Dave Merrington

[Charlie Wayman]

Moving Christmas message from Dave on Solent this morning. Deeply thoughtful and sensitive, didn't know he had this in him. Talk about "hiding your light".

He also announced this was his last Christmas message to fans as he is retiring soon. More in this man than meets the eye. We'll miss you Dave!

"What we don't want to see now is a late Christmas lockdown just before full time"

[31cc]

 

[Badger]

I read many years ago that he was a devout Christian and a lay preacher. 

Always strikes me as one of the gentlemen associated with the game. Despite the criticism from some on here, I quite enjoy his summaries (although realise his lack of 'Xgoals type of analysis doesn't radiate with the cyber generation fan).

He was treated quite shabbily by the club at one point in his dismissal as manager (probably a job he didn't want in the first place) so the fact he still has affection for the club and its supporters is to be admired.

 

[Badger]

9 minutes ago, 31cc said:

 

Thanks for posting that 31cc, especially for the benefit of us exiles.

[Dellman]

Thanks for posting. No surprise, he has always been a gentleman.

[Bob76]

Should be given one of the 'forever saints' awards.

[Yorkshire Saint]

Top man and a true Saint..

[rooney]

Classy Dave.

[SuperSAINT]

15 hours ago, 31cc said:

 

Is there link to yesterday’s message?  This ones from a couple of years ago

[31cc]

2 hours ago, SuperSAINT said:

Is there link to yesterday’s message?  This ones from a couple of years ago

Oops! Didn't notice that...   🙃

[Tank]

Love Dave Merrington ... often think if he says that one more time "Saints have got to get the ball up more" I'm going to kill him. But have enjoyed his co-presentation on Solent, not having Sky.  Best wishes to him and his loved ones.

[SuperSAINT]

❤️ 

 

[Toadhall Saint]

26 minutes ago, SuperSAINT said:

❤️

 

👏👏

[alehouseboys]

After the way Askham et al shabbily treated him, booting him out after over a decade of service to SFC, he would have been fully justified in being bitter towards this football club.

He was doing a fantastic job with the youth, Le Tissier, Shearer, and so many more, a job he loved but was convinced to take over when Alan Ball slipped off to City. He kept us up on the last day of the season - his wife was seriously ill at the time but he still turned up at the Dell to guide us to safety while Bally's side were being relegated. Then they sacked him.

Top man, incredible loyalty to SFC despite being a proud Geordie - richly deserves the recognition and appreciation. Cheers Dave and, finally, well done SFC.

[CB Fry]

4 minutes ago, alehouseboys said:

After the way Askham et al shabbily treated him, booting him out after over a decade of service to SFC, he would have been fully justified in being bitter towards this football club.

He was doing a fantastic job with the youth, Le Tissier, Shearer, and so many more, a job he loved but was convinced to take over when Alan Ball slipped off to City. He kept us up on the last day of the season - his wife was seriously ill at the time but he still turned up at the Dell to guide us to safety while Bally's side were being relegated. Then they sacked him.

Top man, incredible loyalty to SFC despite being a proud Geordie - richly deserves the recognition and appreciation. Cheers Dave and, finally, well done SFC.

He was manager for the entire season - so it's misleading to say he came in and saved us from relegation. He took over a team that had finished 10th the season before.

[Badger]

46 minutes ago, alehouseboys said:

After the way Askham et al shabbily treated him, booting him out after over a decade of service to SFC, he would have been fully justified in being bitter towards this football club.

He was doing a fantastic job with the youth, Le Tissier, Shearer, and so many more, a job he loved but was convinced to take over when Alan Ball slipped off to City. He kept us up on the last day of the season - his wife was seriously ill at the time but he still turned up at the Dell to guide us to safety while Bally's side were being relegated. Then they sacked him.

Top man, incredible loyalty to SFC despite being a proud Geordie - richly deserves the recognition and appreciation. Cheers Dave and, finally, well done SFC.

Saints sacked him on the Friday before the England v Scotland Euros 1996 match the following day. It seemed a calculated move to minimise the publicity and any adverse response. 

