New Stadium Layout

[franniesTache]

5 hours ago, TheAlehouseBrawlers said:

There was always going to be teething problems with so many changes, although as far as I could see the new QR code tickets worked well, these will sort themselves out over the next few home games. I think fans coming out of the Northam will realise turning right out to Britannia Road and walking up to Northam Road and going left over the railway bridge won't be much different to the time it takes queuing to get over the footbridge.

I'm still reading one or two bemoaning the loss of the Itchen North crowd and being forced into the Northam for safe standing, there was an option. Some safe-standing is available in the KIngsland North (Block 38), you could have done your thing there. I also noticed Saturday that there was still fans joining in the singing in blocks 1-3 and I think they were still anticipating some standing towards the back as the Corp boxes were boarded off in that area. Maybe they could have just remained there.

I think the corporate boxes at the back of the Itchen North are being turned into a champagne bar aren't they? Hence why they're closed (and no this really isn't a joke, it's true! God alone knows what's happened to football that we're now having champagne bars pop up)

Edited August 27 by franniesTache
because i can't spell

[goodymatt]

3 hours ago, franniesTache said:

I think the corporate boxes at the back of the Itchen North are being turned into a champagne bar aren't they? Hence why they're closed (and no this really isn't a joke, it's true! God alone knows what's happened to football that we're now having champagne bars pop up)

Trying to do something about our flat performances? 😉 

Edited August 27 by goodymatt

[SaintsLoyal]

I do hope people complain to the club about the congestion post match as it will become a regular event unless they remove the fencing.

[franniesTache]

52 minutes ago, goodymatt said:

Trying to do something about our flat performances? 😉 

CHAMPAGNE BAR - Coming soon! 

We will be converting six of the executive boxes on the top floor of the Itchen North end of the stadium into a new Champagne Bar. This lounge will be available for matchdays and can also be used on non-matchdays as a celebration space for birthdays, anniversaries and much more. More details and the full launch will come later in 2024.      

https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/whats-changed-at-st-marys-this-season-everything-you-need-to-know-so-far

 

It's what the people are clamouring for, at a time of a cost of living crisis, when people are moaning about the atmosphere, and football has lost it's edge, the only sensible answer is a champagne bar.

Live. Love. Laugh everyone, it's bubbles o'clock! 

[Patrick Bateman]

8 hours ago, franniesTache said:

CHAMPAGNE BAR - Coming soon! 

We will be converting six of the executive boxes on the top floor of the Itchen North end of the stadium into a new Champagne Bar. This lounge will be available for matchdays and can also be used on non-matchdays as a celebration space for birthdays, anniversaries and much more. More details and the full launch will come later in 2024.      

https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/whats-changed-at-st-marys-this-season-everything-you-need-to-know-so-far

 

It's what the people are clamouring for, at a time of a cost of living crisis, when people are moaning about the atmosphere, and football has lost it's edge, the only sensible answer is a champagne bar.

Live. Love. Laugh everyone, it's bubbles o'clock! 

No words ... 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

16 hours ago, franniesTache said:

CHAMPAGNE BAR - Coming soon! 

We will be converting six of the executive boxes on the top floor of the Itchen North end of the stadium into a new Champagne Bar. This lounge will be available for matchdays and can also be used on non-matchdays as a celebration space for birthdays, anniversaries and much more. More details and the full launch will come later in 2024.      

https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/whats-changed-at-st-marys-this-season-everything-you-need-to-know-so-far

 

It's what the people are clamouring for, at a time of a cost of living crisis, when people are moaning about the atmosphere, and football has lost it's edge, the only sensible answer is a champagne bar.

Live. Love. Laugh everyone, it's bubbles o'clock! 

Executive boxes not selling well then. 

[Saint_clark]

11 hours ago, Patrick Bateman said:

No words ... 

Don't see anything wrong with it personally. Can see it doing well for company events.

[S-Clarke]

19 hours ago, franniesTache said:

CHAMPAGNE BAR - Coming soon! 

We will be converting six of the executive boxes on the top floor of the Itchen North end of the stadium into a new Champagne Bar. This lounge will be available for matchdays and can also be used on non-matchdays as a celebration space for birthdays, anniversaries and much more. More details and the full launch will come later in 2024.      

https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/whats-changed-at-st-marys-this-season-everything-you-need-to-know-so-far

 

It's what the people are clamouring for, at a time of a cost of living crisis, when people are moaning about the atmosphere, and football has lost it's edge, the only sensible answer is a champagne bar.

