SotonianWill Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 1 minute ago, SNSUN said: the away fans will go in the Itchin North. All just a guess Hospitality boxes make this impossible, also the corporates won't want the away fan stench that close to them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssEffCee Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 1 minute ago, SotonianWill said: Hospitality boxes make this impossible, also the corporates won't want the away fan stench that close to them. Yeah Kingsland/Chapel corner seems most likely. Won't be Kingsland north as no easy way to segregate outside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry_SFC Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 2 minutes ago, Saint_clark said: Don't really see the difference between that set up and the way it's set up now in all honesty. Coaches possibly? Easiest thing for them to do would be for the away coaches to park on the industrial estate behind the chapel, then it'd be easy access to where the family stand currently is. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldNick Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 I dont care about the problems of organising, just pleased that perhaps at long last we can again have an end that can generate noise that has been lost since we have been at SMS 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint_John Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 I hope they have thought this through. From the information it appears they are going to move the away fans to Blocks 20—27 Family Blocks https://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/southampton.html What are they going to do for Cup Games ? If they give over more of the Chapel (17-19) to away fans then there is an ISSUE with the DISABLED SEATING in that the people in those seats CANNOT SEE if supporters in the lower part of 17-19 stand up. (There is using at least one or two calls per game for Saints supporters to SIT DOWN when there is a chance etc.at that end). The only solution would be to give over part of the Kingsland say Blocks 28-30, but then there is an issue accessing the CONCOURSE, because of the Groundsman entrance. I will NOT be moving to the new Northam Stand because I DO NOT like watching Football looking directly into the Sun (12:00 kick off in winter and the game is UNWATCHABLE). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan The Flames Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 39 minutes ago, gio1saints said: Hidden in the detail is the idea of a mixed seating/ standing area. This will be an interesting item! What a boys and girls stand, they are taking the piss. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldNick Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 8 minutes ago, Saint_John said: I hope they have thought this through. From the information it appears they are going to move the away fans to Blocks 20—27 Family Blocks https://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/southampton.html What are they going to do for Cup Games ? If they give over more of the Chapel (17-19) to away fans then there is an ISSUE with the DISABLED SEATING in that the people in those seats CANNOT SEE if supporters in the lower part of 17-19 stand up. (There is using at least one or two calls per game for Saints supporters to SIT DOWN when there is a chance etc.at that end). The only solution would be to give over part of the Kingsland say Blocks 28-30, but then there is an issue accessing the CONCOURSE, because of the Groundsman entrance. I will NOT be moving to the new Northam Stand because I DO NOT like watching Football looking directly into the Sun (12:00 kick off in winter and the game is UNWATCHABLE). How many games do we kick off at 12? The design of the ground and where the away fans were situated was always a nonsense. Rupert didnt understand how important the home fans are. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Garrett Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 1 hour ago, Saint_Jonny said: Exactly this. There will be a bunch of people that can't bare to be away from the visiting fans, and they will move so they can carry on not watching the match and waving wanker signs at other football fans for 90 minutes instead. For the rest of us, this is a brilliant move by the club, it's been a long time coming! Or going ‘come on then’ from 100 yards. Knobheads. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan The Flames Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 7 minutes ago, OldNick said: How many games do we kick off at 12? The design of the ground and where the away fans were situated was always a nonsense. Rupert didnt understand how important the home fans are. You can see why the away fans were put there, it made managing them a lot easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lambtiss Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 Brilliant move for me. About time something was done to give us a proper home end again. I'm sure it has cost us points in the past. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenilworthy Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 1 minute ago, Fan The Flames said: You can see why the away fans were put there, it made managing them a lot easier. Exactly. At the time the ground was being designed the Police made the positioning of the away fans there a deal breaker (according to Andrew Cowan). