Southampton

Southampton FC
Est.: 1885
Division: Premiership
Chairman: Rupert Lowe
Manager: Gordon Strachan
Club Captain: Jason Dodd

The new season is underway and it’s time for an op on a team that I don’t so much as support, but if you’ve got to have a Premiership team then this would be mine. Being about an hour out of Southampton, it seemed almost inevitable that I’d go to a few games ...
...Blackburn. Matt Le Tissier, Mr Southampton himself spent his entire career with the Saints, just a shame he never seemed to get the International chance. And finally, the future England left back and recently departed Wayne Bridge who joined Chelsea for 7 million.

Stadium.
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After over 100 years at the Dell, Southampton finally moved in 2001, to a brand new ground in the centre of town. The Friends Provident ... more

Southampton FC
Est.: 1885
Division: Premiership
Chairman: Rupert Lowe
Manager: Gordon Strachan
Club Captain: Jason Dodd

The new season is underway and it’s time for an op on a team that I don’t so much as support, but if you’ve got to have a Premiership team then this would be mine. Being about an hour out of Southampton, it seemed almost inevitable that I’d go to a few games at Saints. Now I had the choice Saints or Chelsea being the nearest Premiership teams, however the cost of match day tickets swung it towards Saints, and now I am a member down there.

Of course other reasons influenced the decision to go to Saints but as I am a bit of a Football nut anyway, I’ll pretty much go to any games. The first factor in the Saints membership though is that I actually know one of the players, whom I’ll mention in a bit. The other well I got tickets to see Saints v Arsenal last November and after watching a decent game of football I decided to join up.

Recent History
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One of the founder members of the Premiership back in the early 90’s, Saints have managed to stay there for over 10 years now. Following a few seasons struggling they soon became a middle of the table side, that no-one really expected much of each season. Mid table was the way to go.

Glenn Hoddle’s spell at the club almost brought about European qualification before he up and left to join Spurs, taking star defender Dean Richards with him. Then Stuart Gray almost brought relegation to the South Coast before Gordon Strachan took over following his dismissal from Coventry. The relegation struggles were expected to start all over again after Strachan took over.

However relegation struggles haven’t materialised and Saints actually qualified for the Uefa cup last season, following a trip to Cardiff for the FA Cup final against Arsenal, so Strachan’s first full season worked out pretty well. A move in 2001 from the Dell, to the new St Mary’s stadium has also helped Saints, providing a large support a bigger ground to visit.

Of course along with having relegation worries for years the Saints have produced some of England’s finest players through the youth system. The most notable, Alan Shearer, the former England Captain started life on the South Coast before moving on to Blackburn. Matt Le Tissier, Mr Southampton himself spent his entire career with the Saints, just a shame he never seemed to get the International chance. And finally, the future England left back and recently departed Wayne Bridge who joined Chelsea for 7 million.

Stadium.
*******

After over 100 years at the Dell, Southampton finally moved in 2001, to a brand new ground in the centre of town. The Friends Provident St Mary’s Stadium doubled the capacity for home games from about 15000 to around the 32500 mark. This of course was great news for the fans as there 17000 season ticket holders and 30000 members, means a lot more people get the chance of tickets.

The ground like the Madjeski stadium is in the bowl shape again with no views being obscured at all. The away support is always a set percentage of the gate occupying one end of the ground. The concourse areas though are where I feel Saints have succeeded and the Royals failed. The size of the concourse area is much bigger at St Mary’s, which helps with the flow of people to and from snack bars to their seats. Inside the concourse, there are plenty of food and drinks areas and also a bookies in case you want to put a bet on the game.

Parking around the ground is pretty limited, I personally park in the town somewhere and walk to the ground and it’s a pretty easy walk from the centre of the town to the ground. The parking near the ground uses up any little area they can find, including school playgrounds and the cement works. I’d imagine it’s around about a fiver to use the car park. Again from the Station, like the town it is an easy walk but you do get a free bus pass with your ticket from the station to the ground.

Bars
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Now Again like the Car Parking, I never go into the bars around the Ground but as the St Mary’s area of Southampton is pretty rough it’s normally advisable if you want a pint or two before the game head into the town centre. Here you will find all the high street pubs such as Yatses, Weatherspoon’s and the like and all are pretty welcoming places.

