Think I'm starting to hate football!

[Bob76]

For background I have been a fan for over fifty years and a season ticket holder for almost forty. During that as a saints fan I have seen many lows and a couple of highs.

This is probably the lowest I have felt about my club and the game in general.

It has now been almost seven seasons of home poor performances, can't be bothered to check but sure we have not had a good home season since koeman. As a result the atmosphere is rubbish and the crab like rubbish(hate 4:2:2:2) that we play leaves us exposed at the back and in midfield whilst creating nothing.

Then you have VAR, you can't even celebrate a goal now, you have to wait to see if a nose hair is offside and refs looking at still shots of incidents to make decisions, the game is played at speed.

Then the money in the prem is killing the game, clubs now owned by states, how do other clubs compete, any club outside the rich few is in danger of relegation.

Last night as usual I went along mainly now to meet my brother and mates, poor crowd for a 5th round but who can blame people, and you saw a crap formation poor players and no heart or fight at all 

I think I will only renew if we go down, time to go to a division where we may get our soul back or at least win some games.

Lastly what can we fans do about things, again clubs are now owned by people so remote from the area what we do makes little difference, gone are the days like the Branfoot or Lowe days, these days the money comes from places other than us, not sure our voice counts anymore.

Sorry for the rant but the cat buggered off when I got home so couldn't even kick him.

[Saint_Jonny]

I'm with you to be honest. Home going fans have had it rough for years now like you say. 

I was at a wedding for the Chelsea win at home earlier this season so at this point we are approaching a YEAR since I last saw us win a league game at home. 600 odd quid and no wins. In any other avenue of life you'd be down at customer services demanding your money back.

I used to watch a lot of non Saints football but these days I can't bring myself to do it because Saints suck all the fun out of it. I haven't got a clue what's going on in the champions League for example, and barely know what's happening in our own league. 

I said to a mate I'd only renew of we go down because it'll be a good clear out, but judging by last night we'll struggle to win any games in the league below so they can all just go and fuck themselves. 

Edited 2 March, 2023 by Saint_Jonny

[Kingsland Red]

25 minutes ago, Bob76 said:

For background I have been a fan for over fifty years and a season ticket holder for almost forty. During that as a saints fan I have seen many lows and a couple of highs.

This is probably the lowest I have felt about my club and the game in general.

It has now been almost seven seasons of home poor performances, can't be bothered to check but sure we have not had a good home season since koeman. As a result the atmosphere is rubbish and the crab like rubbish(hate 4:2:2:2) that we play leaves us exposed at the back and in midfield whilst creating nothing.

Then you have VAR, you can't even celebrate a goal now, you have to wait to see if a nose hair is offside and refs looking at still shots of incidents to make decisions, the game is played at speed.

Then the money in the prem is killing the game, clubs now owned by states, how do other clubs compete, any club outside the rich few is in danger of relegation.

Last night as usual I went along mainly now to meet my brother and mates, poor crowd for a 5th round but who can blame people, and you saw a crap formation poor players and no heart or fight at all 

I think I will only renew if we go down, time to go to a division where we may get our soul back or at least win some games.

Lastly what can we fans do about things, again clubs are now owned by people so remote from the area what we do makes little difference, gone are the days like the Branfoot or Lowe days, these days the money comes from places other than us, not sure our voice counts anymore.

Sorry for the rant but the cat buggered off when I got home so couldn't even kick him.

Absolutely spot on, I am a season ticket holder for 25 years, watching football for over 50.

The game has gone in this country with money / other countries' investment killing it.

Leicester was a one off, and the days of us, Forest, Ipswich and other successful provincial teams is long gone.

The model Saints follow to get the youngsters and selling them on is probably the correct one, but as a fan it is now hard to hang your hat on eleven half interested overpaid people you have never met.

[John B]

To quote an imfamous poster what a lot of old Pony

 

Football is a great game ask Grimsby and Sheff Utd fans this morning they would disagree with you

 

I have been supporting the Saints when I was a kid nearly 70 years ago when we were in Div 3 South 

 

Yes we are poor now through lack of investment and a suicidal recruitment policy

 

But there is no reason why we cannot return to be one of the top 15 or so teams in the country again especially if we have the a bit more rub of the green 

 

We did not play well I know but we conceeded one unlucky penalty had two goals not scored because of marginal offside decisions whilst Grimsby had a penalty after a successful marginal offside decision and could have conceeded a penalty and possibly could have lost a player with a bad foul on Lavia

 

Luck matters in football so please stop whining and feeling sorry for yourselves at least we are not as bad as Pompey

[LuckyNumber7]

Yeah I've felt the same for a few years now. The whole matchday experience at SMS has become so depressing - rubbish players, hardly any wins, hardly any goals, crap atmosphere, away fans taking the piss while home fans are treated like criminals and so on. The worst thing is that I'm struggling to care any more, and when Saints have been such a big part of your life that is a horrible feeling. 

Gave up my ST after covid for various reasons, think I'd be more likely to get one again if we go down. The whole club needs a complete reset, and the fans need some hope and something to believe in again.

[Fabrice Fernandes no.1 fan]

I don't think I hate football, but I am struggling with the first team. The players don't seem to be likeable, neither do the staff, and we're playing crap football constantly at the moment. I don't get to many games, maybe 4 or 5 a season, but I haven't seen the first team win a league game at home since December 2018, which is just deeply wrong. 

I'm finding the enjoyment this season in the women's team and their continued success and rise (their squad and ambition reminds me of the men's team when we were in league 1, winning trophies that in the grand scheme of thing aren't a big deal, but they clearly mean a lot to the players). I also seem to find more enjoyment in the players on loan, Tella at Burnley this season has been a triumph and I look out for the results for the teams in the lower leagues with a Saints player in the squad. 

