ItchenRob

I was 15 then and surrounded by a group of ManUre fans who beat me over the head with their flagsticks and said they wouldn't stop until I sang "I'd rather be a Devil than a Saint". I refused and ran away. I was a fairly good runner in those days so they never caught me !

We sit right behind the dug-outs and a very common remark is that the players seem to take zero notice of anything MP says during the game !

Responsible for one of my best ever moments as a Saints fan. A cracking player but never quite reached previous heights after his back problems. I would be happy to contribute to any fund raising initiatives.

Watching him on SSN I felt genuinely sorry for him. It sounded as though he was about to have a breakdown. He seems like a genuinely nice guy and one would have thought he would know more about football than anyone on this forum but, like most on here, I don't understand a lot of his decisions or how he sets Saints up to play.

Hi Shroppie, good to meet you in the Estcourt after the game today. Hope you had a good trip back. Agree with your comments. UTS !

Quite a few different types of white Saints shirts in the not too distant past, eg http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SOUTHAMPTON-ENGLAND-SOTON-2002-2003-2004-AWAY-FOOTBALL-SHIRT-JERSEY-SAINTS-/162131219235?hash=item25bfc61323:g:zhYAAOSwyDxXgPfI UTS !

Benjii - 45 minute walk - didn't realise it would be that long. I quite like Brazzer's idea. We can discuss on plane/airport. Cheers.

The Aladdin Hotel - looks fairly central. The Train bar is mentioned earlier in the thread but despite intensive Googling I cannot find any other information about it. Cheers !

I am staying in Be'er Sheva overnight? Hotel suspiciously cheap ! Intrigued by the bar in the old train.

My hotel is in Ha-Yarkon Street which crosses Allenby Street (although Allenby Street looks very long). My Hotel didn't seem to have been completed when I looked on Google Maps ! Very happy to meet up for a beer somewhere if anyone had a venue in mind.

Train from airport to Tel Aviv is only about £3 and takes 21 minutes so was planning doing that.

Also on that flight. Just purchased a seat with extra leg-room as I am reasonably tall - although its Row 13 and as much as I know its superstitious nonsense I am not a great flyer anyway !

Let us know how you get on please ! "If you have any queries or comments about any ITV programmes or services, please send an email to ITV Viewer Services at viewerservices@itv.com"

Very enjoyable read and I certainly identify with the "obscure or tortuous route" to supporting Saints having grown up in a small village near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire where people tended to support the London teams, Man Ure and Luton. My mum had always been a Saints fan and several family members lived in and around Southampton. At age 15 I got very excited as a family moved in nearby who were Saints supporters. Unfortunately the 2 sons were having a flirtation with Man Ure at the time but, in the words of John Cleese in Holy Grail when he claimed he had been turned into a newt they "got better". We now travel all over the country together following Saints. I now live near Horley (near Gatwick). The other day I noticed that someone had added a halo to the stickman pavement sign on the Balcombe Road. Anything to do with you, Horley CTFC Saint??! Looking forward to the next chapter

This apparently :Whatever ..... Seahorse @ Ramboela 2h Ronald Koeman is simply held by Southampton dangling Translated from English by Bing Ronald Koeman by Southampton just put

One of our dogs died unexpectedly the day after I got back from the last Sunderland away game and I have blubbed every day since, having at times to hide in the bogs at work to compose myself. I feel guilty because I feel more upset than when close relatives have died, but as someone pointed out I didn't live with my relatives, feed them every day, clear up their cr@p and they didn't sleep in a basket in my bedroom and, unlike the wife, he was over the moon to see me when I came home.

Are you allowed to say it ironically ?

No "Just back from the game thread" ?! Glad I was out of shot to the far right where some of the London Saints were also sitting. I thought Saints were the better side for most of the game but lacked a cutting edge until Rickie and Mayuka came on. I was also pleased they did not really treat it as a friendly and a credit to both teams for a high tempo match when it was so hot. The security after the game was poor. I could easily have kicked Slaven Bilic up the ar$e when he was posing for photos at the end. Another highlight was getting a "Gracias" from the Saints coach when fielding a ball which Gazza missed during his..... err..... warm up/down at the end. I did think about explaining I play in goal for a 6 a side team in the Brixton Top Corner Championship but decided against it and, being 52, I think my chances of a call up are now slim.

Alpine, thanks very much for the info. I will certainly try out these places. I will have to give Ackern a miss as I have to get a train back to Salzburg. Cheers !

Yes, I will be there for the Besiktas game. Sadly, in every sense of the word, travelling on my own this year as my normal travelling companions are, for reasons best known to themselves "holidaying with their families". Any recommendations regarding bars etc? Thanks

Please see second para of text on the link. Even at pre-season foreign away games Saints have more supporters than that. http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/wigan_athletic/114471/snapshot-wigans-slightly-naff-away-support-at-norwich.html

jo tongue ‏@tonguetweets "Saints Asst' Andy Crosby said Halsey came in at HT and said he gave pen for Guzan challenge on Puncheon &was playing advantage(in the box?)"

I live near Gatwick. Got in at at 5 this morning following a succession of public transport nightmares. My mother and wife have banned me from going again. I am 51.

I had people sitting behind me screaming abuse at Adkins - until we suddenly scored 2 very quick goals ! They included a prominent member of the London Saints and a lady who referred to every Saints player as an "effin useless C"nt". Her footballing knowledge was confirmed when she called the Brighton keeper for too many steps. The vast majority of Saints fans have some balance and perspective but we have our fair share of ... well we all know them. But what a brilliant day. Possibly in my top 5 all Saints results (my first game was in 1975)

Unfortunately got all the way there. Left Euston at 9 and got a call from a friend saying it was off just as the train was pulling out of Manchester. I feel a right tw4t !