lambtiss Posted 3 March, 2022 Share Posted 3 March, 2022 Sorry, of this has been raised previously but surely I can't be the only one who is disappointed to take their seat at St. Mary's, glance up, only to see our most vociferous end of the ground totally handed over to the opposition fans rather than our own loyal Northam end contingent. That must give the away team a life and certainly seems to reduce the level of our own support, thereby handing the away team an advantage. I've heard previously that it is down to policing and security concerns. If this is true and there is no alternative then so be it. But, it would be great if there was some kind of alternative arrangement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toadhall Saint Posted 3 March, 2022 Share Posted 3 March, 2022 1 minute ago, lambtiss said: Sorry, of this has been raised previously but surely I can't be the only one who is disappointed to take their seat at St. Mary's, glance up, only to see our most vociferous end of the ground totally handed over to the opposition fans rather than our own loyal Northam end contingent. That must give the away team a life and certainly seems to reduce the level of our own support, thereby handing the away team an advantage. I've heard previously that it is down to policing and security concerns. If this is true and there is no alternative then so be it. But, it would be great if there was some kind of alternative arrangement. How would you resolve it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted 3 March, 2022 Share Posted 3 March, 2022 We could move the fans into the corner and create a chapel kop 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted 3 March, 2022 Share Posted 3 March, 2022 what about an extra tier on the stadium and we could put them the away fans up there? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toadhall Saint Posted 3 March, 2022 Share Posted 3 March, 2022 I was thinking the roof of Albion towers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trousers Posted 3 March, 2022 Share Posted 3 March, 2022 2 hours ago, lambtiss said: Sorry, if this has been raised previously Only once or twice.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ant Posted 3 March, 2022 Share Posted 3 March, 2022 In fairness the Kingsland North and Itchen North were pretty decent last night (certainly much better than during the Coventry match). Granted, West Ham's lot looked and sounded pretty disinterested. But stick enough vocal fans in the corners and the 'pincer' effect of it is surprisingly effective. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lambtiss Posted 3 March, 2022 Author Share Posted 3 March, 2022 2 hours ago, trousers said: Only once or twice.... Sorry 😀 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lambtiss Posted 3 March, 2022 Author Share Posted 3 March, 2022 4 hours ago, Toadhall Saint said: How would you resolve it? Why would I ask the question if I had the answer 😴 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streaky Posted 3 March, 2022 Share Posted 3 March, 2022 4 hours ago, lambtiss said: Sorry, of this has been raised previously but surely I can't be the only one who is disappointed to take their seat at St. Mary's, glance up, only to see our most vociferous end of the ground totally handed over to the opposition fans rather than our own loyal Northam end contingent. That must give the away team a life and certainly seems to reduce the level of our own support, thereby handing the away team an advantage. I've heard previously that it is down to policing and security concerns. If this is true and there is no alternative then so be it. But, it would be great if there was some kind of alternative arrangement. Think you are overestimating the Northam support. It's been dead in there for years, that's why I've moved to the Itchen corner. As has alot of others we use to stand with Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lambtiss Posted 3 March, 2022 Author Share Posted 3 March, 2022 2 minutes ago, Streaky said: Think you are overestimating the Northam support. It's been dead in there for years, that's why I've moved to the Itchen corner. As has alot of others we use to stand with Yes, if certainly isn't as loud as it has been Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toussaint Posted 3 March, 2022 Share Posted 3 March, 2022 I thought the upper west archers section worked best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintsLoyal Posted 3 March, 2022 Share Posted 3 March, 2022 The Police and safety council will not allow any changes to seating away fans at SMS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toadhall Saint Posted 4 March, 2022 Share Posted 4 March, 2022 14 hours ago, lambtiss said: Why would I ask the question if I had the answer 😴 Thought you might have given it some thought? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miltonaggro Posted 4 March, 2022 Share Posted 4 March, 2022 My view for some time is for the club to purchase the gas holders and put the away end on top of these. That way when Saints are in the ascendancy we can effectively inflate the away fans and subsequently deflate when up against it. I would think Sir Norman Foster would fancy this brief having lost out on turning the Vospers site into a version of Manhattan previously. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jawillwill Posted 4 March, 2022 Share Posted 4 March, 2022 Sorry in advance for sounding a bit MLG, but there is no "loudest part of the stadium". The acoustics are the same throughout. There is a part of the stadium where the loudest contingent of fans sit though. And the main reason that the Northam happens to have evolved into the noisiest section of the stadium is BECAUSE its next to the away fans, and not in spite of it. This discussion has been going on for years. If the noisy fans feel that passionately, all they have to do is buy tickets in a different part of the ground. The club could of course help, when STs go on sale, by suggesting louder fans/those who want to sing, sit the Chapel (and move the family section). But then the louder fans would have to accept the fact that they can't act hard in front of the away fans quite so easily / give them the finger etc. I'm sure some of those who currently sit in the Northam/Chapel would get a bit uppity ("why should I have to move seats /I like my view" etc) but let's be honest, the ground is pretty much completely symmetrical so shouldn't make any difference to anyone really. