Pre Season Friendlies 2025/26

[Master Bates]

So who and where this summer?

With Will Still in charge, will we have a summer training camp in Belgium?

Someone's already mentioned a friendly with Valenciennes.

Edited 25 May, 2025 by Master Bates
Time machine issues

[Give it to Ron]

We need to learn how to win again so no  top foreign opponents.

Teams that will give us a test but not batter us, teams that we can beat but friendlies are just get fit really but we need some feel good factor going into the new season.

[S-Clarke]

We've had a season of friendlies, so it'll be interesting to see who we line up. They need to be competitive really in relation to the level we're at. I see very little point in glamorous home friendlies against European teams, which we lose, as that doesn't reset the culture as we've just spent an entire year losing games. 

Huddersfield/Bolton/Reading/Totton/Eastleigh - those sorts. Strong enough to give us a game, but 'easy' enough for us to try and win to get that feeling back.

[sockeye]

Bournemouth again I guess.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

It's important to structure our preseason, to gradually build as much confidence as possible towards next season.

Some will say that going up against a Boy's Brigade side is too tough for an opening friendly, but we should just about be stronger, and it will show which players have been traumatised the most. It also gives Will the chance to win a tackle or two, and one of our shots is surely going to go past a small boy in a full sized goal. Eventually.  

[die Mannyschaft]

Eastleigh,  Stoneham or Winchester City. Let's keep it simple and every easy. Do we still do that cup with a few Spanish , Italian teams at St Mary's,  the mini tournament thing. 

[ChristopheVAFC]

Normally, a friendly match against Valenciennes should take place, but at the moment, according to my information, it should take place in your training centre and behind closed doors. I would have so much liked it to take place at Saint Mary's! 🥲

[Pamplemousse]

I'd have liked a trip out to northern France!

Maybe because of the Tour de France in the region the authorities don't want to deal with a few hundred English football fans as well.

[ChristopheVAFC]

6 minutes ago, Pamplemousse said:

I'd have liked a trip out to northern France!

Maybe because of the Tour de France in the region the authorities don't want to deal with a few hundred English football fans as well.

What's more, the start of stage 3 of the Tour de France is in Valenciennes on Monday 7 July!

[Master Bates]

5 hours ago, ChristopheVAFC said:

Normally, a friendly match against Valenciennes should take place, but at the moment, according to my information, it should take place in your training centre and behind closed doors. I would have so much liked it to take place at Saint Mary's! 🥲

So Saints v Valenciennes at Staplewood behind closed doors. Any date?

Edited 26 May, 2025 by Master Bates

[ChristopheVAFC]

9 minutes ago, Master Bates said:

So Daints v Valenciennes at Staplewood behind closed doors. Any date?

around mid-July!

[Paulwantsapint81]

Would be good to play a competitive XI against local non league teams

No point getting known European teams hammering saints

[Convict Colony]

2 hours ago, Paulwantsapint81 said:

Would be good to play a competitive XI against local non league teams

No point getting known European teams hammering saints

Sounds like we are playing Valenciennes already so too late.

[trousers]

 

 

[sockeye]

22 minutes ago, trousers said:

 

 

We’re going to smash them.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

Hardly an inspiring choice. Let's get a friendly with a team we've played a few times already over the course of the last five years or so.

[die Mannyschaft]

At least v Brighton even if it's a run out with thier u21s, loans etc it's a bench mark for championship and see our tactics.  

[suewhistle]

Keeps costs down and will pick up a few away fans who fancy an easy day out.

[Saint86]

1 hour ago, die Mannyschaft said:

At least v Brighton even if it's a run out with thier u21s, loans etc it's a bench mark for championship and see our tactics.  

That close to the start of the season it will be near full strength from both sides you'd imagine.

[skintsaint]

2 hours ago, Saint86 said:

That close to the start of the season it will be near full strength from both sides you'd imagine.

Week before our season starts so I guess we will be, they have another week I think on top of that for pre-season, so guessing they might not be full strength.

[Football Special]

Will be a strong Brighton side but as always with these games lots of changes during the match as subs get a runout. 

If it's 3pm Saturday I'd imagine they'd bring quite a few for a day out, not that appealing for us home fans, likely they'll just open a couple of stands 

[stevegrant]

15 hours ago, Football Special said:

Will be a strong Brighton side but as always with these games lots of changes during the match as subs get a runout. 

If it's 3pm Saturday I'd imagine they'd bring quite a few for a day out, not that appealing for us home fans, likely they'll just open a couple of stands 

Depends how they price it, I reckon. Anything more than a tenner and you'll have most people saying "can't be arsed, not worth the effort", I suspect. So obviously it'll be £20...