We need to find a way to re-shape the squad with players who actually seem to care (and not in a ridiculous narcissistic way like Lyanco), who can actually play football that is even just occasionally enjoyable to watch, and aren't going to go missing when things get hard.

 

[Tamesaint]

I think that we are all going through the 5 stages of grieving process. 

Denial - think that I am past that. Last night was the final straw. We are poor. Will get relegated. Time to forget doing a Wigan.

Anger - Where I am and I suspect the OP. How did it all fall apart so badly?? Who is to blame?? I want heads on a plate.

Bargaining - Not sure what we can do. It is all out of our control.

Depression - will be over us all until the end of the season.

Acceptance - August 2023.

Christ. Being a Saints fan sucks atm. 

[Sunglasses Ron]

I totally feel your pain, especially about VAR, which I utterly detest.

Ultimately, there are things we can can and can't control.  At the current time, the things we can control (manager, signings, tactics, even our pitch and kit) are being monumentally messed up, which has left us in the terrible state we are in.

Relegation will certainly level the things we can't control up (VAR, level playing fields etc.) but you have to question if things will get any better in terms of results and enjoying games with the current regime in charge.

Sad times.

[OldNick]

I know I shouldn't say this but sometimes I wish we had gone to the wall. The amount of angst this club gives me is to a stage where I kind of laugh in the faces of the club players and board. They dont care 

[Whitey Grandad]

46 minutes ago, Sunglasses Ron said:

I totally feel your pain, especially about VAR, which I utterly detest.

Ultimately, there are things we can can and can't control.  At the current time, the things we can control (manager, signings, tactics, even our pitch and kit) are being monumentally messed up, which has left us in the terrible state we are in.

Relegation will certainly level the things we can't control up (VAR, level playing fields etc.) but you have to question if things will get any better in terms of results and enjoying games with the current regime in charge.

Sad times.

I agree with you. It has ruined the game as an experience for me. It’s all because of TV and the money it has paid. They have bought the rights to view it and they want to control it. Football has sold its soul.

It’s not just Saints for me. I love a good game of intense football where each side is free to have a go in whichever way suits their style best. I hate modern TV coverage with its endless meaningless replays of non incidents, mostly whilst the ball is in play. Shots from six different camera angles with slow motion shots of the player’s reaction. Meanwhile out on the pitch the game is going on. You can’t just concentrate on the game any more and get absorbed in its movement and passion. Why do we ever need shots of the crowd? Or the managers?

It’s not just me. My grandson is twenty and I have been going with him to games since he was a young teenager. He said last night that he and his friends had been talking about the way that football has changed over the past few years and become less exciting. Maybe it’s time for us to change our interest to the lower leagues where they play ‘proper football’.

[John B]

18 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

I agree with you. It has ruined the game as an experience for me. It’s all because of TV and the money it has paid. They have bought the rights to view it and they want to control it. Football has sold its soul.

It’s not just Saints for me. I love a good game of intense football where each side is free to have a go in whichever way suits their style best. I hate modern TV coverage with its endless meaningless replays of non incidents, mostly whilst the ball is in play. Shots from six different camera angles with slow motion shots of the player’s reaction. Meanwhile out on the pitch the game is going on. You can’t just concentrate on the game any more and get absorbed in its movement and passion. Why do we ever need shots of the crowd? Or the managers?

It’s not just me. My grandson is twenty and I have been going with him to games since he was a young teenager. He said last night that he and his friends had been talking about the way that football has changed over the past few years and become less exciting. Maybe it’s time for us to change our interest to the lower leagues where they play ‘proper football’.

You seem to be in La La Land just because the team is poor and we are playing badly you appear to be throwing your toys out of the pram

 

Every year teams get relegated that is football just accepted I have realised since September that we are going down but am looking forward to next season.

 

We were much the better team last night but did not get the result DCC stupidity probably did not help

 

Go cheer up a bit at least we are have not been devastated by an earthquake or at war with Russia and do not have Truss or Johnson as MP and we may even win on Saturday

[Whitey Grandad]

4 minutes ago, John B said:

You seem to be in La La Land just because the team is poor and we are playing badly you appear to be throwing your toys out of the pram

 

Every year teams get relegated that is football just accepted I have realised since September that we are going down but am looking forward to next season.

 

We were much the better team last night but did not get the result DCC stupidity probably did not help

 

Go cheer up a bit at least we are have not been devastated by an earthquake or at war with Russia and do not have Truss or Johnson as MP and we may even win on Saturday

Not at all, you have got me completely wrong.

This has nothing to do with Saints. I have been playing, refereeing and following football for some sixty years and in that time I have followed, if not actually supported’ several teams. It’s football that I love and not this bastardised version that television has created.

Last night’s result is irrelevant to me. I went hoping to see a game of football but that wasn’t allowed for a variety of reasons.

[Toadhall Saint]

I’ll renew if we go down.

[LiberalCommunist]

A dreadful couple of seasons, for sure. I was certain we were going down last term, before the turn around. But watching people lose their shit this season has really opened my eyes.

We were so close to going out of business a short time ago, 24 hours from the club getting wound up. A downturn of epic proportions. 

Getting spanked on and off the pitch on a weekly basis.  Now that was harrowing. 

This, well its been coming. We've rode our luck and made shit decisions, and that has led us to now.

But stop being so dramatic. People are going to lose their jobs, the club will lose money. But this isn't anywhere near as bad as to where we have come from. 

[Turkish]

Only losers in life attach so much emotion to something they cannot influence

 

[Whitey Grandad]

1 minute ago, Turkish said:

Only losers in life attach so much emotion to something they cannot influence

 

Only losers don't care. 

