do you want promotion?

[sotonian]

picking upon a talk sport subject that i only caught the end of yesterday, got me thinking,

 

the premier league has changed so much in the last few years, I'm really not sure if i want saints to go back there

 

the last couple of years have been so good, going into every game with a realistic chance of winning,

 

prices are stupid, season tickets will be probably £750 upwards, playing in a league where staying up is your only realistic aim is not really exciting me,

 

although no doubt i would renew, im not sure it would be as good as it is now

[aintforever]

I expect Europe will be the aim, not staying up.

 

Some Saints fans need a change of mindset, we are owned by Billionares now, we do what we want.

[The Kraken]

Do I want promotion? Yes.

 

Although I know that it'll mean I revert to how I used to support the team last time we were there, by going to around 4 or 5 games a season. It was up to £35 for a ticket last time we were there, that was 8 years ago, with inflation that's at least £45 a ticket now. Even if we kept prices down to around £35 or £40 it's still bloody expensive for 90 minutes of "entertainment" (some of the turgid sh*te we used to turn out on a regular basis still makes me shiver).

 

League 1 was an experience, but not one I want to repeat. This division is great in that there are no huge favourites and any team can beat the other, and as Adkins says there are 15 or 16 teams who have genuine belief they can gain promotion. So it's the perfect division for us to be in, as opposed to one where 8th place is deemed as success. But of course as a supporter you want to win every game your team plays, so promotion is always the goal. Its a strange dichotomy.

[scotty]

I can quite understand what the OP means, and in many ways I agree, but if we dont get promoted in the next few seasons I imagine its quite likely the current owners and/or chairman would pull the plug, and we'll be back where we started. NC has made it quite clear what he's aiming at, I dont believe he will settle for a good championship side, he wants a prem club.

[revolution saint]

Do I want promotion? Yes.

 

Although I know that it'll mean I revert to how I used to support the team last time we were there, by going to around 4 or 5 games a season. It was up to £35 for a ticket last time we were there, that was 8 years ago, with inflation that's at least £45 a ticket now. Even if we kept prices down to around £35 or £40 it's still bloody expensive for 90 minutes of "entertainment" (some of the turgid sh*te we used to turn out on a regular basis still makes me shiver).

 

League 1 was an experience, but not one I want to repeat. This division is great in that there are no huge favourites and any team can beat the other, and as Adkins says there are 15 or 16 teams who have genuine belief they can gain promotion. So it's the perfect division for us to be in, as opposed to one where 8th place is deemed as success. But of course as a supporter you want to win every game your team plays, so promotion is always the goal. Its a strange dichotomy.

 

Couldn't have put that better. Good post.

[Lazlo78]

picking upon a talk sport subject that i only caught the end of yesterday, got me thinking,

 

the premier league has changed so much in the last few years, I'm really not sure if i want saints to go back there

 

the last couple of years have been so good, going into every game with a realistic chance of winning,

 

prices are stupid, season tickets will be probably £750 upwards, playing in a league where staying up is your only realistic aim is not really exciting me,

 

although no doubt i would renew, im not sure it would be as good as it is now

 

Reading the title of the thread, I was expecting the "are we ready now or do we need one more season in this league to be better prepared for the PL?" question. And the answer to that is that you can't take anything for granted and you simply have to go for promotion as soon as you have the slightest chance.

 

The question actually posed by the OP is more difficult because to a certain extent the difference between "real football" and "extremely over-hyped multibillionaire playground" is between NPC and PL. And once you're in the PL, there's no looking back...

 

Obviously I'd love for us to get promoted, as I don't have to care about ticket prices - and being in the PL means more tv games

[Lighthouse]

I want promotion, otherwise what's the point. I only followed Saints for about 3 years before we got relegated from the Prem, but ever since I've wanted nothing more than to get back there. Yes, granted we will lose a fair few games, but we don't have to be a yoyo club. Newcastle have gone up, stayed up and I don't expect to see them back down any time soon. They haven't spent massively, they've just built on a decent NpC squad and look a good threat for the top half and maybe Europe under Pardew. That's even in spite of having Ashley at the healm. It's a similar story for Sunderland and Stoke in the last 5 years. Even Wigan, despite recent decline, have made it stick at the top. With Cortese, Adkins, Lallana, Lambert and a pretty full 30,000 seater stadium there is no reason we can't be a top half Premier League stalwart in years to come.

