Saint-Reece Posted 8 June, 2012 Share Posted 8 June, 2012 Five Pre-Season Dates Confirmed Saints are pleased to announce that they will host high-flying European opposition as part of their preparations for life in the Barclays Premier League. Following their successful visit in July 2009, the Club will welcome Dutch champions Ajax back to St Mary's on Saturday 28th July (3pm kick-off). The fixture will be followed by a double-header against teams from the npower Championship, as Nigel Adkins seeks to test his men against good-quality domestic opponents. Saints host recently-relegated Wolves on Saturday 4th August (3pm kick-off), before they travel to Ashton Gate to face Bristol City on Tuesday 7th August (7.45pm kick-off). Furthermore, the Club can confirm that the squad will play two friendlies in France as part of a training camp in the lakeside resort of Évian-les-Bains this summer. The three matches due to take place on English turf will be preceded by seven days spent training in the spa town, which lays on the shores of Lake Geneva and is situated just north of the Alps. Évian, which sits close to the Swiss border, offers first-class facilities and has previously been used as a training base for a number of top sides, including Olympique Marseille, Sporting Clube de Portugal and the Paraguayan national team. Southampton will play two matches during their time in France, the first of which will be against as-yet unconfirmed opposition on either Wednesday 18th or Thursday 19th July. Saints' second friendly will see them take on Ligue 1 outfit Évian Thonon Gaillard FC at the Stade Joseph-Moynat on Saturday 21st July, with the fixture kicking off at 7pm local time. The Club confirmed last week that it will welcome Arsenal and Rangers as the opposition for this year's Markus Liebherr Memorial Cup, which takes place on Saturday 14th July. Saints' 2012/13 pre-season schedule is currently as follows: Saturday 14th July - 5.15pm: Markus Liebherr Memorial Cup, Arsenal & Rangers (home) Wednesday 18th/Thursday 19th July: Opposition to be confirmed Saturday 21st July - 7pm (local): Évian Thonon Gaillard (Stade Joseph-Moynat) Saturday 28th July - 3pm: AFC Ajax (home) Saturday 4th August - 3pm: Wolverhampton Wanderers (home) Tuesday 7th August - 7.45pm: Bristol City (away) Ticketing details for Saints' pre-season fixtures and further information on the Club's summer schedule will be announced on saintsfc.co.uk in due course. In Profile: AFC Ajax Amsterdam giants Ajax previously visited St Mary's in July 2009 to contest for the Ted Bates Trophy in the first match played following the summer takeover of the Club by Markus Liebherr and Nicola Cortese. Saints went ahead through Joseph Mills, but the Dutch side quickly drew level through a penalty from captain Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan striker, now of Liverpool, added a second after the break to put his side ahead, before goals in the final ten minutes from Siem de Jong and Marvin Zeegelaar completed a 4-1 victory for Martin Jol's men. Ajax, now under the management of legendary former defender Frank de Boer, clinched their 31st Dutch championship last month after ending the season with a run of 13 consecutive wins. Included in their current squad is their much-coveted captain Jan Vertonghen, who has been linked with both Arsenal and Tottenham this summer. Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen has a growing reputation in the game, while forward de Jong has followed on from his goal against Saints by regularly finding the net for Ajax, for whom he was top goalscorer in 2011/12. In Profile: Évian Thonon Gaillard Football Club Evian TG were founded in 2003 as a result of a merger between FC Gaillard and FC Ville-la-Grand, playing their first season in the fourth tier of the French football system under the name of Croix-de-Savoie 74. The club yo-yoed between the Championnat de France amateur and the Championnat National before undergoing a further merger in 2007 when they incorporated local team Olympique Thonon-Chablais to become Olympique Croix-de-Savoie 74. They returned to the Championnat National in 2008 before changing their name to Evian Thonon Gaillard Football Club a year later following investment by Franck Riboud, president of the Group Danone. Riboud then became honorary president of the club, with Les Croix de Savoie going on to quickly achieve back-to-back promotions and reach the top flight of French football. The club's first-ever season in Ligue 1 was a success, as they finished in ninth place having replaced manager Bernard Casoni with Uruguayan Pablo Correa in January. Les Roses currently boast the likes of Sidney Govou - an experienced striker with 49 caps for France - and former Liverpool midfielder Christian Poulsen in their ranks. In Profile: Wolverhampton Wanderers Wolves will next season resume life in the Championship after being relegated at the end of three consecutive campaigns in the top flight. The Molineux outfit have appointed Norwegian Ståle Solbakken as their new manager this summer, with