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The Cat

The Cat

Posted
Posted
Yesterday was the worst I’ve seen in a long time. It’s been getting worse for years, but it’s now absolutely appalling (Tuesday night aside)...

 

Serious question, What can we do to improve?

 

Is there a possibility the club could sell away tickets with certain blocks marked up as singing areas? At least that way those who want to get behind the team can all do it together rather than being spread out and diluting the noise?

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IFHP

IFHP

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Have to agree that out support vocally has got worse - both home and away.

 

Thought yrsterday it did start of ok, once most fans had got in (but thats another topic) then like the team just wilted out.

 

We really need some new songs too, simple ones that our fans can sing along too..

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Shroppie

Shroppie

Posted
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I go to most away games and support is generally good. Certainly better than at home. The ground makes a difference. You'll never get the singing heard at West Ham. Yesterday I think we had a lot of non-regular away fans sightseeing in the new stadium.

 

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

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alehouseboys

alehouseboys

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The problem is, many of us older fans just remember the ‘good old days’ of a more aggressive and intensive support of the 70s and 80s (tbh it could be pretty sh*t plenty of times back then too) but it’s just different now. The ‘famous’ old British-type support just doesn’t exist anymore.

 

I’m currently watching Portland Timbers v New England on FreeSports, they make a constant racket and nearly half hour in the home support just haven’t let up. Comes to something when UK supporters could learn off the Yanks.

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Saint_clark

Saint_clark

Posted
Posted
The problem is, many of us older fans just remember the ‘good old days’ of a more aggressive and intensive support of the 70s and 80s (tbh it could be pretty sh*t plenty of times back then too) but it’s just different now. The ‘famous’ old British-type support just doesn’t exist anymore.

 

I’m currently watching Portland Timbers v New England on FreeSports, they make a constant racket and nearly half hour in the home support just haven’t let up. Comes to something when UK supporters could learn off the Yanks.

Probably because they started their league with rules that would stop it becoming uncompetitive. What do we have to cheer for, really? Our best ever team was the 5th best in the league. Whoopdie do.

 

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OttawaSaint

OttawaSaint

Posted
Posted

 

I’m currently watching Portland Timbers v New England on FreeSports, they make a constant racket and nearly half hour in the home support just haven’t let up. Comes to something when UK supporters could learn off the Yanks.

 

The MLS gets trashed by the experts on here but the atmosphere is superb at matches. Went to Montreal vs DC and both sets of fans were incredible. Non stop racket!

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Nordic Saint

Nordic Saint

Posted
Posted
Yesterday was the worst I’ve seen in a long time. It’s been getting worse for years, but it’s now absolutely appalling (Tuesday night aside)...

 

Serious question, What can we do to improve?

 

You are being melodramatic. Our support has been very good in some games this season. Against Liverpool at home it was as good if not better than at any game at St Mary's last season. Pompey away was better than it usually is. Brighton away was decent etc. It's never going to be like it was in the 1970s but you can't just completely write off our support like that. One problem is that the ticket pricing structure at the club results in us having a very high percentage of old fans and those youngsters that do come are accompanied by their parents. Not enough is done to encourage young fans to come to games together in groups rather than having to sit with their parents in family centres.

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SW5 SAINT

SW5 SAINT

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Probably because they started their league with rules that would stop it becoming uncompetitive. What do we have to cheer for, really? Our best ever team was the 5th best in the league. Whoopdie do.

 

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

 

We were once runners up in Div 1........

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Dusic

Dusic

Posted
Posted
I think it’s just general apathy and having to watch poor football for three years, which is rapidly starting to look like four. I just don’t feel excited going to games anymore.
This. If you ask people in recent times when they felt our support was better it would probably be when we were in L1 and the Championship.

 

The time when we won a high percentage of games. When we scored a lot of goals. Dominated away games. Were a scalp for the opposition. Had players the fans liked. When we felt like we were on the up.

 

That optimism has been replaced by a sense that we are not a particularly good team and have no clear direction as a club.

 

Would bet when we inevitably get relegated within the next 5 years, the Championship won't be how it was the last time we were there...

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doddisalegend

doddisalegend

Posted
Posted
This. If you ask people in recent times when they felt our support was better it would probably be when we were in L1 and the Championship.

 

The time when we won a high percentage of games. When we scored a lot of goals. Dominated away games. Were a scalp for the opposition. Had players the fans liked. When we felt like we were on the up.

 

That optimism has been replaced by a sense that we are not a particularly good team and have no clear direction as a club.

 

Would bet when we inevitably get relegated within the next 5 years, the Championship won't be how it was the last time we were there...

 

So basically the whole thing is pointless and we should all just support winners like man city or Liverpool to enjoy football?

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Badger

Badger

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Posted
This. If you ask people in recent times when they felt our support was better it would probably be when we were in L1 and the Championship.