 

Kicking arse at the top of the NpC for a month or 2 has been great, but if it weren't for the prospect of promotion, would we actually care?

[CFSFC]

Tickets will not be 40 quid they will be 35 max for the big games, and probably season tickets off 600,

 

And yes i want promotion.

[Cestrian Saint]

No. The Premiership is a joke. Utter ****e. I'd rather that there was no Promotion from the Championship and that the winners got a place in the UEFA cup.

[Micky]

I expect Europe will be the aim, not staying up.

 

Some Saints fans need a change of mindset, we are owned by Billionares now, we do what we want.

 

I hope it's tongue in cheek, otherwise it's just total bollux.

[The Kraken]

Tickets will not be 40 quid they will be 35 max for the big games, and probably season tickets off 600,

 

And yes i want promotion.

 

That's one hell of an assumption you've made there. Ticket prices are already at £30 for our games; £32 if you pay on the day, £33 if you buy a single ticket in advance and pay the ticket tax. So we're already not far away from £35. I'd suggest you're in a dreamworld if you think they'd only go up by £2 if we get promoted.

 

Norwich have always been lauded for having a cheap pricing structure for their season tickets and match tickets. Their most expensive tickets this season cost £45. You can bet that SFC will be doing their research on other clubs and what they can get away with charging, and looking to do the same, so I'd imagine £40 or £45 will be the benchmark for us.

[Rasiak-9-]

I expect Europe will be the aim, not staying up.

 

Some Saints fans need a change of mindset, we are owned by Billionares now, we do what we want.

 

God I'm glad to see some of the fans are starting to match the hope and ambition that runs through our chairman (and indeed the players!)

 

We should storm forward loud and proud - we can easily push on to recover our status as a mid-table Prem side and then make a further step to get ourselves into the Villa/Everton/Spurs/Newcastle-sized bracket of clubs in the Premiership, pushing for Europe, expanding both our stadium and our fanbase and international profile.

 

There's no point being in this game if you don't want to beat the best and BE the best.

[aintforever]

I hope it's tongue in cheek, otherwise it's just total bollux.

 

If Fulham and Stoke can get into Europe even the most small minded Saints fan must believe it's possible for us to do the same.

 

If we get promoted and Cortese and co are still running the show, we will be a million miles away from what we had with Rupert.

[Golden Balls]

It's great to have something to genuinely aim for in the Championship but I still want promotion. I believe being out of the prem for this amount of time would have done us good in the long run as a club.

 

If we don't go up, we have to continue with our best youth players being sold after onl playing half a season, worse highlights and less likely to win a trophy.

[Saint_clark]

Personally I have a feeling the price increases were so sharp this year so that if (when!) we get promoted the increase won't be as noticeable.

[The Kraken]

Personally I have a feeling the price increases were so sharp this year so that if (when!) we get promoted the increase won't be as noticeable.

 

Personally I believe it will demonstrate to the owners that, despite prices going up so much this season, attendances also rose. And therefore that a further price rise will be equally inconsequential to attendance figures, particularly when playing against the larger sides.

[shurlock]

I want promotion - its what drives the competition. But I absolutely love the championship: proper games, proper clubs, proper fans. Every game is hammer and tongs and with no shortage of skill.

[Draino76]

I only give a sheet about the league we play in, so for me; irrelevant.

[aintforever]

God I'm glad to see some of the fans are starting to match the hope and ambition that runs through our chairman (and indeed the players!)

 

We should storm forward loud and proud - we can easily push on to recover our status as a mid-table Prem side and then make a further step to get ourselves into the Villa/Everton/Spurs/Newcastle-sized bracket of clubs in the Premiership, pushing for Europe, expanding both our stadium and our fanbase and international profile.

 

There's no point being in this game if you don't want to beat the best and BE the best.

 

Exactly, Southampton FC has NEVER had the chance to realise it's full potential. We've either been restricted by the Dell or later by being a PLC and being run by people without a pot to **** in.