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint_clark Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 20 minutes ago, Saint_John said: I hope they have thought this through. From the information it appears they are going to move the away fans to Blocks 20—27 Family Blocks https://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/southampton.html What are they going to do for Cup Games ? If they give over more of the Chapel (17-19) to away fans then there is an ISSUE with the DISABLED SEATING in that the people in those seats CANNOT SEE if supporters in the lower part of 17-19 stand up. (There is using at least one or two calls per game for Saints supporters to SIT DOWN when there is a chance etc.at that end). The only solution would be to give over part of the Kingsland say Blocks 28-30, but then there is an issue accessing the CONCOURSE, because of the Groundsman entrance. I will NOT be moving to the new Northam Stand because I DO NOT like watching Football looking directly into the Sun (12:00 kick off in winter and the game is UNWATCHABLE). Part of the changes to the ground might include putting concourse segregation in the kingsland similar to what is in the Northam. As for the sun...buy a baseball cap. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wurzel Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 1 hour ago, LeBizzier69 said: Amen to that. This is precisely why i bought my seat in the Northam....which i've had since day 1. I wanted to be next to the away fans for the atmosphere. Can you explain that to the rest of us in more detail? You're in "the Northam". How does being next to the away fans create atmosphere? Apart from the 2 or 3 rows nearest you no-one can see you so you're hardly creating any atmosphere between you. Sit somewhere else in the ground and you'll see that away fans "banter" - apart from those 2 or 3 rows nearest you - is always aimed towards the Itchen North because they can hear them, see them and actually know they are there. Do you feel like you intimidate them into silence by goading them across a divide of barriers, nets and stewards? Believe me, again except for a few seats nearest you, you have no effect whatsoever Try one game sat in the Chapel blocks 16/17 area. Directly facing the away end. You'll realise how much noise the away fans actually make because they are facing you and the sound is projected directly towards you. Where you sit you never really get the full effect of the away noise because you're facing the same way.With most away followings it's louder then "the Northam" ever gets mainly because they are all congregated in the same place. Now imagine having that noise doubled in our favour because everyone making it is stood together facing the same way. (think JPT semi v MK Dons) And finally wouldn't "the atmoshphere" that you so enjoy be better if it was aimed at encouraging the team and totally ignoring the away fans? 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedArmy Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 33 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said: Police would never agree to that unfortunately. Everyone keeps saying this but it makes no sense. In the away end there will be a % that came by coach (easy access to Britannia road currently) a % that came by train and will either head to the railway bridge through the northam car park or go the long way round, and a % that came by car and will head in various directions. Move the away end to the kingsland north and now the train goers have easy access to the bridge and the coach goers either have to cross the car park or go the long way round. What’s the difference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Bateman Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 1 hour ago, franniesTache said: 90mins of a bunch of kids singing about the skates at 100 miles an hour sounds like hell on earth to me. Got bugger all to do with being close to the away fans it's more that a large chunk of our fans are like the inbetweeners pissed on dark fruits. If our support wasn't as down the drain as it is right now it would be more enticing, but honestly it's just a bit embarrassing to be associated with a lot of them right now Edit to add: Also I think this probably increases our chances of having some god awful "ultras", a c*nt with a drum and embarrassing banners. At which point the Chapel is going to look very attractive indeed You miserable git 🤣 I've been with my son in the family corner for many matches this season, have enjoyed it a lot actually, a very different and pleasant experience being sober and away from the other end of the ground. I actually took one of my son's friends to a match too and what I noticed is that they both like the fan zone, they both liked the band, they love the goal music and many other things I would've classified as 'noddy' in years gone by. Granted that's a sample of 2x 9 year olds, BUT, that is the future customer base. Personally, I actually like all the street stalls behind the Kingsland too, much better at that side of the ground now. I'm all for a better home end for those that want to go there and the safe standing will be good too. My only question is why can't the away fans be moved to blocks 1-4 in that corner? Little change required for policing/coaches, family corner is still the opposite side as well, less changes required and the Northam is still next to the away fans for the melts wanting to do cut throat gestures and then run away after the match ends. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cat Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 1 hour ago, Turkish said: i think you'll find this is down to Parsons. Who Rasmus appointed! The new head of crowd safety and security may have had a fair bit of input on this too. