Skates

[pfc123]

I was born in 1949. Do you really suggest that I look at a period before I was born, in the middle if the last century, to establish whether Pompey or Saints were the better team historically?

 

Absolutely, because anything other than the WHOLE story is merely selective.

 

Mind you, the only way you can cling to a few crumbs of comfort from the third division is to be selective- you can't talk about honours, because we blow you away on that one, you can't talk about highest gate because we blow you out of the water on that one too (and any bleating about not having the capacity at 'the skip' is your own fault for not having the ambition to build a ground big enough), and you can't talk about overall attendance since we beat you on that one also.

 

You can try to say you're the bigger club, but you're not. You're a third division club with a bigish ground that put you in the third division and that's all.

 

I go back to a point I've made several times on here that is very seldom replied to (strangely enough) which is to settle the argument by asking people within the game and those who write about it what they think?

 

Like I've said before, sorry, but you won't like the answer.

 

Lots of abuse and not many facts incoming methinks.....

[ALWAYS_SFC]

http://portsmouth.gumtree.com/portsmouth/39/42032739.html

 

 

hilarious!

 

Are they really price at £710 for a seat in a shed?

 

[Thedelldays]

Absolutely, because anything other than the WHOLE story is merely selective.

 

Mind you, the only way you can cling to a few crumbs of comfort from the third division is to be selective- you can't talk about honours, because we blow you away on that one, you can't talk about highest gate because we blow you out of the water on that one too (and any bleating about not having the capacity at 'the skip' is your own fault for not having the ambition to build a ground big enough), and you can't talk about overall attendance since we beat you on that one also.

 

You can try to say you're the bigger club, but you're not. You're a third division club with a bigish ground that put you in the third division and that's all.

 

I go back to a point I've made several times on here that is very seldom replied to (strangely enough) which is to settle the argument by asking people within the game and those who write about it what they think?

 

Like I've said before, sorry, but you won't like the answer.

 

Lots of abuse and not many facts incoming methinks.....

 

Be sure to give us a wave when we pass you by in the next 3 years...LOL

[NickG]

HR on sky saying still hoping to get price for crouch lower and not agreeing yet- Crouch is turning everyone else down so it looks like skates will lose £6m!

[ALWAYS_SFC]

Absolutely, because anything other than the WHOLE story is merely selective.

 

Mind you, the only way you can cling to a few crumbs of comfort from the third division is to be selective- you can't talk about honours, because we blow you away on that one, you can't talk about highest gate because we blow you out of the water on that one too (and any bleating about not having the capacity at 'the skip' is your own fault for not having the ambition to build a ground big enough), and you can't talk about overall attendance since we beat you on that one also.

 

You can try to say you're the bigger club, but you're not. You're a third division club with a bigish ground that put you in the third division and that's all.

 

I go back to a point I've made several times on here that is very seldom replied to (strangely enough) which is to settle the argument by asking people within the game and those who write about it what they think?

Like I've said before, sorry, but you won't like the answer.

 

Lots of abuse and not many facts incoming methinks.....

 

Shall we ask `arry?

[NickG]

Absolutely, because anything other than the WHOLE story is merely selective.

 

Mind you, the only way you can cling to a few crumbs of comfort from the third division is to be selective- you can't talk about honours, because we blow you away on that one, you can't talk about highest gate because we blow you out of the water on that one too (and any bleating about not having the capacity at 'the skip' is your own fault for not having the ambition to build a ground big enough), and you can't talk about overall attendance since we beat you on that one also.

 

You can try to say you're the bigger club, but you're not. You're a third division club with a bigish ground that put you in the third division and that's all.

 

I go back to a point I've made several times on here that is very seldom replied to (strangely enough) which is to settle the argument by asking people within the game and those who write about it what they think?

 

Like I've said before, sorry, but you won't like the answer.

 

Lots of abuse and not many facts incoming methinks.....

 

not even convincing yourself

[Thedelldays]

HR on sky saying still hoping to get price for crouch lower and not agreeing yet- Crouch is turning everyone else down so it looks like skates will lose £6m!

arry will know they are desperate...ffs, everyone knows (apart from some skate fans)

 

dare i say it....treble agent Redknapp...?

