How to honour the great man

[CB Saint]

Stand or stadium - both equally fitting

[Nexstar]

Would like to see the Itchen Stand become the Markus Liebherr Stand, but would want the ground to remain St. Mary's.

 

I'm unsure on a statue, he always seemed to be the kind that didn't want to be the centre of attention.

[Foxstone]

Anything as long as its lasting, tasteful and supported by his family IMHO... not for me to determine what is 'fitting'.

 

But as a suggestion, I think he would have liked the idea of something that has a legacy for the club and community... eg The Liebherr Academy so similar.

 

No problem with anything be it Stadium, statue or stand, but it needs to be lasting - we should never forget, what he did for us.

 

Great post Frank and quite right too..

 

It is easy for all of us to suggest what we think should be done to honour his memory, but his family must be consulted and give their approval.

 

But we know the one thing Markus and his family would have approved of is promotion, and that must be our goal.... And dedicate it to his memory.

[dronskisaint]

A lot of fitting ideas - the paramount being the period of reflection

 

My impression was that he was too modest a man to want a statue - certainly I also think he would like the ongoing legacy of a local sports trust.

 

For myself the Itchen Stand & the training ground named after him in perpetuity...

 

It's a lot in the way of tributes but not enough for a man who first saved us & looks like now underwriting our future

[The9]

Also factual. Welcome back to the real world.

But less impact than any number of Saints 'legends' on and off the pitch. Don't get me wrong I'm very grateful for his buying us when he did, but lets keep this in perspective. He was an owner for a very short period in our 125 year history.

 

Well, you've gone from sash-hating numpty to full blown idiot here.

 

I assume you haven't supported the club since July 2009 seeing as it wouldn't exist if it wasn't for the bloke you're so keen to dismiss the influence of ?

[The9]

Kits my thing; I'd go for the following:

 

 

I really like the "black sash" idea. It's simple and classy, goes with the rest of the kit and shouldn't be too difficult to put together, even at that kind of notice. They can have mine back if they're short of material or whatever the excuse was.

 

Or we could just play in the black away kit at home, with the black socks from the home kit.

 

It's a hell of a sacrifice to increase away kit sales though.

[Toomer]

The best way to honour Marcus,

1, AP and the players go out and win league 1 this season

2, The fans to fill the stadium for every home game this season and in the future

3, The club to get bact to family values in some areas

[Griff]

Honour Markus by

winning league

pull together

and why not change the red band to a red band with a black border for the season?

[OldNick]

and why not change the red band to a red band with a black border for the season?

 

if we did that, some would think it is a marketing strategy by NC

[OldNick]

the marcus Liebherr stadium would be fine by me.

[The9]

Just robbed this off Gecko and tweaked it a bit : bit of a loss of quality on save unfortunately...

 

[The9]

if we did that, some would think it is a marketing strategy by NC

 

Only if they sold it. Personally I'd be completely in favour of changing the sash to black for the whole season AND flogging the thing in the club shop if at least half the profits went to a Liebherr charity.

[Scummer]

I'd just wear the black kit in our next home game.

[OldNick]

I'd just wear the black kit in our next home game.

 

good idea

[Toomer]

I'd just wear the black kit in our next home game.

 

Agree with this

[sammysaint]

1. Wear black kit

2.Win Promotion

3. Name a stand after him

[Dazza82]

I think one of the squad numbers should be come his number, like some teams give 12 to the fans

[Viking Warrior]

Still in a state of shock as for naming the stadium after Markus is a good idea however given that he had a plan to re build saints and take them back to the Premiership

how about naming the training ground after him especially with all the new buildings that are to be erected and much of our future will be based and developed.

 

The Markus Liebherr Southampton FC Training Centre

Just a thought

[Dave Benson Phillips]

I don't believe that renaming the stadium is the right tribute.

 

Markus Liebherr Way in place of Brittania Road and the Itchen Bridge renamed Liebherr Bridge in my opinion would be more fitting.

 

St Mary's is part of our history and where our name derives from. Also, Southampton won't play at St Marys forever. Much better to have a memorial which lasts for generations.

[Durleyfos]

"The Liebherr Stadium" has a nice ring to it.

[OldNick]

St Mary's is part of our history

it could be said that Marcus is a bigger part of our history

[Petersfield Saint]

Anything as long as its lasting, tasteful and supported by his family IMHO... not for me to determine what is 'fitting'.

 

But as a suggestion, I think he would have liked the idea of something that has a legacy for the club and community... eg The Liebherr Academy so similar.

 

No problem with anything be it Stadium, statue or stand, but it needs to be lasting - we should never forget, what he did for us.

 

Well said Frank

[alpine_saint]

I don't believe that renaming the stadium is the right tribute.

 

Markus Liebherr Way in place of Brittania Road and the Itchen Bridge renamed Liebherr Bridge in my opinion would be more fitting.

 

St Mary's is part of our history and where our name derives from. Also, Southampton won't play at St Marys forever. Much better to have a memorial which lasts for generations.

 

Zero chance, mate. Look at the whinging a few years back from those involved in its construction when the idea of calling it the RJ Mitchell Bridge was mooted.

[Dave Benson Phillips]

it could be said that Marcus is a bigger part of our history

 

No, no single person is bigger than 125 years of history and the millions of people who have made that history, regardless of what they have done for the club.

 

Liebherr needs to be remembered by Southampton for generations, but renaming the stadium is no appropriate.

