JackanorySFC

This could be the next step, when are players going to be asked about this in interviews? With the coverage the Liverpool fans protest has generated making this such a huge story now, it would be interesting to see in the coming days/ weeks players asked if they agree that their increased wage demands are forcing traditional supporters to be priced out of attending matches. I honestly don't think they give a ****, the silence from all senior footballers during the FIFA scandal last year was deafening (I think even Christiano Ronaldo went as far as to say he couldn't care less as it didn't effect him). People like Leyton above are unfortunately becoming the norm. Just saying "I'm alright Jack as I can afford it" doesn't help football long term. Yeah sure Chelsea, Liverpool, United et al can fill empty seats up with tourists no problem. The fact City can't is kind of endearing to them (the tourists will come as they success grows), but that isn't a sustainable long term model. Football grounds full of middle aged and elderly men/ women and half and half scarf wearing tourists filming throw ins with iPads ain't my idea of a fun day out. Unfortunately I'm gonna have to disagree with my old mate Tyler Durden on this. Liverpool may be self pity City, but I don't care if it's them, the Geordies, Mancs or Spurs. The sooner supporters groups start making a stand on this the better, the excellently organised Spirit of Shankley group are saying "enough is enough" they can see tourists filling up their ground at the detriment of locals at every home game (which makes the atmosphere at Anfield shocking), they can see how things are going so whether or not the pricing affects them directly (and in the cases where it doesn't I think that's even more admirable to walk out as an act of solidarity to your fellow fans that will be affected) they decided to put pressure on the Board, and it's working. Klopp has come out in support of them today and FSG have announced they are reviewing the new pricing structure. Good on 'em.

The main problem we have is football clubs spent, typically, 100 years building up a fanbase by acting as a focal point of their community. They did this with fair prices, local players and the odd bit of success here and there. Then 20 odd years ago the Premier League came about and clubs stopped being clubs and became businesses. This is why the "if you don't like it, just don't go" bridge infuriate me. I go because my Dad and his Dad went, I want my children to go. Thanks to that 100+ years my family is emotionally invested in Southampton FC. It ****es me off that to continue these, many families in Southampton and other cities all over the country have to scrimp and save to carry this on. If ticket prices were a key element in player recruitment/ retainment I could kind of get it. But right now ticket prices reflect such a tiny part of a Premier League Clubs income it is borderline offensive when the 20 Premier League clubs vote against introducing a £30 cap on away fans like they did this week. Another problem we have is that football is so tribal. Armchair fans love to "hilariously" mock Man City for not seeing out Champions League games. Anyone that knows anything about football would never doubt City's support, but instead choose to mock them on social media ("Emptihad lol") for preferring to pay for their children's Christmas presents than fork out £40-£50 for a ticket to a game against Seville on a freezing cold Tuesday night in November. Instead we should realise we are all in this together, whether you can afford ticket prices or just about get the money together to pay for them we should think about those priced out of the game and the future support of our clubs, teenagers and people in their early 20's that are completely priced out of going to the football, making a racket and having a laugh with their mates on a Saturday afternoon (or Saturday lunchtime, or Sunday any time, Monday night - or Friday night as of next season, but's thats just another thing we should be annoyed about). So yeah, I'd walk our early. If we dropped 1,2 or 3 points in the process frankly so what. That's a ****ing selfish argument IMO "I've paid my money and want to see us win", yeah well good on ya. I wan future generations of our fans to be able to afford to see us win, lose or draw. One game where we may or may not drop a couple of points due to fans having the collective foresight and goodwill to protest against the disgusting prices charged by "Clubs" in the Premier League, is well worth it to stop our stadium and others being full of well fed 50 year olds and Chinese Tourists. Up the Saints.

I'm taking the day off and going down on the lash almost certainly ticketless. Love an all day session in Bournemouth, lovely little town full of hot students.

Cheers fella. According to their website we are on in their gaff. Think I saw in there last season that Chelsea lost (it was a night game in the UK so by 3pm local I was clearly too battered to remember what exactly). I'll be there early doors. Will happily buy any other Saints fan(s) a pint. Stick together innit. Up the Saints!