 

go on 'arry, fook em up financially...lol

[eelpie]

I'd be lieing if i said i wasn't smirking as i read that!

 

I'm beginning to feel sympathetic. Not that much, but I wouldn't really want them to go out of business altogether.

 

Not that I don't want them relegated (which I do) but something is not comfortable with me that by the end of the year there may not be a top team south of Fulham.

 

Why should only northern and London clubs be in the Premiership?

I hope that Pimpey struggle in the wilderness for a bit and that we all meet up in the top tier again within three or four years. (In a rosy future when football skills rule the day, not (other people's) money. Now that won't happen, but a few clubs will have gone bust in the meantime, for sure.)

[NickG]

Absolutely, because anything other than the WHOLE story is merely selective.

 

Mind you, the only way you can cling to a few crumbs of comfort from the third division is to be selective- you can't talk about honours, because we blow you away on that one, you can't talk about highest gate because we blow you out of the water on that one too (and any bleating about not having the capacity at 'the skip' is your own fault for not having the ambition to build a ground big enough), and you can't talk about overall attendance since we beat you on that one also.

 

You can try to say you're the bigger club, but you're not. You're a third division club with a bigish ground that put you in the third division and that's all.

 

I go back to a point I've made several times on here that is very seldom replied to (strangely enough) which is to settle the argument by asking people within the game and those who write about it what they think?

 

Like I've said before, sorry, but you won't like the answer.

 

Lots of abuse and not many facts incoming methinks.....

 

so apart from the facts that, in the lifetime of all of both of our supporters - and everyone in the game - we have been better supported and more successful and have bigger ground etc you are better cos of your record against corinthians!

[Colinjb]

'Skates looking forward to Modest Future'

 

Well, considering their fanbase, stadium and infrastructure it surely should come very naturally to them.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

'Skates looking forward to Modest Future'

 

Well, considering their fanbase, stadium and infrastructure it surely should come very naturally to them.

 

TBH, Modest is a bit ambitious for them and their tin pot set up.

[aintforever]

You can try to say you're the bigger club, but you're not. You're a third division club with a bigish ground that put you in the third division and that's all.

 

Lots of abuse and not many facts incoming methinks.....

 

1997, 7th place finish in the Championship - average attendance: 8,854

 

LOL. how's that for a fact?

 

If you get relegated this season you can expect to be back to normal in your crappy little stadium.

[scally]

Absolutely, because anything other than the WHOLE story is merely selective.

 

Mind you, the only way you can cling to a few crumbs of comfort from the third division is to be selective- you can't talk about honours, because we blow you away on that one, you can't talk about highest gate because we blow you out of the water on that one too (and any bleating about not having the capacity at 'the skip' is your own fault for not having the ambition to build a ground big enough), and you can't talk about overall attendance since we beat you on that one also.

 

You can try to say you're the bigger club, but you're not. You're a third division club with a bigish ground that put you in the third division and that's all.

 

I go back to a point I've made several times on here that is very seldom replied to (strangely enough) which is to settle the argument by asking people within the game and those who write about it what they think?

 

Like I've said before, sorry, but you won't like the answer.

 

Lots of abuse and not many facts incoming methinks.....

 

If you want to fill Fratton again you'll have to do what you did in the 50's and let the sailors in for free again.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

1997, 7th place finish in the Championship - average attendance: 8,854

 

LOL. how's that for a fact?

 

If you get relegated this season you can expect to be back to normal in your crappy little stadium.

 

Sorry but i have to seriously question your judgement regarding your last

sentence,how can you honestly consider that shack they play in as a STADIUM?

 

FFS. get your facts right its a **** hole

[pfc123]

1997, 7th place finish in the Championship - average attendance: 8,854

 

LOL. how's that for a fact?

 

If you get relegated this season you can expect to be back to normal in your crappy little stadium.

 

Yes, a fact. One season. Selective once again.....

[Thedelldays]

Yes, a fact. One season. Selective once again.....

awful, not matter how selective for a "big club"...

[Colinjb]

Yes, a fact. One season. Selective once again.....

 

Big clubs do not average less then 10,000 fans in a season where they are challenging for the play-offs.

