100%Red&White

But…maybe…the football club is bang in the middle of the bit of land he may have had his eyes on? Who knows what the long-term plans of Markus Liebherr were but I believe it’s not exactly a secret that his attraction to buying SFC was coupled with the potential to redevelop the area in front of and alongside the stadium. Kat is an acquaintance of the Gaos, she may have sold them the vision? The riverside will eventually be redeveloped all the way from Ocean Village to the old Meridian studios, the industrial areas are slowly being replaced, as leases end the land will, no doubt, be sold off to developers. Unfortunately for the football club they missed the boat on bidding for the land in front of SMS over to the river. It wouldn’t surprise me if Liebherr/Cortese saw the potential of the footprint of the stadium in redeveloping this entire area and who knows if they secretly may have wanted to relocate SFC to free up the land long term? Having said that, money is being spent behind the scenes at the stadium upgrading corporate facilities and the dressing room areas in the summer.

Picking up just 2 points from the last 3 (6-pointer) games is pretty much disastrous, 3 of the next 4 are just about write-offs but even Fulham is a real pressure game now. They'll be looking at their fixtures, our shortcomings, and see this as game to pick up points. Let's hope we've got a goal-scorer back for this.

More likely a minute's applause but will just have the effect of pumping up their fans another notch. Let's hope all the attention's is a bit too much for them. Will be nervy if it's all square going into the last few minutes.

Hopefully those that are there appreciate the vital need of 3 points and can find a bit of that spirit from the Dell relegation end-of-season battles when the fans made such a difference. They'll be 3,000 united and noisy taffs there on Saturday who are building this up as a massive game, we'll need our support 100% from the start.

Well, it's pretty much a 'musn't lose' game - we can't afford to keep dropping points to clubs around us in a relegation scrap. We're a bit hard to call with injuries to key players and Cardiff will come off the back of a very good weekend result and look galvanised over the tragic Sala story. Think they're bringing around 3,000 and unlike our lot they'll be noisy and if it's still close towards the end I fear our knees will buckle as they attack towards them. If they can stop Redmond I feel it may be a long afternoon up front for us.

Hard to see how many we've sold for this, there's 14 separate sections in the away stand but there's only 2 currently on sale. Trains probably putting a few off but would have thought we get 1,500 or so up there.

May have to translate the page but saintsweb gets a mention here https://foro.delcelta.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=26577&sid=654254c8f0723b07e1c8f40b2b9150cf&start=120 Someone on there's worried as they're aware of Lazio fans having a giggle at what we paid for him

Ahem, liquorice 'comfits'.

Some of our fans are too quick to write players off and brand them "sh*t" when they're not an instant hit (Redmond the latest example) but young players now have a tougher job breaking into and making it in a PL side. All our 'superstar' youngsters that were almost overnight sensations a few years back had the luxury of time and the less intense environment of the lower leagues.

Like everyone else he's got a clean slate with Ralph, chance (probably last chance) to make it or break it. RH appears to have improved players here quite quickly, hopefully he's what Gallagher needs to push on.

“Ronald Koeman is currently undergoing a medical at Southampton after agreeing to spend £12.5m on Shane Long!” I think most of us thought that at the time and probably time now to move on but for me I'll remember his great contributions like when he returned from injury and had a barnstormer second half of a season and picked up 'Player of the Year' for a few months work and of course... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVb3NfTf7P8 worth every penny

They'll be 20,000 empty seats there for this game, maybe they're all fearing a shark attack from 3000 visiting pairs of flappy arms. This could be up there with the 'Lallana Wave'...............

For a start, even if there was another tier on one of the stands, we wouldn't be able to just stick them up there as PL rules now state a certain percentage of away fans must be pitchside. Unless you're Newcastle United. There's no way they'll move them round the corner into the Itchen North in front of the corp boxes and unless you give them all the way up to the posh central seats (that won't happen either) there's an issue with splitting the concourse. They can't go into the Northam/Kingsland corner as they'll be exiting straight into a pinch-point with home fans making for the railway bridge and the cross-over going back to the coaches. The only real possibility is the Chapel/Kingsland corner if they park the coaches on the industrial estate behind but this would be a carve up getting them away after. Nice thought but can't see it happening. The OB will get their way.

Time for the fanbase to start 'supporting' the team and making a bit of noise, it's been dire for years, even during the good times. We've moaned the club and players haven't been doing their bit, neither have the fans.

You should have watched them at home to Fulham a few weeks back.

Oooooo Hasenhuttl, Treats ‘em brutal, Makes us laugh. No more fookin’ shirkers now you’re playing for the shirt, He’ll have you climbing mountains and it’s gonna fookin’ hurt! Oooooo Hasenhuttl………….. [video=youtube;i-tagn3lB3I]

Joking aside-ish, changes are afoot, I believe the players are training at the stadium (not something they usually do) a few times this week, probably trying to get them acquainted with where the goalposts are.

Echoes my thoughts precisely. After the summer and how an improving Yoshida performed at the WC I thought he was going to step up for us this year and be good captain material. As he's been pushed out, and with Romeu's drop in form, Hoj is the standout candidate for me now. As far as snubbing Yoshida and Gabbi this season, I can only think it's because both will be moving on in January, Yoshi forced out because he can still command a reasonable fee and Gabbi's possibly never settled and wants out so wouldn't surprise me if he's gone in the New Year. Many of us have probably scratched our heads why they've been overlooked as an option to something that clearly hasn't been working but (cynical head on) it would be hard to push them out the door if they came in and done well...

We'll need another day like this Kelvin Davis' finest 90mins. City strike force may be a bit sharper this weekend though, and not setting sites too high on scoring in this one either.

"Hello, Mr Jardim? Just wondering if you may be interested in a forthcoming vacancy in the PL?" "Premier League? yeah f'sure, who is this?" "Southampton FC" "Eh, the mugs I sold a carthorse to for 19m big ones......?" *sound of much laughter as phone cuts off*

Whoever steps out owe a big performance to the few hundred who are travelling up today. They deserve a medal.

Just had a nose on a Wolves forum, understandably confident, and good to see Jim McCalliog will be at the game tomorrow. Big player for Wolves and memorable for us particularly for the FA Cup run/triumph in 76. They also flagged this us from the Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/sep/28/premier-league-10-things-to-look-out-for-this-weekend we're No.5 and sums us up quite well.

I think most wouldn't be so keen on the Americanisms about it, but you can't knock them for the noise and bedlam created and the crowd appeared to be predominantly young and most getting involved - visiting teams and fans would be in no doubt they're up against it from the start. So far removed from St Mary's and just about any English ground these days and if they did play a metal entry track you'd have most of our crowd complaining about the noise - Enter Sandman may be "poppy" but it would be just about as good as it gets for us!

Looks like it's getting nearer https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45341192 would be nice to have the option to stand again but got my doubts it would make much difference to the atmosphere these days, particularly with a Premier League-type 'audience'.

The independent Southampton Away Travel have now laid on an extra coach. http://southamptonawaytravel.co.uk/cup-fixtures/carabao-cup/brighton-hove-albion/ Probably a better option than the official buses anyway if you're happy going by coach.