4,500.

 

We don't score infront of them Northam that much anyway.

 

I do think it makes more sense to attack the 'hardcore' home support in the second half (especially when you are chasing the game). Granted, it was better when the Itchen North corner was open but to have the Northam, blocks 3 and 4 of the Itchen and blocks 34 and 35 of the Kingsland cheering you on has got to have more affect than billy no mates on the Chapel and the Family Centre.

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