Crowds

[Amazing Hangover]

Three things.

 

(1) Looking at the away fans for Coventry from their programme - 185 at Ipswich, 183 at Middlesbrough. Did it ever get that bad for Saints in the Dutch Duo/Branfoot days?

 

(PS the Greyhound is a great pub, the locals were friendly and the RICOH deserves better than half full - hope they stay up)

 

(2) Talking of Middlesbrough had a look at the website to see if the 14K home crowd was true (and have a bit of a gloat) and was met by a home page (or should that be homie page?) featuring a 4 yr old lad with a 'full Joey Barton' and his six year old wife showing some thigh and flashing some kind of 'Gangsta' hand signal which I don't understand.

 

(3) Why the rush to expand the grounds? (MK Dons, Spurs etc) I suppose on the brink of a catastrophic world recession people will still need to see Bon Jovi to take their minds off things.

[Patrick Bateman]

I can't recall ours being that bad, but I did go to Middlesbrough during the Stuart Gray (or was it Wigley, I get those two disasters mixed up) when we won 3-1 and there weren't more than 3-400 Saints fans there!

[oldsarum]

During Branfoot's reign we had 50-70 at Everton for a midweek game days after we took 30,000 to Wembley for ZDS Final

[Saint Malc]

I went to Aberdeen on the Tuesday after the 2003 cup final and I counted 89 Saints fans in the away section. 200 at Sunderland on a Tuesday night in 2003 (which we won 1-0, Beattie scored).

[Saint Malc]

I can't recall ours being that bad, but I did go to Middlesbrough during the Stuart Gray (or was it Wigley, I get those two disasters mixed up) when we won 3-1 and there weren't more than 3-400 Saints fans there!

 

If that's the game I'm thinking of (Crouch 2) I thought there were more there than that. It was particularly tough for away travellers that season. I think we only got 6 points on the road (the reason we got relegated imo) that season which was the win at boro and points at Aresenal, Charlton and WBA.

[Patrick Bateman]

If that's the game I'm thinking of (Crouch 2) I thought there were more there than that. It was particularly tough for away travellers that season. I think we only got 6 points on the road (the reason we got relegated imo) that season which was the win at boro and points at Aresenal, Charlton and WBA.

 

Nah, Beattie got 2, Pahars got the other I think - I remember Ripley playing WELL too!!

[dune]

I can't recall ours being that bad, but I did go to Middlesbrough during the Stuart Gray (or was it Wigley, I get those two disasters mixed up) when we won 3-1 and there weren't more than 3-400 Saints fans there!

 

I was there!

[Roger]

I was there!

 

It was under harry we won 3-1 at boro.

[Saint Malc]

Nah, Beattie got 2, Pahars got the other I think - I remember Ripley playing WELL too!!

 

I was referring to the 20 Mar 2005. Your 1-3 was 29 September 2001 (thanks to Soccerbase). In the game when Crouch got 2 Jakobsson got the other.

[northam soul]

Our away support in the 80s was pretty poor at times. i remember going to many a game and there would be no more than a couple of hundred at best.

I am pretty sure back in the early to mid eighties we took 149 to chelsea for a league game and they then had a picture and headline of it on the back page of the echo.

[dune]

It was under harry we won 3-1 at boro.

 

Come to think of it I think it was 1-1 when I was there and we took hardly any fans.

[dune]

It was under harry we won 3-1 at boro.

 

But you're wrong. It was Sep 2001 when we won 3-1 away at Boro cos I just checked.

[The9]

But you're wrong. It was Sep 2001 when we won 3-1 away at Boro cos I just checked.

 

He's right, and so are you. FWIW I also went to the Crouch / Redknapp away game when we played in light blue, there was a pic of me sleeping across 3 seats at half time posted on Saints Forever by Javi. Had a bit of a tiring weekend what with driving from Newport to Southampton to Middlesbrough to Newport. I suspect the 2005 match was a Sunday kick off - was it live on tv ?