[Master Bates]

Huh???

 

[trousers]

 

 

[die Mannyschaft]

44 minutes ago, trousers said:

 

 

Brilliant,  just down the road, another 7-1 for Saints will do. Considering Eastleigh are mainly comprised of Saints fans will be another good crowd.  Although a lot of subs last time, 1st half, 2nd half team hope all the staring 11 play, if Still knows thd starting 11 by then

[suewhistle]

The known date should make the Eastleigh players take their pre-season training more seriously!

[ChristopheVAFC]

VAFC will spend several days training at Southampton's facilities, and Stéphane Moulin's team will face the English side, relegated to the Championship and now coached by former RC Lens coach Will Still, behind closed doors on 18 June.

Southampton - VAFC, 18 July (Training centre, behind closed doors.)

[suewhistle]

Does @Pilchards still hide in that tree?

[Holmes_and_Watson]

1 hour ago, suewhistle said:

Does @Pilchards still hide in that tree?

Pilchards' stealth technology has moved on.

[trousers]

 

 

[warsash saint]

Why again by closed doors?  Quite fancied a trip to Spain 🤬

[die Mannyschaft]

Not sure why it's taking so long to get the Eastleigh fc tickets on sale. 

[trousers]

Do we know when the players are due back for the start of pre-season training? (those that aren't away on international duty of course)

[sad saints fan]

Pre season testing starts at the end of the week

[trousers]

19 hours ago, sad saints fan said:

Pre season testing starts at the end of the week

Cheers 👍

[Football Special]

Remember most other championship teams finished their season first weekend in May whereas we had three more weeks 

[trousers]

9 minutes ago, Football Special said:

Remember most other championship teams finished their season first weekend in May whereas we had three more weeks 

Our season finished on 15th December 2024....

[Saint86]

42 minutes ago, Football Special said:

Remember most other championship teams finished their season first weekend in May whereas we had three more weeks 

Think you may have been living in a parallel universe 😄

[Football Special]

4 hours ago, Saint86 said:

Think you may have been living in a parallel universe 😄

Not hard to understand? 

Championship season ended 3rd May, most of them started breaks then. 

Our season ended 25th May vs Arsenal so our summer break is shorter than other clubs which may impact our pre season return

[AlexLaw76]

6 minutes ago, Football Special said:

Not hard to understand? 

Championship season ended 3rd May, most of them started breaks then. 

Our season ended 25th May vs Arsenal so our summer break is shorter than other clubs which may impact our pre season return

On the flip side, we played less games last season.

[skintsaint]

1 minute ago, AlexLaw76 said:

On the flip side, we played less games last season.

And during those games not run around too much.

[Saint86]

47 minutes ago, Football Special said:

Not hard to understand? 

Championship season ended 3rd May, most of them started breaks then. 

Our season ended 25th May vs Arsenal so our summer break is shorter than other clubs which may impact our pre season return

Our season was finished a lot earlier than May 🤣

Edited 24 June, 2025 by Saint86

[S-Clarke]

On 24/06/2025 at 09:29, trousers said:

Our season finished on 15th December 2024....

That early? I had it finished in September 2024 myself.

We've had a year of Friendlies, we should be fighting fit!

[Matthew Le God]

On 23/06/2025 at 14:08, trousers said:

Do we know when the players are due back for the start of pre-season training? (those that aren't away on international duty of course)

 

On 24/06/2025 at 09:20, Football Special said:

Remember most other championship teams finished their season first weekend in May whereas we had three more weeks 

Today...

 

[Matthew Le God]

 

 

[ErwinK1961]

49 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

 

 

Is it me or does Alex McCarthy always looked a bit surprised by his surroundings?

I mean, we’re all a bit surprised you’re still here Alex as well, but at least try and look like you belong.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Tiss is there as we looked so unfit last season, he fancies his chances of getting back in. 🙂

[Saint_clark]

Have we really only got 3 pre-season friendlies? I remember we used to have about 7 or 8. Or are there other games we only intend to send reserve/youth players to which aren't listed on the site? 

[Matthew Le God]

13 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

Have we really only got 3 pre-season friendlies?

Currently 4 friendlies, still time for others to be announced.

Eastleigh

Espanyol (behind closed doors)

Valenciennes (behind closed doors)

Brighton

[sockeye]

2 hours ago, Matthew Le God said:

 

 

Love MLT strolling in at the end. Like he has a spare key cut.