I'm in LA about to fly on the red eye to NYC (hurricane Jacob or whatever it's called dependent), love an all day session in New York and want to start it watching us smashing the Mancs as I'm free all day before work kicks in. Any NYC based SFC can point me towards a decent boozer to watch it happen? I'm staying in Midtown like a typical visitor but know my way around. Cheers and up the ****ing Saints!

I'm glad you asked. As it's a bit chilly I think a Superdry hoodie with a 5/6 year old Saints shirt over the top that used to fit 5/6 years ago but now is too tight tight, even without the extra girth provided by said hoodie, accompanied by low crotch jogging bottoms and some timelessly cool Lonsdale trainers. Some goalie gloves (again, it's cold remember) will top the look off in the same way a "crazy" Christmas tie set's one apart in the office. A red and white curly wig should also keep your bone warm. One final tip. If you choose to go the extra mile and rock the goalie gloves (foam hands are so passé) I would recommend the velcro Lonsdale trainers (Lonsdale one of the few premium sports brands to helpfully offer velcro as an option), easier to manage than laces. *Awaits call from Dylan Jones at GQ offering a regular column*

Looks like even the club are having trouble giving away tickets to this game. The usual freebee spots for friends/ family/ hangers on near the back of block 3 are all available this week, usually full of weirdos screaming/ taking photos with iPads when Yoshida gets the ball, employees wearing club suits/ shirts/ ties covered up in ill fitting club puffer jackets or groupies doing a thoroughly good fancy dress impersonation of Wanyama or Mane (snap backs, gold chains and tracksuits).

Holy ****! I've read some insane posts on here but... Please, maybe I misread this. Can you confirm that you are implying that the scenes outside Cologne Station and in other German City centres are repeated 104 times a year in Maidstone? Have you read the reports? If so you are saying the men of Maidstone line up outside train doors, wait for women to disembark them make them "run a guantlet" and strip the women naked and touch them "everywhere". This has been reported by German women who have waved their right to anonymity. Seriously, you either believe Maidstone is genuinely like this 104 nights per year (maybe 105 if NYE falls on a week day right?) or you have a serious problem with women.

Just hope no one grassed them up. No one likes a grass.

Labour are a complete shambles. The country is in serious danger of losing an effective opposition. Absolute carnage today, one of the worst days politically I can ever remember for a single party, and what makes it worse is they started it with a reshuffle of their own calling. It could have been a day centred around a rejuvenated front bench and Corbyn taking Cameron to task over the floods

Honestly not going to miss Upton Park. Pain in the **** to get to and back from, the surrounding area is a complete dump, no beer/ food at half time (who's great idea was this, it almost caused a riot?) and shockingly high prices (before SFC subsidised by 50%). Their new council house/ stadium that we as tax payers funded will definitely be an upgrade.

Yep, just checked the post and received it. What a load of ****, they can put a stop to 90% of the incidents that have happened in blocks 1-3 this season simply by not selling boxes to absolute weapons that are there to support United/ Liverpool etc. Wasn't at the Bournemouth game but find it quite funny that pyro was launched from block 4 when most of that block (certainly at the back) is given to weirdo club employees/ contacts that sit on their hands the entire game. Only other incident of note I've seen was a random fight between some matey and his brother in law with the doris in between giving digs to both sides. Good little roll around that. All 3 back next game good as gold.

Agree 100%

Remember everyone - No one likes a grass.

