ericb Posted 6 January, 2011 Posted 6 January, 2011 I'm torn on this one, i'm born and bred southampton and for my sins still live here (though i do want to move as i find the city a bit of a cultural hole in all honesty). Now i don't want to claim that anyone isn't a Saints fan, but (and i'll accept any ****storm that comes with this), i don't really like the idea of people who live in towns with league teams and no real link to Southampton supporting us. To me it just damages the local team from the place they're in since their money would be far better spent on their local team, hell that's what makes english football so special. How many other nations can claim such levels of support throughout all their leagues? There's also the worry for me that should we ever get successful it would really damage what the club is about to have a load of plastics around the world wearing Saints shirts and claiming to support us (though weirdly the overseas supporters now just confuse me in a pleasant way, i mean being born here inflicts this on us but choosing it from the other side of the world..... well fair play you must be a masochist!). It really has been a source of pride to me that we are one of those clubs that really represents their city (local nationalism?) Mind you just to be a complete hypocrite no matter where i'm living when/if i have kids they're having no choice whatsoever in the fact that they're Saints fans!
Saints67 Posted 6 January, 2011 Posted 6 January, 2011 I'm torn on this one, i'm born and bred southampton and for my sins still live here (though i do want to move as i find the city a bit of a cultural hole in all honesty). Now i don't want to claim that anyone isn't a Saints fan, but (and i'll accept any ****storm that comes with this), i don't really like the idea of people who live in towns with league teams and no real link to Southampton supporting us. To me it just damages the local team from the place they're in since their money would be far better spent on their local team, hell that's what makes english football so special. How many other nations can claim such levels of support throughout all their leagues? There's also the worry for me that should we ever get successful it would really damage what the club is about to have a load of plastics around the world wearing Saints shirts and claiming to support us (though weirdly the overseas supporters now just confuse me in a pleasant way, i mean being born here inflicts this on us but choosing it from the other side of the world..... well fair play you must be a masochist!). It really has been a source of pride to me that we are one of those clubs that really represents their city (local nationalism?) Mind you just to be a complete hypocrite no matter where i'm living when/if i have kids they're having no choice whatsoever in the fact that they're Saints fans! Hello Eric, I guess I'm one of the types you describe. I'm Irish by birth and when school friends chose either Liverpool or Man U I chose Saints (thanks Mr Keegan!). I have lived and worked abroad while in the RAF and currently live in Wigan. I have no affinity to Southampton the City and my only allegience is to SFC though I love visiting the City and when I drive past the 'Welcome to Hampshire' sign I always feel, spiritually, that I'm home. I've found over many years of supporting Saints it is me who is embarrassed when asked about which team I support as people naturally assume I'm from the South Coast. However I have never had my loyalty to Saints questioned by another Saints fan and have always been warmly welcomed at home games, away games and in the street by my fellow Saints fans (not sure what point I'm trying to make with that statement!). Bumper few weeks for me as I'm at Oldham away, Notts County home then Tranmere away. COYS
Armitage Shanks Posted 6 January, 2011 Posted 6 January, 2011 I was born in Romsey in 1968 and my parents moved out when I was 6 months old. Never lived there since. But my Dad was also born in Southampton and grew up there as did his father and his grandfather. I am 4th generation Saints fan and my son who was born in Warwick and is now 11 is 5th generation and I've been taking him to Saints since he was 5. Hopefully his son in turn will also support Saints and keep the lineage going. Please do spare a thought for my son however - his first ever game was that home match against Boro when we were two up with a minute to go and we drew - Harry's first game in charge I recall. What a 6 years he's had supporting Saints. I've promised him for 6 years that the glory days would be back. It's now starting to happen..........
Sour Mash Posted 6 January, 2011 Posted 6 January, 2011 I'm torn on this one, i'm born and bred southampton and for my sins still live here (though i do want to move as i find the city a bit of a cultural hole in all honesty). Now i don't want to claim that anyone isn't a Saints fan, but (and i'll accept any ****storm that comes with this), i don't really like the idea of people who live in towns with league teams and no real link to Southampton supporting us. To me it just damages the local team from the place they're in since their money would be far better spent on their local team, hell that's what makes english football so special. How many other nations can claim such levels of support throughout all their leagues? There's also the worry for me that should we ever get successful it would really damage what the club is about to have a load of plastics around the world wearing Saints shirts and claiming to support us (though weirdly the overseas supporters now just confuse me in a pleasant way, i mean being born here inflicts this on us but choosing it from the other side of the world..... well fair play you must be a masochist!). It really has been a source of pride to me that we are one of those clubs that really represents their city (local nationalism?) Mind you just to be a complete hypocrite no matter where i'm living when/if i have kids they're having no choice whatsoever in the fact that they're Saints fans! Bit of a confused post this. You "don't really like the idea of people who live in towns with league teams and no real link to Southampton supporting us." What about those coming from towns with non-league teams? Are you ok with them? Should people from Eastleigh support Saints or only Eastleigh as they are the local team? Or what about those fans that come from London/Manchester/Birmingham etc travelling past much more successful teams to see Saints? Point being, there are a million and one reasons that people follow the club they do, don't think too many Saints fans can be described as glory hunters though.