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alehouseboys Posted 4 March, 2022 Share Posted 4 March, 2022 Just bung 'em in the Northam car park https://imgur.com/nGyTn6m 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Kraken Posted 4 March, 2022 Share Posted 4 March, 2022 (edited) 4 hours ago, jawillwill said: Sorry in advance for sounding a bit MLG, but there is no "loudest part of the stadium". The acoustics are the same throughout. There is a part of the stadium where the loudest contingent of fans sit though. And the main reason that the Northam happens to have evolved into the noisiest section of the stadium is BECAUSE its next to the away fans, and not in spite of it? It hasn’t really evolved into that, it was like that from the very beginning at St Mary’s. During the summer when we left the Dell there was lots of activity on the old Saints List about where fans were going to go in the new stadium. So a lot of fans chose to be by the away fans. It wasn’t always like that, back at the Dell the Milton and Archers ends were both full of singers (we made the mad decision to make the Archers away only for a season or two in the all seater before taking it back). Lower east was always a lively place to be in the terracing times too. If anything, the Chapel provided a new home for all those who don’t like the lad culture of football but want to be behind the goal. A comfortable seat where you sit down most of the time, not all that much singing going on, and a ‘safe’ place for the kids section too. All the bollocks that gets spouted by the usual protagonists about how we’re missing out on a home kop consistently overlooks one thing, that a lot of fans sit either in the Northam or in the Itchen 1-3 because they like the interaction with away fans. People don’t want to move to a new area for a kop, if they did want to do that they’d have done it years ago. It would be better if away fans were off to a side, I don’t doubt that, but given the particular logistics of St Mary’s it just ain’t gonna happen, and there’s a sizeable amount of fans who really like the status quo as it is. Edited 4 March, 2022 by The Kraken 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manuel Posted 4 March, 2022 Share Posted 4 March, 2022 (edited) I would do similar to what they do at Leicester, stick them more in the corner. If you look at this pic (Arsenal away at Leicester) and imagine this is the Northam/Itchen corner. They wouldn't take up anywhere near as much of the Northam and the Itchen North lot would just have to shift along a bit. Edited 6 March, 2022 by Manuel 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNSUN Posted 5 March, 2022 Share Posted 5 March, 2022 We could build a new stadium to house them properly in their own area. Now if only we had an idea of what the stadium could look like... ...perhaps not. Looks like a potty. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan The Flames Posted 5 March, 2022 Share Posted 5 March, 2022 17 hours ago, The Kraken said: It hasn’t really evolved into that, it was like that from the very beginning at St Mary’s. During the summer when we left the Dell there was lots of activity on the old Saints List about where fans were going to go in the new stadium. So a lot of fans chose to be by the away fans. It wasn’t always like that, back at the Dell the Milton and Archers ends were both full of singers (we made the mad decision to make the Archers away only for a season or two in the all seater before taking it back). Lower east was always a lively place to be in the terracing times too. If anything, the Chapel provided a new home for all those who don’t like the lad culture of football but want to be behind the goal. A comfortable seat where you sit down most of the time, not all that much singing going on, and a ‘safe’ place for the kids section too. All the bollocks that gets spouted by the usual protagonists about how we’re missing out on a home kop consistently overlooks one thing, that a lot of fans sit either in the Northam or in the Itchen 1-3 because they like the interaction with away fans. People don’t want to move to a new area for a kop, if they did want to do that they’d have done it years ago. It would be better if away fans were off to a side, I don’t doubt that, but given the particular logistics of St Mary’s it just ain’t gonna happen, and there’s a sizeable amount of fans who really like the status quo as it is. Also the club promoted the Northam as the singing end as well, I am out of town so could rarely get a ticket for The Dell, so I didn't know much about what stand was what. So when I bought my ST for the first SMS season from the hut in The Dell car park, I was told by the salesman that the Northam would be the singing end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killers Knee Posted 5 March, 2022 Share Posted 5 March, 2022 Move away fans to the Itchen/Chapel corner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Kraken Posted 5 March, 2022 Share Posted 5 March, 2022 6 minutes ago, Killers Knee said: Move away fans to the Itchen/Chapel corner It’s about the most sensible suggestion if the requirement is to make the Northam home only. Won’t happen but yeah, that’s the next best arrangement. Of course you’d then have a load of our lot who would move just to follow the away fans…. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintsLoyal Posted 5 March, 2022 Share Posted 5 March, 2022 1 hour ago, Killers Knee said: Move away fans to the Itchen/Chapel corner the police have said no, a long with council safety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djharvey Posted 5 March, 2022 Share Posted 5 March, 2022 If we can't move the away fans and we can't get our own vociferous fans to relocate either then i think the following is a viable although costly option: Expand the Northam - 3k expansion would mean potentially 3k more saints fans for league games (in that stand) and would then help us retain a fair bit of support for cup games if away team bring full allocation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexLaw76 Posted 6 March, 2022 Share Posted 6 March, 2022 Why don't those in the northam relocate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lambtiss Posted 6 March, 2022 Author Share Posted 6 March, 2022 On 04/03/2022 at 08:55, Toadhall Saint said: Thought you might have given it some thought? Well, personally I prefer the idea of squeezing away fans into a corner rather than effectively giving them a whole end. Whether this is possible logistically I don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamplemousse Posted 6 March, 2022 Share Posted 6 March, 2022 2 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said: Why don't those in the northam relocate? Yup, this is the best solution. The police have made it clear they're not going to sanction where the away fans are located. The club therefore need to be proactive and tell season ticket holders in the Northam to move to the Chapel. Make that our home end. We're just shooting ourselves in the foot otherwise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allsouthampton Posted 6 March, 2022 Share Posted 6 March, 2022 7 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said: Why don't those in the northam relocate? For the west ham game, I (northam) moved to the itchen north. Others did too, its not like we didnt attend the game. Important to note Long term I would want to sit where the loud fans were, if this was chapel I'd go chapel. However considering some loud fans want to sit near the Away to taunt them etc, can't see the loud support moving. 5 hours ago, Pamplemousse said: Yup, this is the best solution. The police have made it clear they're not going to sanction where the away fans are located. The club therefore need to be proactive and tell season ticket holders in the Northam to move to the Chapel. Make that our home end. We're just shooting ourselves in the foot otherwise Like i say if you are suggesting switch chapel and northam, I think taunting the away is a key factor. And competing with them for noise etc. Look at the who are yaas after goals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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