[Roger]

Not far to say he didn’t save us. He had no money to spend after Bally last season and Matty wasn’t at his best til the end of season. He kept us up when his wife was V poorly in hospital. Love the bloke. 

[alehouseboys]

1 hour ago, CB Fry said:

He was manager for the entire season - so it's misleading to say he came in and saved us from relegation. He took over a team that had finished 10th the season before.

I can't really see how you got that from what I put, I certainly wasn't implying or misleading that he came in just to save us. I said he took over when Bally fooked off - most of an age will be well aware before the start of that season. I was a fan of Alan Ball (player and manager) and a fan of Dave Merrington.

[Dellman]

47 minutes ago, alehouseboys said:

I can't really see how you got that from what I put, I certainly wasn't implying or misleading that he came in just to save us. I said he took over when Bally fooked off - most of an age will be well aware before the start of that season. I was a fan of Alan Ball (player and manager) and a fan of Dave Merrington.

If I remember rightly Alan Ball walked out for Man City and left us with no manager as the season began. Dave M stepped in because he was on the payroll as Youth team coach and filled the gap. The good thing was we stayed up and Man City went down, and it all hung on the last match!

[Badger]

21 minutes ago, Dellman said:

If I remember rightly Alan Ball walked out for Man City and left us with no manager as the season began. Dave M stepped in because he was on the payroll as Youth team coach and filled the gap. The good thing was we stayed up and Man City went down, and it all hung on the last match!

One of the great mysteries though whether Bally walked out entirely of his own will, or if Askham held the door open for him. In an interview shortly after Ball said that towards the end of the season Askham had told him there was a new contract awaiting him at the end of the season, although this remained in Askham's desk drawer and wasn't referred to again. 

Rumours at the time of a rift between ball and Lawrie, who was on holiday at the time of Ball's departure. Great shame as Alan Ball was a good fit for us, and things had progressed well under him.

Irrespective of the reason for AB leaving it always seemed Merrington was the tiding us over option, and many fans thought he'd be back with the youth development role at the end of the season.

[CB Fry]

1 hour ago, alehouseboys said:

I can't really see how you got that from what I put, I certainly wasn't implying or misleading that he came in just to save us. I said he took over when Bally fooked off - most of an age will be well aware before the start of that season. I was a fan of Alan Ball (player and manager) and a fan of Dave Merrington.

Let's just say one man's "he kept us up" and "he guided us to safety" is another man's "we were in the relegation mix for the entire season he was in charge and we finished 17th, staying up, just, on goal difference". It may not have been handled great but it would have been insane to keep him in post. 

 

[Lord Duckhunter]

Nice man, pretty average first team manager. Cheap option who only got the job on the back of his excellent work with the nippers.  

[Adman]

4 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

Let's just say one man's "he kept us up" and "he guided us to safety" is another man's "we were in the relegation mix for the entire season he was in charge and we finished 17th, staying up, just, on goal difference". It may not have been handled great but it would have been insane to keep him in post. 

 

Bit harsh. That was the norm in the 90s. Not necessarily a sackable offence.

[CB Fry]

2 hours ago, Badger said:

One of the great mysteries though whether Bally walked out entirely of his own will, or if Askham held the door open for him. In an interview shortly after Ball said that towards the end of the season Askham had told him there was a new contract awaiting him at the end of the season, although this remained in Askham's desk drawer and wasn't referred to again. 

Rumours at the time of a rift between ball and Lawrie, who was on holiday at the time of Ball's departure. Great shame as Alan Ball was a good fit for us, and things had progressed well under him.

Irrespective of the reason for AB leaving it always seemed Merrington was the tiding us over option, and many fans thought he'd be back with the youth development role at the end of the season.

Ball changed his tune on it after it all went tits at Man City - when he joined he did all the "I'd walk over hot coals for this job" stuff, the same as he did when he took over at Saints. Once it went wrong he played up the sob story of how he never felt wanted at the Dell, he didn't want to leave honest he didn't. He only went for a massive pay rise to work for his old mate Franny Lee because Guy Askham didn't return a phone call one time. Absolute horseshit.