the former F.C. Copenhagen boss due to officially take charge on 1st July. Saints last faced Wolves in the 2008/09 Championship season, with the Black Country side doing the double over their relegation-bound opponents. The Midlanders will be keen to keep hold of the likes of Wayne Hennessey, Matt Jarvis, Steven Fletcher and Kevin Doyle following their relegation from the Premier League. In Profile: Bristol City Derek McInnes's side will hope for a better 2012/13 season than their previous campaign, during which they flirted with relegation before securing their Championship status in their penultimate match. Despite their disappointing year, the Robins did manage to become one of only two sides to beat Saints both home and away last season. Second-half goals from Albert Adomah and Nicky Maynard consigned Adkins' men to a 2-0 defeat at Ashton Gate last November, while Stephen Pearson's late goal gave City a 1-0 success at St Mary's a month later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Charlie Posted 8 June, 2012 Share Posted 8 June, 2012 Decent pre season against some good teams. Interesting no 'easy' games to ease into things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint-Reece Posted 8 June, 2012 Author Share Posted 8 June, 2012 Oh, looks like they forgot to add Udinese in, which they've just added to the article, will be 11th August at St. Mary's Kick-off at Noon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted 8 June, 2012 Share Posted 8 June, 2012 Sounds like a decent pre-season. Interesting that we're not off to Switzerland this year, so slightly different. 4 good home games to look forward to as well, against decent oppo. edit - just seen Udinese play at our place too, so 5 home games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paris Posted 8 June, 2012 Share Posted 8 June, 2012 Good pre season organised there with some good teams ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Fan CaM Posted 8 June, 2012 Share Posted 8 June, 2012 Very good pre-season. No messing about - well done NC, NA and team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ant Posted 8 June, 2012 Share Posted 8 June, 2012 Blimey, some tough tests in that lot. Hope Udinese bring a strong side, would be good to see the likes of Di Natale in action. Imagine the Ajax game will sell well too. Who are we plundering from Bristol City then - Adomah, Bolasie? Going back in for Fontaine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sour Mash Posted 8 June, 2012 Share Posted 8 June, 2012 Very strong, competitive pre-season is that. Some exciting games, as pre-season games go. Bit of a change in usual approach, rare to have so many home games and no "easy" matches for the first team it seems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liquidshokk Posted 8 June, 2012 Share Posted 8 June, 2012 Sounds like a decent pre-season. Interesting that we're not off to Switzerland this year, so slightly different. 4 good home games to look forward to as well, against decent oppo. edit - just seen Udinese play at our place too, so 5 home games. Did they not reveal they were off to Switzerland a while back or was that just on ere'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ_TOAST Posted 8 June, 2012 Share Posted 8 June, 2012 sound good...just hope they don't charge to much for tickets...£5-10 would be fair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mancsaint Posted 8 June, 2012 Share Posted 8 June, 2012 Did they not reveal they were off to Switzerland a while back or was that just on ere'? The Echo took a stab in the dark and got it wrong. This dashes my chances of seeing the Evian game, 7pm KO stops me getting back to Basel after the game, plus £130 return train fare. Have to take ferry across Lake Geneva and they will have stopped, I assume, by the time the game ends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lymsaint Posted 8 June, 2012 Share Posted 8 June, 2012 Great preseason line up, looking forward to these matches, quite a test for us I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thedelldays Posted 8 June, 2012 Share Posted 8 June, 2012 Very strong, competitive pre-season is that. Some exciting games, as pre-season games go. Bit of a change in usual approach, rare to have so many home games and no "easy" matches for the first team it seems. better than playing Yeovil, exeter, hearts with just one european team. this format is miles better than the last few years or so Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpbury Posted 8 June, 2012 Share Posted 8 June, 2012 When we were last in Prem, I think we took the pre-season games very casually, not caring if we won or lost (if we won lots we'd do s hit come the start of the season, if we lost loads, didn't care). However, I think there might be some proper competition in these games, with our new horizons set, so I think we can see them as fairly meaningful fixtures - wont get downhearted if we lose the lot, but I think the players will be putting in some graft. I know they will! