St Michael

It was Kenna and Benali who first did it after Kenna's curler in the 5-1 win over Swindon in 1993/94. Me and my mate Chris used to do the very same celebration in the school yard. Oh, happy days.

Andrew Davies is now at Bradford. I work with a couple of Bantams fans who say he's their best player. They absolutely love him. I agree with you, he never got a decent run at Saints. I always thought he was decent.

Originally from Salisbury, but have lived in Leeds for last 14 years. Go to northern away games when work and family allows and the odd home when back dan saaf seeing the folks. Will be at Barnsley in two weeks and can't bloody wait. First home game was 92/93. We lost 2-1 to Sheffield Wednesday with Super Kenny Monkou heading our consolation. Waddle and David Hirst scored stunners for them. Utterly, hopelessly, irretrievably obsessed ever since that day. First away game was the catastrophic 2-1 defeat at Swindon the following season. I missed the bus home.

Also, I remember him his reaction in the press box at Villa Park (I'd blagged a press ticket) as the full time whistle went and we'd made it to the FA Cup final. Professionalism out of the window. He went completely berserk.

Met Graham while on work experience at the Daily Echo for two weeks around 1997. As I tried to avoid the sadistic news editor who was trying to send me on death knocks, I inevitably gravitated towards him and chewed his ear off asking questions about Saints. Will never forget his morose, knackered face as he came into the office the morning after a grim FA Cup defeat at Fulham. He'd had about three hours sleep and was utterly livid about the performance (as was I). We had a good old moan. Nice bloke.

That's the spirit!

I live in Leeds and I'm still not going. Money so tight at the moment (as it is for everyone) and I simply can't justify paying that price when I could go down the local to watch (and keep very quiet as I do so - The Station in Crossgates is not somewhere to shout your gob off). Will go to Hull a couple of weeks later though as no doubt their prices will be a little more realistic. Bates out!

This was the lowest I've felt after a Saints game. Two of my best mates at school were Spurs fans, and just knowing the reception awaiting me next morning was utterly, utterly sickening. I was sitting right behind the goal at the Milton End and we were giving Ian Walker fearsome stick when he came out for the second half, being 2-0 down as they were at the time. He was soon turning round and giving it right back to us when that feckless *** Rosenthal produced the only competent performance of his career by smacking in a hat-trick. The worst part was my Dad has asked me to put a fiver on Shipperley scoring the first goal. When I slumped back into the house after the game, virtually suicidal, he met me with a beaming smile and said, 'Yeehaa! Where's my winnings then?' I went to the original tie at White Hart Lane too, when we put in a brilliant performance to get a 1-1 draw. I was interviewed by 90 Minutes magazine (RIP) before the game by Paul Hawksbee - my aforementioned Spurs supporting mate is now his boss (of sorts) at TalkSport.

I got 'Shipperley' on the back of the yellow away shirt circa 95. Wish I could go back in time and ask my 17-year-old self one simple question: Why?

It was not close range - there were about five yards in between the player who headed the ball and the handball, and it wasn't struck particularly hard. He moved his hand towards the ball. I had a plum view of it. It should have been a penalty.

Agree with the overall positive reaction, but can't find m/any mentions of that fact Palace really should have had a penalty at 1-0. Had a perfect view of it from level with the goalline in the Itchen and it was an utterly blatant handball. We were lucky the ref was behind the back of Fonte (pretty sure he was the perpatrator) and that the linesman bottled out of contradicting the ref's decision. That shouldn't detract from a thoroughly professional performance. While we didn't exactly thrash them and create a glut of chances, we were never in danger of losing (apart from the pen!). Hooiveld man of the match for me. Utterly impeccable.

It was my first home game since Rochdale last season (have seen TV games and a handful of northern away games since). Fantastic to see a full house and such a convicing performance. Thought Hooiveld was man of the match, Cork also superb. From my position level with goalline in the Itchen, Palace were denied an utterly blatant penalty. That would have made things 'interesting', but apart from that we were more than worthy of the points. Love it.