 

We shifted 50,000 tickets EASILY for a Johnstone's Paint Trophy final against Carlisle FFS, I think many people will be surprised at what the club can become given the chance. There is more money down South than up North and the demographics of football have changed considerably. Wwe could easliy be up there tucked behind the big clubs.

[The Kraken]

Exactly, Southampton FC has NEVER had the chance to realise it's full potential. We've either been restricted by the Dell or later by being a PLC and being run by people without a pot to **** in.

 

We shifted 50,000 tickets EASILY for a Johnstone's Paint Trophy final against Carlisle FFS, I think many people will be surprised at what the club can become given the chance. There is more money down South than up North and the demographics of football have changed considerably. Wwe could easliy be up there tucked behind the big clubs.

 

Millwall took 49,500 to Wembley for their play-off final in 2009. And they're based in the capital. Does that mean they have the potential to be tucked up behind the big clubs if they get promotion and expand The Den?

[Micky]

If Fulham and Stoke can get into Europe even the most small minded Saints fan must believe it's possible for us to do the same.

 

If we get promoted and Cortese and co are still running the show, we will be a million miles away from what we had with Rupert.

 

Agree with that part - we could get into Europe. But just because we are owned by billionairres means nothing whatsoever, nor does it mean we 'do what we want'. The root of all success is not to throw money at it. We are lucky at the moment because we do have wealthy backers who are willing to 'invest' in the club and try to make it a success. Being a success outside of the Premier league is a lot lot easier than being one in it. I would suggest that our billionairres will not be investing anywhere near the type of money that Man Citys are.

 

A glib statement pointing to our backers (who may actually have us operating on budgest smaller than our competitors), followed by the big 'we are' is, as I said before, bollux.

[Micky]

I want promotion - its what drives the competition. But I absolutely love the championship: proper games, proper clubs, proper fans. Every game is hammer and tongs and with no shortage of skill.

 

Where is the competition in the Premiership?

[STEVEADAMS]

I expect us to go up and to compete. YES otherwise what is the point, anyone who says otherwise is kidding themselves.

[Micky]

It's hugely competitive. With 13 or 14 teams you don't know who'd win between them, plenty of shocks, poorer teams still strong at home etc. Bottom clubs are capable of beating top on their day, as wolves showed last season.

 

Man utd have been the best, but Chelsea, Arsenal, Man City and Liverpool have all got ambitions and will challenge over the next few years I'm sure, and Spurs are still capable, so the top 4 becomes difficult to predict. Below those teams anything can happen. Established sides like villa, everton, bolton are in truth only an injury crisis or poor run of form from a relegation scrap. That's what happened to us, we'd become a mid-table team, had good players, then mass injuries, management changes and poor form, relegation.

 

The Premier League is a fantastic division and I want us a part of it. For every stuffing there was fantastic victories against big clubs. Far more exciting and memorable.

 

Errrr hugely...!!! Since it started 19 years ago only 4 different teams have managed to win it - and one of those teams has won it 12 times..! Yes there is the odd giant killing - but at the end of the day, the giants have alway prevailed (ok Blackburn maybe the exception - but even when they won it, much finance was pumped into the club). So if your competitive nature is to win the league then I totally disagree - there is virtually no competition. Man Utd will win the league this year.

 

If on the other hand you want to compete, just to stay in the league, then yes - there is an element of competition about that side of the league. And it probably speaks volumes about the league that this is very often the most 'interesting end' of the league to most fans.

 

I am indifferent to promotion really, as I quite like the idea of being in a real competitive league, with a real chance of achieving as opposed to being an outsider with very little chance of competing. That's not to say that I wouldn't welcome promotion, but unlike some here I think we are some way off the Champions League just yet, and appreciate the different levels of investment needed to make that happen.

 

Premier League - fantastic, yes it is a super level of football, but it has been manufactured at a price that most clubs just cannot afford and are really only ever going to be also rans.

[dubai_phil]

To those saying the NpC is competitive. Well it is if you are properly run OR you have money behind you. I doubt Donny fans would say it was competitive right now (heck maybe even skates)

 

The fundamental difference in reality is that the NpC is a Football League, the PL is Showbusiness.

