ericb

Surely as the director of the club lowe could've taken us into admin before he did, and more importantly before the cut off date for this season. Instead he protected his assets (knowing they'd collapse when we went into admin) and dragged it out looking for a buyer before the banks said we had to do it. So technically Barclays put us into admin, but the toff could've done it earlier. Still would we have had Marcus without admin? Every cloud and that.

Well i for one am expecting Xavi to come out in the press and say that Lambert is his football hero.

Just another club to me, and actually one i like out for and want to do well too. They think it's something massive and definitely believe it's two sided (i work there). Really takes the wind out of their sails when you point out all we care about is pompey (in the rivals stakes)

I hope to god it's not wotton since he plays more like a fifth defender than a midfielder. Truth is if he's in the side i'd be very surprised if we won all the games, it seriously damages our team having someone so defensive (not to mention his inability to pass the ball)

That's the thing though most cherries i speak to think it's two ways and look kind of hurt and confused when i point out we like them and want them to do well (obviously not better than us). Personally i hate spurs, cardiff and derby more than them, and i'm guessing i'm not alone in that

I work in Bournemouth and they try so hard to have a rivalry with us it's embarrassing. I've even had cherries saying that it's as big as us vs pompey and that the policing will be the same. It's actually pretty funny when you take the wind out of their sails by pointing out that the large majority of saints fans like them and want to see them do well. Personally i think when we play them we should clap their team out, and then just ignore them for the rest of the game. Or better yet just sing "it's not a derby game" at them, so they finally realise stealing pompey's nickname for us and getting angry by themselves isn't a rivalry

seeing as i'm in row K i'll have a really long way to go to bang on them

Funnily enough i stand in block 42 and there's a few of us that sing that most games. And despite the usual prejudice it never speeds up (though most people don't know the verses)

i don't know why everyone moans i'm quite liking the fact that we've got three proper areas for noise now and even the Chapel is getting in it every now and again. Course there are bell ends in all sections but that's just a cross section of society. Got a feeling SMS could finally get to Dell levels of noise as we go up the leagues now since our support is starting to seem more up for it than when we were last in the prem'

Fair point, maybe i should've used Brisaal city as an example then. Still take numbers and make a **** load of racket but without the happy clappy stuff. Mind you there IS still a place for that, since that's how some nippers get into the game. Just would personally prefer both SMS and our away support to be a little more intimidating in the ground (but still decent out of it). Oh and to stick one last oar in - seeing as it's my last post - i think it's great to see the older lot at games too, shame we can't find a way of making sure those that need to be seated aren't near the front so they can be. We should never forget those old boys (and women) are our heritage, they've done it and they've earned the right to see every game whether we want to stand or not.

Woah there a sec, that's more than a little judgemental yourself. Personally i was on the **** from 9am till 4am and had a ****ing great laugh. I just think it'll hopefully help us get more fans in the future. For what it's worth though i'd rather we had less facepaints and more vocal fans as our away support, but everyone needs to start somewhere and a fun day like this can get people involved. For me the best away support is United's, loud; loyal; travel in numbers and you don't see many of them wearing colours do you?

maybe next time we get to a game like this the club could organising the ticketing a little better. Sell blocks from st marys together unless the people specifically request not to be there (the Northam behind the goal etc). This would sort out both the atmosphere - which i thought was pretty poor in Wembley - the standing arguments and let those that want to do things like mexican waves (i'm going to stick my neck out and say not many Itchen/Northam/Kingsland north types like them) do them. Still no point arguing about this since it was just ****ing fantastic to see so many Saints at a game and hopefully there's a load of kids/jcls that'll now be properly converted and start coming again. At the end of the day if we want that sort of size crowd at SMS we need them hooked somehow (just need to get them to learn the songs now!)

Jaidi was immense yesterday and probably my MOM but he's a long way from being a top level championship defender, let alone a good prem one. Fonte on the other hand looks pure class, his positioning is outstanding and he reads the game well. I still think we're a little lacking in a leader at the back, a couple of times yesterday we were caught out by the lack of conversation between the back five and we need someone to step up and start bossing them (like Doddy used to do). Still given the defenses in the last few years i'm pleased as **** by what we've got now and with a couple of decent signings in the close season (cover for full back would be nice) we could be really strong there.

I hate the idea of an out of town stadium. Southampton fc are just that and should be in the heart of the city. To walk into St Mary's/Northam every week to see the game is the way it should be. I've been to far to many bowls and McStadiums on the edges of cities that are easy to get to but soulless dumps. Give me a stadium as the heart to our city, close to the pubs, within decent walking distance for most that live in the city and with some character (not to mention the history of the area). Oh and if we ever do move/redevelop instead of looking at non football crap to tag on and dilute what it's about, can we instead look to the stadiums in Turkey, Spain, Germany and build it around the fans. As nice as SMS is, for me it's to far from the pitch, to open and to corporate. I'd love a ground that's tighter, with higher; steeper stands and with more real atmosphere. Also would be good to have the main home end closer to the pitch (if we can do that for just one end?)

Spot on mate, i've tried explaining what supporting a club means to some of the Sky fans but they just don't get it. It's funny since i'm dual nationality too but for years i followed england (going to games etc.) but i just got so ****ed off with all the bull**** and hype that i lost interest. One too many nothing friendlies built up as the biggest game ever, and too many primadona players. Got to be honest too i've never felt the excitement of saints pompey at any kind of england game. Oh and i found it really difficult to support an england team with skates in it!

Either it was a really stupid huddersfield fan or a skate, either way he got turfed out by the stewards. Never understood why people do that to be honest since it always ends up with them being thrown out.

this looks like the best attacking side i've seen since Chris Nicholl's team in the late 80's. There's goals everywhere and no side in the league is going to want to come up against us at the moment. Oh and Fonte is a touch of class, how the hell he got in front of that shot late on i've no idea, but the fact that him AND spiderman where throwing themselves infront of things at 5-0 up speaks volumes. MOM for me was Puncheon, just. Deano, Spiderman, Lallana, Lambert, Barnard, Jaidi where all magnificent too, but the way Puncheon ripped them to pieces (especially his crossing) was a joy a to watch. If i'm being honest i still don't think we'll make the play offs but at the moment i don't care. The football is brilliant, the players are looking superb and even the Chapel is singing!!

part of the problem is people that haven't been for a while, where i was in the northam on saturday where a couple of people that obviously hadn't been in a while. As soon as OWTS started they started clapping and going at a million miles an hour which had an effect on those around them

I like glasgow saint he's funny, and actually a fairly good WUM

your mate was lying as there where no tickets on sale on the day of the game. He might've picked up pre-orders though

yup total sell out for pompey bar seggregation, in fact i know a few semi regulars that didn't get tickets for pompey as they buy on the gate normally. I think we'll get 44,000 and could push that up to 50,000ish if they're available.

For those that are that way inclined Prince Boatang actually lives in southampton, by ocean village if i'm not mistaken. Would be a shame if he was kept awake all night by noisy saints fans

what i'd give to have Marion playing on saturday!

**** me i'm nervous already and it's only wednesday. Hate to think what i'll be like come friday night! For what it's worth i think we'll probably lose, i just hope we don't cave like we did at Fratton.

i'm fairly sure promotion next season is a must no matter how much you troll on the internet. Just out of interest why don't you leave it now you've said your piece? I'm not going to lie i'm sick to death of the infighting at our club and now it's changing lets just enjoy it. So what if we're having one more season in league one, **** happens, and as you rightly said next season is really the important bit. For this one lets just hope the team start gelling and hope we beat the skates