Live. Love. Laugh everyone, it's bubbles o'clock! 

It is cringe and is far away from what football was once about, even as recently as 10 years ago, but I think it's a sad indication of what clubs have to do now with PSR/FFP or whatever bollocks it's called these days. Football is now primarily all about commercials and a financial manipulation game as a first priority, any success on the pitch is a secondary to that. If it works over a long-term then obviously both things go hand in hand and it fuels the football side, but initially it looks like nonsense.

All revenue streams they can create will help the club and provide more income. That's one of the reasons they're doing all these changes and fan zones, lots of opportunities to sell more merch food/drink to a captive audience. 

Edited August 28 by S-Clarke

[iansums]

19 hours ago, franniesTache said:

CHAMPAGNE BAR - Coming soon! 

We will be converting six of the executive boxes on the top floor of the Itchen North end of the stadium into a new Champagne Bar. This lounge will be available for matchdays and can also be used on non-matchdays as a celebration space for birthdays, anniversaries and much more. More details and the full launch will come later in 2024.      

https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/whats-changed-at-st-marys-this-season-everything-you-need-to-know-so-far

 

It's what the people are clamouring for, at a time of a cost of living crisis, when people are moaning about the atmosphere, and football has lost it's edge, the only sensible answer is a champagne bar.

Live. Love. Laugh everyone, it's bubbles o'clock! 

I'm not going unless they offer prawn sandwiches.

[franniesTache]

46 minutes ago, iansums said:

I'm not going unless they offer prawn sandwiches.

caviar blinis or nothing for me

[OldNick]

2 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

It is cringe and is far away from what football was once about, even as recently as 10 years ago, but I think it's a sad indication of what clubs have to do now with PSR/FFP or whatever bollocks it's called these days. Football is now primarily all about commercials and a financial manipulation game as a first priority, any success on the pitch is a secondary to that. If it works over a long-term then obviously both things go hand in hand and it fuels the football side, but initially it looks like nonsense.

All revenue streams they can create will help the club and provide more income. That's one of the reasons they're doing all these changes and fan zones, lots of opportunities to sell more merch food/drink to a captive audience. 

Champagne bars are now found in many high streets, they werent there 10 years ago either. Its like lamenting the lack of flared trousers in the shops

[SaintsLoyal]

I advocate drink

2 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

It is cringe and is far away from what football was once about, even as recently as 10 years ago, but I think it's a sad indication of what clubs have to do now with PSR/FFP or whatever bollocks it's called these days. Football is now primarily all about commercials and a financial manipulation game as a first priority, any success on the pitch is a secondary to that. If it works over a long-term then obviously both things go hand in hand and it fuels the football side, but initially it looks like nonsense.

All revenue streams they can create will help the club and provide more income. That's one of the reasons they're doing all these changes and fan zones, lots of opportunities to sell more merch food/drink to a captive audience. 

Sadly there are plenty of modern day football fans/spectators who lap it up.  'match day experience' !!  f*ck off 

Being a football fan is not about spending hours on end at the Stadium, you meet people at drinking holes, have a crack, go to the match and then do some post match business somewhere else.  

I fully adovcate not going anywhere near the fanzone and drinking eating in usual establishments, the club waste millions on shit players.

[skintsaint]

On 27/08/2024 at 16:33, franniesTache said:

CHAMPAGNE BAR - Coming soon! 

 

[ErwinK1961]

16 hours ago, SaintsLoyal said:

I advocate drink

Sadly there are plenty of modern day football fans/spectators who lap it up.  'match day experience' !!  f*ck off 

Being a football fan is not about spending hours on end at the Stadium, you meet people at drinking holes, have a crack, go to the match and then do some post match business somewhere else.  

I fully adovcate not going anywhere near the fanzone and drinking eating in usual establishments, the club waste millions on shit players.

Not sure you’re in any position to tell people what being a football fan is all about.

[SaintsLoyal]

3 hours ago, ErwinK1961 said:

Not sure you’re in any position to tell people what being a football fan is all about.

Yeah just the 40 odd years from the mid 80s mush

[ErwinK1961]

5 minutes ago, SaintsLoyal said:

Yeah just the 40 odd years from the mid 80s mush

Good for you. Still doesn’t mean you speak on behalf of all football fans.