Others try to chnage things and make a difference.

[niceandfriendly]

I hear ya Bob76, I really do. Nothing more to add except my wholehearted agreement with everything you said. Especially about VAR, that’s really killing the spontaneous excitement which football is all about. I don’t celebrate goals anymore, so what’s the f**king point? 
 

on the plus side we don’t score many so not something we need worry about too often. 

Edited 2 March, 2023 by niceandfriendly

[Turkish]

24 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

Only losers don't care. 

Others try to chnage things and make a difference.

What are you changing at Southampton football club?  What difference are you making?

Edited 2 March, 2023 by Turkish

[RedArmy]

To be honest I fell out of love with football in 2016/17 when it was clear that the league game on Sunday was more important to the club than the European game on Thursday. 
 

We’re just customers to a business now. 

[Eric The Red]

I agree with a lot that the OP says but also I have a lot of sympathy for John B's views.

I think football is a great game but also after over 50 years supporting the Saints I am right my breaking point.

Yes our team is poor and Grimsby fans are rightfully over the moon today VAR is  ruining the game and it does take away the enjoyment and yes some of the excitement out of the game.

I am a ST holder and go to most of the away games but I am now actively thinking about more enjoyable things I can do with my weekends!

[cloggy saint]

I fell out of love with football about 15 years ago and I'm all the better for it. I always want Saints to do well but I really couldn't care less if they don't.

[ItchenRob]

There was a chap walking from the ground to the station after the game shouting loudly at passers by about how he had been supporting Saints for 50 years and how rubbish we were. It was a bit tragi-comic!  Anyone on here!?!?😄😇

[bjk]

Agree with the OP completely.It is neverending misery supporting Saints.I only occasionally get to home games and I seriously can't remember the last time I saw them win.

It's a shame we're going down but I think the club needs relegation,face teams on a more even level week in week out and hopefully start to get the winning feeling back more often.We're just not good enough for the Premier league anymore.

We need a complete overhaul and re-set and maybe come back with a winning mindset like the last time we got promoted.

Although I do think it will be a while until that happens if at all.

[Turkish]

So for me I love football. I coach under 10s, love the history the culture; I even wear clothes aligned to football and I don’t mean club shirts, if you know what I mean you know. But modern football is intolerable and bears no relation to the game I fell on the love with.
 

It’s now a game solely for a TV audience with everything geared toward the success of the big clubs with little Regard for the other 85 or so clubs in the leagues and those below it.

It’s become a shameless corporate machine with money being the only differentiator and the clubs only interested in how much they make

i grew up on the Milton terrace. Our paper round money went on bus fares to see saints and getting into the ground, stand with your mates, have fun and being part of something those days are over, now all we are part of is a machine that wants to milk fans, attract rich fans. Get people to buy stuff in the club shop and so On. The things that made football the amazing, community sport it is and set it apart from rugby and the others has been torn away killed by sky, killed by business and killed by people like Martin Semmens. the game is dead as we know it and for A lot of people  from my era we are out. If you want this new world crack on but the clubs don’t fans groups that care about the clubs, they want revenue, the days of fans mattering are over. The only time Any of you lot matter is when the TV money runs dry and they beg you to come back, fuck them. Whatever happens there will always be a Southampton Fc to support and I’ll always support them, what I won’t support is a corporate machine that fucks off fans that have made this club what it is but gets disregarded because they’d rather have a bit part fan in your seat than someone who followed the club for years through all The shit 

 

Edited 2 March, 2023 by Turkish

[Whitey Grandad]

16 minutes ago, Turkish said:

So for me I love football. I coach under 10s, love the history the culture; I even wear clothes aligned to football and I don’t mean club shirts, if you know what I mean you know. But modern football is intolerable and bears no relation to the game I fell on the love with.
 

It’s now a game solely for a TV audience with everything geared toward the success of the big clubs with little Regard for the other 85 or so clubs in the leagues and those below it.

It’s become a shameless corporate machine with money being the only differentiator and the clubs only interested in how much they make

i grew up on the Milton terrace. Our paper round money went on bus fares to see saints and getting into the ground, stand with your mates, have fun and being part of something those days are over, now all we are part of is a machine that wants to milk fans, attract rich fans. Get people to buy stuff in the club shop and so On. The things that made football the amazing, community sport it is and set it apart from rugby and the others has been torn away killed by sky, killed by business and killed by people like Martin Semmens. the game is dead as we know it and for A lot of people from my era I’m out.

 

 

Blimey. I agree with you completely.

[Turkish]

13 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

Blimey. I agree with you completely.

Next season you’ll see it. When crowed are down to 20,000 the corporates have fucked off, they’ll be desperate to get the fans back they’ve fucked over for years. Semmens has no idea what makes a club like Southampton. We aren’t a corporate machine we a club they relies on local support. It’s why I, perhaps wrong, admire clubs like Leeds, millwall and Cardiff so much. They are the fuck them all attitude, We are what we are, a club built on the local community, never bowed to outside pressure always been true to their roots. One day we might get owners that see that too. We have a lot More in common with those clubs than Chelsea or Man City so let’s stop trying to be them FFS

Edited 2 March, 2023 by Turkish

[saintwbu]

Feel like St Mary’s has been pretty shit since Virgin Media made that mental decision to subsidise away fans for two seasons. We are just the dream away day. We’ve had our moments in that time don’t get me wrong, but generally it is just so flat and devoid of excitement. I didn’t want Ralph sacked but even I thought during the Newcastle game ‘this is so shit and flat, maybe a change will bring some life back at least’ - little did I know! 

