2022/23 Other games

[east-stand-nic]

Genuine questions.

1. For how many of you on this forum will this be your first relegation from the top flight? (Last time 2005)

2. How many of those of you over 50 knew we were down a few weeks/month or so back?

It's quite interesting to know who are those that still believe; the oldies or the newerbies?

 

[sfc4prem]

Just now, east-stand-nic said:

Genuine questions.

1. For how many of you on this forum will this be your first relegation from the top flight? (Last time 2005)

2. How many of those of you over 50 knew we were down a few weeks/month or so back?

It's quite interesting to know who are those that still believe; the oldies or the newerbies?

 

Create a poll, why don't you?

[SotonianWill]

21 minutes ago, east-stand-nic said:

1. For how many of you on this forum will this be your first relegation from the top flight? (Last time 2005)

I was 1 year of age in 2005 to make people feel old so this is my first. But when you support saints I guess it’s part of the experience 😎. 

 

25 minutes ago, east-stand-nic said:

It's quite interesting to know who are those that still believe; the oldies or the newerbies?

I’ve deludedly not fully accepted we are down yet, I reject loser mentality so it’ll probably take us to lose every game left to be put in my place. 

[Uncle Albert]

I was born in 2005. so have no memory of us not in the top flight. Sorry to all the old gits out there.

No chance of us staying up though, that ship sailed a while ago.

[S-Clarke]

I remember 2005 vividly, unfortunately. From Marcus Bent making it 2-2 at the death for Everton, to bloody Ruud scoring against us on the final day. (And the 5-1 smashing by Watford in the cup that season).

But we did have some good moments, the result against Boro at their place, beating Spurs at home, the last min draw against Palace, the last min win against Norwich with that Camara goal and obviously Blackstock scoring against the Skates. Less said about the away game.

We were in with more of a shout in 2005 though, made more of a game of it and certainly had more points at this stage than we do now. We won't be taking it to the last day this year that's for sure, and that's why it's pretty obvious we've been down for months.

Clubs on 24 points at the end of April do not survive. No precedence for it and there never will be.

[Kingsland Codger]

1 hour ago, east-stand-nic said:

Genuine questions.

2. How many of those of you over 50 knew we were down a few weeks/month or so back?

As hard as I try to believe there is still a chance we might avoid the drop, logic tells me hope was lost a while back. We shall need at least 3 wins (more likely 4) from the final 6 games … and we have only managed 6 wins from the previous 32. Further, our style of play (sideways, sideways, sideways, forwards, back, sideways sideways, rinse and repeat) hardly inspires goal-scoring football. What bothers me more is how on earth can we bounce back and win promotion next season.

 

 

[East Kent Saint]

8 hours ago, east-stand-nic said:

Genuine questions.

1. For how many of you on this forum will this be your first relegation from the top flight? (Last time 2005)

2. How many of those of you over 50 knew we were down a few weeks/month or so back?

It's quite interesting to know who are those that still believe; the oldies or the newerbies?

 

I remember well the last game of the season when we were staying up at half time and then bottom of the league at full time , a bitter end .

I know we are going down but it will still be a numbing experience when it is confirmed .

Edited 27 April, 2023 by East Kent Saint

[Jeremy Corbyn]

I was a teenager in 2005 so remember it well.  It was painful, but it was at least exciting, we had a decent attack and a hilarious defence.  With a bit of luck we could have stayed up.

This season is just miserable and it's felt since pretty early on that we would be in trouble.  The fact we haven't won back to back games means there hasn't been any real moments of optimism.

[AlexLaw76]

2005 was crap, because it was both hilarious with the management, but also we were effectively 1 goal from survival, with a couple of very last min equalisers....madness

This time, it is fully deserved and tragic. So much so, I am very 'meh' about it

[The Cat]

1 hour ago, S-Clarke said:

Clubs on 24 points at the end of April do not survive. No precedence for it and there never will be.

What were Sunderland on when they seemed to win every game at the end of the season to stay up? 