 

We are in a rare place at the moment where we have rebuilt a club and a team and we have a soul. I really do not look forward to signing 80k a week players with no connection to us or the team and who Kiss the badge because it helps their image rights

 

BUT there are teams who can go up, get established and give their fans enjoyment, that should be our first aim. We may not like the way Stoke play, but they have found their own way of dooing it

 

Do I want Promotion?

 

Hell Yes.

 

Will it be different this time?

 

Hell Yes.

 

Why? Because this time we have an ethos in the club where "survival" but a profit for shareholders each season would be regarded as a massive failure

[AussieDog]

Of course I hope we will the league or gain a promotion place, and, living most of the time in Australia, I will get to see us play most weeks on TV, which is a massive bonus!

Historically, as a Saints fan, I want us to win our home games and not lose by too many away, with the odd win away chucked in. I think the Premier League is at a turning point over the next couple of years. The new finance rules coming in are going to level the playing field a little - and there is always the possibility that the very top teams get lured into a european League (although that idea has been doing the rounds for many years now without coming to fruition).

 

In the meantime though, I just want to bask in us being very un-saints like for as long as possible, by playing entertaining football AND winning, as I'm clinging to the possibility that when I come back for the games over Easter they may just be promotion deciders. COYR!!!

[sammysaint]

Premier league is becoming a 3 horse race Utd City and Chelsea with Arsenal Spurs Liverpool fighting for 4th, then everything else is to play for, il be happy with finish between 12th and 8th every season with the odd cup run as long as it means every season were staying afloat.

 

To be honest if we can prdouce a few more YTS players who are Bale Walcott AOC standard and keep them we could become a top 8 team with the right additions and keeping NA and NC.

[doddisalegend]

These sort of threads come up every season my response is always the same. On a personal level I hate the PL, bunch of overpaid players, playing overhyped football, MOTD creaming themselves over Man U every week, the same old clubs in the top 4/5 places The PL is a gaint pus filled boil on the arse of English football................

 

But any club that wants to get anywhere in English football these days has to be in the PL which means Saints will need to be. It will probably mean an end to my season ticket mind.

[EastleighSoulBoy]

Personally I have a feeling the price increases were so sharp this year so that if (when!) we get promoted the increase won't be as noticeable.

 

I agree with this, thought it, and said so, at the time of all the handwringing.

[Fan The Flames]

When you look at the Saturday results the champ has ten games with loads of goals and exciting scorelines and is littered with good teams. Look at the prem there are five games with at least one goaless draw and a few one nils. All the good games are spread all over the weekend, bring back Saturday 3 pm.

 

The big boys won't form a European league whilst they are allowed to dominate domestically as well.

[doddisalegend]

I expect Europe will be the aim, not staying up.

 

Some Saints fans need a change of mindset, we are owned by Billionares now, we do what we want.

 

 

Ones who want the club to be self funding..........If your expecting Man City style spending when we get back to the PL you're in for dissapointment IMO

[Colinjb]

I want promOrion. I want to see my team back competing with the best this country has to offer. It's a question of pride for me, better to be a small fish in a big pond trying to find it's way then making the best of a smaller more comfortable environment.

[Doctoroncall]

I am indifferent to promotion really, as I quite like the idea of being in a real competitive league, with a real chance of achieving as opposed to being an outsider with very little chance of competing. That's not to say that I wouldn't welcome promotion, but unlike some here I think we are some way off the Champions League just yet, and appreciate the different levels of investment needed to make that happen.

 

Premier League - fantastic, yes it is a super level of football, but it has been manufactured at a price that most clubs just cannot afford and are really only ever going to be also rans.

 

This is the dichotomy which was mentioned above, it's great to be competing and achieving but all that does is lead to promotion where the oppostion is tougher. However, the way the club has been built is to steadily grow and has improved the critical areas to do that - the management structure, the academy, the identification of the 'right' players, the scouting network, all towards being able to compete in the PL. The team is playing together as a team and with a few additions that will no doubt join will do well. This to me of having a club maximising what it can do by spending sensible money in the right areas to build a team is more enjoyable than a Man Citeh approach of trying to buy the title or a Wigan buying whatever players they can trying to survive.

[Gingeletiss]

These sort of threads come up every season my response is always the same. On a personal level I hate the PL, bunch of overpaid players, playing overhyped football, MOTD creaming themselves over Man U every week, the same old clubs in the top 4/5 places The PL is a gaint pus filled boil on the arse of English football.............

