TheAlehouseBrawlers

On the bench for Juve tonight at the San Siro

Unless there's a sudden upsurge in ticket sales over the next couple of days then St Mary's will look a bit roomy for this one. Looks like they haven't bothered opening the Chapel corners again and sales slow in most stands. Watford still have plenty of tickets left from the smaller allocation, blocks 43 and 44 will be empty in their bit. If we were to get through then I recommend numerous viewings of Shane Long on that Anfield night back in 2017 to get the blood racing.

Realistically Leicester are not chucking away enough points for anyone to catch them. They’ve probably got a more ruthless edge to them, scoring 5 away in a midlands derby - we should have been 4 or 5 up by halftime in the last 2 away league games but have relaxed the pace and intensity second half. Not complaining, it’s likely tactical as we could probably up the tempo if required. And yesterday Vik the Viking was their MOTM (in both fixtures against us -unfortunately for them they’ll lose him in the summer) but the ratio of chances created to converted could improve.

We had 80% at St Mary's but still only drew - Rovram 0 Savampton 4 ...I can feel it in me bones

Juve away to Inter tomorrow, won't feature of course, but Milan...it could have been Rotherham Charly, what were you thinking......................?

I think we can all see where this is going if certain PL clubs don't get what they want come the end of the season.

I often peruse the oppo fans board just before we play, as much these days to see if Wade Garrett has had any bites, the Rotherham board ain’t the busiest but I did see this on there which will probably impact over here https://amp.theguardian.com/football/2024/jan/27/misapplication-of-laws-var-error-leads-to-full-replay-of-anderlecht-genk-belgium

A couple being offered up over on the UI https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/southampton/forum/305878/there-might-be-a-spare-ticket-for-rotherham/#2

Dinlos, they are the "dominant club in the geography". Dorset is their geography and they are doing better than Poole Town, Dorchester and Weymouth. Thick little bumpkins.

You can certainly see why they were so popular with the young lassies ….if you look closely once seen can’t be unseen…

Aesthetically that would look a right dog's dinner. You can only really get away with having one towering stand along the side. Moot point though as ain't happening for the forseeable. The only possible option for moving the away fans is to the Chapel/Kingsland corner as coaches could be parked on the industrial estate but it still gives a massive issue for getting them back for the trains. No easy solution. Where they are now is clearly the most suitable location. To get over having to watch away fans bouncing around on the TV as they score another late winner (particular if we get back to the PL) I'd find a way to stick the TV cameras in the Itchen. And if the players and coaches on the home bench are pissed off copping an ear full of the away's volume put some new dugouts in the Kingsland. In reality none of this is going to happen is it...

As we’re edging towards 90mins this weekend, I can see no harm in a little nostalgia in recognition of 40 years… ”Steve Moran, Steve Moran, Stevie, Steve Moran, When he hits the ball, he’s bound to score, Stevie, Steve Moran”

A bit uncanny that the 40th anniversary of a particular 4th round victory falls on exactly the same date as this year's 4th round for us. Shall I....? Shall I....? ....oh, go on then

And now even more reason to make them available straight away as all half-season-tickets put on sale in December were completely snapped up. Demand will only increase from now ‘til end of season.

Unless it’s the cup aways are in the corner at Arsenal. Liverpool had behind the goal there with the bigger FA Cup allocation recently…..and beat them.

Wish ours were a bit more like that inside St Mary’s

Agree, looks the part already. If he doesn't start then I 'd expect him to get on early second half. Good opportunity for Rothwell to start after another week on the training ground. Would think Lumley starts again too.

The Mail has Chelsea at 30%, 12,000 of a capacity of 40,000. Liverpool will have 13,300 in their expanded capacity of 61,000. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-12416803/Safe-standing-return-Premier-League-flights-opening-weekend-not-keen-new-stadium-changes.html Wolves have over 8,000 in a capacity about the same as St Mary's so maybe it's just the cost restricting Saints from installing more. If the entire Northam was made standing then it would have to stretch to going slightly round the corners so not to hinder sight-lines for those seated next to it, so I guess that would be getting on for around 6,000. A percentage also has to made available to visiting supporters.

We were victims of being the first time the bottom three went down. Man United went straight back up and were flying from then on, they had a fantastic side by 76 and it was a massive shock to get done in the final by a second division side. Bobby Charlton was predicting United would get six! We should have beat them at the Dell a year later in the FA Cup but they scraped a draw and replay - worth catching on the Big Match Revisited where it’s been shown before.

Having sat near the players bench in the past I can confirm the manager, subs, coaches and Directors seating get the away volume at full belt. Any noise from the Northam home area is very diluted and you can barely hear the Itchen North. Can only assume this is true but someone inside the club once told me this frustrated Koeman back then.

As I understand it, it’s limited and clubs can only make a percentage of the ground safe-standing which rules out making the entire Northam rail-seating. They have to also provide aways with a percentage. I reckon they’ll now be far stricter enforcing no standing in seated areas so will lessen the appeal to move to be next to any new visitors area.

I think you're right with that possible scenario, the acoustics are rubbish in St Mary's for atmosphere spreading around the ground. I've had season tickets in different stands over the years, the noise is OK if you're directly in front* of the 'singers' but when we had seats in the Northam/Kingsland corner a number of years back, you just couldn't hear the away fans and was often surprised to hear later that they were far noisier than the Northam crowd. And, tbh, the Northam hasn't created a "decent amount of noise" for quite a few years now, it's nothing like the early days. *and that's probably a factor in this decision now as our manager/bench cop the full volume of the away section which must be hard to stomach when it drowns out most of the home support. SR are likely hitting their heads against a wall thinking they're repairing a bit of damage and giving the (which have been) disgruntled fans something in return but now seeing plenty pissing on the idea.

The Northam is currently split in half home and aways, I was sat the other end Saturday and can confirm the home bit is crap these days, the same amount of aways make far more noise. As for wanting to be next to the aways for the ‘banter’ what’s the point? Other than the ones immediately either side of the divide the rest can’t even hear each other. Hope it works and improves the atmosphere but suspect most of the plonkers will just migrate.

2,000 already sold - short windows for this, season ticket holders until lunchtime tomorrow, then members until Wednesday lunchtime and then General Sale for anything remaining.

Strange that they were overcharging for these tickets but anyone who paid £20 will be getting a fiver refund. Around half of the allocation sold on the first day of sale, this will quickly sell-out.