[die Mannyschaft]

On 28/08/2024 at 11:58, iansums said:

I'm not going unless they offer prawn sandwiches.

Football changed when Sky got involved. And no prawn sandwiches at the Dell even back then.

[suewhistle]

On 27/08/2024 at 06:42, TheAlehouseBrawlers said:

I think fans coming out of the Northam will realise turning right out to Britannia Road and walking up to Northam Road and going left over the railway bridge won't be much different to the time it takes queuing to get over the footbridge.

I came to that conclusion whilst I was in the queue for the footbridge.. Early on I realised that I wasn't going to make the earlier train, but in the future I really don't want to join the early leaving crowd unless it's a late evening K.O.

[Disco Stu]

On 27/08/2024 at 16:11, SaintsLoyal said:

I do hope people complain to the club about the congestion post match as it will become a regular event unless they remove the fencing.

Not sure they'll do that if they want to continue allowing fans outside at half time. They can't check everyones tickets as they come back in for the second half.

[franniesTache]

Yesterday was my first game in the new "wall" as i was away for Forest and my take aways with are that I knew within about 3 minutes i was going to need to move out, it's considerably worse than the Itchen North was and weirdly obsessed with the blue few (i counted four different songs about them in 6minutes in the first half).

Moving the away fans was one of the biggest mistakes the club has made to be honest. To think we'd have 6k people who want to stand and make noise all game is naive at best, to think they don't need the away fans to interact with is just dumb.

Also the layout of the "rails" means it feels way too cramped and i feel for the nippers in there because there's no way they can see if people are all stood, and if they stand on the seats to get a view then it's actually more dangerous for them

[Whitey Grandad]

3 minutes ago, franniesTache said:

Yesterday was my first game in the new "wall" as i was away for Forest and my take aways with are that I knew within about 3 minutes i was going to need to move out, it's considerably worse than the Itchen North was and weirdly obsessed with the blue few (i counted four different songs about them in 6minutes in the first half).

Moving the away fans was one of the biggest mistakes the club has made to be honest. To think we'd have 6k people who want to stand and make noise all game is naive at best, to think they don't need the away fans to interact with is just dumb.

Also the layout of the "rails" means it feels way too cramped and i feel for the nippers in there because there's no way they can see if people are all stood, and if they stand on the seats to get a view then it's actually more dangerous for them

From my seat in block 31 it doesn’t look like a mass or wall of people. You say that it feels cramped though.

[Fabrice29]

7 minutes ago, franniesTache said:

Yesterday was my first game in the new "wall" as i was away for Forest and my take aways with are that I knew within about 3 minutes i was going to need to move out, it's considerably worse than the Itchen North was and weirdly obsessed with the blue few (i counted four different songs about them in 6minutes in the first half).

Moving the away fans was one of the biggest mistakes the club has made to be honest. To think we'd have 6k people who want to stand and make noise all game is naive at best, to think they don't need the away fans to interact with is just dumb.

Also the layout of the "rails" means it feels way too cramped and i feel for the nippers in there because there's no way they can see if people are all stood, and if they stand on the seats to get a view then it's actually more dangerous for them

On the bright side I'm pretty sure nobody can hear this beyond the half way line.

[franniesTache]

2 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

On the bright side I'm pretty sure nobody can hear this beyond the half way line.

It's just so fucking dull, feels like every song is either about them or mentions them. Makes us look small time and obsessed. 
 

5 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

From my seat in block 31 it doesn’t look like a mass or wall of people. You say that it feels cramped though.

Because the club haven't put in proper rail seats and instead just hooked in some scaff they got on the cheap from Trants you lose space infront of you, that means that it feels really claustrophobic, and i'm not entirely sure how safe it's gong to be if we score a big goal. Can see a lot of people going over the barriers as they're at a really weird height. 

Also, and i'm not sure why because it's still one person one seat, it feels like you're all ontop of each other, it's a completely different experience to somewhere like the new spurs stadium where the seats going back into the "rail" giving everyone more room

Edited September 15 by franniesTache

[beatlesaint]

7 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

From my seat in block 31 it doesn’t look like a mass or wall of people. You say that it feels cramped though.

