Bourne Valley Saint

Well done "Billy". I couldn't describe it better. I stupidly said to a couple of mates in the pub before the game that I was very confident of a victory. One of them replied "have you seen the team?" Then my jaw dropped. Having witnessed first hand the shambles of the Gazza and Jos charity bash at Newcastle, I thought that there was no way Fonte woule be omitted and hopefully Kelvin might be fit or even Cropper may play!! To see Luke Shaw out just about put me on the floor. No way with that defence were we going to keep a clean sheet. To be fair to Fox, I thought he did ok. He's always slated for not picking up the player and marking space but MP must tell him to defend that way. I watched his reaction to Adam's goal and he pumped his fist in delight - it was a good run and pass to set it up. I know he's not a Luke Shaw but he puts his heart into it and is a good squad member who has helped us get back to the top. I would have been quite happy to have had him in the back four if Fonte and Kelvin were playing - but not with Jos and Gazza. It was never going to work. Rickie was out of sorts and I've never seen him waste so much possession and look so lethargic. He had a chance to pass the ball towards their box in the first ten minutes and despite being given acres of space by the poor Spurs defending, he just couldn't make the pass - it seemed to get stuck under his feet because he was so slow. J Rod was poor and offered little going forward. Without Lallana we would be seriously in trouble. I do hope he stays injury free. It will be interesting to see what team MP puts out at Cardiff. If its Jos and Gazza again I might make a U turn on the Severn Bridge! If not, then let's hope we can give the artificial Tan something else to whinge about.

Well done Billy - a very accurate assessment of what I remember watching from the lofty heights of Newcastle. We were so high and far away from the pitch that it was like watching Subbuteo (for those old enough to remember) on the lounge carpet! I did hear a rumour that Fonte was on the bench due to turning up late for training - talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face if that is true!!! Great to see the change in play once the magician Lallana and the magnifique Schneiderlin came on - pity they didn't start. The goals that we have conceded lately have mainly come about due to mistakes and no brilliance from the opposition (Delph aside!) We weren't making these mistakes early in the season (of if we were we got away with them) and we need to cut them out. Hooiveld and Gazza nearly cost us dear on Saturday. Will be interesting to see the composition of the back 5 on Sunday. Mods - even though Billy doesn't want it MAKE THIS A STICKY. No reports anywhere else ever comes close.

Another excellent, amusing and well written article. MODERATORS - MAKE BILLY ****E'S LEAGUE ONE MINUS 10 A STICKY!!!!

Never mind those that leave early. I must have got out of my seat at least 20 times during the match to let people out. I was up and down like a yo-yo. That's the trouble with 5.30 p.m. kick offs and cold weather - slackbladders!

Given all of the original poster's positive comments about the club, it's the empty red seats that baffle me. We had bigger crowds in League One. I don't care what shape or size the occupants are - just fill them up.

He's magnificent - he needs a song "Ward-Prowse" instead of "Our House" to the Madness tune or as we used to do for Lundekvaam "Our Claus" Can anyone come up with suitable lyrics?

Whoops - it felt like a victory being there!!

Excellent report and analysis. You could have mentioned that we beat United with 5 League One players on the pitch!

The highlight of the day off the pitch came when those complete knobs stormed out because Guly came on. I really wish they wouldn't follow Southampton. They were an embarrassment to the majority of Saints fans and the stewards looked gobsmacked that supporters could behave in such a way. A more satisfying conclusion you could not wish to see (unless of course Guly had scored the winner!) Remember, Guly was one of five Saints players who played in League One who were on the pitch when we equalised. With Kelvin on the bench (making 6) plus Shaw, Ward-Prowse and Chambers from the academy, it shows that keeping a squad together and blending in the youngsters is a far better way to achieve stability and success than the panic buying of footballing mercenaries that some other clubs choose!

I said to my son on the way out that only Saints fans could boo their own player whilst sitting 4th in the league! Utterly pathetic from the abusers. What other ground have you been to where they boo/jeer their own players whilst winning? It was unsettling for the team as they were reluctant to involve him because of the stick he was getting - a Catch 22 situation brought on by our venomous fans! He was up against one of the quickest wingers in the Prem and it wasn't his fault that he was exposed. He wasn't given much help until JWP came on. He had to stand off him - what good would diving in have done? At least he bought a bit of time for the others to cover. No he's not as good as Luke Shaw but he puts a Saints shirt on, gives it his best and deserves better from the supporters. How many who were there yesterday jeering him watched him in our promotion season? Pathetic.