Club Shop
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Like all clubs, Saints of course have the club shop where you can buy a replica Kit for £39.99 and all your other little bits and pieces you might want to purchase. Of course Saints have a lot of personalised merchandise, including a football management game dedicated to the club, designed by one of the fans.

Programme
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Like all football clubs Southampton FC produce a match day programme containing team sheets, info. On the away team, managers, Chairman and Captains notes and match reviews from recent games. The programme costs £3 to buy, which isn’t an awful lot,

Manager
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I’m of the school of thought that Strachan is actually a brilliant manager, I know a lot of people at Coventry don’t like him, but what he managed to do on a budget there was unbelievable. Now since coming to Southampton he has been able to show what he can do with a bit of financial backing. Making some rillaint signings in his short time as the Saints boss.

The doubts of course were there when he took over, but Saints fans must be glad now that the former Man Utd and Leeds star is at the helm. Following Stuart Gray’s departure, Strachan had a lot of work to do and so far he seems to have done a good job, despite falling out with a few people along the way.

Players
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The Saints Keeper is Finish international Antti Niemi signed from Hearts he seems to have been a bargain signing. Formerly the Rangers No. 2 his profile has grown since his move to the south coast, with a superb performance at home to Arsenal last season, which seen him linked with a move to either the Gunners or Old Trafford, however he hasn’t gone and Saints will do well with him in goal.

Defensively last season Saints were solid with Matthias Svensson and Claus Lundekvam, forming a solid partnership in the middle, although Lundekvam does look a little shaky on occasions. But all in all I think the Key to Southamptons continuing success will be to keep these 2 together. On the right Paul Telfer had a good season last year after following Strachan from Coventry, he provides the defensive cover for Fernandes well.

On the left the signing of Graham Le Saux from Chelsea as Bridge went the other way has also been a good signing by Strachan. Le Saux is a solid defender who can even chip in with the odd goal. Along with them they also have talented right back Chris Baird and also Danny Higginbotham who was signed from Derby will prove to be another brilliant buy by Strachan.

The Midfield is probably becoming one of the better ones in the league, behind the top 5 clubs at least. The key 5 players who can play in the centre of midfield are key to saints success, Matt Oakley is a solid midfielder who along with Chris Marsden provide a solid middle. David Prutton, signed from Nottingham Forest is a superb young player who will become a full England international in the near future after impressing in the Under 21’s.

The other two central midfielders, Anders Svensson and Rory Delap, provide the attacking edge in the midfield. Svensson is a talented player who seems to spend a lot of time on the bench, but when he comes on he can really shake a game up. Much in a similar way to Delap who joined Saints from Derby County and whose Dad is a friend of my dad’s, can play in almost any position and is a great versatile player to be able to bring in.

Of course no team would be complete in midfield without having a couple of wingers and Saints now have a pair of proper get out wide and run at people midfielders. Fabrice Fernandes on the right, is a classical winger, the Frenchman is brilliant going forward but a little suspect in defence but with Telfer covering him it takes the pressure off. On the left where Marsden played a lot of last season Neil McCann has been brought in from Rangers and from the games I’ve sen him play for the Scottish Champions he will be a quality purchase.

So onto the forwards and of course the main man is one of the best in the country at the moment, James Beattie. Starting at Blackburn he moved as part of Kevin Davis’s move to Blackburn. Having been the first to 10 and 20 goals last season, he has started this season with a goal already and hopefully a game for England tonight. Along side him you have Kevin Phillips, a bargain at just over 3 million, Phillips will prove to be a brilliant signing if he can find similar form to that of 2 seasons ago.

Others waiting in the wings are Brett Ormerod a quick striker signed from Blackpool a few years ago and Marian Pahars who once fit will really give Saints a competitive edge up front as all 4 strikers will be competing for a place in the starting lineup.

Conclusion
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Well that’s Southampton FC on my tour of British football clubs. Hopefully another season of the same to come for the Saints with European Football being played at the new St Mary’s stadium the future looks bright. Hopefully they can keep hold of players like Niemi, which shouldn’t really be a problem as they are under no pressure to actually sell players. The departure of Bridge was obviously a blow but the players they have bought with the 7 million more than makes up for him.

www.saintsfc.co.uk

 

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