[Bob76]

39 minutes ago, Turkish said:

So for me I love football. I coach under 10s, love the history the culture; I even wear clothes aligned to football and I don’t mean club shirts, if you know what I mean you know. But modern football is intolerable and bears no relation to the game I fell on the love with.
 

It’s now a game solely for a TV audience with everything geared toward the success of the big clubs with little Regard for the other 85 or so clubs in the leagues and those below it.

It’s become a shameless corporate machine with money being the only differentiator and the clubs only interested in how much they make

i grew up on the Milton terrace. Our paper round money went on bus fares to see saints and getting into the ground, stand with your mates, have fun and being part of something those days are over, now all we are part of is a machine that wants to milk fans, attract rich fans. Get people to buy stuff in the club shop and so On. The things that made football the amazing, community sport it is and set it apart from rugby and the others has been torn away killed by sky, killed by business and killed by people like Martin Semmens. the game is dead as we know it and for A lot of people  from my era we are out. If you want this new world crack on but the clubs don’t fans groups that care about the clubs, they want revenue, the days of fans mattering are over. The only time Any of you lot matter is when the TV money runs dry and they beg you to come back, fuck them. Whatever happens there will always be a Southampton Fc to support and I’ll always support them, what I won’t support is a corporate machine that fucks off fans that have made this club what it is but gets disregarded because they’d rather have a bit part fan in your seat than someone who followed the club for years through all The shit 

 

Spot on, not the game most of us fell in love with.

[adrian lord]

49 minutes ago, Turkish said:

So for me I love football. I coach under 10s, love the history the culture; I even wear clothes aligned to football and I don’t mean club shirts, if you know what I mean you know. But modern football is intolerable and bears no relation to the game I fell on the love with.
 

It’s now a game solely for a TV audience with everything geared toward the success of the big clubs with little Regard for the other 85 or so clubs in the leagues and those below it.

It’s become a shameless corporate machine with money being the only differentiator and the clubs only interested in how much they make

i grew up on the Milton terrace. Our paper round money went on bus fares to see saints and getting into the ground, stand with your mates, have fun and being part of something those days are over, now all we are part of is a machine that wants to milk fans, attract rich fans. Get people to buy stuff in the club shop and so On. The things that made football the amazing, community sport it is and set it apart from rugby and the others has been torn away killed by sky, killed by business and killed by people like Martin Semmens. the game is dead as we know it and for A lot of people  from my era we are out. If you want this new world crack on but the clubs don’t fans groups that care about the clubs, they want revenue, the days of fans mattering are over. The only time Any of you lot matter is when the TV money runs dry and they beg you to come back, fuck them. Whatever happens there will always be a Southampton Fc to support and I’ll always support them, what I won’t support is a corporate machine that fucks off fans that have made this club what it is but gets disregarded because they’d rather have a bit part fan in your seat than someone who followed the club for years through all The shit 

 

Perfect analysis. Saved me the trouble, thanks!

[RedArmy]

49 minutes ago, Turkish said:

So for me I love football. I coach under 10s, love the history the culture; I even wear clothes aligned to football and I don’t mean club shirts, if you know what I mean you know. But modern football is intolerable and bears no relation to the game I fell on the love with.
 

It’s now a game solely for a TV audience with everything geared toward the success of the big clubs with little Regard for the other 85 or so clubs in the leagues and those below it.

It’s become a shameless corporate machine with money being the only differentiator and the clubs only interested in how much they make

i grew up on the Milton terrace. Our paper round money went on bus fares to see saints and getting into the ground, stand with your mates, have fun and being part of something those days are over, now all we are part of is a machine that wants to milk fans, attract rich fans. Get people to buy stuff in the club shop and so On. The things that made football the amazing, community sport it is and set it apart from rugby and the others has been torn away killed by sky, killed by business and killed by people like Martin Semmens. the game is dead as we know it and for A lot of people  from my era we are out. If you want this new world crack on but the clubs don’t fans groups that care about the clubs, they want revenue, the days of fans mattering are over. The only time Any of you lot matter is when the TV money runs dry and they beg you to come back, fuck them. Whatever happens there will always be a Southampton Fc to support and I’ll always support them, what I won’t support is a corporate machine that fucks off fans that have made this club what it is but gets disregarded because they’d rather have a bit part fan in your seat than someone who followed the club for years through all The shit 

 

Spot on and it’s the main reason most people I know who used to go every week don’t bother at all any more. Apart from a select few who still drag themselves along and most of the time regret it, nobody bothers anymore. 
 

I have no intention of giving up my hard earned money and wasting my day going to watch Saints when not a single person employed by Southampton Football Club gives one tiny little fuck if I’m there or not.

I didn’t renew after the 16/17 season for reasons mentioned further up and apart from the usual renewal crap you get through at the end of a season I’ve never had so much as 1 single letter or email from the club after that summer trying to get me back. I’m just another lost customer to them, irrelevant in their eyes. Forget the thousands of pounds I spent on season tickets, forget the thousands of pounds I spent following us up and down the country even on the way down to league one and back up, forget the thousands I spent following our fucking reserves play around Europe. Someone else will fill the seat so they’re not bothered.

Good luck trying to sell tickets in league one when all the modern football fans fuck off back to their sofa to watch the premier league on their tv and you’re left begging for us to come back. 

[SotonianWill]

44 minutes ago, Turkish said:

So for me I love football. I coach under 10s, love the history the culture; I even wear clothes aligned to football and I don’t mean club shirts, if you know what I mean you know. But modern football is intolerable and bears no relation to the game I fell on the love with.
 

It’s now a game solely for a TV audience with everything geared toward the success of the big clubs with little Regard for the other 85 or so clubs in the leagues and those below it.