Edited 9 November, 2011 by The9

[Amazing Hangover]

I went to Aberdeen on the Tuesday after the 2003 cup final and I counted 89 Saints fans in the away section. 200 at Sunderland on a Tuesday night in 2003 (which we won 1-0, Beattie scored).

 

I remember that! I had somehow missed the result and had to watch the highlights on Sky Sports News without knowing the final score. They had about 342 chances if I remember.

[Jez]

 

(2) Talking of Middlesbrough had a look at the website to see if the 14K home crowd was true (and have a bit of a gloat) and was met by a home page (or should that be homie page?) featuring a 4 yr old lad with a 'full Joey Barton' and his six year old wife showing some thigh and flashing some kind of 'Gangsta' hand signal which I don't understand.

 

Is this normal in Middlesbrough?

[warsash saint]

Remember going to Ayresome Park on a Tueday night in Branflakes's era. Lost 2-1 if i recall. Could only have been around 150 of us there that night - & the Police still kept us in after the game (Hants Police take note )

 

Also recall going to Spurs for a Monday night game when they were doing up White Hart Lane ... i think they only gave us 100 odd tickets due to restrictions. We scored 2 late MLT goals to win 2-1. Was a strange atmosphere that night

[Sour Mash]

Remember going to Ayresome Park on a Tueday night in Branflakes's era. Lost 2-1 if i recall. Could only have been around 150 of us there that night - & the Police still kept us in after the game (Hants Police take note )

 

Also recall going to Spurs for a Monday night game when they were doing up White Hart Lane ... i think they only gave us 100 odd tickets due to restrictions. We scored 2 late MLT goals to win 2-1. Was a strange atmosphere that night

I was at WHL that night, think it was on a Monday for sky (?), cracking game. Have been told about the trip to Ayresome and 150 is probably generous. Through our time in the top flight we never took too many away at times, certainly M'Boro, Sunderland, Blackburn, Everton, Leeds I remember taking a couple of hundred to all of those at different times. Never got quite as low as those Cov figures and our away support has improved massively in the last 4-5 years.

[Amazing Hangover]

Is this normal in Middlesbrough?

 

Not normal, but not unusual.

[JRM]

Yes Spurs on a monday night in 94/95 season they only gave us a couple of blocks in the west stand lower while the park lane end was being built, couple of hundred tickets is all we got, we then returned there later that season in the FA Cup for a 1-1 draw and the gave us the whole Park Lane lower that had just been opened which was about 6000 tickets.

 

Sunderland away in Jan 2003 when we won 1-0 Beattie scoring was the smallest i have been in, was about 150 saints there, and it was FREEZING. Middlesbrough in about '92 was low, i heard lower than 100 from some who were there.

 

if you want the joy of being in small away followings then pre-season away games are good for that!

 

think we took some small numbers to ZDS cup away games in early 90s

[Saint Malc]

The smallest away following I've been in was when Newcastle were re-developing the Gallowgate end in 1994 and no away fans were allowed because of the reduced attendance. I went up there ticketless and bought a ticket off a tout outside the ground. I was the only fan who jumped up and cheered when Matty scored the winner from a free-kick just outside the box to make it 1-2.

[JRM]

The smallest away following I've been in was when Newcastle were re-developing the Gallowgate end in 1994 and no away fans were allowed because of the reduced attendance. I went up there ticketless and bought a ticket off a tout outside the ground. I was the only fan who jumped up and cheered when Matty scored the winner from a free-kick just outside the box to make it 1-2.

 

good one to have in the collection that, there were others who went up, but not many as you say no away fans were allowed, not sure how they got away with that then, even building a new stand you'd have to offer away fans some tickets now.

 

i remember going to Luton sitting with the home fans when they had the away fan ban and ID card scheme

[Saint Malc]

i remember going to Luton sitting with the home fans when they had the away fan ban and ID card scheme

 

WOW! I'm a bit jealous. I had a couple of mates who were working in Luton at the time and had a Luton address and they were able to get tickets. Demand certainly outstripped supply so I missed out :-(

[saint1977]

good one to have in the collection that, there were others who went up, but not many as you say no away fans were allowed, not sure how they got away with that then, even building a new stand you'd have to offer away fans some tickets now.