SFKA South Woodford Posted 6 January, 2011 Posted 6 January, 2011 I was born the Isle Of Wight and lived there for six years until my mum re-married and we moved to London. My mum hated football and wouldn't let me have anything to do with it, as my dad had played football. It wasn't until Saints finished runners up in the league, that I knew anything about them. A couple of years later a West Ham supporting step cousin, took me to Upton Park to see Saints play there, we got tonked, but a few months later I told my mum I was going out to play with my friends for the rest of the day and instead made my way down to Southampton, I got as far as the Polygon and then didn't know where to go, so asked a couple of blokes with red and white scarves if they could point me to the ground. They said I could follow them, so I did and we ended up on Milton Road. I was excited, bought a program and just went in the first entrance I could find, so ended up on the Milton Terrace. I was hooked from the moment that Danny Wallace scored a screamer in that 1-0 win over Watford. I managed to sneak back in when I got home that night without my mum knowing where i'd been and then repeated the journey a few weeks later for a win over Oxford. I think I went to the Dell six times that season, and have been going to games ever since. I only found out my Saints heritage years later, when I saw my dad for the first time in about 10 years. He told me that he was a Saints fan and had been at the final in 76 and had been to the Dell for lots of games before moving around the country with his job. A few years later my grandad on my mums side of the family also told me that he had been to the Dell several times when he was a boy and that two members of our family had actually played for Saints back in the early part of the 1900's. So although i've never lived in Southampton, i'm linked by blood and like many on here and elsewhere I got that feeling of elation of being part of something special, especially when it came to our regular bloodying of the noses of the big boys. One of the reasons I moved to Hampshire a few years ago was to make it easier to get to games, and as a result I have now been able to experience the atmosphere at evening matches, such as those against Charlton and MK Dons in the JPT run last season, as people say there is definetly a different intensity to evening games at St Marys, especially when the boys are turning it on, on the pitch.
angelman Posted 6 January, 2011 Posted 6 January, 2011 I am concerned that I am not allowed to support Saints. Was born in Boscombe, grew up in a BH postcode, moved to France for a few years and then to London and now back to a BH postcode. I feel ashamed to say that I don't support my closest team, and have never ever been to one of their games, even though sitting mid table isn't too bad. Sorry Bashley FC.
Sour Mash Posted 6 January, 2011 Posted 6 January, 2011 I was born the Isle Of Wight and lived there for six years until my mum re-married and we moved to London. My mum hated football and wouldn't let me have anything to do with it, as my dad had played football. It wasn't until Saints finished runners up in the league, that I knew anything about them. A couple of years later a West Ham supporting step cousin, took me to Upton Park to see Saints play there, we got tonked, but a few months later I told my mum I was going out to play with my friends for the rest of the day and instead made my way down to Southampton, I got as far as the Polygon and then didn't know where to go, so asked a couple of blokes with red and white scarves if they could point me to the ground. They said I could follow them, so I did and we ended up on Milton Road. I was excited, bought a program and just went in the first entrance I could find, so ended up on the Milton Terrace. I was hooked from the moment that Danny Wallace scored a screamer in that 1-0 win over Watford. I managed to sneak back in when I got home that night without my mum knowing where i'd been and then repeated the journey a few weeks later for a win over Oxford. I think I went to the Dell six times that season, and have been going to games ever since. I only found out my Saints heritage years later, when I saw my dad for the first time in about 10 years. He told me that he was a Saints fan and had been at the final in 76 and had been to the Dell for lots of games before moving around the country with his job. A few years later my grandad on my mums side of the family also told me that he had been to the Dell several times when he was a boy and that two members of our family had actually played for Saints back in the early part of the 1900's. So although i've never lived in Southampton, i'm linked by blood and like many on here and elsewhere I got that feeling of elation of being part of something special, especially when it came to our regular bloodying of the noses of the big boys. One of the reasons I moved to Hampshire a few years ago was to make it easier to get to games, and as a result I have now been able to experience the atmosphere at evening matches, such as those against Charlton and MK Dons in the JPT run last season, as people say there is definetly a different intensity to evening games at St Marys, especially when the boys are turning it on, on the pitch. Quality story there mate.