It’s become a shameless corporate machine with money being the only differentiator and the clubs only interested in how much they make

i grew up on the Milton terrace. Our paper round money went on bus fares to see saints and getting into the ground, stand with your mates, have fun and being part of something those days are over, now all we are part of is a machine that wants to milk fans, attract rich fans. Get people to buy stuff in the club shop and so On. The things that made football the amazing, community sport it is and set it apart from rugby and the others has been torn away killed by sky, killed by business and killed by people like Martin Semmens. the game is dead as we know it and for A lot of people  from my era we are out. If you want this new world crack on but the clubs don’t fans groups that care about the clubs, they want revenue, the days of fans mattering are over. The only time Any of you lot matter is when the TV money runs dry and they beg you to come back, fuck them. Whatever happens there will always be a Southampton Fc to support and I’ll always support them, what I won’t support is a corporate machine that fucks off fans that have made this club what it is but gets disregarded because they’d rather have a bit part fan in your seat than someone who followed the club for years through all The shit 

 

I and a lot of people I know aren’t renewing next year for ST and honestly it’s not just because we are absolute shit at football. They’ll be people claiming “can’t wait for relegation, we’ll see who the real fans are” but id say you’d have to be a bit blind eyed to keep paying into their money machine which offers you nothing. you no longer support a club you support a billionaires corporation. 

also just ten points off my head

1. ticket prices aren’t very well thought out 20£ grimsby, after what we’ve been served up this season

2. choosing your ST seat then being moved mid season for no reason

3. victimising our own fans for being pelted with coins by everton and just overall bias towards making away fans have a good time (block one closed)

4. thinking the fan experience is amazing due to them playing funeral march owts, loud music over chanting, embarrassing light shows and serving the shittest beer as it’s highest bidder

5. being surrounded by the new era of football fan who’s watched green street and wears a replica over hoodie giving it the biggun whilst chanting about onuachus penis

6. atmosphere, jesus christ it’s bad - you’re lucky to get anyone joining in and people love seven nation army

7. football vloggers. i’m sorry but just watch the game. this dosent just go for youtubers but just anyone who gets their phone out to record themselves for a snapchat story

8. Changing kick off times for tv

9. extortionate wages for players who don’t even try, why should people support these twats? they aren’t your mate like when you could maybe have a pint with players in the pub after the game.

10. VAR, just fucking bin it

 

… The first time I stopped caring about football was around Covid time when they basically said FUCK YOU WE DONT NEED YOU to fans and played in soulless empty stadiums with sky manufactured crowd noises why? to help people mental health? yes, but mainly also they were losing money. I stopped watching and only peeked at results. we got to “top of the league” we got to a “cup semi final” we “lost 9-0 again” or did we, because no one was there so who gives a shit. honestly if we’d have won the cup that year people would’ve celebrated but it wasn’t the same. 

I like a 3 o’clock kick off on a saturday, with people representing southampton in differing towns and areas. nowadays our main fan ‘leaders’ for want of a better word I see online are a bunch of poshos who aren’t even from southampton! 

[Daft Kerplunk]

1 hour ago, Turkish said:

So for me I love football. I coach under 10s, love the history the culture; I even wear clothes aligned to football and I don’t mean club shirts, if you know what I mean you know. But modern football is intolerable and bears no relation to the game I fell on the love with.
 

It’s now a game solely for a TV audience with everything geared toward the success of the big clubs with little Regard for the other 85 or so clubs in the leagues and those below it.

It’s become a shameless corporate machine with money being the only differentiator and the clubs only interested in how much they make

i grew up on the Milton terrace. Our paper round money went on bus fares to see saints and getting into the ground, stand with your mates, have fun and being part of something those days are over, now all we are part of is a machine that wants to milk fans, attract rich fans. Get people to buy stuff in the club shop and so On. The things that made football the amazing, community sport it is and set it apart from rugby and the others has been torn away killed by sky, killed by business and killed by people like Martin Semmens. the game is dead as we know it and for A lot of people  from my era we are out. If you want this new world crack on but the clubs don’t fans groups that care about the clubs, they want revenue, the days of fans mattering are over. The only time Any of you lot matter is when the TV money runs dry and they beg you to come back, fuck them. Whatever happens there will always be a Southampton Fc to support and I’ll always support them, what I won’t support is a corporate machine that fucks off fans that have made this club what it is but gets disregarded because they’d rather have a bit part fan in your seat than someone who followed the club for years through all The shit 

 

The sad thing is, it never needed to be this way. People like Martin Semmens, (an ex cricket playing Rugby boarding school boy whose first job was as a marketing executive in New York City, no doubt generously awarded through a family or alumni contact) think the brand of a football club is nice imagery, slogans (potential into excellence) and talking about gareth bale who played for us a few times, but went on to be famous elsewhere. But it’s not, it’s deeper than that and people like Martin Semmens and the other board directors don’t have a clue because they have no connection with the city other than it being the place they work. Then, they don’t really understand football and what makes it so special to so many people. I know that the kids just want tik tok skillz but they also appreciate the deeper side of the game itself, and most come from communities where it’s embedded. It’s not just a product you buy because it’s popular, people don’t support saints because we’ve had some players come through the academy. That’s a nice to have. Having a football club be the heart of, the representative of, and the soul of the community is what makes the game of football special. Fans from outside the area attach themselves to that as well as success. That’s why this club has been getting it so wrong for some time now. They just don’t get it. 