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Le God Posted 8 June, 2012 Share Posted 8 June, 2012 As there are a lot of home friendlies, it would be good if they could bundle the home friendlies together at a discount. A "pre-season season ticket" if you will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orange Posted 8 June, 2012 Share Posted 8 June, 2012 Anyone clued up on what the other fixture in France might be, happen to be in Provence at the same time.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Le God Posted 8 June, 2012 Share Posted 8 June, 2012 Anyone clued up on what the other fixture in France might be, happen to be in Provence at the same time.. FC Lucerne perhaps...? http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.luzernerzeitung.ch%2Fzentralschweiz%2Fsport%2Ffc_luzern%2FFC-Luzern-Geht-Renggli-Kommt-Dortmund%3Bart98%2C179692&act=url Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orange Posted 8 June, 2012 Share Posted 8 June, 2012 FC Lucerne perhaps...? http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.luzernerzeitung.ch%2Fzentralschweiz%2Fsport%2Ffc_luzern%2FFC-Luzern-Geht-Renggli-Kommt-Dortmund%3Bart98%2C179692&act=url I hope not, says another French team though? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Le God Posted 8 June, 2012 Share Posted 8 June, 2012 I hope not, says another French team though? No it doesn't, merely says they will take place in France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orange Posted 8 June, 2012 Share Posted 8 June, 2012 No it doesn't, merely says they will take place in France. Ah right. I'd hope it would be a bigger team/ground, mabye the fact its taking more time to organise would suggest so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint J 77 Posted 9 June, 2012 Share Posted 9 June, 2012 Seems like we are playing more Pre-season games this year, compared to last year and the previous two pre-seasons before that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
View From The Top Posted 9 June, 2012 Share Posted 9 June, 2012 Might go over as a jolly. Nice part of the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopkins Posted 9 June, 2012 Share Posted 9 June, 2012 Seems like we are playing more Pre-season games this year, compared to last year and the previous two pre-seasons before that. Bigger squad. Wouldn't be surprised if the Wolves game will see a few youngsters be given a chance. Might help sell a few more tickets too. Udinese and Ajax... depending on the prices.... will be so much better to watch than Rangers and Arsenal kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orange Posted 9 June, 2012 Share Posted 9 June, 2012 Anyone else going to be heading over to France? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suewhistle Posted 9 June, 2012 Share Posted 9 June, 2012 Anyone else going to be heading over to France? Ha! Just started a thread about it as I hadn't spotted this. Just over the border in Italy so might well do it. Could chuck the tent in the car as well and make a week-end of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted 9 June, 2012 Share Posted 9 June, 2012 Ha! Just started a thread about it as I hadn't spotted this. Just over the border in Italy so might well do it. Could chuck the tent in the car as well and make a week-end of it. Do you live in Italy Suzy? I'd never have known if you hadn't just said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The9 Posted 10 June, 2012 Share Posted 10 June, 2012 Do you live in Italy Suzy? I'd never have known if you hadn't just said. It's not her fault you're always on here. I for one had no idea... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suewhistle Posted 10 June, 2012 Share Posted 10 June, 2012 Not only do I live in Italy sweetheart but I've got you on ignore, just to let you know again in case you were in any doubt. Good to see what you posted though, as it just confirms that you are one negative, bullying sleezebag who is consistently unpleasant in pretty well all his posts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Martini Posted 15 June, 2012 Share Posted 15 June, 2012 For those not able to attend the Ajax match (or not bothered to do so). The match will be broadcasted by the Dutch football channel Eredivisie Live (which probably means it will be available on other channels aswell). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ludgershallsaint Posted 15 June, 2012 Share Posted 15 June, 2012 For those not able to attend the Ajax match (or not bothered to do so). The match will be broadcasted by the Dutch football channel Eredivisie Live (which probably means it will be available on other channels aswell). Or at least a stream, like all our games next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Garrett Posted 26 June, 2012 Share Posted 26 June, 2012 Sounds like the Udinese match will be at 7pm on Saturday 11th. http://www.udinese.it/ENG/script/view_flsh_news.php?id=3537 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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