Saint_Ash Posted 6 January, 2011 Posted 6 January, 2011 Can I support Saints? I was born in Chesterfield in 78, then lived in Sheffied until I was 7, moved to Somerset and lived there until we moved to Southampton a week shy of my tenth birthday. I've lived here since (22 years) and the Dell was the first ground I went to when I was about 14, had to go with mates as my Parents have no affinity with football. I've supported Saints since then and feel nothing for any other clubs from the areas I lived before Southampton. Please let me support them!!
dubai_phil Posted 6 January, 2011 Posted 6 January, 2011 I just want to add one point to my "qualification" as a Saints fan. My Grandmother was from Southampton. So, although I was brought up in the arms of The Salisbury Saints Massive from the age of 8 and a bit, I do actually, under FIFA regulations, qualify as a fully fledged Saints fan. And I still think it is unfair to try and call some of us Non-fans simply because we used to have to stand at the front of the Chocolate Boxes in order to see anything from the age of about 13 when we were no longer allowed our Milk Crates.
solentsaint Posted 6 January, 2011 Posted 6 January, 2011 Is it ok for me to support southampton?!? I went to uni there for 3 years and supported them ever since!!... This debate is pathetic
Golden Balls Posted 6 January, 2011 Posted 6 January, 2011 My god, ignore the couple of morons. All other Saints fans will accept any fan from any corner of the globe.
NickG Posted 6 January, 2011 Posted 6 January, 2011 support saints from anywhere, celebrate their success, cry with defeat - just don't say a player had a crap game if you didn't see it!!!
Cricketphilly Posted 6 January, 2011 Posted 6 January, 2011 Grew up in New Milton and left in 86. I couldn't give a flying toss if I was called 'plastic, fairweather' or any other name some pleb would wish to call me. Far too smug and pleased with myself to worry about things like that.
NickG Posted 6 January, 2011 Posted 6 January, 2011 Grew up in New Milton and left in 86. I couldn't give a flying toss if I was called 'plastic, fairweather' or any other name some pleb would wish to call me. Far too smug and pleased with myself to worry about things like that. not a true fan - not because of where you are, but we have not had anything to be smug about for years!
Thedelldays Posted 6 January, 2011 Posted 6 January, 2011 Is it ok for me to support southampton?!? I went to uni there for 3 years and supported them ever since!!... This debate is pathetic Not really Glory hunter plastic fan
Fan The Flames Posted 6 January, 2011 Posted 6 January, 2011 As someone else said there are a hundred and one reasons why someone picks up a team, the important thing is that they have stuck with us, every fan is welcome and celebrated. I have two children and I have given them a list of teams that they can support; Southampton, Arsenal or Plymouth (The granddads sides), Charlton or Gillingham (local sides). Thankfully the first one is Saints, one down one to go.
Deppo Posted 6 January, 2011 Posted 6 January, 2011 I'm torn on this one, i'm born and bred southampton and for my sins still live here (though i do want to move as i find the city a bit of a cultural hole in all honesty). Now i don't want to claim that anyone isn't a Saints fan, but (and i'll accept any ****storm that comes with this), i don't really like the idea of people who live in towns with league teams and no real link to Southampton supporting us. To me it just damages the local team from the place they're in since their money would be far better spent on their local team, hell that's what makes english football so special. How many other nations can claim such levels of support throughout all their leagues? There's also the worry for me that should we ever get successful it would really damage what the club is about to have a load of plastics around the world wearing Saints shirts and claiming to support us (though weirdly the overseas supporters now just confuse me in a pleasant way, i mean being born here inflicts this on us but choosing it from the other side of the world..... well fair play you must be a masochist!). It really has been a source of pride to me that we are one of those clubs that really represents their city (local nationalism?) Mind you just to be a complete hypocrite no matter where i'm living when/if i have kids they're having no choice whatsoever in the fact that they're Saints fans! Actually, I'd rather have someone support Saints who doesn't have any links to the city than someone with your snobby, elitist attitude.
Saint_clark Posted 6 January, 2011 Posted 6 January, 2011 Actually, I'd rather have someone support Saints who doesn't have any links to the city than someone with your snobby, elitist attitude. Agreed. Think we've had enough of this "debate" now.
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