 

This

[Panda]

What would be the point of playing games but trying to avoid winning so as to avoid promotion? We play each game to win don't we? That is what football is all about. It is a competitive sport where the object is to win. If you win a lot of games then you can get promotion to play at a higher level where you will play to win every game, sure you will not win as many but you play to win just the same. It is not a question of 'wanting promotion or not', promotion is a by-product of a winning team. Ask the players, NA or NC what they want? Do they want promotion? Of course they do, they want it badly because they want to compete as the highest level available, surely as fans we would want that too?

[aintforever]

Agree with that part - we could get into Europe. But just because we are owned by billionairres means nothing whatsoever,

 

You obviously don't have the faintest idea what you are talking about. The fact that we are secure financially means will be able to be MUCH bolder in the transfer market than when we were previously in the Prem even if the owners don't want to invest huge amounts.

 

If you think are situation will be the same as when we had smaller Sky payments, shareholders to appease, £2mill a year mortgage payments to make and a tightwad in charge you are retarded.

[Fan The Flames]

What would be the point of playing games but trying to avoid winning so as to avoid promotion? We play each game to win don't we? That is what football is all about. It is a competitive sport where the object is to win. If you win a lot of games then you can get promotion to play at a higher level where you will play to win every game, sure you will not win as many but you play to win just the same. It is not a question of 'wanting promotion or not', promotion is a by-product of a winning team. Ask the players, NA or NC what they want? Do they want promotion? Of course they do, they want it badly because they want to compete as the highest level available, surely as fans we would want that too?

 

You are looking at it from the clubs perspective where as the OP is looking at from a fans point of view, so it is possible for fans to not want us to go up, or in other words prefer life in the Championship. Of course fans want SFC to compete at the highest level but the OP is exploring the cost of going up.

[trousers]

What would be the point of playing games but trying to avoid winning so as to avoid promotion? We play each game to win don't we? That is what football is all about. It is a competitive sport where the object is to win. If you win a lot of games then you can get promotion to play at a higher level where you will play to win every game, sure you will not win as many but you play to win just the same. It is not a question of 'wanting promotion or not', promotion is a by-product of a winning team. Ask the players, NA or NC what they want? Do they want promotion? Of course they do, they want it badly because they want to compete as the highest level available, surely as fans we would want that too?

 

I believe the OP was posing the question from a philosophical perspective rather than from a literal or mechanical angle.

[Panda]

You are looking at it from the clubs perspective where as the OP is looking at from a fans point of view, so it is possible for fans to not want us to go up, or in other words prefer life in the Championship. Of course fans want SFC to compete at the highest level but the OP is exploring the cost of going up.

 

No, I said surely fans would want us to compete as the highest level and achieve the best we can. We, as fans, can't directly do that like the players and management can but we support them and what they are trying to achieve. If your only consideration is the price of a ticket then I fear you should support Bournemouth after all, their Chairman tells their fans who want more to support Saints!

[Brussels Saint]

I think it was Alan Pardew when he was here who said no one cares about the FL, the Prem is everything (or words to that effect). He's right of course outside of our narrow Saints supporting view. Football in this country in general is about the Premier League, thats what kids in playgrounds, guys in the workplace talk about.

To not want to be there for me does not make sense. I grew up supporting Saints in the top division in the 80's and that is where we belong, its our level.

 

Plus I actually like all the overpaid, foreign prima donna's, say what you like about them, but the standard of football and entertainment they produce is fantastic.

[badgerx16]

I don't 'want' promotion, I want Saints to win every game they play - promotion will be achieved as a consequence of gaining sufficient points across the season, and given the start we have made I will certainly be disappointed if we end up missing out, but there's another season starting next August and the circus will begin again. A Preston fan I work with, ( imagine THAT in an office in Bloomfield Road ! ), said a couple of seasons ago that the Prem was a nice place to visit, but a rotten place to stay, ( mind you they've never experienced it ), and there is no doubt here that the Blackpool fans would go through last season again without any hesitation, including the last day roller-coaster, ( something we have also gone through both with success and disappointment ). Hell, even the Skates would jump at the chance of another season rubbing shoulders with the World's mercenary elite, ( and some not-so elite ).