Yep absolute scum bags. Being a Southampton lad I have little if anything in common with the Countryside alliance. Never seen bile directed towards other countrymen like we are seeing now from the extreme left though. That, despite your assumption based on God knows what, that I am more right than centre, is a shame to me as I'm from a Labour voting family, believe in a caring society that supports and protects the vulnerable, think the cuts made to the disabled in particular right now are horrible and would love to vote for Labour again. I also believe it is absolutely possible to be successful without being a complete pr1ck. FYI I feel I am central, I have certain left leaning views, certain right leaning views. Depends on the subject, my mood and what the weather is like. I don't have all the answers and can't see into the future. Right now I think the Tories have improved the economy and think Cameron is a decent leader and has the gravitas needed to stick up for us in the company of over G8 leaders. I couldn't give a **** that he went to a posh school, not his fault. He received a world class education and has clearly not wasted it, what's to hate about that? Basically I reserve the right to change my mind depending on my circumstances and those of the country and the people that aspire to run it. Personally I don't see the problem with that (I thought all that right/ left nonsense was for the Americans) and the more partisan the left become, and the more voters like me get labelled as brainwashed/ stupid selfish/ scum the less likely I'll be to vote for them. If the Lib Dem's can keep their dignity I can see them making a decent comeback in 2020 actually.

The chaps I know from Belfast would NOT describe themselves at Ireland fans. They will take ****ing loads to France... Up the Ulster!

You make some excellent points that I generally agree with. FWIW that's probably because like you I'm a floating voter in the centre, God knows where you got the Thatcher loving right winger nonsense from? I was brought up to hate Thatcher and I've voted for Labour more often than the Tories. However it seems to me that left wing politics is getting so partisan there will never be room to accommodate centre views like mine which probably means they will never get elected again (the UK is predominantly a centre/ centre right country IMO) which is shame for our democracy, the Government needs an opposition and the frothing at the mouth, intimidating and insulting nature of supporters of the Labour party are making them seem way nastier than the Tories have ever been. Just an opinion of a floating voter like.

Left wingers not getting their way in the polls so blaming the British public that didn't happen to agree with their political beliefs for being thick/ stupid/ easily led. Some of the comments here are absolutely astonishing. The patronising tone of some of the left wing posters on here is actually quite offensive and completely out of touch with the way people inform themselves and make decisions. This arrogant, superior, looking down one's nose nonsense is exactly the reason why the ordinary working man and woman (who, like it or not, have never been more informed via multiple media touch points) is drifting further and further away from the political left. Whatever happened to simply admitting "yeah we got that wrong, OK what can we learn from it and change in time for next time?" Instead they are showing more pig headedness than a Eton School soggy biscuit for starters initiation ceremony, concluding everyone else is stupid so going completely the opposite way.

Your hypocrisy here is outstanding, take a bow fella. 4 minutes before in post #18 you say: "in this country there is a basic rule - innocent until proven guilty. Were these "terrorists" given a fair trial and found guilty?". Then you say Murdoch re-hiring Brooks is Murdoch sticking his finger up. Yes, the same Rebekah Brooks found not guilty of any wrongdoing what so ever in a UK Court. Brilliant. I also don't like with your patronising attitude to Sun readers, also do you have something against male white van drivers (whatever that job is?). Wether you like it or not The Sun is by a long way the most popular newspaper in the UK, and the Newspaper industry in the UK is the most competitive in the World (which is a great thing). It is also read by more AB's & ABC1's than the Guardian and Independent combined. Also, Sun sales in Merseyside are pretty strong, plenty of retailers stock it and plenty of people buy it. According to focus groups there it's mainly because of a perceived excellent sports section (ironic I know). May I add that I think MacKenzie's coverage of Hillsborough was disgusting. May I also add there are no more than half a dozen staffers still on the Sun's team that were there when KM was there. My stance on this is as soon as anyone from the UK boards a flight/ ferry/ bus/ donkey to Syria to join IS they are no longer British, they see us as the enemy and hate our way of life. Good. Enjoy living an oppressive in a cave with all the comfort and trappings of the Stone Age, looking up into the sky worried the next drone over head is going to take you out. Scum.