I'm not saying we will but they went on a crazy run and did it from a seemingly impossible position.

Edited 27 April, 2023 by The Cat

[HarvSFC]

8 minutes ago, The Cat said:

What were Sunderland on when they seemed to win every game at the end of the season to stay up? 

I'm not saying we will but they went on a crazy run and did it from a seemingly impossible position.

27 points after 32 games, the Allardyce season. They finished with 39. But, they were also 18th with their 27 points. They were competing with Villa, who had 16 points after 32 matches and Newcastle who had 25.

A lot has been said about the low quality of this season, but everyone's picking up points. There's usually a Villa, Norwich every other year, Sheffield United, or Huddersfield who barely break the early 20s.

Norwich and Watford only got 22 and 23 points last season after a full 38.

The season, before Sheffield United, West Brom and Fulham all got relegated with 23, 26 and 28.

The season we turn to crap is the season you need to break 30 to stay up, of course.

[100%Red&White]

This will be a third relegation for most of us 60-plussers. I'd only been going for 2 or 3 seasons when we dropped in '74 but within 2 years we were starting out on our best ever era. From winning the FA Cup, getting to the quarter finals in European competition as a second division side and then promotion in '78. Another Wembley cup final the following year, then Keegan (as so many other big names), more European football and missing the League title by 3 points. Bring on the relegation! (as long as it's not another 2005-onwards one!)

[Saint Mikey]

35 minutes ago, The Cat said:

What were Sunderland on when they seemed to win every game at the end of the season to stay up? 

I'm not saying we will but they went on a crazy run and did it from a seemingly impossible position.

You may find some hope in this article! https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52475052

Disclaimer: We're still going down.

[FarehamSaintJames]

22 minutes ago, Saint Mikey said:

You may find some hope in this article! https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52475052

Disclaimer: We're still going down.

Nice to read, but hugely agree with your disclaimer 😅

I accepted it after the Forest game.

Every match I’ve seen this season has been exceptionally poor. It’s amazing how far we’ve fallen.

[Fabrice Fernandes no.1 fan]

2 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said:

2005 was crap, because it was both hilarious with the management, but also we were effectively 1 goal from survival, with a couple of very last min equalisers....madness

This time, it is fully deserved and tragic. So much so, I am very 'meh' about it

And in 2005 we had players who looked capable of getting that 1 goal and we still didn't get there.

This season I can't see the players who will step up and save us. We don't have a Pahars hitting a purple batch, or Beattie scrapping goals. We don't even have a grumpy Tadic deciding to turn up for the last few games to get his move to Ajax.

[64saint]

6 hours ago, east-stand-nic said:

Genuine questions.

1. For how many of you on this forum will this be your first relegation from the top flight? (Last time 2005)

2. How many of those of you over 50 knew we were down a few weeks/month or so back?

It's quite interesting to know who are those that still believe; the oldies or the newerbies?

 

I was around in 74 when we got relegated with Laurie in charge. Thankfully the board didn't panic, kept the faith and the next decade was arguably one of the best eras.  Fa cup winners in 76, promotion again back up, runners up in old Div 1 in 84, teams full of ex ex England internationals and captains, leaders everywhere, then in the 90s the great escapes which I always believed were possible, with the genius of Le Tiss, the spirit of Benali etc.  Down again in 2005, but still hoped  on a quick return, ok took a bit longer than we hoped.  Now though, sadly no  optimism. The Welsh wizard appointment like for many others was the turning point when I thought we were definitely going down. I'd loved to be proved wrong but as a self proclaimed oldie the belief has gone. !!!!!!!!!   How can you have faith in a board that has made so many horrendous decisions.  Short of a couple of fanatical Hollywood multi millionaires aka Wrexham style who could surround themselves with good decision makers, or another Marcus, God bless him, to save us sadly the future isn't looking to rosy.

Edited 27 April, 2023 by 64saint

[The Oggmonster]

3 hours ago, The Cat said:

What were Sunderland on when they seemed to win every game at the end of the season to stay up? 