The Prem is indeed a cesspool of greed and shady dealing, but I for one would jump at the chance to see Saints upset ManUre, Chelski, Spuds, & the Arse once in a while, and we will most definitely be on a much better financial footing than with Rupes.

[Shroppie]

I think it was Alan Pardew when he was here who said no one cares about the FL, the Prem is everything (or words to that effect). He's right of course outside of our narrow Saints supporting view. Football in this country in general is about the Premier League, thats what kids in playgrounds, guys in the workplace talk about.

To not want to be there for me does not make sense. I grew up supporting Saints in the top division in the 80's and that is where we belong, its our level.

 

Plus I actually like all the overpaid, foreign prima donna's, say what you like about them, but the standard of football and entertainment they produce is fantastic.

 

Whilst I can't disagree about wanting to be in The League, which is the only one that exists as far as Sky and many others are concerned, there are many things about the PL that I dislike intensely.

 

It's largely overhyped, again mainly by Sky because they have such investment in it they can't let anyone think that any game is less than brilliant. The players are overpaid and the finances of the PL have damaged lower leagues.

 

And I don't agree that the standard is fantastic. Some games may be, but the way Saints are playing is better than plenty in the PL. The quality in the lower PL can be awful - give me a decent Championship game any day. Even last season I would argue that some L1 games showed more skill than the worst of Prem games.

[mikee]

The problem with the OP is that we are only enjoying the Championship now because we are winning - and this will inevitably lead to promotion - if not this season then soon after.

 

Personally, I think that if we can keep the same manager and ethos and add to the squad in a discerning and deliberate manner, we can be very strong in the Premier League. Look at how well the squad has dealt with the step up to the Championship - the natural assumption is that we will not win as many games - well so far we are winning more!

 

I think our style of play is key to our future as this type of football will allow us to compete better in the PL and will certainly ensure that we are too good for the Championship.

 

It is a real cliche but Nigel really has made the whole team worth more than the sum of its parts and I am really looking forward to seeing how far this can take us in the PL.

 

I share many peoples views on the "excesses" of the PL but it would make me even prouder of Saints if we could compete without resorting to these tactics but maintaining our principles. This will also give us the best chance of growing our fan base and picking up neutral support as many see the PL as full of mercenaries and having no soul.

[egg]

Interesting question and a good op. I would love see us back amongst the big boys, but I agree with the op in that I dont want to go back to a struggle for survival.

 

That said, I dont want us to be a cardiff and nearly go up every year, that would drive me nuts.

 

On balance I would welcome promotion, but hope that there really is money available (i am not convinced there is) to give us a decent chance of survival, and then a platform to help us build.

[sandwichsaint]

Good thread, and in the way that 'do you want promotion?' is a bit of a paradox I'd also say that being relegated to the third division was one of the best things that ever happened to this club! Many fans of Saints only ever knew top-flight football, unsurprisingly being that we were in the top flight for 28(?) continuous years. Going down, then down some more, has re-attached the fans with 'proper' football, and the subsequent successes (JPT, winning runs, records broken, promo, flying start this time) has allowed us to regenerate a fantastic team spirit and buzz about the whole club.

 

As to whether we want to go up? How can you realistically stop that? For those that can afford to go now, but will be able to afford to go less often in the Premier, and there will be literally thousands in that demographic, what is the alternative? Only cheer until we have got enough points to stay up this year? Maybe boycott the last 6 home games if we look in danger of going up? Obviously that won't happen and people want to see their team win as many games as possible and their team doing as well as possible. Do people really want to stop players like Lallana and Lambert getting into the Prem and doing really well in a Saints shirt? How good would it be to see Adam Lallana (Eng) printed on the back of a Saints programme?

 

My hope would be that the club would bring in a much more tiered pricing system, match tickets at Borussia Dortmund currently range between E65 and E12 with about 7 different price points in between; tickets at SMS currently range from 35(?) - 25(?) with three(?) different price points. It should be perfectly feasible to bring in tickets at say, 50, 40, 30 , 20 and arrange the various availabilities to maximise their revenue while still making a limited number of 'affordable' tickets available for each game. Or as an equally good alternative they could set aside an area of the stadium (one of the Chapel corners say) and set up an Airline-type pricing model whereby tkts for all games were put out online at the start of the season with different starting prices for different oppo available from Day 1, tkts for Bolton home on a Tuesday evening in Feb could be put out in August at £10 and tks for Liverpool on a Saturday could be put on at a starting price of £45, all the games would then float up and down according to demand/sales, right up until the day before kick off.

