Southampton Football 'Club,' what is the club?

[Colinjb]

A recent sparing session with Nineteen Canteen has made me see a reason for a seeming split in the fans right now.

 

1) There are those that support the organisation that is Southampton FC, the board room activities and continuation of the regime that has historically existed, and:

 

2) Those that follow the community establishment that is Southampton FC, something that the local society follow, support and therefore it the club is based upon it, regardless of who is in charge.

 

Where do you stand on this?

 

I personally feel that '1' cannot exist without '2,' therefore if the current club folds during this administration period it won't matter, because due to the fans there will always be a club to support, a new entity will spring from it. I welcome other peoples viewpoints.

[Arizona]

To me it's whichever team goes out onto the pitch representing us supporters. The board, the stadium, the league, the origins of the players are largely irrelevant, as long as they are playing for us.

[Wes Tender]

A recent sparing session with Nineteen Canteen has made me see a reason for a seeming split in the fans right now.

 

1) There are those that support the organisation that is Southampton FC, the board room activities and continuation of the regime that has historically existed, and:

 

2) Those that follow the community establishment that is Southampton FC, something that the local society follow, support and therefore it the club is based upon it, regardless of who is in charge.

 

Where do you stand on this?

 

I personally feel that '1' cannot exist without '2,' therefore if the current club folds during this administration period it won't matter, because due to the fans there will always be a club to support, a new entity will spring from it. I welcome other peoples viewpoints.

 

There was a third group, who would normally support the club through thick and thin, but couldn't feel able to coninue that support while Lowe and the Quisling remained in control. Those two have hopefully gone for ever, so those supporters now fall into group 2. With luck, those in group 1 will also now fall into group 2 too, so that we can move forward with unity.

[Nineteen Canteen]

A recent sparing session with Nineteen Canteen has made me see a reason for a seeming split in the fans right now.

 

1) There are those that support the organisation that is Southampton FC, the board room activities and continuation of the regime that has historically existed, and:

 

2) Those that follow the community establishment that is Southampton FC, something that the local society follow, support and therefore it the club is based upon it, regardless of who is in charge.

 

Where do you stand on this?

 

I personally feel that '1' cannot exist without '2,' therefore if the current club folds during this administration period it won't matter, because due to the fans there will always be a club to support, a new entity will spring from it. I welcome other peoples viewpoints.

 

Colin problem is people won't necessary identify with that new entity and as Wes alluded to below there was an Option 3 and there is no guarantee that option will not become important once again leading to pressure on that new entity's future.

 

The existence of 1 that is identified in both the local community and the wider football/national community is of paramount importance. Having that 'name and associated history' that the local community can support knowing it is also acknowledged nationally as a known entity encourages support or at least it should IMO.

 

The entity should be permanent whereas the local community that supports it will change and move with the times but like you say the bed rock of support remains. Remove the entity in this case Southampton FC and its long and rich history and people who may no longer be part of the local community (plenty on here) will have no more reason to continue their support and perhaps look for opportunities in their own local communities. That erodes the bed rock of support and because of the loss of the national identity instilling pride in their club the local community will also lose interest in a new entity IMO no matter how connected it is to what has one before.

 

Perhaps a bad analogy but in Tennis we have 4 Grand slams, 3 identify the nation and one is called Wimbledon. Why not change the name to the British Open?

 

Again perhaps another bad example but if Man Utd went bust would they be as well supported as Trafford Rovers? (Unable able to use the City suffix).

 

I think the brand name is king and there are examples of those names being changed in the past it is usually to create synergy with a global name and it is usually not well received by the public. Saints simply won't be the same if they are not Southampton FC

[Scummer]

Surely if Southampton FC went bust, there would be no reason for any new club to not be called Southampton FC?

[Give it to Ron]

Saints simply won't be the same if they are not Southampton FC

 

Well the club was originally known as Southampton St Marys and its the same club now as was called then so IMO you are totally wrong.

[70's Mike]

all to deep and meaning full

 

coyr

[Colinjb]

Well the club was originally known as Southampton St Marys and its the same club now as was called then so IMO you are totally wrong.

 

Fiorentina wern't the same when they folded and became Florentia Viola then.... until they re-established themselves, became Fiorentina again and reclaimed their Serie A status.

 

Sorry 19, but I dissagree completely, there is too much precident of clubs folding or suffering total boardroom change, being perpetuated by the fans and emerging from the turbulence.

 

Middlesborough

Charlton

Fiorentina

The Skates

Chelsea

Leeds

Leicester

Coventry

Parma

Wimbledon (In the conference next year, bravo to them.)

Spurs

 

They all have suffered major upheaval and emerged.

 

We will survive.

Edited 14 April, 2009 by Colinjb

[Nineteen Canteen]

Fiorentina wern't the same when they folded and became Florentia Viola then.... until they re-established themselves, became Fiorentina again and reclaimed their Serie A status.

 

Sorry 19, but I dissagree completely, there is too much precident of clubs folding or suffering total boardroom change, being perpetuated by the fans and emerging from the turbulence.

 

Middlesborough

Charlton

Fiorentina

The Skates

Chelsea

Leeds

Leicester

Coventry

Parma

Wimbledon (In the conference next year, bravo to them.)

Spurs

 

They all have suffered major upheaval and emerged.

 

We will survive.

 

Colin most of your examples didn't actually become extinct and the original clubs were bought up on the cheap and kept going most importantly under their old names. I don't dispute if that happens to us then we'll be ok its if they have to chnage their name because Wimbledon no longers exists and is not the team that won the FA Cup with the crazy gang.

 

I know its at the other end of the scale but look at Gretna or Aldershot. If we suffer the same fate can you wait 20 years for your club to return to the league?

 

Lets just hope we survive in tact from all this wreckage, AFC Southampton to me would be the bitterest pill.

[John D]

Knowing our fans lack of ability to unite we would probably end up with an AFC Southampton and a Southampton Rovers both claiming to be the rightful phoenix club. Still it would give this forum something to argue about.