alehouseboys

I've just read something in Duncan Holley/Gary Chalk's 'In that Number' that said (1979/80 season) plans for a new stadium at Western Esplanade were at an 'advanced stage' but another alternative site had come up for a 40,000 capacity ground at Eastleigh proposed by local firm Perbury Builders. I guess this would have been the Wide Lane plans? Can't believe there's no plans or images for the Western Esplanade proposal gathering dust somewhere.

Nah, you right, just misread it. Must be your Arabian accent!

Fail. although i do agree about the pony-punchers losing

I don't agree, we were progressing quite nicely at the time. I started going regularly around the time of the Ted Bates 'Alehouse Brawlers' not too long after we were getting relegated with Lawrie Mac in 1974. Bit of a coup signing Ossie soon after, winning the FA Cup as a second division side 2 years later, European quarter-finalists followed and promotion back to the top in 78. League Cup finalists in 1979, Keegan, Europe again and finishing runners-up to Liverpool all in a few short years. That's when we really needed a new stadium to push on. It never happened, McMenemy lost heart with failed promises and moved on. We then went backwards.

It may very well be a confidence thing with Mo, looks like he's not struggling to perform and score at Celtic and he scored 22 goals in the 2 seasons at Basel before we bought him. I'm sure they're more aware of his capabilities on the training field to assess whether he's up to it, sending him to Celtic might be a move to get his confidence up or they've seen enough and looking for a club to sell on to. Either the PL is a step too far or we just have a bad habit of sending players backwards in form.

This one https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/4825812/england-fans-scotland-troll-song-prague-euro-2020/

Seen this elsewhere, could have legs 1-2-3-4 Pompey got battered 4-0 at home Pompey got battered 4-0 at home 4-0 at hoooome 1-2-3-4 Pompey got battered In their own backyard Pompey got battered In their own backyard In their own backyaaaard

I think 1 or 2 club historians post (or used to) on this form, they may have something on it. Fitzhugh Fella?

Due to over-running roadworks, snarling everything up all round.

I don't think it ever got that far, I can't remember any one of the schemes being chosen. I think there was a third design that possibly had a running track around. Yep, someone must have photos somewhere, would be interesting to see the plans again.

Yeah, you're right, Lordshill was later, in the 90s.

There was also Lordshill proposed back in the 80s near to where the David Lloyd Tennis Centre is. I don't think I've ever heard of any plans for Western Esplanade from the 40s, the land was only reclaimed from the sea a few years before. Some probably don't know but Southampton had a big beach front that lapped almost up to Southampton Central train station. From Berth 101 in the docks back to the container port was also all waterfront, no docks in that part of the city back then. The only story I've heard about moving from the Dell in the 40s was when Charlie Knott, a local mover-and-shaker, tried to get us to Bannister Road where the speedway stadium was. That would have been around 40,000, the biggest capacity of the 3 schemes at Western Esplanade would have been around 50,000.

The OP is certainly talking about Western Esplanade, once the old power station was demolished and surrounding land cleared, this was the site proposed for the new stadium. The power station was demolished end of the 70s ready for construction early 80s. It eventually all fell apart, and we ended up with Toys'R'Us.

It got as far as having 3D models made of the proposals that were on public display at the Central Library, there were 3 separate schemes if I remember correctly, a model for each. There must be archive photos in existence at the Echo.

I don't know how anybody would know there are now more tickets on sale. The club haven't put anything on the OS or ticket site or emailed a message (I've had 2 today about Everton tickets and firework displays, haven't a clue if it's been on twitter as don't use it) the only way would be to tap in to this fixture on the OS but as they announced 2 weeks ago "Thanks for your brilliant support/now sold out" why would many do that?

And why wait 2 weeks to get them on sale after selling out the initial allocation? Our ticket office is about as competent as wee Ross' mob.

It does make you wonder with our ticket office don't it, sold out 2 weeks ago and no sign or mention of getting any more and now suddenly 5 days before the game they've put Block 9 on sale. After the last sh*tstorm of a performance against Chelsea you couldn't blame fans now to sack this one off.

Arsenal at home last year wasn't a bad one but they certainly don't readily spring to mind. Everton, Category A, FFS.

If we remain shy in front of goal I can't really see us holding out for a point. If it's (somehow) still 0-0 with 15 to go, they'll just throw on Giroud and Mount and............

And spurs stuffed 'em 4-0 recently, it's a crazy world

I'd say you're right and having an unusually small PL ground may have worked to their advantage, probably a bit of a shock for some of the primadonnas more used to the big stage and the small away support may help.

If we concede in 18 mins I fear we may be in trouble.

That's how it started out, Watneys was one of the club's sponsors back in the 60s/70s and that's where it came from. Watneys Brown Ale - but somehow over the years it got changed to rum by some.

"...whisky AND rum" what was that one about? (and rum didn't even rhyme with town anyway)

And, tbf, while Saints fans just slag him off and constantly call him sh*t, he probably walks off the pitch at Parkhead and tells everyone how sh*t the fans are at St Mary's.