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssEffCee Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 8 minutes ago, RedArmy said: Everyone keeps saying this but it makes no sense. In the away end there will be a % that came by coach (easy access to Britannia road currently) a % that came by train and will either head to the railway bridge through the northam car park or go the long way round, and a % that came by car and will head in various directions. Move the away end to the kingsland north and now the train goers have easy access to the bridge and the coach goers either have to cross the car park or go the long way round. What’s the difference? What about high risk games where they want to police escort the train fans all in go and segregate the fans? Don't see how that would work in Kingsland North Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igsey Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 Happily surprised by this news, it's something we've all been asking for basically since SMS opened but I thought it would be too big a logistical challenge for too small a (tangible) reward for the club to spend money on. Concourses, segregated entrances, bars, toilets, entrances/turnstiles will all need to be rejigged, walls destroyed and built. Personally no interest in standing at games but again, happily pleased to see a safe standing area being planned. Does safe standing mean we can squeeze more people in? Or do the rules that each person has to have a physical seat that they can just use optionally still apply? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M271 Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 If the away supporters are moved to the current family area is there any reason that the family area couldn’t move to the opposite side of the Chapel to the Itchen corner. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRM Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 7 minutes ago, The Cat said: Who Rasmus appointed! The new head of crowd safety and security may have had a fair bit of input on this too. I suspect the driving force behind this is Russell Martin, he pictures himself taking the celebratory applause around the ground at final whistle before approaching the packed Northam Ultras all with their arms raised ready to join him in a whey whey wheeeeey 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssEffCee Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 14 minutes ago, Patrick Bateman said: You miserable git 🤣 I've been with my son in the family corner for many matches this season, have enjoyed it a lot actually, a very different and pleasant experience being sober and away from the other end of the ground. I actually took one of my son's friends to a match too and what I noticed is that they both like the fan zone, they both liked the band, they love the goal music and many other things I would've classified as 'noddy' in years gone by. Granted that's a sample of 2x 9 year olds, BUT, that is the future customer base. Personally, I actually like all the street stalls behind the Kingsland too, much better at that side of the ground now. I'm all for a better home end for those that want to go there and the safe standing will be good too. My only question is why can't the away fans be moved to blocks 1-4 in that corner? Little change required for policing/coaches, family corner is still the opposite side as well, less changes required and the Northam is still next to the away fans for the melts wanting to do cut throat gestures and then run away after the match ends. 1-4 won't work due to corporate boxes and for FA Cup games the allocation would stretch further down the Itchen and be close to the dugouts and director seats which they'd presumably like to avoid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Wayman Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 Another management distraction from a poor January transfer window? 1 5 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeBizzier69 Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 32 minutes ago, Wurzel said: Can you explain that to the rest of us in more detail? You're in "the Northam". How does being next to the away fans create atmosphere? Apart from the 2 or 3 rows nearest you no-one can see you so you're hardly creating any atmosphere between you. Sit somewhere else in the ground and you'll see that away fans "banter" - apart from those 2 or 3 rows nearest you - is always aimed towards the Itchen North because they can hear them, see them and actually know they are there. Do you feel like you intimidate them into silence by goading them across a divide of barriers, nets and stewards? Believe me, again except for a few seats nearest you, you have no effect whatsoever Try one game sat in the Chapel blocks 16/17 area. Directly facing the away end. You'll realise how much noise the away fans actually make because they are facing you and the sound is projected directly towards you. Where you sit you never really get the full effect of the away noise because you're facing the same way.With most away followings it's louder then "the Northam" ever gets mainly because they are all congregated in the same place. Now imagine having that noise doubled in our favour because everyone making it is stood together facing the same way. (think JPT semi v MK Dons) And finally wouldn't "the atmoshphere" that you so enjoy be better if it was aimed at encouraging the team and totally ignoring the away fans? I'm in the 2 or 3 rows nearest them, so i hope that answers your question. I just enjoy being near the away fans - i also like peanut butter marmite spread too on BUTTERED toast. Some things i just can't explain - so apologies to you and the hoards of others who you feel need your questions answered. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manji Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 35 minutes ago, The Cat said: Who Rasmus appointed! The new head of crowd safety and security may have had a fair bit of input on this too. Well done Sports Republic 😎 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob60 Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 24 minutes ago, M271 said: If the away supporters are moved to the current family area is there any reason that the family area couldn’t move to the opposite side of the Chapel to the Itchen corner. A lot of the people there were originally where the family centre is now, we all got moved to the chapel itchen corner so I know quite a few would be pissed off too be moved again. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Matty 76 Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 As somebody with a season ticket in the Northam right next to the away fans, I love the idea but fear the obvious that a lot of people will want to move to stay next to them. Good on the club for trying something. The atmosphere this season has been absolute shit in my opinion, despite good attendances and some great results. I’ll stay where I’m at, despite enjoying the away section banter. The bigger appeal is a whole stand that actually sing and get up for a game. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chez Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 1 hour ago, RedArmy said: Move away fans to kingsland north. Problem solved. I suspect they would want to keep away fans away from the corporate boxes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Steve Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 32 minutes ago, M271 said: If the away supporters are moved to the current family area is there any reason that the family area couldn’t move to the opposite side of the Chapel to the Itchen corner. I hope not I dont want to move 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssEffCee Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 1 minute ago, Chez said: I suspect they would want to keep away fans away from the corporate boxes. Corporate are all in Itchen aren't they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry_SFC Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 1 minute ago, Saint Matty 76 said: As somebody with a season ticket in the Northam right next to the away fans, I love the idea but fear the obvious that a lot of people will want to move to stay next to them. Good on the club for trying something. The atmosphere this season has been absolute shit in my opinion, despite good attendances and some great results. I’ll stay where I’m at, despite enjoying the away section banter. The bigger appeal is a whole stand that actually sing and get up for a game. I hope a lot of the fans share the same attitude as you. I'm sceptical though from what I've seen so far (albeit a small sample). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chez Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 35 minutes ago, M271 said: If the away supporters are moved to the current family area is there any reason that the family area couldn’t move to the opposite side of the Chapel to the Itchen corner. makes sense, but they could go in any corner really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chez Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 45 minutes ago, EssEffCee said: What about high risk games where they want to police escort the train fans all in go and segregate the fans? Don't see how that would work in Kingsland North I was thinking the same. In general, most away fans walk down Britannia Road both for coaches and train travel rather than go over the footbridge. The percentage going over the bridge is going to increase. Whether that causes a problem, I'm not sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssEffCee Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 8 minutes ago, Chez said: I was thinking the same. In general, most away fans walk down Britannia Road both for coaches and train travel rather than go over the footbridge. The percentage going over the bridge is going to increase. Whether that causes a problem, I'm not sure. I suspect they'd block off the footbridge side and make them go through the industrial estate. Don't see a suitable route to escort say 3k Pompey fans going that way though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 1 hour ago, The Cat said: Who Rasmus appointed! The new head of crowd safety and security may have had a fair bit of input on this too. it doesn't work that that Cat. You've been around long enough to know this. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wurzel Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 48 minutes ago, LeBizzier69 said: I'm in the 2 or 3 rows nearest them, so i hope that answers your question. I just enjoy being near the away fans - i also like peanut butter marmite spread too on BUTTERED toast. Some things i just can't explain - so apologies to you and the hoards of others who you feel need your questions answered. My post was really aimed at the ", want to be near the away fans" in general, you were just the unfortunate one I quoted. But here's a dilemma for you. Away fans moved to the opposite end. Peanut butter marmite spread on buttered toast is to be made available only from kiosks in the new Northam. What then? 🤣 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chez Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 29 minutes ago, EssEffCee said: I suspect they'd block off the footbridge side and make them go through the industrial estate. Don't see a suitable route to escort say 3k Pompey fans going that way though. The will probably just keep the skates in the ground for a few hours... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeBizzier69 Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 9 minutes ago, Wurzel said: My post was really aimed at the ", want to be near the away fans" in general, you were just the unfortunate one I quoted. But here's a dilemma for you. Away fans moved to the opposite end. Peanut butter marmite spread on buttered toast is to be made available only from kiosks in the new Northam. What then? 🤣 I get that totally - i bought that seat when i was just past my mid 20s and being near the away fans was really appealing as i'd not sampled it before. I guess i quite like the gloating highs, and being gloated at lows that go with being near them. Not sure i'd trust the catering employees even with a couple of slices of normal toast let alone the adding of both butter and marmite peanut butter so i'd happily move away! Being honest, i'm not sure i'd move anyway as i like the view etc where i am - and i'd like to think that it could work. I'm just a bit concerned that the end could become a library unless there's a decent group and concerted effort to make it a special home end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nordic Saint Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 The new setup will be the same that they have at most of the stadiums in the world with the best atmospheres: noisiest home fans behind the goal at one end; away fans in a corner at the other. The Italian and South American stadiums are like that, although a few have the away fans high up in an upper tier like Newcastle do.