[Turkish]

8 minutes ago, Daft Kerplunk said:

The sad thing is, it never needed to be this way. People like Martin Semmens, (an ex cricket playing Rugby boarding school boy whose first job was as a marketing executive in New York City, no doubt generously awarded through a family or alumni contact) think the brand of a football club is nice imagery, slogans (potential into excellence) and talking about gareth bale who played for us a few times, but went on to be famous elsewhere. But it’s not, it’s deeper than that and people like Martin Semmens and the other board directors don’t have a clue because they have no connection with the city other than it being the place they work. Then, they don’t really understand football and what makes it so special to so many people. I know that the kids just want tik tok skillz but they also appreciate the deeper side of the game itself, and most come from communities where it’s embedded. It’s not just a product you buy because it’s popular, people don’t support saints because we’ve had some players come through the academy. That’s a nice to have. Having a football club be the heart of, the representative of, and the soul of the community is what makes the game of football special. Fans from outside the area attach themselves to that as well as success. That’s why this club has been getting it so wrong for some time now. They just don’t get it. 

Imagine the CEO of any other premier league club coming out with stuff like the women’s team are the most important thing and that you lot should just be grateful. At what other club anywhere would they be allowed to come out with his stuff? It just show how totally out of touch they are. 

[hackedoff]

Over priced stage act both on and off the pitch,it isn't really a sporting event any longer. Boring,embarrassing,predictable bollocks,all served up in a nice ,expensive box.

[Divergent]

I’m angry too, apart from the dire football, the lack of any direction from anyone supposedly managing on or off field operations and the impossibility of competing on any kind of level playing field with the teams owned by dubious states and consortiums, we are in danger of  losing the youngsters who should be our supporters longer term. 

One home league win all season, I think only 6 last season. I’m fed up with taking my grandchildren who see mediocre talent play mediocre football week in and out and now say they don’t want to come next season because it’s no fun anymore. 

it’s no good me telling them the Championship and League 1 days were exciting and getting promoted was brilliant. They want, rightly or wrongly to see the big Premier League stars, to cheer on Southampton players they can identify with not some stepping stone young talent who know that all Saints can give them is the opportunity to move on to bigger and better things.  

Me? I’ve only missed one season as a season ticket holder in the last 28 years but I’m not that inclined to continue to be treated as a consumer of a poor product rather than a fan whose support is wanted. I’m fed up with having to alter plans so I can attend rearranged games at unsuitable times for the greater glory of Sky and BT. I’m angry that losing a football match can lower my mood for the whole weekend. I’m pissed off that I continue to care when the players don’t and stupidly continue to hope when it’s a lost cause.

But I also know if I don’t renew come the first match of next season I’ll be wishing I had. 
 

[woodsaint1]

During the Pellegrino/Hughes season I dreaded the prospect of us being relegated. But now I'm completely at ease with it.

VAR is a shambles at times. Its still subjective and still makes the mistakes that officials used to....but with a three minute delay to find out.

The money being thrown about by Chelsea, the financial breaches by City and even Bournemouth beating top La Liga and Serie A sides to sign players just shows how absurd the money in the PL has become. There needs to be better regulation.

Most of all our run in the PL has completely stagnated. We desperately need a reset and yes theres no guarantee we'll have a complete turn around and return to the PL a rejuvenated team like Burnley or Fulham, but at least we can start again without some of the shite thats clogging up our squad, give a chance to some of the youth players tearing it up at u18 and u23 level and hopefully appoint a manager who has us playing exciting football (that still might be Selles).

And the clincher....playing different teams each week and the prospect of bettering our current season win rate of about 20% (not guaranteed but I'm hopeful)

Edited 2 March, 2023 by woodsaint1

[Whitey Grandad]

1 hour ago, Turkish said:

Imagine the CEO of any other premier league club coming out with stuff like the women’s team are the most important thing and that you lot should just be grateful. At what other club anywhere would they be allowed to come out with his stuff? It just show how totally out of touch they are. 

Late on in last night’s match whilst we were abjectly sinking out of the Cup all the big screens were showing was promotions for the women’s team.

[Whitey Grandad]

1 hour ago, Divergent said:

I’m angry too, apart from the dire football, the lack of any direction from anyone supposedly managing on or off field operations and the impossibility of competing on any kind of level playing field with the teams owned by dubious states and consortiums, we are in danger of  losing the youngsters who should be our supporters longer term. 

One home league win all season, I think only 6 last season. I’m fed up with taking my grandchildren who see mediocre talent play mediocre football week in and out and now say they don’t want to come next season because it’s no fun anymore. 

it’s no good me telling them the Championship and League 1 days were exciting and getting promoted was brilliant. They want, rightly or wrongly to see the big Premier League stars, to cheer on Southampton players they can identify with not some stepping stone young talent who know that all Saints can give them is the opportunity to move on to bigger and better things.  

Me? I’ve only missed one season as a season ticket holder in the last 28 years but I’m not that inclined to continue to be treated as a consumer of a poor product rather than a fan whose support is wanted. I’m fed up with having to alter plans so I can attend rearranged games at unsuitable times for the greater glory of Sky and BT. I’m angry that losing a football match can lower my mood for the whole weekend. I’m pissed off that I continue to care when the players don’t and stupidly continue to hope when it’s a lost cause.

But I also know if I don’t renew come the first match of next season I’ll be wishing I had. 
 

They’re only that because of all the media hype. And they have to hype up the whole kaboodle in order to get the muggies to fork out extortionate amounts to watch it.

[HarvSFC]

Semmens used the fans forum last year to critique fans stating a negative home atmosphere doesn't help the team, despite the team not turning up for the last two months of the season and picking up their £50k+ a week, while we're paying good money for a shit product.