 

The time when we won a high percentage of games. When we scored a lot of goals. Dominated away games. Were a scalp for the opposition. Had players the fans liked. When we felt like we were on the up.

 

That optimism has been replaced by a sense that we are not a particularly good team and have no clear direction as a club.

 

Would bet when we inevitably get relegated within the next 5 years, the Championship won't be how it was the last time we were there...

 

These are two critical factors as I see it, had a team of players we identified with and a common purpose of going up the leagues.

 

Marcus Liebherr as our saviour, Fonte, Lambert, even Lallana at the time, and Lee Barnard had their own songs, and fans saw an effort and commitment from the players with a sense of team spirit. Now it's entirely different, how many if any player stands out as committed ? We all know they'd bugger off at the opportunity, and what is worse is the fact most fans would be glad to see the back of most of them, and the owner too.

 

All in all it's become disjointed, with little connection it seems.

 

As for support this season, Burnley away was good in the concourse but petered out once in the stands. Liverpool at home was I though good for most of the match although inevitable groans of frustration were there at times too. Pompey away, I bow to those who were able to get a ticket and go for their reports on that one.

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Badger

Badger

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Better songs, better team, more booze.

 

Agreed, but is the new breed of fan 18-25 into this as we were in the 70's & 80's ? The"selfie" generation don't seem to be up for it.

 

Watching Southampton USED to be exciting.

 

Ok, maybe I'm stuck in the past, but I know I am right. Nowadays it's so dull. On the pitch and in the stands. Football has got too "nice" for my liking

 

It's both a sanitised environment, and "nice". Late 60's, early 70's you had to get to The Dell early unless it was all ticket. There would inevitably be an atmosphere created before the teams appeared with fans singing. Now you see many taking their seats between 2.55 and 3.10 on a Saturday having force fed themselves another burger for the sake of it.

 

The problem is, many of us older fans just remember the ‘good old days’ of a more aggressive and intensive support of the 70s and 80s (tbh it could be pretty sh*t plenty of times back then too) but it’s just different now. The ‘famous’ old British-type support just doesn’t exist anymore.

.

 

Exactly, the culture is different, and although some aspects of the 70's/80's you wouldn't want to return to (ie the obligatory idiots looking for a scrap) there is no doubting the atmosphere was normally better (not always, as you say there were some pretty poor atmosphere at matches, especially as The Dell capacity reduced and a greater % was occupied by the Family Club).

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whelk

whelk

Posted
Posted

Ahh the good old days when our support was great and everyone posted how it couldn’t be bettered and they enjoyed it so much.

When Tranmere brought 70 fans and the ground was rocking from start to finish.

 

No one was overweight and everyone dressed smart too.

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TakingSandbanks

TakingSandbanks

Posted
Posted
Is there a possibility the club could sell away tickets with certain blocks marked up as singing areas? At least that way those who want to get behind the team can all do it together rather than being spread out and diluting the noise?

 

This has been a big discussion on that Twitter today. For once a few of our support have got off their arses and are trying to set something up. A twitter account has been set up by fans to assist in getting the core of the louder supporters together at away games. It's not been set up to alienate people, just improve the atmosphere and give people a choice. It will advertise the 'singing' block(s) on or before ticket release.

 

 

@saintsawaybloc1

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Turkish

Turkish

Posted
Posted
This has been a big discussion on that Twitter today. For once a few of our support have got off their arses and are trying to set something up. A twitter account has been set up by fans to assist in getting the core of the louder supporters together at away games. It's not been set up to alienate people, just improve the atmosphere and give people a choice. It will advertise the 'singing' block(s) on or before ticket release.

 

 

@saintsawaybloc1

 

The committee are forming an alliance with the Hat **** Krew for the greater good. Whilst The HKK represents a lot that is wrong with football at least they do sing and don’t sit in silence or worse still telling everyone who does sing to sit down or be quiet. Viva the Revolution!

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Dusic

Dusic

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Posted
So basically the whole thing is pointless and we should all just support winners like man city or Liverpool to enjoy football?
No. But clearly for a team that isnt used to seasons where we are one of the best teams in the league, there is certainly a different feeling when that does happen and the season is a memorable one with a tangible success measure i.e promotion.

 

That is bound to generate better support versus an average PL season for Saints which over 30 years has largely been struggling.

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SaintMB

SaintMB

Posted
Posted

I thought the atmosphere in the away end was ok at spurs - not terrible and not great.

First half there was a bit more to it, to be fair, but most of the second it was hard not to be feel a bit deflated as we fannied about instead of taking a shot.

 

Certainly nowhere near as bad as West Ham last season! That was pretty damn awful all round.