I agree, it doesn’t look like a “wall”

tbh it looks a bit crap and yeah having it as far away as you can from the away supporters is just a waste of time. 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

9 minutes ago, franniesTache said:

Yesterday was my first game in the new "wall" as i was away for Forest and my take aways with are that I knew within about 3 minutes i was going to need to move out, it's considerably worse than the Itchen North was and weirdly obsessed with the blue few (i counted four different songs about them in 6minutes in the first half).

Moving the away fans was one of the biggest mistakes the club has made to be honest. To think we'd have 6k people who want to stand and make noise all game is naive at best, to think they don't need the away fans to interact with is just dumb.

Also the layout of the "rails" means it feels way too cramped and i feel for the nippers in there because there's no way they can see if people are all stood, and if they stand on the seats to get a view then it's actually more dangerous for them

Agree with that about younger fans. It's making it harder to get tickets in other areas of the ground as quite rightly parents want them to sit and actually see the game. I go with my Dad, who is in his 70's and my 12 year old, and by the time the members window opens, the majority of seats have gone in the family areas. 

[ecuk268]

10 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

On the bright side I'm pretty sure nobody can hear this beyond the half way line.

You're right. 

I've been in the Chapel for years and, going by the first 2 games, the old Northam end seemed to make more noise that the current one. Maybe because the old lot were dedicated singers whereas the new imports aren't as vocal.

[LGTL]

I’m on the very end seat of the safe standing in the Kingsland/Northam corner and I couldn’t hear a sound from the ‘wall’. 
 

The rails are also horrendous. They were there for the semi final win against WBA and I did more damage celebrating going over the top of those stupid rails than I have done for the previous 20 years of goal celebrations at St Marys. Granted, we don’t score often but that’s not the point. They’re more dangerous then just standing up use to be. 

Edited September 15 by LGTL

[Saint_clark]

3 hours ago, LGTL said:

I’m on the very end seat of the safe standing in the Kingsland/Northam corner and I couldn’t hear a sound from the ‘wall’. 
 

The rails are also horrendous. They were there for the semi final win against WBA and I did more damage celebrating going over the top of those stupid rails than I have done for the previous 20 years of goal celebrations at St Marys. Granted, we don’t score often but that’s not the point. They’re more dangerous then just standing up use to be. 

Maybe our lack of goals scored is part of the safety campaign alongside their installation.

[Ted Bates Statue]

4 hours ago, LGTL said:

The rails are also horrendous. They were there for the semi final win against WBA and I did more damage celebrating going over the top of those stupid rails than I have done for the previous 20 years of goal celebrations at St Marys. Granted, we don’t score often but that’s not the point. They’re more dangerous then just standing up use to be. 

I haven't been yet, but from photographs they seem too low to be of any use. Building regs say staircase railing height should be 900-1000mm and balconies at 1100mm height, but I believe there is no standard for stadium safe standing. I think 1100mm would be comparable and sensible, but obviously it's cheaper to use less aluminium (and paint, for that matter)

Edited September 15 by Ted Bates Statue

[Mixedkebab]

It’s quite simple, Southampton is not really a proper football city, these days we have a few games a season with a decent turnout of chaps that are up for it which influences the crowd get behind the team, other than that most of our fanbase is out of towners, middle class men and women, youths and families from the surrounding areas who sing OWTS if saints are playing well. 
We will never be regularly as good as a lot of the northern or Midlands clubs, West Ham and Millwall etc but what annoys me is that we haven’t even got the football culture any more, whereas other southern clubs like Plymouth, Exeter,  Bristol x 2, Cardiff, Luton, Gillingham, and unfortunately the skates still have it which translates into fairly decent atmospheres and loud away followings.

Southampton is a working class city but the club has never really united it to pull in all the locals since the 80s.

Like I said we can still do it when needed like in the play offs, or v the skates, or some other one offs, but the average home and, more lately, away turnout has always been flasks, blankets, tutting, cringeworthy banter weirdos, social misfits, groups of shouty middle aged women etc

 

so whatever the stadium layout we will always have the same problems.

Edited September 15 by Mixedkebab

[Whitey Grandad]

1 minute ago, Mixedkebab said:

It’s quite simple, Southampton is not really a proper football city, these days we have a few games a season with a decent turnout of chaps that are up for it which influences the crowd get behind the team, other than that most of our fanbase is out of towners, middle class men and women, youths and families from the surrounding areas who sing OWTS if saints are playing well. 
We will never be regularly as good as a lot of the northern or Midlands clubs, West Ham and Millwall etc but what annoys me is that we haven’t even got the football culture any more, whereas other southern clubs like Plymouth, Exeter,  Bristol x 2, Cardiff, Gillingham, and unfortunately the skates still have it which translates into fairly decent atmospheres and loud away followings.