That said, the season and a half under Ball, post Branfoot will always be one of my all time favourite periods as a Saints fan. Just fantastic stuff. It's one of those magic periods where a new manager comes in and Bam the whole world changes. It was unreal. A shame it ended how it did, but to be honest it probably would have petered out anyway - as history shows he wasn't a particularly good manager anywhere else.

 

 

 

[64saint]

Just finished reading Fran Benali autobiography and like Shearer and Le Tiss previously they all speak highly of Dave, all saying how in the youth team he moulded them not just into footballers but prepared them for life.  Not sure how his strict methods as in running his finger around checking for dust after they had cleaned the changing rooms and if not satisfied they would have to start again would go down with today's academy graduates though.  Good guy, Southampton through and through. 

Edited 29 December, 2021 by 64saint

[Kenilworthy]

I was told by someone who had inside knowledge at the time that Merrington never wanted the job. He was put under pressure by the club to take it, as he was told that if he didn't other members of the coaching staff would lose their jobs. Being the man he is he reluctantly took it on to help his colleagues.

[SuperSAINT]

3 hours ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

Nice man, pretty average first team manager. Cheap option who only got the job on the back of his excellent work with the nippers.  

Kept us up, Le Tiss wasn't firing that season (aside from the 1st match, IIRC).  Thought he did a good job, under the circumstances.

[Miltonaggro]

Good club man Dave Merrington, and Saints through and through, it's nice to have characters with links to the club.  Also nice that in his final stint with Solent they've let his great grandson do the commentary alongside him for the last couple of games. 

[Toadhall Saint]

11 hours ago, Miltonaggro said:

Good club man Dave Merrington, and Saints through and through, it's nice to have characters with links to the club.  Also nice that in his final stint with Solent they've let his great grandson do the commentary alongside him for the last couple of games. 

Wondered who that was. Cheers

[Saint86]

Certainly played more than a small part in developing the club. You have to wonder what would have transpired had we been relegated that season? Financial troubles? No SMS? No bale/Walcott to come through etc. Obviously not all on him, but he's one of many that helped shape the club we have today. And then ofc he's been the voice of many a match day commentary. Hope he gets a long and happy retirement, hopefully with saints finally winning something of merit. 

[david in sweden]

On 29/12/2021 at 19:27, Badger said:

One of the great mysteries though whether Bally walked out entirely of his own will, or if Askham held the door open for him. In an interview shortly after Ball said that towards the end of the season Askham had told him there was a new contract awaiting him at the end of the season, although this remained in Askham's desk drawer and wasn't referred to again. 

Rumours at the time of a rift between ball and Lawrie, who was on holiday at the time of Ball's departure. Great shame as Alan Ball was a good fit for us, and things had progressed well under him.

Irrespective of the reason for AB leaving it always seemed Merrington was the tiding us over option, and many fans thought he'd be back with the youth development role at the end of the season.

I was a fan of Bally's - both as a player and for his one season sojourn at The Dell.   I understood that Bally was "lured away"  by Francis Lee who, as a City legend

and ex-England colleague, wanted AB to go to Maine Road and DAJ for them.    In the end, it was a poor decision that adversely affected both clubs. 

 

Dave M. had been manager for the Youth sides for more than 10 years, and was virtually working alone without the team of extra coaches we have today.

As a loyal employee at the club, he wasn't going to say NO,  especially as there were a few of his youth players in what had a become a rapidly-declining squad. 

(Yes - we survived, but the writing was on the wall when his eventual successor Graham Souness didn't bother to stay longer than one season). 

Well-deserved recognition for a  man who gave good service - and a lot more - for the good of the club.   Well done Dave - from one pensioner to another. 

 

[Whitey Grandad]

1 hour ago, david in sweden said:

I was a fan of Bally's - both as a player and for his one season sojourn at The Dell.   I understood that Bally was "lured away"  by Francis Lee who, as a City legend

and ex-England colleague, wanted AB to go to Maine Road and DAJ for them.    In the end, it was a poor decision that adversely affected both clubs. 