 

i remember going to Luton sitting with the home fans when they had the away fan ban and ID card scheme

 

Reminds you of what an odious club Luton were in the 80s and judging by their last visit to St Mary's they haven't improved much. I don't agree with the awful behaviour of Millwall who smashed the place up but to ban all away fans, plus that awful plastic pitch was really tantamount to cheating. Plus they had David Evans as a chairman. I remember the ID card scheme being really controversial, even a lot of die hard Conservatives at the time were threatening to switch their allegiance if it came in.

[St Michael]

Being a Saints fan up north for the last 12 years, I've been to some midweek away games with some pretty paltry away followings.

 

e.g.

 

Newcastle away May 2001. Meaningless end-of-season game for both sides. Was live on Sky. Pahars headed late and fully deserved equaliser in 1-1 draw. There wasn't even any segregation between two sets of fans, we were deemed that harmless! Must have been around 100 of us there.

 

Bolton in League Cup quarter-final Nov 2001. Fewest away fans I've ever seen at a Saints game. The stay-aways missed a cracker! 2-2 after extra time and we lost on pens.

 

And I was also there for 'that' win at Sunderland with the Beattie goal. Officially the coldest game ever. That year, Sunderland earned the lowest amount of points in a Premiership season (before Derby beat their record a few years later). Kevin Phillips missed a sitter right in front of us. They were awful.

[country bumpkin]

about 10 of at newcastle late 70's i think steve middleton in goal we won 1-o

[teamsaint]

fewest I have seen was the 4-1 defeat at Charlton in 1975.

 

very few indeed.

[JRM]

Being a Saints fan up north for the last 12 years, I've been to some midweek away games with some pretty paltry away followings.

 

e.g.

 

Newcastle away May 2001. Meaningless end-of-season game for both sides. Was live on Sky. Pahars headed late and fully deserved equaliser in 1-1 draw. There wasn't even any segregation between two sets of fans, we were deemed that harmless! Must have been around 100 of us there.

 

Bolton in League Cup quarter-final Nov 2001. Fewest away fans I've ever seen at a Saints game. The stay-aways missed a cracker! 2-2 after extra time and we lost on pens.

 

And I was also there for 'that' win at Sunderland with the Beattie goal. Officially the coldest game ever. That year, Sunderland earned the lowest amount of points in a Premiership season (before Derby beat their record a few years later). Kevin Phillips missed a sitter right in front of us. They were awful.

 

i was at all of those, Newcastle was a lot more than 100, we had gone up there in Feb for a sunday game on sky that was called off a couple of hours before kick off due to snow, the game was re-arranged for May (1st i think) on a Tuesday and we had about 800 there, good night out afterwards.

Sunderland 2003 was tiny following.

Bolton cup game was small, but 400 odd

[Nick65]

fewest I have seen was the 4-1 defeat at Charlton in 1975.

 

very few indeed.

 

I was there - and with a mate too, so there were at least 3 of us. Hughie Fisher own goal I seem to remember.

 

Millwall away in about September 77, it looked like I was the only Saints supporter there apart from 1 bloke right behind the goal with a long red&white scarf. That was probably my worst ever Saints away experience, we played carp and lost 3-0 and the Den was like something out of Dickens, populated with hordes of seriously seedy/dodgy characters. And there were millions of flies buzzing around. Place was like a rubbish dump.

[Badger]

Remember going to Ayresome Park....

 

Yes so do I, January 1982 when we won 1-0 to go top of the table for the first time.

 

Bloody cold, and for such a momentous game it was a shame there were barely two coach loads there.

[teamsaint]

Yes so do I, January 1982 when we won 1-0 to go top of the table for the first time.

 

Bloody cold, and for such a momentous game it was a shame there were barely two coach loads there.

 

to be fair to us, away followings in general have risen a lot over the years. back in the day you got the odd massive turnout, especially for cup games, but not so many at lots of league games.

[um pahars]

Sunderland on New Year's Day 1991 or 1992 saw very few in the paddock opposite the main stand. Bit of snow and sleet and I think a 1-0 defeat (a penalty from Kevin Ball!!!!).