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Morse

Morse

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Posted
To all the good people talking about the 70's and 80's, you do realise that things have changed

somewhat during those 40 - 50 years? :lol:

 

Of course things have changed, not least that football which was a working class sport is now very much a middle class sport

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alehouseboys

alehouseboys

Posted
Posted
The problem is, many of us older fans just remember the ‘good old days’ of a more aggressive and intensive support of the 70s and 80s (tbh it could be pretty sh*t plenty of times back then too) but it’s just different now. The ‘famous’ old British-type support just doesn’t exist anymore.

 

To all the good people talking about the 70's and 80's, you do realise that things have changed

somewhat during those 40 - 50 years? :lol:

 

Well, I got the ball rolling with reference to the '70s and 80s', maybe you need to read it a bit more carefully and absorb the content and I can't really see where any others posts have suggested otherwise. Most accept those days are just history now.

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ericb

ericb

Posted
Posted

Saturday was always going to be a bit of a case of "the day after the lords mayor" but that doesn't really explain just how f*cking terrible it was. Like many have said our away support has been getting progressively worse for a season or two now, there's far too many people who go who are happy to take selfies and stand in silence, maybe record some people singing in the concourse, then share it all over social media afterwards and talk about what a great away day it was.

 

This may be an unpopular opinion but i seriously think there's a direct link between the start of the Nick Gregory Away Travel buses and the drop in quality of our away support. Not to single out one group but it's made it easier for a lot of people who wouldn't normally go, and taken away a bunch of tickets from lads who'd be travelling by train, drinking and having a laugh, and it's that bunch that traditionally make the noise.

 

Like it or not (and i know a lot on here don't) it's ****ed up lads who make the noise, if you replace them with people travelling on coaches then the atmosphere suffers.

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DuncanRG

DuncanRG

Posted
Posted (edited)
Saturday was always going to be a bit of a case of "the day after the lords mayor" but that doesn't really explain just how f*cking terrible it was. Like many have said our away support has been getting progressively worse for a season or two now, there's far too many people who go who are happy to take selfies and stand in silence, maybe record some people singing in the concourse, then share it all over social media afterwards and talk about what a great away day it was.

 

This may be an unpopular opinion but i seriously think there's a direct link between the start of the Nick Gregory Away Travel buses and the drop in quality of our away support. Not to single out one group but it's made it easier for a lot of people who wouldn't normally go, and taken away a bunch of tickets from lads who'd be travelling by train, drinking and having a laugh, and it's that bunch that traditionally make the noise.

 

Like it or not (and i know a lot on here don't) it's ****ed up lads who make the noise, if you replace them with people travelling on coaches then the atmosphere suffers.

 

When did they start? I've used them a couple of times as far back as the Pochettino season, when our support was good because the team was good.

 

To be honest I think it's a vicious circle based on team performance. Poor/mediocre teams only get support from really good fans (which we never have been in my time) or when they've just been promoted.

 

As for everyone mocking the Americans - the organisation and tone may be bizarre to our ears but we wouldn't compete with that if they came to St Mary's.

Edited by DuncanRG
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Wurzel

Wurzel

Posted
Posted
https://youtu.be/_sQDb_EE0Wo

 

Looks like, totally awesome

 

To be fair they've got about 125 years of catching up to do. Rumour has it out fans were quiet as church mice at the 1902 FA Cup Final replay. Servants and workhouse kids couldn't get the day off, too many Ladies (with accompanying ladies-in-waiting) and venison pie brigade and apparently no-one knew we hated Pompey back then so we had no songs.

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Dusic

Dusic

Posted
Posted
Saturday was always going to be a bit of a case of "the day after the lords mayor" but that doesn't really explain just how f*cking terrible it was. Like many have said our away support has been getting progressively worse for a season or two now, there's far too many people who go who are happy to take selfies and stand in silence, maybe record some people singing in the concourse, then share it all over social media afterwards and talk about what a great away day it was.

 

This may be an unpopular opinion but i seriously think there's a direct link between the start of the Nick Gregory Away Travel buses and the drop in quality of our away support. Not to single out one group but it's made it easier for a lot of people who wouldn't normally go, and taken away a bunch of tickets from lads who'd be travelling by train, drinking and having a laugh, and it's that bunch that traditionally make the noise.

 

Like it or not (and i know a lot on here don't) it's ****ed up lads who make the noise, if you replace them with people travelling on coaches then the atmosphere suffers.

 

Are there actually lads who don't go to away games because they can't get tickets because they have all been bought by people who go by coach?

 

Maybe for games like Pompey but most others go to general sale so not hard to get hold of if these lads want to go.

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Saint in Paradise

Saint in Paradise

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Posted
Well, I got the ball rolling with reference to the '70s and 80s', maybe you need to read it a bit more carefully and absorb the content and I can't really see where any others posts have suggested otherwise. Most accept those days are just history now.

 

My fault I shouldn't upset people during their time of the month. You big girls blouse.

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