 

Your time in the sun is coming to an end. I hope you enjoyed it while it lasted.

[pfc123]

Big clubs do not average less then 10,000 fans in a season where they are challenging for the play-offs.

 

Your time in the sun is coming to an end. I hope you enjoyed it while it lasted.

 

Who's said we're a big club? I haven't. We're a medium sized provincial club, and so are you....

[Graffito]

Who's said we're a big club? I haven't. We're a medium sized provincial club, and so are you....

 

Some are more medium sized than others.

[Thedelldays]

Who's said we're a big club? I haven't. We're a medium sized provincial club, and so are you....

what is a provincial club.?

[Micky]

'Newcastle are a big club', that always makes me laugh for some reason.

 

Edit: Thinking about it, forget and delete 'big' & insert 'MASSIVE' - just makes me laugh louder though.

[Wes Tender]

Absolutely, because anything other than the WHOLE story is merely selective.

 

Mind you, the only way you can cling to a few crumbs of comfort from the third division is to be selective- you can't talk about honours, because we blow you away on that one, you can't talk about highest gate because we blow you out of the water on that one too (and any bleating about not having the capacity at 'the skip' is your own fault for not having the ambition to build a ground big enough), and you can't talk about overall attendance since we beat you on that one also.

 

You can try to say you're the bigger club, but you're not. You're a third division club with a bigish ground that put you in the third division and that's all.

 

I go back to a point I've made several times on here that is very seldom replied to (strangely enough) which is to settle the argument by asking people within the game and those who write about it what they think?

 

Like I've said before, sorry, but you won't like the answer.

 

Lots of abuse and not many facts incoming methinks.....

 

So how old are you, pfc123? Perhaps you are old enough to remember the glory years for Pompey, but on the other hand senility is creeping up on you and things looked better than they really were.

[Colinjb]

Who's said we're a big club? I haven't. We're a medium sized provincial club, and so are you....

 

Poor little Skate. Always with a chip on his shoulder. Hope the descent over the next few seasons doesn't make you cry.

[Jimmy_D]

So, Redknapp gets us relegated and sends us on a downward spiral that ultimately results in the end of the Lowe regime and us having the 4/5th richest owner in England...

 

He then goes back to Pompey, massively overspends, admittedly wins them an FA Cup, but leaves them in such a state that they are seriously worried about whether their club has a future at all... (Afterwards, he comes back because he knows the crappy state they're in, after all he helped create it, and picks off their best players for next to nothing)

 

I want to keep on hating Redknapp, but I'm finding it difficult now, help!

[pfc123]

So how old are you, pfc123? Perhaps you are old enough to remember the glory years for Pompey, but on the other hand senility is creeping up on you and things looked better than they really were.

 

44. Started watching in 1973. Didn't know why the hell I was still going 30 years later, it was awful. Been a bit better for the last few years though...

[Colinjb]

So, Redknapp gets us relegated and sends us on a downward spiral that ultimately results in the end of the Lowe regime and us having the 4/5th richest owner in England...

 

He then goes back to Pompey, massively overspends, admittedly wins them an FA Cup, but leaves them in such a state that they are seriously worried about whether their club has a future at all... (Afterwards, he comes back because he knows the crappy state they're in, after all he helped create it, and picks off their best players for next to nothing)

 

I want to keep on hating Redknapp, but I'm finding it difficult now, help!

 

If he was a double agent in our relegation, is he now a 'triple' agent or something.

[Colinjb]

44. Started watching in 1973. Didn't know why the hell I was still going 30 years later, it was awful. Been a bit better for the last few years though...

 

You are 44 years old and spend your time on a Saints forum!? God man get a life.

[shurlock]

The skates are in an ugly, ugly bind -massively indebted, selling the only real assets they have, the players and without a 20th century let alone 21st century stadium (which they would struggle to fill), no sustainable vision for the future.

 

Now the cowboys and chancers (Redknapp, Gaydamak etc) have crashed the place and f**ked off, no serious investor is likely to go anywhere near them - there are so many clubs, many established championship clubs that require less upfront investment and offer a better chance of long-term premiership football.

 

The party binge is coming to an end – its going to be a hellava of a clean up.