Always liked Bournemouth, lovely town habited by nice people with a great beach and hot women. Wish them well this season, as long as it's at least one place below us. They don't have a rival and a few of their fans are trying to manufacture one, can't blame them I suppose as our support stretches well into their territory. Unfortunately my hate is 100% saved for the skates. Yeah I dislike Spurs and Liverpool right now for a variety of (footballing) reasons, but Pompey - Nah, that's about more than football. 2 working class Port cities that complete for industry, commerce and investment inhabited by people that simply don't like/ trust each other. It's been around for generations and will stay around, even if they are lower league mediocrity right now one day we'll play the ******s again . SotonCherrie, it seems 90% of the comments on here are positive about Bournemouth, BTW I find "Bompey" as cringeworthy as "Spuds", "Wet Spam" and "Liverfool". You'll never have a problem being a Bournemouth fan in Southampton, no matter how well you do. If you are into that sort of thing though feel free to but a Pompey top on and take a walk up the Mutant Mile in Shirley to see what a rivalry actually feels like ;-)

I like the Pelle one for that: Oh Graziano, he's a striker, he's f***ing class he drives up Shirley High Street buying hair gel for his head Then he'll pull your missus and he'll f*** her in your bed Oh Graziano....

He stands just over 5ft 3 Clasie, Clasie He'll take us to the Champions League Clasie, Clasie He might be small but he's hard as f*** and when he scores it won't be luck Jordy Clasie Southampton's number 4

I think I can shed some light on Clasie as a player. basically I was drinking heavily in Rome back in February with Feyernoord fans (to a man, drunk as 10 men, awesome people, albeit with little respect for ancient Roman monuments/ statues and general architectural wonders of the world, but then when you need a p*** you need a p***) and went to watch their UEFA cup game against Roma. Clasie was outstanding (from what I remember in Curva Sud next to pot smoking, ticketless, flare lighting Roma Ultras) controlled the pace of the game from the middle, was always an option and mixed up passing from easy possession based to threading through balls through. Happy to become a Clasie expert. Just a note to any Feyenoord fans reading this - You lot were ****ing brilliant, 9000 in Rome, to a man getting absolutely steaming! Best away turn out I've seen overseas and happy to chat Koeman/ Pelle with this just as ****ed Englishman, touché.

I'll take your word re' the Scott Trust, I know a few people that now work in their commercial department and they have a cushty life "profit seeking, not profit dependent". Guardian have, and have always had, a brilliant web strategy as well, Mail online the only UK site close to them in terms of traffic (as you know, mostly due to pay walls). The Guardian get some decent global ad' revenues as their site is extremely popular in the US. As for broadsheet/ tabloid ad' revenues, that may have been the case a long way back but in my first hand knowledge going back to 2003 I know for a fact that page yields in the Sun are approx 3x the Times and their ad' revenues have been propping up the Times for at least the last 10 years internally at News Int'/ UK. I also know that (using a simple analogy) Vauxhall/ Ford pay a LOT more to advertise ROP in the Sun than Mercedes/ BMW do in the Times (as well at car brands this is true across Travel, FMCG, Finance any any other vertical)! Back in pre internet days when the Times had a huge classified section this may have been different, but print buying agencies see as much value in a Sun reader as a Times reader, just target the right product to hit their profile. Desmond has taken the Express/ Star to pieces though, absolute rags these days. Heard some proper horror stories about him and his right hand man Stan from people that have worked at N&S!

The Sun and the Mail are both extremely profitable papers (in the Sun's case, a lot of that is down to the perceived quality of it's sports pages, esp match reports). They have huge staff levels concerned with the Star, not seen circulation figures for a while but the Star will be approx 1/4 of the Sun and 1/3 of the Mail. Small fry. The Mail's website gets unbelievable hits globally as well (they love a bit of click bait and celeb nonsense) and are one of the few newspaper groups to make a profit from online news. Far less need for Mail Group or News UK to outsource to freelancers like Crook (it happens, but way less than Express and Star) so will pay less and less often. Their staffers are extremely well numerated as well. Doesn't stop half of 'em being West Ham though (check out the Sun's massive coverage on anything West Ham, it cracks me up as I know half the sports desk are Hammers). Edit: Circulation figures for the Star are lower than I thought, 417,000 (according to May 2015 ABC's). 23% of the Sun and 25% of the Mail's circulation numbers for the same period. Still double the Guardian's though (Scott Trust still bailing them out).