The last time we were in the playoffs

[Paul Chuckle]

What memories do you have of the last and only time we've ever played in the Playoffs against Derby in 2007? 

We had quite a bit of momentum going into the playoffs as we ended the season strongly to guarantee 6th place.

The first leg we lost at St Mary's 1-2 with them injuring I think Bale and Jones in the process? Surman had scored to put us 1-0 up in the game. I remember Billy Davies over celebrating at the end and the club website making a big thing of it at the time, how the tie wasn't over. 

The second leg at Pride Park was a real rollercoaster of emotion and still to this day I don't think I've ever celebrated a goal as much in a ground as when Rasiak scored in the last couple of minutes to take the game to extra time.

Until I watched the highlights below I'd forgotten all about Leon Best own goal.

 

[JRM]

Brilliant away following up there for the 2nd leg. 

Monsoon rain falling at the end. Very wet fans for the journey home

 

[JRM]

Derby went on to be the worst Premier league team of all time 

[Farmer Saint]

Watched it in Koh Samui, in the only bar showing it, the Portsmouth bar. Tbh, the landlord was pretty good about it after the Idiakez penalty, he covered my bill for the evening. 

Edited April 29 by Farmer Saint

[Lymington Saint]

Main memory is Derby kicking Gareth Bale out of the game at St Marys.  Typical Billy Davies side.

[Whitey Grandad]

I was incandescent about being kept behind after the game. Why is it that we keep the home fans in the stadium whilst the away fans disperse in similar circumstances?

I also didn’t like the way those little shits came onto the pitch at the end and stood there taunting us. Classless club, classless fans. The only saving grace was seeing their dismal performance the following season.

It was a long walk back to the coaches afterwards in the horrible cold rain. I just wanted to get home.

[Dman]

Much like that season, we aren't / weren't ready to go up and it would have been a disaster.

 

 

[Jeremy Corbyn]

Watched it at uni, that second leg was incredible (result aside), so much drama.  The team we had then was a lot of fun (Bale, Jones, Saga etc.) and could really hurt teams but were also pretty fragile and patched together.  It was very much a very militant, organised Derby against our bunch of better, less cohesive players.

[Suhari]

1 hour ago, Farmer Saint said:

Watched it in Koh Samui, in the only bar showing it, the Portsmouth bar. Tbh, the landlord was pretty good about it after the Idiakez penalty, he covered my bill for the evening. 

I was in Phuket, having taken my old mum on a once-in-a-lifetime holiday. Watched it in the hotel, then there was a power cut about 15 minutes before the end of normal time, so relied on text updates from a mate in the UK.

The last one he sent was absolutely gutting.

[Lighthouse]

If we could swap Mara and Adams for any two of Rasiak, Jones or Saganowski, we'd have won the league comfortably this year.

[Elmore Saint]

Went up for the second leg with a Derby supporting workmate.

Absolute scenes as Rasiak equalises- incredible stuff

Long drive home in near silence though 🙂 

[Cabrone]

Even though we lost the 2nd leg it was a fantastic game and one of those nights to remember. Rasiak's goal was brilliant.

However just like that season we now have a manager that is less than inspiring and a team that would get a beating in the prem.

Looks like Norwich in the semi and unless we get our mojo back ASAP I see a close 1-0 or 2-1 defeat at Carrow road followed by a draw at SMS.

Whilst they are not in scintillating form we are as flat as a pancake thanks to the last 3 games.

Lets hope it's all part of a cunning RM plan to lure the opposition into a false sense of security......😄

[mikec]

2 hours ago, JRM said:

Derby went on to be the worst Premier league team of all time 

Just one win all season and 11 points wasn't it?  Mind you, I'm not sure we would have done much better if we'd been promoted instead with Burley.

[Jeremy Corbyn]

1 hour ago, mikec said:

Just one win all season and 11 points wasn't it?  Mind you, I'm not sure we would have done much better if we'd been promoted instead with Burley.

I don't think we would have survived but the difference is we had a handful of premier league quality players (Bale, Jones, Baird, Best maybe) so I think we would have had a slightly better chance.

Just looking at the wiki of that season we had around 40 players play, an absolute pick'n'mix of a season.

[ant]

I had to work the 2nd leg - but at Southampton Uni Student's Union, so it was on all of the big screens.