Then came Nathan Jones, who went to war with the fans every week in his press conferences for three months, even after a win against Blackpool, despite only winning one league match and losing the rest in his three months in charge. Although, he did have a 100% league record if you didn't include Liverpool, Brighton, Fulham, Forest, Villa, Brentford and Wolves.

Now, you have the club's mouthpieces trotting out every week that the team needs the fans, etc.

Well, I hope on Saturday that the atmosphere starts toxic from minute one. It won't, but I wish it did. Last night's performance was unforgiveable. Players on 100s of thousands a month being made to look like amateurs by League Two footballers who play three times a week for a pittance of what the Southampton players are undeservedly earning.

We're relegated. Support isn't going to change anything now, it's too late. We've directed our anger at Hasenhuttl and Jones. The boardroom and the players have had an easy ride up to this point. 

I support the club and the city I was born and still live in, but these individuals who simply put on the logo aren't deserving of any support.

[Osvaldorama]

4 hours ago, Turkish said:

So for me I love football. I coach under 10s, love the history the culture; I even wear clothes aligned to football and I don’t mean club shirts, if you know what I mean you know. But modern football is intolerable and bears no relation to the game I fell on the love with.
 

It’s now a game solely for a TV audience with everything geared toward the success of the big clubs with little Regard for the other 85 or so clubs in the leagues and those below it.

It’s become a shameless corporate machine with money being the only differentiator and the clubs only interested in how much they make

i grew up on the Milton terrace. Our paper round money went on bus fares to see saints and getting into the ground, stand with your mates, have fun and being part of something those days are over, now all we are part of is a machine that wants to milk fans, attract rich fans. Get people to buy stuff in the club shop and so On. The things that made football the amazing, community sport it is and set it apart from rugby and the others has been torn away killed by sky, killed by business and killed by people like Martin Semmens. the game is dead as we know it and for A lot of people  from my era we are out. If you want this new world crack on but the clubs don’t fans groups that care about the clubs, they want revenue, the days of fans mattering are over. The only time Any of you lot matter is when the TV money runs dry and they beg you to come back, fuck them. Whatever happens there will always be a Southampton Fc to support and I’ll always support them, what I won’t support is a corporate machine that fucks off fans that have made this club what it is but gets disregarded because they’d rather have a bit part fan in your seat than someone who followed the club for years through all The shit 

 

Agree with this so, so much. 

In hindsight, Ralph protected the club from so much. He did a great job before he left, but more than that he was a true football man. I respected him, I trusted him and I liked him. I thought it was his time to go, and he played a massive part in where we are, but i took zero pleasure in it  

But without him, the true core of the club is exposed. And it’s fucking rotten. A bunch of useless money grabbing cunts who have destroyed the soul of the club. They have no fucking idea what it means. No idea about our history. No idea how to scout players. Basically no idea what it takes to be a PL club. The strategies that cortese implemented for us to get here are gone. The players that got us here are gone. The belief is gone.  

Replaced by mercenaries with zero heart or fight. Or any affiliation for the city or club  

We have barely any PL quality players in this team (JWP, KWP, Lavia), but worse, we have even fewer players that actually give a shit. 
 

There is nothing to support anymore. 

[John Boy Saint]

12 hours ago, Turkish said:

So for me I love football. I coach under 10s, love the history the culture; I even wear clothes aligned to football and I don’t mean club shirts, if you know what I mean you know. But modern football is intolerable and bears no relation to the game I fell on the love with.
 

It’s now a game solely for a TV audience with everything geared toward the success of the big clubs with little Regard for the other 85 or so clubs in the leagues and those below it.

It’s become a shameless corporate machine with money being the only differentiator and the clubs only interested in how much they make

i grew up on the Milton terrace. Our paper round money went on bus fares to see saints and getting into the ground, stand with your mates, have fun and being part of something those days are over, now all we are part of is a machine that wants to milk fans, attract rich fans. Get people to buy stuff in the club shop and so On. The things that made football the amazing, community sport it is and set it apart from rugby and the others has been torn away killed by sky, killed by business and killed by people like Martin Semmens. the game is dead as we know it and for A lot of people  from my era we are out. If you want this new world crack on but the clubs don’t fans groups that care about the clubs, they want revenue, the days of fans mattering are over. The only time Any of you lot matter is when the TV money runs dry and they beg you to come back, fuck them. Whatever happens there will always be a Southampton Fc to support and I’ll always support them, what I won’t support is a corporate machine that fucks off fans that have made this club what it is but gets disregarded because they’d rather have a bit part fan in your seat than someone who followed the club for years through all The shit 

 

So very true.

The bit that caught me was the bit I highlighted. Having moved out of Southampton to north Hampshire when I was 5 for my Dad to be closer to his work in London thanks to the new M4 just up the road. My paper round too financed getting to Southampton on the local coach company’s Saturday shopping trip to Southampton first. Then dumping my paper bag and finding the local milkman to help him out on the weekends funded getting to go down the Saints more regularly and coming by train from Basingstoke - my Dad was “if you want to do something make it happen”, being 13 and nine miles from the station as he could see I was funding my Footie adventures anyway I could, he was happy to run me and a couple mates to the station and pick us up later. 
45 years later that “Magic” has definitely gone - even up until the return to the Premier League, there was 6 of us from outside the city who despite us being in our 40’s and 50’s when Saturday came our mental clock would roll back, go through the turnstiles and it was a time machine we were all 14 again having giggle down the Saints (without alcohol assistance). Once back in the PL one by one they have fallen away purely down to the substance of the PL - only Mrs JBS and I remain going down the Saints from our little gang. 
I have reached that point where, I am questioning my own mentality of going down the Saints to endure 90 minutes of misery.