Southampton is a working class city but the club has never really united it to pull in all the locals since the 80s.

Like I said we can still do it when needed like in the play offs, or v the skates, or some other one offs, but the average home and, more lately, away turnout has always been flasks, blankets, tutting, cringeworthy banter weirdos, social misfits, groups of shouty middle aged women etc

That’s very disparaging. Would you rather they all brought along prawn sandwiches?

[warsash saint]

20 minutes ago, Mixedkebab said:

It’s quite simple, Southampton is not really a proper football city, these days we have a few games a season with a decent turnout of chaps that are up for it which influences the crowd get behind the team, other than that most of our fanbase is out of towners, middle class men and women, youths and families from the surrounding areas who sing OWTS if saints are playing well. 
We will never be regularly as good as a lot of the northern or Midlands clubs, West Ham and Millwall etc but what annoys me is that we haven’t even got the football culture any more, whereas other southern clubs like Plymouth, Exeter,  Bristol x 2, Cardiff, Luton, Gillingham, and unfortunately the skates still have it which translates into fairly decent atmospheres and loud away followings.

Southampton is a working class city but the club has never really united it to pull in all the locals since the 80s.

Like I said we can still do it when needed like in the play offs, or v the skates, or some other one offs, but the average home and, more lately, away turnout has always been flasks, blankets, tutting, cringeworthy banter weirdos, social misfits, groups of shouty middle aged women etc

 

so whatever the stadium layout we will always have the same problems.

What a crock of shit!

[Mixedkebab]

17 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

That’s very disparaging. Would you rather they all brought along prawn sandwiches?

I would love Saints to have a loud and passionate following every week but that’s not really us if we’re honest is it? We need success to gee us up more so than most other teams.

Since St Mary’s I can only remember a few games where I thought, fuck me our fans were great today. The cup run under WGS, a couple of league games in the same era, then a renaissance coming back up through league 1 and the championship, a couple under Pochettino and Koeman. 
Since then it’s been mostly utter shite except for last season. So we do have the capability, but success on the pitch is vital for the atmosphere.

The drop off in variety of songs is a killer as well. We are known all over the land for only ever really singing one song.

[SaintNewForest]

Moving the away fans has been a real killer for the clubs atmosphere, I think. The Northam/Itchen/Away fans banter was the only thing keeping the atmosphere going at times, and now that's gone, you're left with a stand full of people who don't really know what to do.

The club have wanted that gone for years to aid their hospitality packages, and used safe standing as a way to cleanse that area of the stadium to improve their hospitality packages. Can't wait for the champagne bar, proper football heritage that.

Edited September 15 by SaintNewForest

[Mixedkebab]

8 minutes ago, warsash saint said:

What a crock of shit!

Whatever you say, but as the number of our away fans has increased, I think the proportion of oddballs, knitting circles  and gimps has increased as well. 
 

That can be said for a lot of clubs too as English football has been hijacked by embarrassing bellends and clones for the most part.

[TheAlehouseBrawlers]

I think people are forgetting how poor the atmosphere has been at St Mary's for many seasons even with home fans either side of the aways. It's a bit like when a (often average) player is out injured for a while but suddenly becomes the answer to all our problems on the pitch.

That playoff game suggested what it could be like but with promotion we've now got an even more limited 'playlist'. I think a lot of it is down to the fact this new set-up hasn't even witnessed a goal yet, let alone a win. It wasn't exactly a united wall of singing against Forest but it was pretty good at the start, the shit being watched on the pitch eventually killed any enthusiasm, had we scored early that day then this discussion may not have been taking place. We're still too limited on decent chants though.

[Nordic Saint]

12 hours ago, Mixedkebab said:

I would love Saints to have a loud and passionate following every week but that’s not really us if we’re honest is it? We need success to gee us up more so than most other teams.

 

That's not true. What is true is that we need success to gee us up THE SAME as other teams, and, in terms of trophies won, we've had less success than other teams of our size.

Most clubs with a fanbase our size or even smaller, like Forest or Leicester, have won at least 5 or 6 major trophies. Forest have won 9. Even Pompey have won 4 major trophies and they have a smaller fanbase than ours. For the size of our fanbase, in terms of trophies won, we are arguably the most underachieving team in the country. 

