100%Red&White

Considering our recent form in front of goal I'm not overly confident we'd have stuck away any of the penalty shouts had they been given. And even if the keeper had rightly been sent off, again it may not have helped thinking back to how things panned out after the West Ham keeper walked, the scousers would have just shut up shop and frustrated us even more. But any chance you may have evaporates when you get a ref like that. Wherever we finish this year it will be far higher than what I expected back in August, just hope we learn from a few of these harsh lessons.

Whatever happened to taking an 'initial' allocation, seeing how they go and then taking your full entitled allowance if required?

Change the 2 shades of blue for red and white and you'll have the mid-1890s Saints kit - not to mention Ronald's old Feyenord colours. http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Southampton/Southampton.htm

Played in blue shorts from 1891-1950 http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Southampton/Southampton.htm The IMO.

I've a far lower opinion of chunks of our support than I have of Ralph, some of the fan reactions last summer were embarrassing. He came in at the deep end and didn't have much time to learn that he couldn't just bowl up with that positive attitude and get away with it with yer average British bedwetter. Agree, successful in just about everything he comes into contact with, he gets my respect.

But gives an idea, handy that we have a more subtle sponsor. Keegan-stylee gets my vote this year.

Works well imo.

Good point. It's still a yes from me but now I feel I'll just take all the fun out of it if I reveal what yes we're talking about.

Frustrating but that's how it's going to be from now til the end of season, teams know exactly how to shape up against us at St Mary's. And that's why we'll probably finish 6th or 7th, we haven't got the clinical firepower to punish the bus-parkers, Pelle is a top player for us but too much hangs on his shoulders. Shame we haven't got a crowd these days to ruffle visiting defenders into making mistakes, they get too an easy ride from the mostly quiet stands.

No need to apologise, and yes

Is this not 'database only' sales? It may just be a bit of bravado claiming to be in with the home fans. Unless they sit on their hands they wont see much.

The blue kit was worn at Wembley for the ZDS Final. F'kin blue! I can't see any order being placed at this stage of the season for a yellow shirt that would be out of date in only a matter of weeks after being made and arriving instore - particularly *if* next year's away is yellow.

For the record: And who could forget.............? skates away........in the Premier League..........on a Saturday...........not live on TV. Deluded fookwits.

We were in Warwick Services when the Official Travel Coaches pulled in on the way up to Sheffield, whether they'll go the same way this time to pick up the M1 I don't know? You'd have to speak to someone at the club but I can't see why they wouldn't let you join it there if that's a planned stop, which would be about as close as they'd get to West Midlands. Worth a phone call, just make sure you get a mobile number of someone official on the coaches so you don't miss them if it's a goer!

There is if you sit elsewhere in the stadium and the Northam only sounds loud if you're in the immediate vicinity - it's the 'Northam' btw. If they do, hopefully it won't be another separate tier above, that's killed the atmosphere in a lot of previously very good 'ends'. Something like spurs are proposing would be acceptable for me.

I think the stadium acoustics take a lot of the blame for level of vocal support, it's obvious reading the replies that the sound just doesn't travel well around St Mary's. Unless you're right alongside the segregation, the home and away fans in the Northam barely hear each other. Those in the Itchen North say they barely hear Saints fans over in the Northam but they get the away fans full throttle. In the Kingsland North it's the opposite, that's why we've had different takes on our support against Arsenal being "pathetic/sh*te" by some but "electrifying" by others! If you're immediately in front of the singers it sounds loud (those saying "electrifying" are probably just round the corner from the Northam in the Kingsland), the aways mostly think our vocal support only comes from the Itchen North and is not very good. I know someone who watches from near the dugouts and he says the away fans always come across loudest. This isn't a mystery, the Barr stadium builds like ours were known for poor acoustics, that's why the new stadiums that followed like the Ricoh made a big thing addressing the issue. West Ham are doing the same at the Olympic stadium. The sound seems to travel forwards OK but not sideways.

You're right but it would still displace what would become our most vocal area of support to elsewhere in the stadium.

You'd still get the problem when they're entitled to extra tickets in the cup. They can only go back into the Northam.

While we were stopped at Warwick Services on the way up to Sheffield Utd the Travel Coaches pulled in there, so you'll get at least one stop.

This is exactly what me, my mate and our missus did. It's probably around a couple of miles from OT (we walked it) but this was probably over 10 years ago and the weather was fine! We also stayed at the hotel there (think it was a Premier Inn?) with pub attached so the other halves can always wait for you in there, although I think the Trafford Centre stays open for bars and restuarants. Getting onto the M60 is simple.

I think what you're really saying is the fans were excellent in the Northam yesterday, the rest of the stadium (Itchen and Kingsland North apart) was it's usual sleepy self. It was OK at times (very quiet when attacking the Chapel End) and a fantastic 'OWTS' went all round once. Even the 'Premier League, E-I-E-I-E-I-O' was gaining momentum in the Kingsland corner at the end. But for a New Year's Day when most are a bit jaded from earlier events it wasn't so bad. What we need to establish is a 'St Mary's Roar' to wake everyone up. When the players go into the huddle before KO, when the ground falls quiet and at corners, we just need to make more noise and rattle the opposition. It needs to start in the Northam and keep it going, encouraging everyone around SMS to join in and let it flow into a loud COYRs. Once everyone's blown off the cobwebs they'll be more inclined to join in the chants.

I think our support was always at its best with our backs against the wall like in all those relegation years. We could do with a bit of that tomorrow.

Really? I'm a season ticket holder and I can't say I've witnessed any in home areas for quite some time, even against the mancs recently. They must be keeping very quiet, are they texting you?

Not a lot to add, we were absolute sh*te last night and I fear it won't get much better over the next few weeks. All we can hope for is a bit of a shake-up in Jan and a change of fortunes come Feb. This is a 'fans' forum for supporters to vent their spleens but maybe the players should have their own forum where they can slag us. Great numbers last night but the support was on a par with the team. Sheff U's support was superb once it got going (and once they realised they did have a chance against a bunch of Premier prima donnas) it was loud, raw and in unison. I don't know what it was like on the lower tier, we couldn't hear anything from them in the upper, but up where we were it was poor. The only response to their lot was pockets of fans constantly repeating OWTS. It's fookin tedious and so fookin slow and does nothing to lift the side. We've 'only got one song', no, that's a lie, some tried a couple of times to get "Come on you Reds" for a couple of corners down our end and then realised they were playing in red. So next it was "Yellows, yellows" which gained momentum. We were playing in dark blue. We're proper 'Premier League fans' these days. Sh*te*. *I really couldn't give a fook if this offends some of our more sensitive fans btw.

Bit surprised to see that Bramall Lane is bigger than St Mary's with a capacity of 32,702 (and they're looking to increase it to around 44,000 - ambitious), I guess they'll sell a few more yet but barely half full right now. We'll probably move a few more over the weekend with a home game - be good to see a further allocation.