Probably one of the most horrible, powerless ways to witness it. The atmosphere was decent, though I could only watch in snippets until the penalty shootout.

The stunned silence after Idiakez's miss lives with me; a crushing moment in itself, but also the widespread feeling that things were only going to get worse.

[franniesTache]

5 hours ago, JRM said:

Brilliant away following up there for the 2nd leg. 

Monsoon rain falling at the end. Very wet fans for the journey home

 

Probably still one of the best away ends we've ever had, the place was rocking from start to finish and if i remember rightly didn't we drink them dry before half time? 🤣

I still maintain had it not been for the rain it would've got very nasty outside, combination of some really angry saints and some very game derby wouldn't have made a great mix (and they'd already tried via the pitch).

First leg was a bit of a farce, Billy Davis just told them to kick us off the pitch and deliberately tried (and succeeded) in injuring Bale.

[Midfield_General]

To this day the most bizarre own goal I think I've ever seen.

Try doing that deliberately - it's simply not possible. 

[Sheaf Saint]

5 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

To this day the most bizarre own goal I think I've ever seen.

Try doing that deliberately - it's simply not possible. 

He had a shocker of a game as well. When I saw him stepping up to take our first pen in the shootout, I just knew he wouldn't score.

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

I sorry I ruined the party.

Brilliant game ruined by the result. Following season was Derby's record breaking shit year, wasn't it(?) so maybe a good thing we didn't go up in hindsight.

Also remember it being at the height of the Paul Allen rumours. Recall a few fans chanting his name at the final whistle. Ah, nostalgia...

[Lighthouse]

23 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

To this day the most bizarre own goal I think I've ever seen.

Try doing that deliberately - it's simply not possible. 

Vergini’s was better.

[Charlie Wayman]

17 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

He had a shocker of a game as well. When I saw him stepping up to take our first pen in the shootout, I just knew he wouldn't score.

…...although he laid on an inch perfect pass for our second goal!

[Paul Chuckle]

15 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

He had a shocker of a game as well. When I saw him stepping up to take our first pen in the shootout, I just knew he wouldn't score.

Nice lay off to Viafara for our 2nd goal though. He should never have been first to step up for that penalty though. 

Like people have said, the atmosphere was absolutely rocking in that away end, one of the best I've been at. We had everything in our favour going into penalties with them down our end and the momentum from that last minute goal, but we just couldn't get over the line in a big game. 

[Midfield_General]

Look at that pattern of play for our equaliser.

89th minute, facing two banks of four sitting deep. 

We play out from the back. Receive the ball, turn and play it forward. Receive the ball, turn, look up, play it forward. Receive the ball, lay it off, drive into the box. Get a lucky ricochet, turn and bang one from 16 yards out. Goal. 

It's not route one hoofball, it's still playing football, but it's front to back in 10 seconds and so much more direct and effective. I know it's been done to death, but we simply don't score that goal under this manager. When the ball came into midfield we'd stop, look up, play it wide, stop look up, play it back, ad nauseum until they re-set, we lose the ball or the final whistle goes. 

Football can be such a simple game. Driving at people can cause them to make errors like that little touch in the penalty area that brought it to Rasiak for that great finish. We never seem to just try those simple things anymore and it's so, so frustrating. 

[LGTL]

Went to both legs. The away following that day was superb and the only goal that comes close to the scenes of Rasiak was Long at Anfield and the goals at Fratton. We were a better team then them and probably should have won. I think we'd have beaten WBA at Wembley too and won promotion, then who knows if the Markus story ever happens? Funny old game.

I was 18 at the time and had a shitty Fiat as my first car. I remember driving home and filling up for fuel in my boxers after walking out in that biblical downpour. Still haven't experienced rain like it!

Edited April 29 by LGTL

[Turkish]

13 hours ago, JRM said:

Derby went on to be the worst Premier league team of all time 

Despite always having it in us that’s one record that’s always evaded us 

[Winnersaint]

2 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Despite always having it in us that’s one record that’s always evaded us 

There’s always time.

[Turkish]

4 minutes ago, Winnersaint said:

There’s always time.

We’ve got a good chance under Martin 

[Saint86]

14 hours ago, Paul Chuckle said:

What memories do you have of the last and only time we've ever played in the Playoffs against Derby in 2007? 