After we won our only major trophy, we had some of the noisiest and  most passionate fans in the country. We built quite a rep and other clubs' fans used to be in awe of us. In 1977 we took 13,000 to the City Ground for an FA Cup game and completely took over their home end. For the replay, the atmosphere was so intimidating that there were no Forest fans there at all visible on the terraces.

The singing used to ring out out from all 4 sides of the ground and it was deafening. I took a mate, who was a Coventry fan, to a few Saints games in the late 70s, and he said that Coventry, another underachieving team, had never had support anywhere near that good. 

I do agree with you that success on the pitch is vital, but that applies to all teams.

The new setup at St Mary's is ideal and it's the one that you find at nearly all of the stadiums in the world with the best atmospheres: a big home end with the away fans in a corner or high up at the other end. All we need now is a little bit of success on the pitch. Even a goal would help.

 

 

Edited September 16 by Nordic Saint

[Saint_Jonny]

29 minutes ago, TheAlehouseBrawlers said:

I think people are forgetting how poor the atmosphere has been at St Mary's for many seasons even with home fans either side of the aways. It's a bit like when a (often average) player is out injured for a while but suddenly becomes the answer to all our problems on the pitch.

That playoff game suggested what it could be like but with promotion we've now got an even more limited 'playlist'. I think a lot of it is down to the fact this new set-up hasn't even witnessed a goal yet, let alone a win. It wasn't exactly a united wall of singing against Forest but it was pretty good at the start, the shit being watched on the pitch eventually killed any enthusiasm, had we scored early that day then this discussion may not have been taking place. We're still too limited on decent chants though.

Nail on head. It's been two games, neither of which have exactly been successful on the pitch - people writing it off as a failed experiment need to give it a bit more of a chance me thinks. I heard pockets of people trying to get new songs going over in the old-Northam but from where I am (Block 46) it just seems to be sad old gits who only want to complain that they have been moved from their beloved Blocks 1 and 2. 

[beatlesaint]

10 hours ago, SaintNewForest said:

Moving the away fans has been a real killer for the clubs atmosphere, I think. The Northam/Itchen/Away fans banter was the only thing keeping the atmosphere going at times, and now that's gone, you're left with a stand full of people who don't really know what to do.

 

Yeah I dont really understand who thought moving the away support to the other end of the ground from our only real vocal support was a good idea.

This isnt The Kop and we aint Liverpool ffs

[LuckyNumber7]

People moaning about the atmosphere after just 2 games, in which we've barely even had a shot let alone scored a goal or won a game. There are some valid points being made such as too many people still not wanting to sing, and the lack of songs in our repetoir, but it will take time. Anyone expecting our own version of Dortmund's yellow wall will be sorely disappointed.

Unfortunately the layout of St Marys up until this season seems to have convinced many people that the only way we can make any noise is by being next to the away fans which is just bollox. The Northam has been almost silent for a number of years now with the away fans dominating the atmosphere. The changes need time for everyone to bed in, let's at least wait until we've scored some goals and won a few games before saying it's shit. It's been slim pickings so far.

One thing mentioned that did surprise me a bit is that I was expecting the safe standing to be new rail seating, not just a metal bar put in front of the existing seats. Wasn't even aware that was allowed tbh.

[Nordic Saint]

28 minutes ago, LuckyNumber7 said:

Unfortunately the layout of St Marys up until this season seems to have convinced many people that the only way we can make any noise is by being next to the away fans which is just bollox. The Northam has been almost silent for a number of years now with the away fans dominating the atmosphere.

Spot on. The best home amospheres in Southampton and all over the world are when you hardly notice the away fans. That's why, at most of the stadiums with the best atmospheres, away fans are stuck in corners or high up, as far away from the home end as possible, and that's why our players, managers and most of our fans have wanted this change in the setup for a long time. The few special fans who prefer to gawk at the away fans can still go and sit near them if they want to.

Even though we lost 0-3 to United, it made a nice change not to have their fans' deafening singing booming out from the Northam end for 90 minutes, like it used to, when there was no apparent home end whatsoever.

Until they were 2-0 up, you hardly knew they were there. It's the first time that United fans haven't totally 'owned' St Mary's. The fact they were stuck in a corner, where the acoustics are worst, and that the fans around them largely ignored them certainly helped.