I'm not saying we will but they went on a crazy run and did it from a seemingly impossible position.

In the 2013/14 season Sunderland were bottom with 26 points after 33 games.

They finished the season 14th with 38 points. As per the BBC article posted above, they had a pretty tough run-in too (Man City, Chelsea & Man Utd all away).

[AlexLaw76]

Cheers mate

 

[Dman]

14 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Cheers mate

 

Why’s it always the shit ones who one out with crap like this. 
 

Off you trott Diallo. 

[saint lard]

Born in ‘67…supported and watching saints since ‘ 75. 
majority has been tortuous. 
some monumental highs…..and some utter desperation thrown in. 
but I guess that’s why I love it.

I blame my dad…and now my son blames me for being introduced  to all the strife that supporting Saints brings.

[Whitey Grandad]

20 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Cheers mate

 

Does anybody want him to stay at the club if we are relegated?

[bpsaint]

7 hours ago, east-stand-nic said:

Genuine questions.

1. For how many of you on this forum will this be your first relegation from the top flight? (Last time 2005)

2. How many of those of you over 50 knew we were down a few weeks/month or so back?

It's quite interesting to know who are those that still believe; the oldies or the newerbies?

 

The 2005 relegation came on my 20th birthday, so like most I had only ever known saints to be a top flight side, and I vividly remember the roller coaster of that season.

That relegation hurt so much because there were so many occasions where we were minutes from a win, or some really good performances that gave us hope. The Norwich game is still one of, if not the loudest I’ve ever heard St Mary’s. Even to go 1-0 up on the final day gave us all hope.

I remember the excitement the signing of Camara bought, as well as the form of Crouch. It was the defence that let us down.

This season though I’ve been resigned to it for a long time. Probably since Forest at home. No such exciting performances as in 05, no players that bring the hope of that year. It’s just been death by a thousand cuts.

Edited 27 April, 2023 by bpsaint

[S-Clarke]

1 hour ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Cheers mate

 

What a huge bonus that would be for us! Quite easily one of, if not the worst CM I've ever seen play in the PL for us.

[S-Clarke]

1 hour ago, bpsaint said:

The 2005 relegation came on my 20th birthday, so like most I had only ever known saints to be a top flight side, and I vividly remember the roller coaster of that season.

That relegation hurt so much because there were so many occasions where we were minutes from a win, or some really good performances that gave us hope. The Norwich game is still one of, if not the loudest I’ve ever heard St Mary’s. Even to go 1-0 up on the final day gave us all hope.

I remember the excitement the signing of Camara bought, as well as the form of Crouch. It was the defence that let us down.

This season though I’ve been resigned to it for a long time. Probably since Forest at home. No such exciting performances as in 05, no players that bring the hope of that year. It’s just been death by a thousand cuts.

If you look back to 2005 we ended up where we were because of the defensive frailties as you said - we tried to cheap our way to a Killer replacement after he had that serious injury. It didn't work and we ended up having to endure bloody Jacobson and Davenport swanning around at the back, Claus really missed Killer too.

The parallels with this year are similar, but the opposite end of the pitch. We're not amazing defensively this year, don't get me wrong, but we've tried to cheap out in attack and 'get by' which has ultimately killed us. In 2005 we had sought after attackers in Crouch, Camara and even Phillips (and Beattie for half the season), but I can't think of any of our 'strikers' who would be sought after this year. We've not given ourselves a chance.

[saint1977]

39 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

What a huge bonus that would be for us! Quite easily one of, if not the worst CM I've ever seen play in the PL for us.

Good riddance, one the shittiest CMs the club has ever had at any level and a serious contender for worst XI. Would be equally crap in the Championship. I know it was a downer Sangare not qualifying for a WP but pure desperation to buy this fraud as a consolation prize. Even more staggering Romeu was let go and retained this chump.

Sums up this squad bar JWP, KWP and Lavia, maybe Che on his day, the rest aren’t anywhere near good enough of a club of Saints stature. 