Live in Leeds so got back hours ago. The first time I've seen us 'live' this season (apart from on TV) and I've got to say that was really, really deflating. Doncaster were hopeless, lacking confidence and any cohesion *****il they scored) and the crowd were dreadfully quiet (again - until they scored), but somehow we've conspired to lose to them as they bury their one clear chance. It was a nothing game really - we totally dominated possession, but did very little with it apart from De Ridder's good chance near the end of the first half. Too often the tippy-tappy stuff ended with the simply atrocious Guly losing it haplessly - or, on one occasion, keeping the ball quite skilfully, then - dazzled by his own uncharacteristic competence - hoofing an abysmal 30-yard shot into row Z. My God, he was pitiful. A lone striker he is not. He reminded me of when we get a ringer in to play for our 5-a-side team - they usually want to try and show off some skill, but don't really give a toss about the result, so you end up with someone who over-elaborates, loses the ball, doesn't make much effort and is totally out of synch with the way the team plays. The absence of Rickie was embarrassingly obvious. We worked it quite well from back to front but it simply did not stick once the ball went anywhere near their goal. And how many corners did we have that we woefully over-hit or wasted in other innovate ways (that little chip to set up Lallana's botched overhead kick in the first half almost led to a Donny goal on the counter)? Obviously this performance has to be seen in the context of a fantastic year 2011 overall etc etc, but it was all a bit worrying for me. Maybe I'm a curse - the last game I went to was Rochdale last season, a performance which was only just shaded by today for ineptitude.

Do you mean sit with the home fans? No chance. I've done that twice and have found it an absolute nightmare (Luton away 95 in FA Cup and Liverpool away under Dave Jones, when we won 3-2. I almost got a savage pasting after failing to keep my identity under wraps when we went 3-1 up in the 92nd minute).

Oh that's terrific. So I (a club member living in Leeds who's desperate to go to this game) now can't because the club won't post the ticket to me (as they have done for every single other away game for which I've ever ordered a ticket)? Pathetic customer service.

Being a Saints fan up north for the last 12 years, I've been to some midweek away games with some pretty paltry away followings. e.g. Newcastle away May 2001. Meaningless end-of-season game for both sides. Was live on Sky. Pahars headed late and fully deserved equaliser in 1-1 draw. There wasn't even any segregation between two sets of fans, we were deemed that harmless! Must have been around 100 of us there. Bolton in League Cup quarter-final Nov 2001. Fewest away fans I've ever seen at a Saints game. The stay-aways missed a cracker! 2-2 after extra time and we lost on pens. And I was also there for 'that' win at Sunderland with the Beattie goal. Officially the coldest game ever. That year, Sunderland earned the lowest amount of points in a Premiership season (before Derby beat their record a few years later). Kevin Phillips missed a sitter right in front of us. They were awful.

I'll be there. Am Leeds-based and this will be my first game of the season. The shame.

Calm down a bit, everybody. We've played two teams who - if their other results so far are any indicator - aren't very good; as well as a tiny League Two club. We've beaten them all, which is extremely encouraging, but for people to say they've lost 'the fear' and that everything will be forever strawberries and buttercups is a bit reactionary. I've been supporting Saints for 20 years and I will never, EVER lose 'the fear', whatever league we're in and however many goals we're leading by in injury time!

This blog is always a good read. Keep it up chief.

Finally, someone who saw the game for what it was - whoever said we at times played worse than at Huddersfield really is delusional. We were utterly outplayed in that game and barely created two chances! The Carlisle performance was in a different stratosphere. And I don't remember us hoofing it up to Ricky at all - in fact I remember thinking how much our 'keep it on the deck' style simply doesn't suit him. His is an aerial threat and he doesn't have the first touch to contribute much to our crisp build-up play. I also had a superb night out in Carlisle. Ended up in the Cumberland Inn (I think?) having arse pinched by slappers on a hen night while trying to watch the Haye fight.

I'm staggered at the downbeat comments on our performance. We started superbly then Carlisle score with their first attack, then we gift them the second - so they've had one shot and gone 2-0 up. Doesn't make ours a bad performance suddenly. The passing was quick and crisp, Lallana and Chaplow outstanding. Then of course we get one back and look good for a second, but decide to defend pathetically at a corner. Stupid lapses cost us in a game from which we really should have got at least a point. How many times have we said that since relegation from the Prem? Very, very dispiriting but those saying we played terribly are wrong. Sometimes people are incapable of looking past the scoreline and assessing the overall performance. It was far from perfect, but we were far from atrocious, like at Huddersfield.

Lucky b*stard. Wish I could forget it so easily!

Me and fellow Leeds-based Saint will be there - a 25min drive for us. Last year we were absolutely battered up there - but for Kelvin it could easily have been seven - but it should be a different story tomorrow. COYR.

I was there for all five days of that Test too. Happy, happy days. One of my favourite Test matches ever (despite the miserable series overall) and joint top of my favourite sporting events attended with the FA Cup final later that year. During that tour I was on the dance floor of Home nightclub in Sydney when my goalflash text came through telling me we'd equalised in the last minute away at Leeds. Got a text from my mate, who was at the game, asking me who'd scored as it was at the other end of the ground and couldn't tell. I was able to tell him, from the other side of the world, that it was Fabrice Fernandes. The magic of modern technology.

You even knew the name of Branfoot's daughter! Plaudits.