 

Let's also not forget that we won't be in St Marys forever, nor will Liebherrs family own Saints forever. What is to stop a new owner changing the name back to St Marys Stadium? Or getting a sponsor for the stadium?

 

Much better to have a memorial that new owners in the future cannot remove, and Liebherr can quite rightly remain in the Southampton community by name for generations and generations.

Edited 12 August, 2010 by Dave Benson Phillips

[georgeweahscousin]

Genuinely upset writing my blog this morning, but words can't do it justice.

 

http://www.shoot.co.uk/news/latest_article/C50/leagues_1_2/saint_markus/

 

R.I.P Saint Markus

 

Freedom of the City or a stand renaming at the least I would say.

[Hatch]

Just rename a stand.

 

 

Definitely not a statue. Thats just a knee jerk reaction.

[Give it to Ron]

Just rename a stand.

 

 

Definitely not a statue. Thats just a knee jerk reaction.

 

Agreed not a statue - rename the roads, stand or even the Liebherr Stadium.

[rick1976.4.38]

how about the fans getting behind the team for a change and stop the booing.we are meant to be supporters,so lets support them at all times and get sfc where markus wanted us,the premiership.name a stand or the academy after him

[Dimond Geezer]

I think we should have some sort of permanent memorial to ML. What form it should take, I don’t know, and I’m not particularly bothered about, rename the road, stadium, a stand, commission a statue, bust, or whatever. Whatever is decided I will support it. I just think there should be something. If it wasn’t for the big fella, and if the reports at the time are to be believed, we wouldn’t be here now.

[Pancake]

For me, rename Staplewood or the new complex there. Its a fitting tribute to the FUTURE of the club.

[Dave Benson Phillips]

I think we should have some sort of permanent memorial to ML. What form it should take, I don’t know, and I’m not particularly bothered about, rename the road, stadium, a stand, commission a statue, bust, or whatever. Whatever is decided I will support it. I just think there should be something. If it wasn’t for the big fella, and if the reports at the time are to be believed, we wouldn’t be here now.

 

The only 'permanent' options would be renaming a road or a landmark in Southampton.

 

Renaming the stadium / stand / training complex etc will not be permanent and future owners may well remove Liebherrs name from the name of a stadium or stand in place of sponsor in the future ( or just revert them back to their former names ). At least with a road/landmark named after him, it will remain for generations.

[Micky]

For me, rename Staplewood or the new complex there. Its a fitting tribute to the FUTURE of the club.

 

I like this idea, "The Markus Liebherr Football Academy", has a good ring about it.

[Ya Barrrrrrr'd]

In the long term i think there should be a tribute to Mr Liebherr, in what form i not sure. In the short term i think the best tribute will be to have a full house for the game against Leyton Orient and sing our hearts out to show our appreciation for a man who saved our club.

[Pancake]

I like this idea, "The Markus Liebherr Football Academy", has a good ring about it.

 

Good one, like that title.

[OldNick]

The only 'permanent' options would be renaming a road or a landmark in Southampton.

 

Renaming the stadium / stand / training complex etc will not be permanent and future owners may well remove Liebherrs name from the name of a stadium or stand in place of sponsor in the future ( or just revert them back to their former names ). At least with a road/landmark named after him, it will remain for generations.

 

getting the people of the city to re-name a road /bridge etc is nye impossible, if we can't honour RJ Mitchell FFS

[sfcjmcsfc16]

How about all player shirts to wear the number 62 on the back.

[Give it to Ron]

getting the people of the city to re-name a road /bridge etc is nye impossible, if we can't honour RJ Mitchell FFS

 

It can be done for new ones then as we have the roads around the Dell and County Cricket ground - rename Staplewood academy as suggested is a great idea.

[sammysaint]

I also think having ML on the shirts under the badge would be good when i was in philly the phillies have a legendary phillies commentator initials on there jerseys who just passed away for the whole season.

[Saints foreva]

How about all player shirts to wear the number 62 on the back.

 

Football league rules won't allow it, but they would allow all the players to have Liebherr on the back of their shirt I think - I seem to remember QPR players having Ray Jones on their shirts when we played them.

[Tac-tics]

1: Get down to the next game, 31,000 of us.

2: We reflect on Markus's amazing gesture and respect the minutes silence.

3: As cliche as it seems, we really top any atmosphere thats ever been created at st.marys - out do any local derby, relegation battle, Alan Balls and Ted Bates death, play-off fixture and finally club together.

4: There really is'nt any better or fitting reason for us to FINALLY pull together, get behind Pardew, Cortese and the CURRENT squad regardless if you think it strong enough, they are all Southampton players and are part of 'The Liebherr Generation'.

 

We will win this league and we will win it for our saviour and the real gentleman that was Markus Liebherr. In the mean time we will mourn and respect the last events, we won't make any rash decision on the stadium,statue, naming of ways, we are all still in shock. Once that league title is ours, we can honour Markus' in any possible way but we must start with that league title.

[Big John]

That 'Markus Liebherr, St Mary's Stadium'.

 

Never let the men's memory fade. The very least he deserves in my opinion. He not only saved this great Club, he gave us fans our best day out since 1976.

[yorkie]

Personally I think a large portrait of the man should hang proud in reception.

 

He would never be far from his beloved Saints then!

[RedWillie]

Pack out the ground for Orient - roar the team to a win for ML

[Hedgehog]

There has been posts about having an aeroplane fly past, would it not be good to have a spitfire fly over the stadium just before the next home game, both being a symbol of southampton, past and present?