I think my 58 year old self is finally growing up and accepting that I’m not 13 anymore when it comes to Saints, and there are better things to do with my time (and Money). 
Shame really.

 

[Fitzhugh Fella]

16 hours ago, LiberalCommunist said:

A dreadful couple of seasons, for sure. I was certain we were going down last term, before the turn around. But watching people lose their shit this season has really opened my eyes.

We were so close to going out of business a short time ago, 24 hours from the club getting wound up. A downturn of epic proportions. 

Getting spanked on and off the pitch on a weekly basis.  Now that was harrowing. 

This, well its been coming. We've rode our luck and made shit decisions, and that has led us to now.

But stop being so dramatic. People are going to lose their jobs, the club will lose money. But this isn't anywhere near as bad as to where we have come from. 

It’s you who is being dramatic with your claim we were close to going out of business. Trust me that was never going to happen. There were people out there who had enough funds to step in if no one else did. They did not have Liebherr’s wealth but they were well connected and supporters of the club. 

[Mr Nimbus]

13 hours ago, Turkish said:

Next season you’ll see it. When crowed are down to 20,000 the corporates have fucked off, they’ll be desperate to get the fans back they’ve fucked over for years. Semmens has no idea what makes a club like Southampton. We aren’t a corporate machine we a club they relies on local support. It’s why I, perhaps wrong, admire clubs like Leeds, millwall and Cardiff so much. They are the fuck them all attitude, We are what we are, a club built on the local community, never bowed to outside pressure always been true to their roots. One day we might get owners that see that too. We have a lot More in common with those clubs than Chelsea or Man City so let’s stop trying to be them FFS

This is absolutely spot on. I reckon if clubs actually asked supporters' wanted, most rational people would say the same.

Me personally I still love that football. Seeing a screamer from nowhere, a crunching tackle, giving a "big club" the occasional bloody nose or a nipper coming through the academy and performing for the first team. These things give me real joy. 

All this noddy social media bollocks, trying to push brandng like "we march on" its bollocks.

I look back at the pandemic and cant help but think football had a real chance to change and the boat was missed. 

[Fitzhugh Fella]

The back page of my newspaper this morning perfectly sums up the state of football in this country with its two stories. Firstly the FA’s secret endorsement of UEFA’s President (Ceferin) despite the shambles in Paris in the Final and the revelation in a US court that Newcastle’s chairman is a “sitting minister of the Saudi government”.  
The British footballing public have been utterly screwed by the authorities in charge of our game. It’s all about greed and profit nothing more nothing less. 

Edited 3 March, 2023 by Fitzhugh Fella

[ally_uk]

The Soul of Southampton has been ripped out to be honest. I only really care about 2 maybe 3 players in this squad.

Prowse, Lavia, KWP 

The rest are just a combination of rubbish transfer decisions and unmotivated bottlers who fold like deckchairs on the Titanic when under the cosh.... 

As for Premiership football ? Also has lost the magic for me 

Too many Sheiks spoiling the soup. 

" Oh we have missed European football this season boss "

" No problem I will sanction 900 million in funds look at Football Manager and buy everyone decent " 

What happened to financial fair play? How are other smaller clubs supposed to compete. 

If I was a fan of the Oil clubs if we were not consistently top of the league of winning things I would be embarrassed....... 

I actually think it's time for a super oil league... 

As for us going down bring it on I prefer the lower leagues less bias... 

You watch Saints play Newcastle for example the commentary is basically two blokes getting errections over the Geordies the whole game..... 

Even though they haven't won nothing for years just because they have money.... that's the state of the game today folks 

[Turkish]

8 minutes ago, Fitzhugh Fella said:

The back page of my newspaper this morning perfectly sums up the state of football in this country with its two stories. Firstly the FA’s secret endorsement of UEFA’s President (Ceferin) despite the shambles in Paris in the Final and the revelation in a US court that Newcastle’s chairman is a “sitting minister of the Saudi government”.  
The British footballing public have been utterly screwed by the authorities in charge of our game. It’s all about greed and profit nothing more nothing less. 

i will never forget when the chairman of the premier league came out a few years ago when Fergie left and Man United were struggling he said that the Premier league needs a strong Man United for the brand and due to Man Uniteds world wide support. Sums it up, that's all they care about.

[whelk]

Sounds like you lot need to find a new hobby. Good luck

[Whitey Grandad]

6 minutes ago, Turkish said:

i will never forget when the chairman of the premier league came out a few years ago when Fergie left and Man United were struggling he said that the Premier league needs a strong Man United for the brand and due to Man Uniteds world wide support. Sums it up, that's all they care about.

Exactly right. They make their billions by selling the brand worldwide and clubs like Southampton do not feature in that. They are an inconvenience. We travel a lot and all over the world all we see are Liverpool shirts. Or Man United. Or Arsenal. Or Chelsea. Or…

I was in a shop in a Mexican coastal town and the friendly salesman there wanted to ask me a question. He got out his Man Utd replica shirt and asked me why he got so much abuse from English visitors. I explained to him gently that we liked to see fair play and not have sporting outcomes dominated by those who have the most money.

[Mr Nimbus]

Call it bitterness etc I don't really care, but the Newcastle takeover & the Saudi World Cup shows you everything you need to know about "modern football"

[tunit]

I can't be one of the only ones that wants this 'super league' to happen? Let the super rich have their own competition and start some sort of proper regulation for the clubs left in the FA's remit. 51% minimum fan ownership, salary caps, transfer spend caps, ticket price caps, x amount of academy players in matchday squad. Would start to see a real improvement in competitiveness and the connection between fans and clubs. 

Unfortunately however we're too far gone from this and I don't think we'll ever see drastic changes because all the governing bodies care about is their back pocket.