Edited 26 July, 2009 by shurlock

[the colonel]

Absolutely, because anything other than the WHOLE story is merely selective.

 

Mind you, the only way you can cling to a few crumbs of comfort from the third division is to be selective- you can't talk about honours, because we blow you away on that one, you can't talk about highest gate because we blow you out of the water on that one too (and any bleating about not having the capacity at 'the skip' is your own fault for not having the ambition to build a ground big enough), and you can't talk about overall attendance since we beat you on that one also.

 

You can try to say you're the bigger club, but you're not. You're a third division club with a bigish ground that put you in the third division and that's all.

 

I go back to a point I've made several times on here that is very seldom replied to (strangely enough) which is to settle the argument by asking people within the game and those who write about it what they think?

 

Like I've said before, sorry, but you won't like the answer.

 

Lots of abuse and not many facts incoming methinks.....

 

 

Whoopee pompey are the biggest club the provincial has ever seen, hooray for pompey.

 

I see you quote you're 44 on a later post.....but surely that should read 4 year old.

 

You really are sad case.

 

Oh I bet my dad is bigger that your dad.......nah nah

[scott_saints]

Random facts etc blah blah blah.

 

We're not a big club, but we're a bigger club than Pompey.

 

I have no facts or stats to back up this claim. I just know it to be true xx

[sidthesquid]

Absolutely, because anything other than the WHOLE story is merely selective.

 

 

I go back to a point I've made several times on here that is very seldom replied to (strangely enough) which is to settle the argument by asking people within the game and those who write about it what they think?

 

 

The first statement is just silly - how far back do we need to go? Did the first amphibian crawl out of the water at Southsea or the Hamble.

Second point - how many people do you know to ask within the game? Personally I don't know any professional footballers, coaches or managers. Or, for that matter, football journalists. How many do you know? I know a lot of fans though, and most perceive Saints as being a bigger club because they were not old enough to remember your good times of nearly 60 years ago, only the 40 of the last 50 years when we were above you in the league.

[pfc123]

The first statement is just silly - how far back do we need to go?

 

Because that's what 'history' is. You're only trying to gloss over the first decades because you don't like what the stats show.

 

Second point - how many people do you know to ask within the game? Personally I don't know any professional footballers, coaches or managers. Or, for that matter, football journalists. How many do you know?

 

As an ex fanzine editor quite a few...

 

I know a lot of fans though, and most perceive Saints as being a bigger club because they were not old enough to remember your good times of nearly 60 years ago, only the 40 of the last 50 years when we were above you in the league.

 

Which fans? Fans of opposing teams you've met on your travels or who visit St Mary's? Hardly likely to say that Pompey are bigger than you with you sat right in front of them are they?

[View From The Top]

Which fans? Fans of opposing teams you've met on your travels or who visit St Mary's? Hardly likely to say that Pompey are bigger than you with you sat right in front of them are they?

 

As I live over 150 miles away and teach in a college I can tell you what plenty of fans think (the lads are always happy to talk football).

 

A) SFC are a average sized provincial club with a Premier League set up and will be back now Lowe has gone.

 

B) PFC are an average sized CCC with a shi t set up and when they fall out of the EPL are going to be in massive trouble but have loud fans at FP.

 

C) No one outside of Hampshire really gives a shiney sh it about either.

[Wes Tender]

Because that's what 'history' is. You're only trying to gloss over the first decades because you don't like what the stats show.

 

To have any relevance, history has to be viewed in perspective. If any fans would have to be in their late 60's to have any recollection of Pompey in its pomp, then you are talking of a small proportion even of your own fanbase who were even alive at that time, let alone yourself.

 

As an ex fanzine editor quite a few...

 

Quite a few, who wished to make you feel self-important by massaging your ego and having you believe that you edit a fanzine of a big club?

 

Which fans? Fans of opposing teams you've met on your travels or who visit St Mary's? Hardly likely to say that Pompey are bigger than you with you sat right in front of them are they?

 

And of course, exactly the same thing applies to you too. Or do you think that they tell the truth to you, but lies to us?

 

Look, the attempt to support your club against your main local rivals is admirable. But just not credible.

[EastleighSoulBoy]

As I live over 150 miles away and teach in a college I can tell you what plenty of fans think (the lads are always happy to talk football).