 

Of course the club won't do either of these alternatives - why invest some time and energy in producing a model that will enable the most number of fans to share in the team's success?

 

The reality, based on the experience of the last two seasons is that the club will half-heartedly offer relatively expensive STs (say 550 to 750-plus), and follow this up with matchday prices 50-plus, 45, 35-38. And all the supporters who stayed with the club on the way down and on the way back up can go hang; pay up or shut up will be the order of the day.

 

The reality is that the club will always choose the perceived higher revenue/smaller crowd model, over the bigger crowd/smaller revenue+more periphals model (up to a point they are right to do this, but it would nice to see them being more creative with their pricing and experimenting in that middle ground).

 

What is so refreshing is so that so many people on here can see it coming and are so relaxed about it!

We haven't even started on the effect of away prices/numbers/atmosphere yet in comparison between the lower leagues and the Prem!!

 

Anyone who thinks we will sell-out every game/nearly every game in the Prem at these premium prices is seriously deluded - have you read a newspaper today?

[scott_saints]

I'd be f**king livid if we got promoted to the best league in the world. Livid.

[Kingsland Red]

With the FIFA (UEFA?) home players ruling coming in and also their expenditure based on income ruling, if promoted in the next couple of years, Saints will be no worse off than any other club except the top 4 or 5.

In fact, with our Academy set up constantly distributing players of a more than adequate standard to play in the Premiership, I see not reason why we shouldn't become a top ten side again.

An upper tier to the Kingsland would also help.

[Micky]

You obviously don't have the faintest idea what you are talking about. The fact that we are secure financially means will be able to be MUCH bolder in the transfer market than when we were previously in the Prem even if the owners don't want to invest huge amounts.

 

If you think are situation will be the same as when we had smaller Sky payments, shareholders to appease, £2mill a year mortgage payments to make and a tightwad in charge you are retarded.

 

Thanks for that. Very good of you to assume budgetry control of the club based on the owners wealth. Yes it is a factor, but, again, just because our owners have billions does not mean that the budget will run to that. I know it's difficult to understand - but if they were going to give us the same backing as the billionaires at say Chelsea or Man City, then you would probably have seen just a little more activity in the transfer market this season. Hence making us much bolder this season, perhaps.

 

I have not said that the situation will be the same as the last time that we were in the top flight, but neither do I think that (in my lifetime) we will be serious contenders to winning it. All I have pointed out is that many have tried, well about 40 to be honest, but most have failed, many have come nowhere near to winning the league. There is little competitivness to the overall aim of a league system i.e. to finish top.

 

As a result, and largely because of financial gain, most teams that make up the league are there not to challenge for the ultimate prize - but to take the biggest wedge that they can. But then again, what do I know, I don't have the faintest idea.

[doddisalegend]

I'd be f**king livid if we got promoted to the best league in the world. Livid.

 

So will I away matches in Spain every other week would cost a fortune.............

[doddisalegend]

Thanks for that. Very good of you to assume budgetry control of the club based on the owners wealth. Yes it is a factor, but, again, just because our owners have billions does not mean that the budget will run to that. I know it's difficult to understand - but if they were going to give us the same backing as the billionaires at say Chelsea or Man City, then you would probably have seen just a little more activity in the transfer market this season. Hence making us much bolder this season, perhaps.

 

I have not said that the situation will be the same as the last time that we were in the top flight, but neither do I think that (in my lifetime) we will be serious contenders to winning it. All I have pointed out is that many have tried, well about 40 to be honest, but most have failed, many have come nowhere near to winning the league. There is little competitivness to the overall aim of a league system i.e. to finish top.

 

As a result, and largely because of financial gain, most teams that make up the league are there not to challenge for the ultimate prize - but to take the biggest wedge that they can. But then again, what do I know, I don't have the faintest idea.

 

This