 

Dave M. had been manager for the Youth sides for more than 10 years, and was virtually working alone without the team of extra coaches we have today.

As a loyal employee at the club, he wasn't going to say NO,  especially as there were a few of his youth players in what had a become a rapidly-declining squad. 

(Yes - we survived, but the writing was on the wall when his eventual successor Graham Souness didn't bother to stay longer than one season). 

Well-deserved recognition for a  man who gave good service - and a lot more - for the good of the club.   Well done Dave - from one pensioner to another. 

 

Ball went for the money. He said at the time that it would set him and his family up for life. 

[Bad Wolf]

On 18/12/2021 at 17:00, Badger said:

I read many years ago that he was a devout Christian and a lay preacher. 

Always strikes me as one of the gentlemen associated with the game. Despite the criticism from some on here, I quite enjoy his summaries (although realise his lack of 'Xgoals type of analysis doesn't radiate with the cyber generation fan).

He was treated quite shabbily by the club at one point in his dismissal as manager (probably a job he didn't want in the first place) so the fact he still has affection for the club and its supporters is to be admired.

 

Yes, I've met him a number of times at various Church/Christian events and he is a great man of God however with regards to preaching, I did ask him if he ever does it for his church (Testwood Baptist I think) and he joked "Only if they really can't find anyone else!"

One of the things that came across in one of the 'faith and football' talks I've seen him do is the dislike he has for Rupert Lowe. He didn't actually say it but it was plain to see.

Also it's hard to say that anything good could come out of that horrific story that broke a couple of years ago with the youth team coach and the boys that were abused but it must be said, Dave's character shone through as per - It seemed like Dave was the only one who wanted to do anything about it and took it seriously.

Lovely, lovely man. Link below to one of his Christian testimonies, even if you're not interested in hearing the religious stuff, the first ten minutes is well worth a watch for him talking about the club. 

 

Thursday 14th- When you can't sit on the fence? with Dave Merrington - YouTube

[saint1977]

4 hours ago, Whitey Grandad said:

Ball went for the money. He said at the time that it would set him and his family up for life. 

I read David Tossell’s excellent book about Alan Ball - the man in the white boots - a couple of summers back. Lee did offer more than double what Bally was on with Saints at the time. However, the book does confirm from a number of SFC sources there at the time that Askham reluctantly offered extensions to Bally and his coaching staff. Bally was offered what was apparently a grudging extension offer of £72k pa IIRC and nothing on top for the back room team. MLT said he was on more than that and it sounds like other players were too, it was a ‘low wage for the PL at the time’ even taking into account the Taylor Report and Dell’s very reduced capacity.

So Bally was hardly a money grabber although it suited Askham and board to spin that narrative. It’s reported in the book there was a bit more to it as well. The club’s senior team had been given purchase cards to use when out and about on SFC duties. Bally was apparently not the most financially aware, indeed his wife Lesley managed all of the household finances. So Lawrie was saying in the book that Bally would go up to London midweek to take a game in for the reserves or opponents and have a good meal and bottle of wine with a couple of friends. It all added up but Alan apparently wasn’t always too hot on keeping the receipts.

Given Askham’s nickname from fans of Mr Burns from the Simpsons that was building up issues. Added to this, Alan had a couple of long term friends who he bought seats for next to the Directors box. Whilst they waited for him to wrap up post match with the players apparently they had a few beers. Again, nothing particularly bad but football in the mid 90s was starting to evolve into the corporate business it is now, plus the club boardroom at the time was notoriously stuffy.

Total hypocrisy from the muppets who appointed Branfoot and extended his contract. Bally was such a breath of fresh air with Lawrie when they came in, much better football and atmosphere. Anyone who was at the Shrewsbury. Ipswich, Oldham, Sheffield Weds and Port Vale games will know how toxic the football and atmosphere was. Our fans hated Branfoot and Askham wasn’t far behind. The corporate fans at SMS now would get a shock if they were at the Oldham or Leeds games with the scale of protest. Branfoot was unpopular as Palace assistant and at a cup game the whole crowd gave it to Branfoot. I remember the East Stand banner - Mr Blobby In, Branfoot Out. Every game booed to the dug outs. Pellegrino and Les got off scot free by comparison. We did win 6 in a row under Branfoot but soon to reverted to shipping 4 goals in 5 minutes (Spurs away on Sky). 