What did this waster cost? Was it £12m or £14m? Scouting team should be shot for that. Moussa cost that, also a terrible player but at least he tries, unlike this nonentity. I’d actually forgotten he even still played for Saints until the article above. 

Never really worked what he was - too lightweight for DMC, can’t tackle, gives the ball away constantly/can’t pass and little offensive threat. Quite quick but without football attributes, physical strength or game awareness it’s irrelevant. 

Edited 27 April, 2023 by saint1977

[Dman]

I wish we had Eddie Howe, I really do. 
 

We might have, in fact probably would have, still gone down, but at least we’d have given it a go. 
 

Edited 27 April, 2023 by Dman

[AlexLaw76]

Monday 1st May

PREMIER LEAGUE

• Leicester City20:00Everton
   

Monday 8th May

PREMIER LEAGUE

• Brighton & Hove Albion17:30Everton
   

Sunday 14th May

PREMIER LEAGUE

• Everton14:00Manchester City
   

Saturday 20th May

PREMIER LEAGUE

• Wolverhampton Wanderers15:00Everton
   

Sunday 28th May

PREMIER LEAGUE

• Everton16:30AFC Bournemouth

[S-Clarke]

It's going to be tight for Everton, more so than last season in my opinion.

Pretty clear now that it's two from Everton, Leeds, Forest, Leicester now. I think Forest will struggle, last slot is a slog out between the 3 teams you'd probably least expect to be relegated. There will be a surprise one this year.

[Saint_clark]

33 minutes ago, Dman said:

I wish we had Eddie Howe, I really do. 
 

We might have, in fact probably would have, still gone down, but at least we’d have given it a go. 
 

I'm not sure what chain of events you think would have occurred that would have seen Eddie Howe managing us this season.

[Dman]

1 minute ago, S-Clarke said:

It's going to be tight for Everton, more so than last season in my opinion.

Pretty clear now that it's two from Everton, Leeds, Forest, Leicester now. I think Forest will struggle, last slot is a slog out between the 3 teams you'd probably least expect to be relegated. There will be a surprise one this year.

Realistically, we want Leeds and forest to come with us. 
 

It’d be typical we drop the same season a club the size of Everton come with us, making next season even harder to come back. 

[Dman]

Just now, Saint_clark said:

I'm not sure what chain of events you think would have occurred that would have seen Eddie Howe managing us this season.

We had him signed, sealed and delivered last November / December, until that cunt semmens pulled the plug, cos his tongue was so far up Ralph’s arse.  

[trousers]

Just now, Dman said:

Realistically, we want Leeds and forest to come with us. 
 

It’d be typical we drop the same season a club the size of Everton come with us, making next season even harder to come back. 

We're not going to be anywhere close to promotion next season so it doesn't matter who comes down with us. 

[Dman]

Just now, trousers said:

We're not going to be anywhere close to promotion next season so it doesn't matter who comes down with us. 

Probably not. We can live in hope. Burnley probably thought the same. 

[S-Clarke]

Just now, Dman said:

Probably not. We can live in hope. Burnley probably thought the same. 

They at least went down with a bit of fight with their caretaker, we won't even make 30 points. The way we are surrendering is already eroding any potential positivity I had for next season.

[S-Clarke]

29 minutes ago, Dman said:

Realistically, we want Leeds and forest to come with us. 
 

It’d be typical we drop the same season a club the size of Everton come with us, making next season even harder to come back. 

There are some pretty key games next weekend which may dictate how it ends.

Bournemouth v Leeds on Sunday, Leicester v Everton on Monday.

'If' Bournemouth win they're sorted, if Leicester win they pull away onto 32 points and Everton will end up 5 points adrift (inc. GD) with 5 games to go. That would leave Everton with Brighton away, Man City at home, Wolves away and Bournemouth at home to potentially get 7/8 points from. I think a defeat at against Leicester will be curtains for them, funny to see but like you say potentially a bit of a kick in the teeth in terms of our hopes next year.

