Northam atmosphere

[Saint_Jonny]

4 hours ago, Saint_clark said:

It's reciprocal. As others have said after the better part of a decade having nothing to look forward to at home it's difficult for people to muster the energy to be supportive. It improved a bit and now we've put in two horrendous performances in a row. 

Doesn't help when we concede straight from kick off and continually put ourselves under pressure passing out from goal kicks etc when the opposition are clearly nailing their closing down tactics. 

I get the positive performance = happy clappy crowd argument. What I don't get is the "fan" (and there are literally thousands of people like this at every club) that pay money to vent their bi-polar anger at footballers when the results aren't going there way.

Think of it this way. You pay for other services in life. When they go wrong and you don't get what you paid for, you don't run around calling everyone a cunt, because it's not helpful and won't get you very far in life. 

[ImproveOurAtmosphere]

Id get it more if we had a team of old boys with bags of experience, but a lot of our team are very young and inexperienced in terms of first team football. The abuse they get is unwarranted and definitely effects their confidence which helps no one.

each to their own and I respect anyone’s opinion who turn up to games. 
 

Chapel is a lot more forgiving it seems.

up the saints let’s get behind the boys tonight!

[Lord Duckhunter]

4 hours ago, gio1saints said:

 

Blaming someone else for our shortcomings is a staple of society today. Presumably if they don’t play better we keep replacing them

We don’t need to change or do anything different it’s the players job to do that. 
 

 

 

I’m not blaming anyone for my shortcomings I’m blaming the players for theirs. 
 

If they don’t play better replace then? yes, fucking replace them.

I think you’ve got this the wrong way round, it is the players job to change from losing 5-1 then 4-1, not fucking mine. You pay me 55k a week & I’ll willingly take some responsibility for shite performances, until then I’ll support them which ever way I want to. One thing for sure, I’ll still be in St Mary’s long after these clowns have left the circus. 

[Miltonaggro]

4 hours ago, Saint_Jonny said:

I get the positive performance = happy clappy crowd argument. What I don't get is the "fan" (and there are literally thousands of people like this at every club) that pay money to vent their bi-polar anger at footballers when the results aren't going there way.

Think of it this way. You pay for other services in life. When they go wrong and you don't get what you paid for, you don't run around calling everyone a cunt, because it's not helpful and won't get you very far in life. 

Traditionally the football was used as a social safety valve, a place where you could escape the drudge of hard work and express yourself, say what you like, with likeminded people for a couple of hours a week. I get that the modern game has been corporatised, sanitised and watered down over the past 25 to 30 years but for a great many supporters it’s still tribal, it still matters, it’s about personal and cultural identity. If it wasn’t I doubt many people in our city would ‘choose’ to support Southampton, with much better, more reliable ‘service providers’ available. The comparison to other services just doesn’t work, and I personally I couldn’t give a shit as to how those around me get their bang for buck paying an extortionate amount to watch second rate tripe, a broad church doesn’t have to be evangelical! 

[gio1saints]

2 hours ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

I’m not blaming anyone for my shortcomings I’m blaming the players for theirs. 
 

If they don’t play better replace then? yes, fucking replace them.

I think you’ve got this the wrong way round, it is the players job to change from losing 5-1 then 4-1, not fucking mine. You pay me 55k a week & I’ll willingly take some responsibility for shite performances, until then I’ll support them which ever way I want to. One thing for sure, I’ll still be in St Mary’s long after these clowns have left the circus. 

Lord Duckhunter. 

I agree it’s the players responsibility to play better but that does not justify the non stop often vile abuse they are getting almost all game from some supporters. Do you agree ?

that argument is like saying it’s the actors responsibility on stage to act better - or else - and the waiters responsibility in the restaurant - or else- even the check out operators responsibility at Tesco - or risk sustained verbal abuse from the customer is justified… 
 

When that check out operator at Tesco mispacks your tea cake do you berate her for the next 90 minutes from the bread aisle calling every nasty name under the sun surrounded by your sniggering mates  because you can “support” Tesco however you feel? 
 

I doubt it. And that was the point I was making. Yes you are entitled to what you call support however you want - and it sounds like you’re an old timer - but when it turns to outright incessant abuse it’s not on. 
 

It strikes me that those signs commonly seen saying “staff abuse will not be tolerated” is directed at exactly someone with attitudes I’m seeing at SMS. 

Have the incessant moaners considered what the impact of constant verbal negativity is on other supporters around them who have also paid for a ticket ? Does there ticket spend entitle them to ruin their enjoyment of the match? Does it? 

Do we go to the theatre and heckle if you don’t like what Hamlet said “ Oi Hamlet  you’re a fucking disgrace to your country” ad infinitum all performance? Do we sing at the waiter who brought you the wrong order for 45 minutes that he’s a ducking wznker/ donkey/useless price of shit and expect to get away with it? Do we?
 

Some “ supporters” Giving themselves permission to behave atrociously because they paid for a ticket is poor excuse, M’lord. 