 

A) SFC are a average sized provincial club with a Premier League set up and will be back now Lowe has gone.

 

B) PFC are an average sized CCC with a shi t set up and when they fall out of the EPL are going to be in massive trouble but have loud fans at FP.

 

C) No one outside of Hampshire really gives a shiney sh it about either.

 

C) Is the reason we are bickering with the Blue Meanies

C) Is the reason the Blue Meanies come on here to argue. They have little left of their town, having trashed it (even worse than it was) in celebration of beating us.

[pfc123]

As I live over 150 miles away and teach in a college I can tell you what plenty of fans think (the lads are always happy to talk football).

 

A) SFC are a average sized provincial club with a Premier League set up and will be back now Lowe has gone.

 

B) PFC are an average sized CCC with a shi t set up and when they fall out of the EPL are going to be in massive trouble but have loud fans at FP.

 

C) No one outside of Hampshire really gives a shiney sh it about either.

 

A) Agree.

 

B) No. PFC are a Premier league club, surely even most college students should be able to work that one out. The rest of point B I generally agree with.

 

C) Yep, correct

[pfc123]

And of course, exactly the same thing applies to you too. Or do you think that they tell the truth to you, but lies to us?

 

No I agree absolutely. Overall, there's not a great deal between us one way or the other. I think we shade it, you guys think you shade it. Don't suppose we're ever likely to agree on this one :cool:

[Badvoc]

TBH, Saints & Scumpey are almost identical in terms of size of support, loudness, loyalty etc etc.

 

If we had won the league in '57 (or whenever it was) Saints would definitely had 50-odd thousand attendances. If Scumpey had a 35,000 stadium I could eaasily see them packing in 33,000 on a regular-ish basis.

 

Fact is, both clubs are in that swathe of footy clubs such as Cov City, Palace, Ipswich, Norwich, Derby, Forest, Leicester, WBA etc etc. I think attendances for either club is based on recent success, recent support for the game (we were scuppered of larger gates in the mid 80s by the weekly spectre of violence IMHO). All of these clubs are capable of pulling in 35,000 and all of us are well capable of sinking to 11,000.

 

If anybody wanted to make an arguement for 'size' of club I would probably look at the size of away followings. That, I believe, it the real litmus test of support levels. In that respect, that's why the Toon and Mackems have spectacular support and are proper 'big' clubs, wheras the likes of Chelsea are just shhiiite. Now, I have no idea what Scumpey numbers are like away from home, but what I can say is that taking my mates from London to away games, every man jack of them has a very, very healthy respect for Soton in terms of numbers and voice. And, every independent London based fan of all clubs rates us as bigger than the Blue Few. TBH, I don't buy it, but that's what they tell me.

 

So, in short, I think Saints and Scumpey are much of a muchness. Despite last season, Saints support has been really good, and proves that we are a decently supported outfit. No way in the league of Arsenal, Utd, Citeh etc but still damn good. The stats over the last 50-odd years don't lie, and we have very much held our own. Whether we could get 50-odd thousand if we won the Premiership today, I know not. But I rather suspect Scumpey couldn't.

 

Best of luck to us both anyway, as a previous poster said earlier it would be a travesty if there was no representation in the Prem south of the Putney Bridge; a real travesty..

[Saint Billy]

TBH, the only time pompey have undermined the dominance of sfc in the modern era of football is when they have spent obscene amounts of money to do so, and at a time when sfc has suffered from serious mismanagement and fallen down the leagues because of it.

 

The truth now is that pompey's bubble has burst, where as sfc worse times are behind them. Guess what happens next!

[aintforever]

Yes, a fact. One season. Selective once again.....

 

Just to be selective again, couple of years earlier even less people turned out at your shed, 1995: 8,269.

 

Will be interesting to see how our attendances this season compare, considering we will be playing in a league below.

[fred kemp]

were you one of the 8k average supporters or not?.

i know so many in my neck of the woods who never went for years, never mentioned pompey, but strut their stuff now and go again, talking about saints troubles in a superior way and generally plssing me off.

please enlighten me as to why pompey are such a great club, you haven't produced a single player since anderton (southampton boy) i know im wasting my time with this and youll come back with more ****** about the war etc

[scotty]

'Newcastle are a big club', that always makes me laugh for some reason.