Was there for the Steve Moran winner in 1981. The Kop had a banner made up of individual cards spelling F U C K O F F K E E G A N How sweet it was when Steve Moran netted the goal on 89 minutes after Keegan had put him through! Not so good outside though! Also saw us win 3-2 in 1998 - we were brilliant that day. Have seen us lose a few times as well - 7-1 springs to mind. Can't go Saturday but you never know - we've won once in each of the last 3 decades!

I remember the amount of effort that England put into their bid by giving details of the stadia to be used, the surrounding infrastructure and specific details on the timings, ultimately to be unsuccessful. Qatar on the other hand put in a bid that was impossible for FIFA to turn it down - the only oversight being the lack of facilities (perhaps stadiums being the biggest omission) and when the tournament would actually be played!!. A thoroughly well thought out and comprehensive bid by Qatar - FIFA had no choice but to accept What the criteria was for their acceptance, well we can only guess!!!!!! It certainly wasn't for footballing reasons. The sooner we leave FIFA the better. Perhaps UEFA can stretch their wings and embrace the Americas/Australasias and set up an alternative World Cup!

No - Nick left when they got kicked out of the Conference. As did Tommy Widdrington. Darell Clarke is the manager now - ex Hartlepool player. Nick is working away from football at present. I spoke with his son last week and he said Nick is fine.

Great Result for Salisbury. Back in the Conference again after being demoted two divisions in 2010 by a dodgy board who changed the rules on paying the taxman days after giving Salisbury the boot. One of the decision makers was the chairman of Forest Green whose side finished in the relegation places (third from bottom) but avoided relegation thanks to that board's decision!!! Salisbury got 68 points that season, had a ten point deduction mid-season, then got demoted two divisions. Funny how teams like Salisbury, Swindon and Luton get clobbered but Portsmouth just get a meaningless ten point deduction after managing to relegate themselves without the League's intervention! Anyway good luck to them. There are loads of Saints fans living in and around Salisbury and most that I know have an affinity to both teams.

I can't believe what some of you are writing. We've played 37 games of the highest intensity that I can ever recall and thanks to Rickie's efforts we're going to get another crack at it next season. He is a class act who can hold the ball up for other players (it's not his fault if there a limited options for him to pass to), score opportunist goals, take top class free kicks and has a 100% conversion rate for penalties. He'd be the first name on my team sheet every time. He's probably exhausted after a long, hard season being kicked, pushed and bashed by the best defenders in the land. He's still the top English scorer in the Premiership and hopefully he'll add to his tally next week and we can give him the rousing end of season send off that he fully deserves.

I went to the Game at FP in 1976 and there was a spot of bother in their Milton Road End but nothing too serious. However, at the home game earlier that season (I was 17 at the time) I went with a mate to the match and rather naively suggested to him that we should go and watch from the Archers Road as all the Pompey will be up the Milton - as that was the case the year before (they were separated by a line of police and stewards all match!). I had a red and white scarf on and walked in to the Archers to be greeted by about 3000 Blue and White clad Pompey fans. I tried walking along the gulley behind the terracing to get to the East Stand whilst trying to dodge the doc martens being aimed at me from the back of the terrace (a bit like one of those tv games where you try and remain upright whilst objects pop out and try and hit you) but couldn't get through, so clutching my red and white scarf in my hand went back along again to try and get in the pen between the Archers and the West Stand (where the scoreboard used to be) and after a few more kicks managed to get in there where fortunately a few other daft Saints fans were standing and we remained in relative safely for the rest of the game which we won 4-0 (its on You Tube somewhere). We used to sing "We come from Southampton the Pride of the South" a lot in those days and can never remember any goodwill towards them. However, I knew of several people a generation older who went to watch both Saints and Pompey in the 50's and 60's but luckily it skipped our generation! So in answer to the original question, I can vouch that there was no love lost between the two sets of fans from 1976!!

Sheffield Wednesday away September 1984. The March before we had taken about 10000 to the cup quarter final on a Sunday. I was heading to North Wales on a driving job and parked up in Buxton (I didn't think I'd get away with diverting any further east from my route). I hitch-hiked the remainder of the way to Sheffield and got in about 10 minutes late. There were only about 100 Saints fans in one tiny pen in the Leppings Lane End - what a contrast to 6 months prior! We lost 2-1 and luckily I got a lift back with my mates from Hillsborough to Buxton. Slept in the truck and headed to North Wales the next morning. Luckily my boss never checked the mileage! Burnley away in 1979 was a weird one as mentioned before. I drove with 3 mates from Salisbury and it was the only game on in the area due to the snow. I remember the Halifax fans in with us. We drew 3-3 after being 3-1 down. We got back to Salisbury in time to see it all again on MOTD. I've seen us let in 6 at Charlton on a Friday night on 24.9.76 and 12 days later score 6 at Wolves winning 6-2. I think Wolves had beaten Hereford away 6-1 the Saturday before! I was at Wolves in 2007 when we won 6-0. I've seen us win 6-0 at Carlisle in January 2007 after Peter Wells (our goalkeeper) had pulled off a miraculous save when the score was 0-0. I know this thread is about away days but we did have a couple of surreal games at The Dell against Coventry in 1982 when we drew 5-5 and in 1984 when we beat them 8-2. (Thanks to "In That Number" for giving me the correct dates- let alone the years!)