Edited September 16 by Nordic Saint

[sledger]

most people been battering the club to move the away fans for years,now its done they moan the other way some just have to moan.On the atmosphere you could go to any ground in the country it would be bad if you had to watch the rubbish weve been served up

[rallyboy]

Once the whistle goes the players control the atmosphere, it was decent for 20 mins on Saturday.

They need to up their fucking game, not us.

[Dman]

one thing I would say, the fanzone(s) before and at half time are a great idea. In the 2 games they've been absolutely packed. I would expect that to dwindle as the winter draws in. 

[LeBizzier69]

1 hour ago, LuckyNumber7 said:

People moaning about the atmosphere after just 2 games, in which we've barely even had a shot let alone scored a goal or won a game. There are some valid points being made such as too many people still not wanting to sing, and the lack of songs in our repetoir, but it will take time. Anyone expecting our own version of Dortmund's yellow wall will be sorely disappointed.

Unfortunately the layout of St Marys up until this season seems to have convinced many people that the only way we can make any noise is by being next to the away fans which is just bollox. The Northam has been almost silent for a number of years now with the away fans dominating the atmosphere. The changes need time for everyone to bed in, let's at least wait until we've scored some goals and won a few games before saying it's shit. It's been slim pickings so far.

One thing mentioned that did surprise me a bit is that I was expecting the safe standing to be new rail seating, not just a metal bar put in front of the existing seats. Wasn't even aware that was allowed tbh.

Atmosphere felt manufactured in the Northam, no away to fans to bounce off - that end could compare with highbury the library in time.

Hope i'm wrong and that we all adapt, but whether people like it or not, the banter with the away fans has always contributed significantly to some noise.....with the layout now i'm not sure we'll ever get that again. 

[franniesTache]

2 hours ago, Nordic Saint said:

most of our fans have wanted this change in the setup for a long time

1 hour ago, sledger said:

most people been battering the club to move the away fans for years,now its done they moan the other way some just have to moan.On the atmosphere you could go to any ground in the country it would be bad if you had to watch the rubbish weve been served up

I'd be interested to know where you sit/sat in St Mary's because i'd say it was fairly equally split for those that wanted the away fans moved vs those that didn't. Certainly no one around me, and no one i knew, wanted the away fans moved.

I personally still think the club's big mistake wasn't creating the single home end, but instead it was taking away the choice of others standing elsewhere.

Had they done the big "end" but also had say the back five rows of the Chapel standing too it would've improved massively, but instead they lumped everyone into one place. Obviously though i'm not naive enough to think the purpose was about atmosphere, I think the bigger reason (which the club won't publicly say) is that it was about moving what they saw were "problem areas" like the Itchen North so they could open up more blocks and bring in more revenue.

Saying that we are where we are now, and if we're going to have an improvement then people need to stop singing about the Skates all the time and actually "support" the saints instead. Because one thing i noticed was that there was very little actual support of the team (outside of OWTS)

[Daft Kerplunk]

Surely all that needs to be said on this is 'it has been two games'.  It'll take awhile for people to get used to it and make something of it but it has the potential to be far better than it was before.  `A good side effect might be that the Chapel and Northam decide to also get involved in making noise now the away fans are near them.  It takes us all but it ain't gonna happen if everyone's moaning about it.   

[SouSaint]

1 hour ago, LeBizzier69 said:

Atmosphere felt manufactured in the Northam, no away to fans to bounce off - that end could compare with highbury the library in time.

Hope i'm wrong and that we all adapt, but whether people like it or not, the banter with the away fans has always contributed significantly to some noise.....with the layout now i'm not sure we'll ever get that again. 

That was actually a blessing on Saturday. It meant none of that noddy "we support our local team" shite was chanted at an away support that is mainly made up of Mancs. 

[LeBizzier69]

5 minutes ago, SouSaint said:

That was actually a blessing on Saturday. It meant none of that noddy "we support our local team" shite was chanted at an away support that is mainly made up of Mancs. 

I'd prefer that to people whispering to each other.....personally.

[franniesTache]

18 minutes ago, SouSaint said:

That was actually a blessing on Saturday. It meant none of that noddy "we support our local team" shite was chanted at an away support that is mainly made up of Mancs. 

You say that but that was definitely sung, as was live round the corner, in between songs about pompey. And it's exactly crap like that that means i'm not going to be able to stick it out in the "wall"