 

Was staying in Newcastle at the time so felt a bit sorry for those who had a very long journey back.

 

 

Also remember an Everton game in the 80's when there weren't enough on the little paddock behind the goal to even get some sort of group going for a sing-song. Around 85 I reckon with Jordan winning a penalty (think we drew 2-2).

Edited 11 November, 2011 by um pahars

[View From The Top]

Yes so do I, January 1982 when we won 1-0 to go top of the table for the first time.

 

Bloody cold, and for such a momentous game it was a shame there were barely two coach loads there.

 

Bloody cold? It was about -100c!

[Chez]

Villa Park on a Monday night as recent as 2002 live on Sky. We won 1-0 with a Beattie pen. Brilliant night, buzzing all the way home. There was possibly only 250 there though.

[alehouseboys]

about 10 of at newcastle late 70's i think steve middleton in goal we won 1-o

 

Steve Middleton never played for the skates...did he?

[saints triumph]

I was at both those games, stayed with my sister in Northallerton, so didn't have to make the long trip home same day. The everton game I took my 5 year old son to his first game , whos now 28, cryed when Saints scored as he didn't like the cheering. Was living near blackpool at the time.

Sunderland on New Year's Day 1991 or 1992 saw very few in the paddock opposite the main stand. Bit of snow and sleet and I think a 1-0 defeat (a penalty from Kevin Ball!!!!).

 

Was staying in Newcastle at the time so felt a bit sorry for those who had a very long journey back.

 

 

Also remember an Everton game in the 80's when there weren't enough on the little paddock behind the goal to even get some sort of group going for a sing-song. Around 85 I reckon with Jordan winning a penalty (think we drew 2-2).

[The Majestic Channon]

During Branfoot's reign we had 50-70 at Everton for a midweek game days after we took 30,000 to Wembley for ZDS Final

 

I went to that and counted 82 saints fans! we won too , first time we won at goodison since 74.

[explorer saint]

Yes Spurs on a monday night in 94/95 season they only gave us a couple of blocks in the west stand lower while the park lane end was being built, couple of hundred tickets is all we got, we then returned there later that season in the FA Cup for a 1-1 draw and the gave us the whole Park Lane lower that had just been opened which was about 6000 tickets.

 

Sunderland away in Jan 2003 when we won 1-0 Beattie scoring was the smallest i have been in, was about 150 saints there, and it was FREEZING. Middlesbrough in about '92 was low, i heard lower than 100 from some who were there.

 

if you want the joy of being in small away followings then pre-season away games are good for that!

 

think we took some small numbers to ZDS cup away games in early 90s

 

yep ZDS semi at stamford bridge we won 2-1or 3-1 I think very few saints perhaps 300

[Lets B Avenue]

Yes so do I, January 1982 when we won 1-0 to go top of the table for the first time.

 

Bloody cold, and for such a momentous game it was a shame there were barely two coach loads there.

 

10 of us were in the seats in front of the Directors Box, joining in with the demonstration against their board. They tried to get a coffin in the ground, but were only allowed the wreath, which made an effective frisbie.

 

Absolute sh ite game. No-one realised we were top until we got back in the cars and heard the Sports Report headlines. Cue bedlam.

[VectisSaint]

April 77 away to Blackburn (lost 0-3). Never saw any sign of another Saints supporter all night. Checked with a copper when I got to the ground which end the away supporters were in and he laughed. Spent whole game with my coat covering up my red & white scarf, before a dodgy trip back across the moors in my Cortina GT in the fog & rain to Oldham where I was temporarily working. Kids today.

[northam soul]

yep ZDS semi at stamford bridge we won 2-1or 3-1 I think very few saints perhaps 300

 

I was at that game and there were a lot more than 300 probably around 1500 i would guess.

[action man]

the week after we took 30,000 to wembley for the league cup final in 1979,there were 36 of us at bolton

[Dr Who?]

Don't know about away games but I remember under Branfoot about 9,000 turning up for a home game, in the league. We lost 0-1 and it was the lowest point under Branfoot!!!