Then it'll be down to Leicester, Forest and Leeds to battle it out for the last spot. Stranger things have happened, but it's starting to look like a tall order for Everton given their remaining games.

Edited 27 April, 2023 by S-Clarke

[SotonianWill]

42 minutes ago, Dman said:

Realistically, we want Leeds and forest to come with us. 
 

It’d be typical we drop the same season a club the size of Everton come with us, making next season even harder to come back. 

Everton who can’t sign a player and are in financial difficulty with a new stadium. id happily go down with them.

[SotonianWill]

39 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

They at least went down with a bit of fight with their caretaker, we won't even make 30 points. The way we are surrendering is already eroding any potential positivity I had for next season.

yeah they even played us off the park and beat us 2-0 😂

[S-Clarke]

6 minutes ago, SotonianWill said:

yeah they even played us off the park and beat us 2-0 😂

Yep, awful night that one. The performances haven't really got any better since that day either, over a year ago. We've lost most weeks since then.

Same core - Bednarek, JWP, Adams, Armstrong etc. Flawed.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

2 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

It's going to be tight for Everton, more so than last season in my opinion.

Pretty clear now that it's two from Everton, Leeds, Forest, Leicester now. I think Forest will struggle, last slot is a slog out between the 3 teams you'd probably least expect to be relegated. There will be a surprise one this year.

Forest still have to play us yet. That's a guaranteed three points for them. 

[Brissysaint]

I moved to Australia in 2004 so couldn’t watch much of that dogshit season thankfully. Actually I could barely watch any games till we came back up so I missed a lot of the doom and gloom but also all the good times.

 

I knew we were fucked probably after jones got booted as I knew no one decent would come. optimism slightly raised after the Chelsea game though only to be smashed back down to earth straight away.

[chiknsmack]

15 minutes ago, Brissysaint said:

Actually I could barely watch any games till we came back up

Kiwi here in the same situation. Fan since 1997-98 when I got my first FIFA game on Playstation, started following more closely in League 1 (staying up into the wee small hours of the morning, refreshing for text updates on the club site or some British newspaper website).

I've read enough about 1996-96 and 1998-99 to know that the club has a history of fighting their way out of trouble late in the season, so I kept the faith until today.

[Pamplemousse]

8 hours ago, Dman said:

Realistically, we want Leeds and forest to come with us. 
 

It’d be typical we drop the same season a club the size of Everton come with us, making next season even harder to come back. 

Everton are absolutely fucked if they go down financially. They could genuinely do a Sunderland (or Portsmouth) and get relegated again next season.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

4 hours ago, Pamplemousse said:

Everton are absolutely fucked if they go down financially. They could genuinely do a Sunderland (or Portsmouth) and get relegated again next season.

Love it to be Leicester and Everton. That would be hilarious. 

[FarehamSaintJames]

The only saving grace is that I work closely with an Everton fan….

[Whitey Grandad]

7 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Love it to be Leicester and Everton. That would be hilarious. 

The drowning man drags others down with him.

Yep, I can handle that.

[Pamplemousse]

5 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

The drowning man drags others down with him.

Yep, I can handle that.

Yeah, would make relegation a bit easier to accept

[badgerx16]

Just when you think things cannot get worse - Blackpool are relegated to League1, I lose a "home" game next season. If Wigan also go down I lose 2.

Edited 28 April, 2023 by badgerx16

[Weston Super Saint]

3 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

Just when you think things cannot get worse - Blackpool are relegated to League1, I lose a "home" game next season. If Wigan also go down I lose 2.

But you get to watch them beat the skates... Every cloud.

[saint lard]

On the positive side…if Man City win the Premier league,FA cup and the Champions League….we are the only side to defeat,or stop them, in a competition they were in. 

Groovy. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[S-Clarke]

17 minutes ago, saint lard said:

On the positive side…if Man City win the Premier league,FA cup and the Champions League….we are the only side to defeat,or stop them, in a competition they were in. 

Groovy. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Don't make the club aware of that, we'll end up having that put on the banners outside the stadium and claims that we had a successful season because of that.