I dread to think getting back to the OP what Dave was given, bet it was a sight less than £70k pa! Dave didn’t want to do the job either,I know that through mutual connections with his family. And Askham then sacked him after keeping us up on a budget of fumes when his wife was very seriously ill - in tears on Meridian. Andy Steggal was visibly appalled at what Askham did.

Bally failed at City but it’s hard for younger posters to envisage what a mess they used to be. They sold Flitcroft his star midfielder six weeks from the end of the season (no transfer windows then folks) to stay in business. Too much for Franny Lee to turn around when he bought them after his successful recycling firm, City really were a hospital pass on those days and United’s rise made it worse. He gave Kinkladze a free role like he did MLT at Saints in Matt’s halcyon days but if you thought Matt’s workrate was suspect…and likes of Niall Quinn weren’t getting crosses from Georgi. City fans were told they were getting a World Cup winner - they were but they were expecting Beckenbauer etc. Kinkladze scored some beautiful goals - one v us at Maine Rd, but he wasn't going to get 25 goals or put sweet crosses on Quinn and David White’s heads for goals as MLT was doing for Saints under Bally. 

Edited 6 January, 2022 by saint1977

[JRM]

If anyone wants to hear Dave speak about his career there's still tickets left for this tomorrow 

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dave-merrington-charity-dinner-with-matt-le-tissier-adam-blackmore-tickets-220118679897

[STEVEADAMS]

On 19/12/2021 at 03:02, Badger said:

Thanks for posting that 31cc, especially for the benefit of us exiles.

Great guy Dave, will be missed 

[Master Bates]

Merrington's penultimate home game 😳, not long until he retires!

I came on to the BBC Radio Solent scene in 1995/96. That was when I knew football existed aged 13 (I had a screwed up upbringing).

Back then it was Grant Coleman as commentator. I loved him, his excitement etc (Adam Blackmore eclipses that now). I mentioned him to someone I know who has worked there for decades. Turns out Coleman is a not very nice person. Shame to find out. Never mind.

I'm gonna miss Merrington next season. I have the option to watch Saints when we're live on Sky, BT Sports or illegal streams, but I prefer Radio Solent.

[SuperSAINT]

 

Edited 12 May, 2022 by SuperSAINT

[64saint]

Poor old Dave, having to go out on such a shit show.

[Maggie May]

Does anyone know if we can listen back to the Radio Solent tribute? 

[ecuk268]

1 hour ago, Maggie May said:

Does anyone know if we can listen back to the Radio Solent tribute? 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0c3z9lw

Well worth a listen.

[washsaint]

Good luck on your retirement Dave.  A class act - should never have been made Saints manager but obviously Askham had him as a stop gap appointment while he tried to sell the club.

Will never forget him keeping us up and being there while his wife was seriously ill in hospital - and then Askham sacked him.

A decent man who did great work with the forerunner of the Academy.

[Mikey88]

Very emotional tribute.

[rooney]

A great tribute Adam .Good luck Dave, you have been a star and we shall miss you.

[Master Bates]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/teams/southampton

[beatlesaint]

32 minutes ago, Master Bates said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/teams/southampton

I was hoping it wouldn't be him but was expecting it to be honest. umm....

[Saint86]

58 minutes ago, beatlesaint said:

I was hoping it wouldn't be him but was expecting it to be honest. umm....

They said on air last year that he'd be back to take that kind of role.

Edited 15 July, 2022 by Saint86

[Ted Bates Statue]

My first choice would have been Drew Surman, thought he sounded very comfortable on the radio. Didn't Merrington's grandson also do a match? Thought he was good too.

[Master Bates]

5 hours ago, beatlesaint said:

I was hoping it wouldn't be him but was expecting it to be honest. umm....

Oh snap, Surman for me

[Master Bates]

This is it then 😑