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Appy Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 What sort of weirdo has a seat just to be next to away fans? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Give it to Ron Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 I don’t get all this bollox about away fans and coaches every away game I have done in last 2 seasons have parked ‘miles’ away from ground ! QPR you walked past main home pub! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iansums Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 You're not going to please everyone and some people who end up having to move will have a moan but I think the majority of fans would welcome this. It's always been a gripe of mine that we've never really had a 'Saints end' to the ground. It would be interesting to see if the vocal parts of the Itchen and Chapel (Block 15) would move to the Northam. I've recently been stting in Kingsland North and it would be great to see a full and noisy Northan. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunglasses Ron Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 I'm so pleased to see this. Never agreed with the "we can't do it" talk as where there's a will there's a way and all that. Great job Saints! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warsash saint Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 3 hours ago, macca155 said: In contrast Wolves and Villa with a decent side section for away fans gives a good feel to the game. I have to say Wolves is one of the worst away experiences - the away fans are so thinly strung out the length of pitch it is near impossible to create any atmosphere. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Tone Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 A lot of long-term season ticket holders will be really upset about having to move seats. Many of us have been sitting near the same group of other fans for years. Putting away fans in the current family stand will mean those fans that like to sit near away fans will move into the Kingsland and the Chapel, and completely change the nature of those areas, as well as disrupting the family stand itself. St Mary's *was* set up for a whole home end .....The Chapel... but fans chose to go to the Northam to be by the away fans. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuckyNumber7 Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 This is great news and long overdue! Kudos to Sport Republic for listening to fans and actually taking action. I'm in the Kingsland North corner and to be honest the Northam has been utter crap for a long time now. More interested in what the away fans are doing and hardly even sing anymore. Itchen North have shown them up this season. It's no use having little pockets of the more vocal fans spread over different parts of the ground, to make a decent atmosphere you need it more concentrated. It's now up to us fans to make this work. For those that are more obsessed with being next to the away fans than making noise, let them move. For the rest of us that actually want to create a proper supportive and intimidating home atmosphere, let's get behind this. I will almost certainly relocate to the safe standing area. It also means our home end is unaffected for cup games with large away followings which is great. As said above this is how all stadiums with a proper atmosphere are laid out, I'm actually really buzzing about this. Well done Saints. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toadhall Saint Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 Northam do your thing 2 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry_SFC Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 1 hour ago, warsash saint said: I have to say Wolves is one of the worst away experiences - the away fans are so thinly strung out the length of pitch it is near impossible to create any atmosphere. Isn't that what you'd want as the home side though? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImproveOurAtmosphere Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 1 hour ago, iansums said: You're not going to please everyone and some people who end up having to move will have a moan but I think the majority of fans would welcome this. It's always been a gripe of mine that we've never really had a 'Saints end' to the ground. It would be interesting to see if the vocal parts of the Itchen and Chapel (Block 15) would move to the Northam. I've recently been stting in Kingsland North and it would be great to see a full and noisy Northan. The club are looking at ways to bring all vocal fans together in the Northam and are looking at different pricing options. Hopefully that means some cheaper seats in the outer blocks of the Northam. If that's the case then block 15 support will move there as the cheaper seats were the sole reason for the 'Back of the Chapel' movement. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfc4prem Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 46 minutes ago, Toadhall Saint said: Northam do your thing Just need Artur Boruc on board to be the Northam ringleader 😂 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Convict Colony Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 6 hours ago, Turkish said: i was joking. It's pointless being next to the away fans. The best atmosphere would be created by 5,000 Saints fans all in one end giving it large. 23 likes currently, whats your record at the moment ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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