| The Changing Fanbase 15:11 - Jul 21 with 2167 views | SaintNick |
When Saints won the cup in 1976, older Saints fans regaled us young supporters with stories of Charlie Wayman (Up the middle for Charlie) Derek Reeves & George O' Brien.
They seemed like dinosaurs to us, but Wayman was only 25 years earlier, Reeves 12-15 years earlier & O'Brien less than 10.
They were some of the great strikers yet to us they seemed part of ancient history, we had never seen them play and they had all retired from football before we had started school.
So it was interesting to see the tributes to Kevin Keegan this week.
But it struck me that most of our current fan base would never have seen him play.
He was signed 46 years ago and his last game was 44 years ago, roughly speaking no one under 50 would probably have seen him play for us and no one under 55 would probably remember it, if they had.
Literally to have an sort of real memories of watching Keegan for Saints you would need to be on the cusp of turning 60.
Indeed no one under 25 could have seen Saints play at the Dell, no one under 30 would have any memories of doing so, you would need to be 35 to truly remember watching us at the Dell and that is frightening.
People of my age talk about the golden times at the Dell, I watched Saints for 29 years at the Dell before we moved to St Mary's, having watched now for 25 years at St Mary's it won't be long before I have seen more seasons here than there.
In another 5 years I would guess than the majority of our supporters will never have been to the Dell and that is even more scary.
It will be truly in history rather than as now still a memory.
A bit morbid, but that is how our fanbase is changing |  |
| Satisfying The Bloodlust Of The Masses In Peacetime |
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| The Changing Fanbase on 15:37 - Jul 21 with 2086 views | franniesTache |
I'm just too young to have seen Keegan play, my first game (at a very young age) was '84 so i got my stories of Keegan from my older brother and family.
Saying that the fact we've been at St Mary's for a quarter of a century is something i find a bit mind blowing, to me it's still our "new" ground, which probably shows how nostalgia and your formative years play a big part in how you think.
In a similar vein i still think of the Rose bowl as being "new" too, which is also a quarter of a century old.
I guess the summary is "f*ck i got old" |  | | |
| The Changing Fanbase on 16:27 - Jul 21 with 2030 views | Wints76 |
My first game was 82/3 for my 9th birthday, so I missed Keegan, but it was him.amd Moran that got me hooked
My eldest son was born in 2000. I wrote to Rupes and said that he was bound to grow up a Saints fan, so can I bring him down The Dell for some pics. Got a letter back and an invite so we got some pics in my seat in the Lower East, Milton Rd,the changing rooms, tunnel and dug out. That was Rupes finest moment, and he stepped away and was never heard of again. |  | | |
| The Changing Fanbase on 17:41 - Jul 21 with 1929 views | Heisenberg |
It’s called getting old. Try explaining to a younger person how we managed to have a social life and arrange to meet down the pub before mobile phones. |  |
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| The Changing Fanbase on 17:49 - Jul 21 with 1914 views | shotters |
October 82 was my first game, pretty sure my older brother, dad and grandad all saw KK play for Saints
I'll have to check with my dad if I've remembered correctly but for some bizarre reason Saints had a team in a 5 aside tournament at Woking leisure centre which was for the cricketer Robin Jackman's benefit year. Can't remember if KK played but he was definitely there, I saw the top of his bubble perm when he was mobbed by autograph hunting kids |  |
| Fail we may, sail we must |
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| The Changing Fanbase on 21:04 - Jul 21 with 1732 views | kingolaf |
I’m 56 and have plenty of memories of Keegan. England in the 70s, going to Hamburg and earning the nickname Mighty Mouse, that goal against Scotland at Wembley, playing against Forest in a European Cup final, signing for Saints (and yes I remember where I was when I heard the news on the radio), WC 82 and that header and falling off a bike on Superstars. |  | | |
| The Changing Fanbase on 22:48 - Jul 21 with 1644 views | Gennaro_Contaldo |
| The Changing Fanbase on 17:41 - Jul 21 by Heisenberg |
It’s called getting old. Try explaining to a younger person how we managed to have a social life and arrange to meet down the pub before mobile phones. |
I used to know all my mate's phone numbers off by heart and ring them without even thinking about the number being correct. The simpler way to arrange a night out. Yeah, I do miss that. |  |
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