We had quite a bit of momentum going into the playoffs as we ended the season strongly to guarantee 6th place.

The first leg we lost at St Mary's 1-2 with them injuring I think Bale and Jones in the process? Surman had scored to put us 1-0 up in the game. I remember Billy Davies over celebrating at the end and the club website making a big thing of it at the time, how the tie wasn't over. 

The second leg at Pride Park was a real rollercoaster of emotion and still to this day I don't think I've ever celebrated a goal as much in a ground as when Rasiak scored in the last couple of minutes to take the game to extra time.

Until I watched the highlights below I'd forgotten all about Leon Best own goal.

 

Never noticed before, but its a clear foul on Viafara re shirt pulling for their opening goal. Robbed! Justice that they went on to be the worst all time pre team I say!

Ironically, Rasiak is the kind of player we need now. Someone to drift into space at the key moment and actually finish!! Would also take gabbi back in a heartbeat!

[Saint86]

7 hours ago, Midfield_General said:

Look at that pattern of play for our equaliser.

89th minute, facing two banks of four sitting deep. 

We play out from the back. Receive the ball, turn and play it forward. Receive the ball, turn, look up, play it forward. Receive the ball, lay it off, drive into the box. Get a lucky ricochet, turn and bang one from 16 yards out. Goal. 

It's not route one hoofball, it's still playing football, but it's front to back in 10 seconds and so much more direct and effective. I know it's been done to death, but we simply don't score that goal under this manager. When the ball came into midfield we'd stop, look up, play it wide, stop look up, play it back, ad nauseum until they re-set, we lose the ball or the final whistle goes. 

Football can be such a simple game. Driving at people can cause them to make errors like that little touch in the penalty area that brought it to Rasiak for that great finish. We never seem to just try those simple things anymore and it's so, so frustrating. 

It has been done to death. What we're ignoring is that if our strikers could actually finish we'd be pinging in 4-5 goals in some opening halves... like cardiff.

[sandwichsaint]

I saw both legs, didn't have a ST at that time, and had to camp out overnight at the tkt office to get tickets for the away leg. About 20 of us camped out and they bought food out (from the radio station I think!) at about midnight. I only had enough stubs for two tickets but where we had camped out they gave me three tickets for self and both nippers. 

Still say that Derby away game, bar the result, is probably my favourite Saints game. 

[Turkish]

Heroic failure as usual wasn’t it 

[Stu Man Do]

I remember no beer on sale in the concourses after a terrible journey up. Jon Viafaras brilliant t shirt and THAT Rasiak goal. Still have the scar on my shin from the over celebration. Total numbness when Best stepped up for his penalty and then the 1000s of Derby fans on the pitch taunting us.

Also the absolute dogs abuse we had chucked at us by the Derby fans on the way out in a monsoon as my pal was singing “ Wembley Wembley , you’ll never sell your tickets when you go to Wembley “ which as you can imagine went down well.

[Mr Saints]

The second leg was carnage, what a rollercoaster. We were brilliant and showed huge bollocks, not sure this current squad have anything like that in them.

Also worth mentioning the Derby fans were colossal wankers.

[SaintBobby]

I remember it utterly pissing down as we walked back to the car. Biblical levels of rain. Proof that God is a Saints fan.

[Tamesaint]

8 hours ago, SaintBobby said:

I remember it utterly pissing down as we walked back to the car. Biblical levels of rain. Proof that God is a Saints fan.

Well he could try a bit harder to help us on the pitch. 

[sandwichsaint]

12 hours ago, SaintBobby said:

I remember it utterly pissing down as we walked back to the car. Biblical levels of rain. Proof that God is a Saints fan.

I'll raise you Southend away.

[Appy]

I remember thinking we would’ve done far better in the Premiet League than Derby, but looking at the team now (Bale still would’ve left) we would have massively struggled. 

[for_heaven's_Saint]

Remember that equaliser being one of the best celebrations I’ve ever been part of.
 

And their dickhead fans goading us on the pitch afterwards. Was glad how badly it went for them after that. 

Edited April 30 by for_heaven's_Saint

[Bad Wolf]

I remember Derby cheating their way into the playoffs, cheating us in the semi final, cheating West Brom in the final and then getting spanked every week in the PL. They were a disgrace that season and I genuinely hate them.