 

Edit: Thinking about it, forget and delete 'big' & insert 'MASSIVE' - just makes me laugh louder though.

 

 

never forget that Newcastle were "too big a club to go down"!!

 

 

.....then again, so were we........

[Highfield Saint]

Absolutely, because anything other than the WHOLE story is merely selective.

 

 

And what is the whole story exactly?

 

Do we include the Southern League titles and FA Cup finals from the turn of the century (when the Southern League was the equal of the Football League)?

 

Do we acknowledge the part that Southampton Football Club played in introducing the game to Brazil (which is a part of our history that we should make much more noise about both here and around the world)?

 

Do we acknowledge that the attendance records pre war are simply eye witness estimates and as such cannot be relied upon and therefore the only attendance facts are those from the post war period?

 

We are what we are and to be honest even in division 3 we are still a bigger chip on your shoulder than you are on ours.

[NickG]

Think 1982 was season you won the third division (albeit without -10 point start!).

 

Average attendance was 8,500.

 

We are in 3rd division this season, and unlikely to be winning the league, so you wouldn't have thought we would get as big crowds as you would you?

 

Especially as you are bigger club.

 

But hang on, we have sold 9,200 season tickets, will have walk up support and away support.

 

Something doesn't add up???:confused:

[Thedelldays]

And what is the whole story exactly?

 

Do we include the Southern League titles and FA Cup finals from the turn of the century (when the Southern League was the equal of the Football League)?

 

Do we acknowledge the part that Southampton Football Club played in introducing the game to Brazil (which is a part of our history that we should make much more noise about both here and around the world)?

 

Do we acknowledge that the attendance records pre war are simply eye witness estimates and as such cannot be relied upon and therefore the only attendance facts are those from the post war period?

 

We are what we are and to be honest even in division 3 we are still a bigger chip on your shoulder than you are on ours.

 

Think 1982 was season you won the third division (albeit without -10 point start!).

 

Average attendance was 8,500.

 

We are in 3rd division this season, and unlikely to be winning the league, so you wouldn't have thought we would get as big crowds as you would you?

 

Especially as you are bigger club.

 

But hang on, we have sold 9,200 season tickets, will have walk up support and away support.

 

Something doesn't add up???:confused:

 

PFC123 is getting owned as they say

[NickG]

1997, finished 7th in CCC, good season in 2nd tier, with huge support of...

 

 

 

.... 8,854 lol.

 

Your support is a joke, why are you coming on here with delusions of grandeur?

[Pat from Poole]

TBH, Saints & Scumpey are almost identical in terms of size of support, loudness, loyalty etc etc.

 

If we had won the league in '57 (or whenever it was) Saints would definitely had 50-odd thousand attendances. If Scumpey had a 35,000 stadium I could eaasily see them packing in 33,000 on a regular-ish basis.

 

Fact is, both clubs are in that swathe of footy clubs such as Cov City, Palace, Ipswich, Norwich, Derby, Forest, Leicester, WBA etc etc. I think attendances for either club is based on recent success, recent support for the game (we were scuppered of larger gates in the mid 80s by the weekly spectre of violence IMHO). All of these clubs are capable of pulling in 35,000 and all of us are well capable of sinking to 11,000.

 

If anybody wanted to make an arguement for 'size' of club I would probably look at the size of away followings. That, I believe, it the real litmus test of support levels. In that respect, that's why the Toon and Mackems have spectacular support and are proper 'big' clubs, wheras the likes of Chelsea are just shhiiite. Now, I have no idea what Scumpey numbers are like away from home, but what I can say is that taking my mates from London to away games, every man jack of them has a very, very healthy respect for Soton in terms of numbers and voice. And, every independent London based fan of all clubs rates us as bigger than the Blue Few. TBH, I don't buy it, but that's what they tell me.

 

So, in short, I think Saints and Scumpey are much of a muchness. Despite last season, Saints support has been really good, and proves that we are a decently supported outfit. No way in the league of Arsenal, Utd, Citeh etc but still damn good. The stats over the last 50-odd years don't lie, and we have very much held our own. Whether we could get 50-odd thousand if we won the Premiership today, I know not. But I rather suspect Scumpey couldn't.