Perhaps he's heard about the stupid "Bale" chant every time someone falls over!!

That's brought back a few more memories. Ticket hidden inside sock due to the Mancs going to any length to get a ticket. They were a notorious bunch in those days. I think 70's Mike was at the bottom of our steps waiting to get in because I remember we got there so early the turnstiles were shut and we were all waiting on the steps to get in. A load of United fans kept charging up the steps and scattering men, women and children everywhere. Then a small group of Saints fans waded right through them giving it "SOUTHAMPTON", knocking the Mancs aside, and the atmosphere lifted and the noise really started and Saints fans suddenly woke up to the fact that we were there and were going to give it the best support ever. The journey home was magnificent - every bridge along the M3 crowded with people wearing red and white cheering and waving. I didn't go to the Civic reception on the Sunday - I was too drained but did go to Mick Channon's Testimonial on the Monday against QPR. What an atmosphere. There was a human touchline. I queued up for about 6 hours to get in. Great times - when winning the cup meant something.

I was there in D9 - the ticket cost £5.00. I was 17 at the time and went up on one of Clive Foley's coaches. What a great day. I was too young to drink so remember it it all so clearly - much more so than in 2003 which is just a blur!!! We were outnumbered 3:1 by man Utd fans but we made a lot of noise and as Lady Saints says, that was the greatest day of supporting Saints in our lives so far. We weren't given a chance - jack Charlton had predicted 6-1!!! It was a nervous start but after 20 minutes or so you could sense the team start believing they could do it and Channon was magnificent. Once United made their sub (you were only allowed one each in those days) we knew we had them riled and after 83 minutes ....... well the rest is history.

No don't bother - you'll only find another two scapegots to whinge about. Crikey - what is it with some people? Never happy no matter what. Two years ago we were playing Plymouth. Next Saturday we are away at Spurs but if that's not good enough then go elsewhere.

Mathematically no but based upon our current form as opposed to others I'd say we'll be several points clear come the final day. If shown on a graph, our form over recent games would show an upward curve with points per game being as high as a team like Fulham or Everton (I'm guessing but I'll bet I'm not far out) as opposed to the likes of Norwich, Stoke, Sunderland, Newcastle and even West Ham who are losing points hand over fist. We're playing as well as at any time this season and our players and manager are full of confidnce. Us getting relegated is as likely as Pompey getting promotion!!!!! Have some faith.

The bloke in front of me in the Kingsland had his banner confiscated before the game by the stewards. It said something like "Don't take away the Goose that laid the Golden Egg". Really offensive!! Can't believe what an easy ride Cortese had last night!! I was embarassed that the majority of Saints fans just sat there and gave silent approval for the way he dealt with the NA sacking and aftermath. I can't imagine many other clubs who treated their manager so shabbily would have been quite so quiet. Mind you, having the tannoy blasting out decibels right up to kick off was probably another master stroke by Cortese in the quashing of any vocal or visible disontent!! No mention of NA or the backroom staff in the programme, no thanks for what they achieved, confiscation of banners and face masks ........... yes, I'm really proud of our chairman and so glad that we didn't offend him last night!!!

Cortese has a background in banking (that is meant to be a "b") so someone please explain to me how he has such foresight in the footballing world that he can tell that Nigel Adkins could not take us any further?!! He's been at the club a little over three years whilst many of us on here have been watching Saints for years and thought Nige was doing ok. What knowledge (no - not money) does he possess to make such a decision on football matters? Who is advising him if anyone? Some of you on here state that he's done ok so far (he got rid of AP for allegedly non-football reasons) so trust him but what football knowledge does he actually have? Do you trust this new managerial appointment to deliver something that is better than what we had? Serious question.

Yes Delmary - the Chelsea fans do it every game because they are so unhappy with the dismissal of Di Matteo and the appointment of Benitez. Crikey, they are almost telling Abramovich that they do not like his decision making - something they've been scared to do in the past. Fair play to Chelsea fans - they are standing (or sitting) for what they believe in. I do not agree with the way Cortese has treated NA and am happy to let him know it. If you want to sit on your backside and pretend all is well, give NC the nod of approval, then fine, but I don't.