[Bad Wolf]

On 29/04/2024 at 08:42, Lymington Saint said:

Main memory is Derby kicking Gareth Bale out of the game at St Marys.  Typical Billy Davies side.

They kicked a lot of players out of a lot of games that season. The dirtiest team I've ever seen over the course of a season.

[Gloucester Saint]

58 minutes ago, Bad Wolf said:

I remember Derby cheating their way into the playoffs, cheating us in the semi final, cheating West Brom in the final and then getting spanked every week in the PL. They were a disgrace that season and I genuinely hate them.

The cheating was worse at Pride Park 1996/7 I can assure you with Eranio and Baiano diving for penalties with no defender in contactable distances. Refs fell for it (pun intended) both times in league and cup, dense then and now. Then Dean Sturridge got Franny sent off at the Dell.

Then there was 2005 where Redknapp and Bassett looked like they were going to combust at the referee. 

Derby were a typical physical team at that level with an effective big lump (Steve Howard) and some finesse (Matt Oakley and Pearson). What cost us was Claus’s injury final day v Southend, which left Pele exposed to Howard in the first leg. He’d been signed as a DC but had played DMC during the better runs of form.

Fagin deserved a red card but that Saints team were a bit like this one - some of the most gifted players in the division but went missing went it got tasty. Whereas under Nigel, Poch and Ronald, the likes of Morgan, Victor and Oriol ensured teams didn’t take liberties. 

Saints need at least one CM who can mix it.

 

 

Edited April 30 by Gloucester Saint

[Chez]

21 hours ago, sandwichsaint said:

 

Still say that Derby away game, bar the result, is probably my favourite Saints game. 

the Anfield League cup game (and one or two others) push it close, but me too. Unbelievable tension, atmosphere and overall experience. The wild celebrations after the Vifara and Rasiak goals would probably kill me now. 

[The Cat]

I swear the away stand was shaking when Rasiak scored. Some celebration that was.

[skintsaint]

Shame they didn't have the away goal rule.

[CB Fry]

9 hours ago, The Cat said:

I swear the away stand was shaking when Rasiak scored. Some celebration that was.

Was immense.

At that moment we were absolutely going to Wembley and absolutely going up.

[S-Clarke]

The Rasiak equaliser was magic, one of my best ever moments. Place was rocking.

The ET, from memory (it's a bit hazy!) was pretty much a dump squib though as Derby just resorted to their generic tactic of kicking us into what was becoming a mud pit.

Leacock and Moore, their CB's, were absolute thugs.

[Paul Chuckle]

2 hours ago, CB Fry said:

Was immense.

At that moment we were absolutely going to Wembley and absolutely going up.

Yep. I remember turning to my mate and saying "this is it, it's our year" it seemed all the momentum was with us. I may have imagined this but didn't Skacel break again after Rasiak scored and had half a chance but spurned it wide and over?

[Bad Wolf]

17 hours ago, Gloucester Saint said:

The cheating was worse at Pride Park 1996/7 I can assure you with Eranio and Baiano diving for penalties with no defender in contactable distances. Refs fell for it (pun intended) both times in league and cup, dense then and now. Then Dean Sturridge got Franny sent off at the Dell.

Then there was 2005 where Redknapp and Bassett looked like they were going to combust at the referee. 

Derby were a typical physical team at that level with an effective big lump (Steve Howard) and some finesse (Matt Oakley and Pearson). What cost us was Claus’s injury final day v Southend, which left Pele exposed to Howard in the first leg. He’d been signed as a DC but had played DMC during the better runs of form.

Fagin deserved a red card but that Saints team were a bit like this one - some of the most gifted players in the division but went missing went it got tasty. Whereas under Nigel, Poch and Ronald, the likes of Morgan, Victor and Oriol ensured teams didn’t take liberties. 

Saints need at least one CM who can mix it.

 

 

I remember that one. We were 1 up, they got a dodgy penalty, Niemi saved it, they ordered to retake, scored, then they got a dodgy free kick and scored from an offside position as the result and Fuller volleyed into an emtpy net to make it 2-2. It was reminiscent of the one Viafara scored in the above video.