 

Best of luck to us both anyway, as a previous poster said earlier it would be a travesty if there was no representation in the Prem south of the Putney Bridge; a real travesty..

 

 

To be fair, Chelsea have always had very good away support; even when they had hopeless donkeys like Cascarino and Paul Furlong playing for them they would always have away fans in our sections at The Dell. Their home support used to be erratic though; I remember going to a midweek League game at Stamford Bridge in the early 90's (same season we beat them in the ZDS semi) and there were less than 15,000 there.

[Dark Munster]

Absolutely, because anything other than the WHOLE story is merely selective.

 

Mind you, the only way you can cling to a few crumbs of comfort from the third division is to be selective- you can't talk about honours, because we blow you away on that one, you can't talk about highest gate because we blow you out of the water on that one too (and any bleating about not having the capacity at 'the skip' is your own fault for not having the ambition to build a ground big enough), and you can't talk about overall attendance since we beat you on that one also.

 

You can try to say you're the bigger club, but you're not. You're a third division club with a bigish ground that put you in the third division and that's all.

 

I go back to a point I've made several times on here that is very seldom replied to (strangely enough) which is to settle the argument by asking people within the game and those who write about it what they think?

 

Like I've said before, sorry, but you won't like the answer.

 

Lots of abuse and not many facts incoming methinks.....

 

OK, here's a simple question; suppose someone were to give you the offer for P*mp*y and Saints to switch positions 3 years from now (owner, league position, and debts). (Your decision of course must be made now, not 3 years from now.) Would you take the offer?

[Griffo]

TBH, Saints & Scumpey are almost identical in terms of size of support, loudness, loyalty etc etc.

 

If we had won the league in '57 (or whenever it was) Saints would definitely had 50-odd thousand attendances. If Scumpey had a 35,000 stadium I could eaasily see them packing in 33,000 on a regular-ish basis.

 

Fact is, both clubs are in that swathe of footy clubs such as Cov City, Palace, Ipswich, Norwich, Derby, Forest, Leicester, WBA etc etc. I think attendances for either club is based on recent success, recent support for the game (we were scuppered of larger gates in the mid 80s by the weekly spectre of violence IMHO). All of these clubs are capable of pulling in 35,000 and all of us are well capable of sinking to 11,000.

 

If anybody wanted to make an arguement for 'size' of club I would probably look at the size of away followings. That, I believe, it the real litmus test of support levels. In that respect, that's why the Toon and Mackems have spectacular support and are proper 'big' clubs, wheras the likes of Chelsea are just shhiiite. Now, I have no idea what Scumpey numbers are like away from home, but what I can say is that taking my mates from London to away games, every man jack of them has a very, very healthy respect for Soton in terms of numbers and voice. And, every independent London based fan of all clubs rates us as bigger than the Blue Few. TBH, I don't buy it, but that's what they tell me.

 

So, in short, I think Saints and Scumpey are much of a muchness. Despite last season, Saints support has been really good, and proves that we are a decently supported outfit. No way in the league of Arsenal, Utd, Citeh etc but still damn good. The stats over the last 50-odd years don't lie, and we have very much held our own. Whether we could get 50-odd thousand if we won the Premiership today, I know not. But I rather suspect Scumpey couldn't.

 

Best of luck to us both anyway, as a previous poster said earlier it would be a travesty if there was no representation in the Prem south of the Putney Bridge; a real travesty..

 

We are bigger than pretty much all of those clubs you listed. Apart from Forest and questionably Derby.

[Justin C]

I thought this post would be laughing directly at how they could struggle this season. Not a history lesson where anyone with half a brain can make the stats look good in their favour for either side.

 

Lets be honest most if not some of us would swap positions with them as they are in the prem but i feel that we have a great long term sensible adventure ahead of us. Why argue about gates in the 50's 60's 70's 80's and 90's so many other factors will always come into it.

 

I don't think anyone wants pompey to go out of business but we all want them to struggle. But i think the football bubble will burst in the next 5-10 years, which could favour us if we have a sensible owner (which I think we do).