Edited 19 September, 2023 by gio1saints
Depersonalised my response in the interests of not giving personal offence to poster,

[Saints-1994]

Gio, you keep comparing Football to the theatre or other services. As someone stated in another post, football is tribal - so that doesn't match up. If Saints lose, we shouldn't, but do take it personally and react.

Do i think individuals should boo Bazunu for not kicking long? no. Are people entitled to express how they feel? Yes - so stop expecting people to think like you. The way you're going on you'd think the whole stadium screamed abuse at 0-0. In reality, after going 2 down people became frustrated, as I'd hope players would too. Every successful side will say far worse to each other in the changing rooms, than a couple of fans expressing their annoyance with a pass/shot. 

If you don't like the support around you, move to another area where you might find people with a similar outlook to you. It's quite simple.

[gio1saints]

I am in the process of moving my ST but I will be there tonight for sure in Northam. 
I do not expect people to think like me. 

I ( and I think the players and fellow supporters) just do not expect to have to endure the almost non stop abuse of our players by some supporters around me. 

I’ve made my point enough now for everyone to understand I’m not against freedom of speech - but there are limits and for some reason at SMS anythingabusive to our own players - and constantly - goes for some of the crowd. It’s normalised. It just makes me sad. It’s happening in plain sight and there are too few calling it out and saying it’s not on. Like me probably worried about repercussions. 


 

Edited 19 September, 2023 by gio1saints

[gio1saints]

Shout out to the Northam tonite. Amazing difference in approach. Much better. Proper support. 
 

[The Cat]

8 hours ago, gio1saints said:

Shout out to the Northam tonite. Amazing difference in approach. Much better. Proper support. 
 

Yes, they gave it a good go in the second half when the subs were made. OWTS went on for about 15 minutes at one point.

Thought Ipswich fans were a bit crap other then after they scored. They had loads there, are flying in the league but didn't sing that much.

[AlexLaw76]

1 hour ago, The Cat said:

Yes, they gave it a good go in the second half when the subs were made. OWTS went on for about 15 minutes at one point.

Thought Ipswich fans were a bit crap other then after they scored. They had loads there, are flying in the league but didn't sing that much.

Barely hear the Northman from the other end of the ground. 
 

thought the atmosphere in general was dire. Just waiting for the inevitable 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

19 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Barely hear the Northman from the other end of the ground. 
 

thought the atmosphere in general was dire. Just waiting for the inevitable 

There's no energy on the pitch, which translates into the stands. Nothing to get excited about, no thundering challenges, no shots on goal and no other thought from the players to get rid of the ball as soon as they receive it. Am fed up with the fans being blamed for not creating a decent atmosphere, watching that shit every week would wear anyone down. I don't find going to St Mary's enjoyable anymore, didn't find it enjoyable last season either. Probably only reason I go at the moment is to keep my lad interested in Saints, as I want him to support his hometown club. If SR aren't careful they are going to lose the next generation of supporters. Football is a game that should be enjoyable, matchdays at the moment are anything but.

[SotonianWill]

12 hours ago, gio1saints said:

Shout out to the Northam tonite. Amazing difference in approach. Much better. Proper support. 
 

Could hear the Northam from the itchen for the first time in a while. Good support. Heard backboard banging from the chapel but looked pretty dead in there. Itchen was good first half, dead second but who can blame the fans - oh wait, Russell Martin. 

[Saints-1994]

6 hours ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

There's no energy on the pitch, which translates into the stands. Nothing to get excited about, no thundering challenges, no shots on goal and no other thought from the players to get rid of the ball as soon as they receive it. Am fed up with the fans being blamed for not creating a decent atmosphere, watching that shit every week would wear anyone down. I don't find going to St Mary's enjoyable anymore, didn't find it enjoyable last season either. Probably only reason I go at the moment is to keep my lad interested in Saints, as I want him to support his hometown club. If SR aren't careful they are going to lose the next generation of supporters. Football is a game that should be enjoyable, matchdays at the moment are anything but.

This. The style only works if players have 1/2 touches and then others move to create openings. We don't do that meaning there is no excitement/build up outside mistakes from the opposition (see Leicester goal). You even have Ipswich fans commenting on how slow and boring we were to watch. Who knows where we'll end up this season but can see a big drop off in numbers and even worse atmospheres to come.

Edited 20 September, 2023 by Saints-1994

[Gloucester Saint]

Some of the pissed off people in the Northam were probably ejected from Block 1 last season, to go with those evicted from the central Kingsland for the £99 padded seats. Combined with with others being under attack from away fans openly permitted in home areas and it’s no wonder relationships are strained with the support base left which the club hasn’t alienated.

Frankly, 30k gates early was above and beyond from our fans with the amount of they’ve tolerated. The club has reverted to type in the last 3 games, serving up more spineless football with empty marketing slogans. 

All the OWTS in the world won’t stop 3 or 4 cheap goals conceded per game (it would have been if Ipswich could shoot) because the manager can’t do his job (yet again). More cheap fan blame. Get it right on the pitch and stop making excuses.