The Annual home glamour friendly...vs Soton in a half open stadium

[Deleted User X18H]

Really pleased about this should be a good game .

 

[Bowers-sfc]

It's about preparation for our players, thats all that matters really.

I wont be going as I'm on holiday anyway. But in terms of team preparation playing a bottom half Premiership team is probably better than a foreign glamour name.

You do know we finished 8th last season...?

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

You do know we finished 8th last season...?

I'd put money on it that neither Hansen, Lineker, Lawrenson, most Man United, Arsenal, Spurs, Liverpool, Chelsea and Man City fans didn't know that Bowers. Officially you don't exist. You could play in the Premiership for decades and people would still be clueless about Southampton FC, unless of course they happened to notice that a few of your players might be worth buying.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

You do know we finished 8th last season...?

Yes. He was talking about next season.

 

[Geriatric Seagull]

Two managerless teams, both virtually unrecognisable from last season after all the recent and projected departures. Wow! Might be a date for your diaries but certainly not for mine!

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Happy with who we're playing. When we're playing? Not so much. Probably would have had 5,000 extra bums on seats and 10,000 more pints sold if it was on a Saturday.

 

[AZ Gull]

Yes. He was talking about next season.

 

[Dan Aitch]

Well I'm going - late night journey back to London or not. Something about being an Albion fan makes me feel compelled to go. I've no idea what it is. Maybe I'm just mistaken about what being a fan should mean to me.

I haven't been to an Albion game for way too long and can't wait to get to the next one. So'ton are an established Premiership team and I for one am looking forward to an evening at the Amex watching a group of players that I think of as 'my team' playing against them.

Bring it on.

 

[JBizzleBeard]

It doesn't bother me as I will be going to watch the Albion not their opponents.

 

[KJP]

If it was a Saturday I'd be tempted to go, but Thursday night against the saints, no thanks

 

[Sheebo]

Totally underwhelmed to see that the usual big name home friendly is against Southampton. In past seasons we've had the whole ground open and sold seats pretty well, but going on a Thursday to a half empty ground (or less) just doesn't give me the pre Championship buzz I was hoping for. Saturday 3pm, full ground, yes i can see that would be good. But do the suits expect a poor turnout? Maybe i'm just being negative, or a miserable s0d.

No I agree. Couldnt not be bothered about this fixture. After the likes of Chelsea / Spurs / Valencia in previous years a Soton are a bit of a joke.

Leicester at home was a great one - we knew Leon was special. Fulham at home another good one for us. Didn't u think?

 

[Lady Whistledown]

What's with all the moaning? Since when did we all suddenly start giving a crap about pre-season friendlies?

I seem to recall friendlies at the Goldstone in July were usually played in front of about 2,000 people, and there was a distinct lack of glamour ties, probably a scuffle against Pompey or Oxford United. For the greater part of the time we played at Withdean, it was the same, only with hardly any home games, as the South Stand was still up at St Andrews, or Royal Troon, or wherever it had been packed off to for the summer. It was usually Reading or some such dull opposition. Then all of a sudden we move to the Amex, and people are declaring disappointment because we've not got Man United or Barcelona in town?

I wonder if this all comes down to the endless SkySports football hype. Football used to finish in May, and start again in August. The first game anybody even noticed was the Charity Shield. Now it's LIVE ON SKY! MAN UNITED IN MALAYSIA! for a post-season friendly, followed (allowing a brief break for World Cups, European Championships, international friendlies and so on) by EXCLUSIVELY FOR SKYSPORTS VIEWERS: CHELSEA! BAYERN! ATHLETIC BILBAO! HJK HELSINKI! LIVE ILLINOIS MASTERS TOURNAMENT FOOTBALL FROM CHICAGO! Then on to Johannesburg, where Liverpool are no doubt enjoying a nice runaround- ooops, sorry, I mean a CLASH OF THE CONTINENTS! against the Orlando Pirates, and brief highlights from West Ham's first Upton Park friendly against Hamburg.

I really don't care if we play Southampton, Sporting Lisbon or San Francisco 49ers to be honest. It's a means to get the players fit and ready to go for the first proper game. It's meaningless. If you like friendlies, or are at a loose end that day, then go, enjoy it with a few thousand other keen individuals. If not, well go and find something you do fancy and make the most of the Saturday off. Don't sit here and moan because Southampton aren't important enough for your liking

 

[champion7]

Happy with who we're playing. When we're playing? Not so much. Probably would have had 5,000 extra bums on seats and 10,000 more pints sold if it was on a Saturday.

There dosen't appear to be a Saturday available according to the club,it would have been nice though a south coast derby on a Saturday with nothing to play for except pride.

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

They will provide a good test to the team and thats all that matters and this is a good opportunity to get some match fitness/practice.

Whether or not fans want to attend or are happy with the opposition is irrelevant to the club, as the game isnt for the fans. Making money from it is a bonus for the club.

 

[Icy Gull]

Southampton will kick our arses, they are 5 years ahead of us and a much better set up club than us at the moment. What's not to like playing a team we have recent history with (apart from the whooping we are likely to get)?

Did any of you dreamers actually expect a team like Madrid or Barcelona.

 

[Exiled in Exeter]

Southampton?

I'd rather play Northampton!

Cobblers!

 

[Mo Gosfield]

Southampton will kick our arses, they are 5 years ahead of us and a much better set up club than us at the moment. What's not to like playing a team we have recent history with (apart from the whooping we are likely to get)?

Did any of you dreamers actually expect a team like Madrid or Barcelona.

Quite.
Where this ' billy-big time ' attitude comes from, I do not know. BHA are hardly the most attractive draw at the moment

 

[CheeseRolls]

Totally underwhelmed to see that the usual big name home friendly is against Southampton. In past seasons we've had the whole ground open and sold seats pretty well, but going on a Thursday to a half empty ground (or less) just doesn't give me the pre Championship buzz I was hoping for. Saturday 3pm, full ground, yes i can see that would be good. But do the suits expect a poor turnout? Maybe i'm just being negative, or a miserable s0d.

We played Norwich last season and Reading the season before. I guess you gave those a miss as well. Decent enough opposition to prepare the team, you will have missed a fantastic goal from Solly March and a chance to relax, watch a bit of football and speculate on the season ahead. Not essential to be a good supporter, but not an unpleasant way to wile a few hours if you are so inclined.

Southampton will kick our arses, they are 5 years ahead of us and a much better set up club than us at the moment. What's not to like playing a team we have recent history with (apart from the whooping we are likely to get)?

Did any of you dreamers actually expect a team like Madrid or Barcelona.

You keep pushing this angle trying to get a response - one word, Chelsea

 

[Frutos]

No I agree. Couldnt not be bothered about this fixture. After the likes of Chelsea / Spurs / Valencia in previous years a Soton are a bit of a joke.

When did we play Valencia?

 

[Chinman3000]

When did we play Valencia?

Sorry I meant Villarreal