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Southampton Fans Have To Turn Toxic Situation Into A Positive For Wolves Game
Thursday, 9th Feb 2023 09:48

Writing this article feel a little bit of deja vu, The Ugly Inside was saying pretty much what I am about to write back in 1993/4 season & again in 2008/09 as fan protests were channelled into a positive to ensure that the team on the field were not affected.

It is hard to believe that it is almost 30 years since the Southampton Independent Supporters Association (SISA) was formed by a group of Saints supporters, the core of which were from the 3 main fanzines in circulation at the time.

Ian Branfoot had been at the club as manager for over 2 years at this point, but things had declined on the pitch to such a degree that the fans were in uproar and wanted the manager out.

In truth like current incumbent Nathan Jones, Branfoot had not been popular from day one, his style of football did not please the supporters and it didn't get results on a regular basis, the previous two seasons had seen short spurts mid season to pull put of trouble, but 93/94 saw a disastrous start and come mid October we had one just one game

After 11 games we only had 5 points, yet we weren't bottom, that fell to Swindon, who we had beaten in our only victory.

But enough was enough. a meeting was called in the then Captains Corner pub in Terminus Terrace and the rest as they say was history.

Back then there was no internet, no social media and the only real voice the fans had was the fanzines.

These days things have changed, people feel that they are protesting when they post on Facebook, but the truth is they are not, they are merely getting things off their chest.

Everton fans showed how to protest recently and although I am not advocating some of the more extreme measures taken by individuals on Merseyside, the fact is they had supporters groups within the City, we do not have any.

Therefore any protest that takes place against Wolverhampton Wanderers will be un-coordinated and therefore scattergun and to be blunt damaging to our chances on the pitch.

Back in 1993 several things were determined, firstly that we all wanted Saints to prosper and win games on the pitch and that meant secondly that no protests would take place during the game itself, once the whistle blew for kick off the protests would stop till the final whistle, no matter how badly the game was going.

We had the view that although we wanted to protest, we wanted to turn a toxic situation into a negative.

The first protest took place in a Sunday afternoon televised game against Newcastle on 24th October and the plan worked wonderfully, as the teams warmed up the banners were out and the anti Branfoot chanting loud & clear on Sky TV, yet at the first blow of the referee's whistle they stopped dead and a big roar greeted the start of the game and that support from all parts of the ground continued for the entire game.

We were lucky in that things went our way on the pitch, Matt Le Tissier gave us the lead on 62 minutes and Andy Cole equalised on 73 minutes, the support stayed behind the team and were rewarded with one of those magical Le God moments in the final minute to win the game 2-1.

The crowd were ecstatic, but when the final whistle went the mood turned again and Ian Branfoot was in no doubt that even this win was not good enough.

This was the pattern that remained throughout the rest of Branfoot's reign till early January and i like to think that turning what was a negative into a positive counted come the final table, we stayed up by one point and although Branfoot would survive another 12 Premier League games after this one, we would take 10 points from them, still not great, but they all counted come the end of the season.

It all went to the final day at West Ham and the point on that day kept us up and the fans were still doing their job.

So this is what we need to do on Saturday against Wolverhampton Wanderers, let's be blunt this is a massive game, it will either pull us back into sight of 4th from bottom or defeat will see us cast adrift.

Every fan in St Mary's on Saturday has to dig deep into their conscience and ask themselves what they want from the game, yes most will want Nathan Jones sacked, but truth is we cannot afford to lose this game, we have to look at the long term picture.

That means channelling our anger into a positive, make your feelings known before the game, but at kick off turn that into support for the team, even if we go behind stay with those on the pitch, remember the Leeds game when we went 2-0 down earlier in the season, the crowd stayed with the team and we got a 2-2 draw, that point could well be vital and on Saturday even a draw will be welcome.

If we get a win we are still living to fight another day, but that does not mean that you can't make your feelings known after the final whistle, but do so in a peaceful manner.

If you feel that you can't do this and that if Saints go a goal down you will not be able to contain your anger, then don't go to the game, you are part of the problem not part of the solution.

If you want to protest, go to the game and don't go into the stadium, believe me even a small group of fans outside the stadium during the game will make a far bigger impression on all levels, national media, social media and more importantly the board and the owners.

If the crowd turn on the team, we might as well surrender to relegation now, some might say that will mean Jones will be sacked, but the damage will be done and the task to save us might just be too much ground to make up.

This is deja vu, I am saying exactly the same things I was saying 30 years ago, the issue at Saints at the moment is not exactly new to the club.

We are all supporters of Southampton Football Club, sometimes we lose sight of that, this is a Saturday afternoon where we all need to look at ourselves and what the word "Supporter" means, it is easy to be a supporter when things are going well, but sometimes times are bad and then that is when the team needs us.

Make the difference on Saturday against Wolves, turn a toxic situation into a positive !

One last thing, whatever you do it has to be peaceful, we are all supporters, no one wants to get hurt at the game, no one wants to get banned and no one wants to get arrested, once a protest turns violent it makes it easy to dismiss good fans as hooligans.

Photo: Action Images



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IanRC added 10:00 - Feb 9
Absolutely agree Nick.
1

mattlegod added 10:27 - Feb 9
Totally agree, we have to get behind the team while they are playing (perhaps the Great escape tune might be pertinent!!), we must show belief in the team (even if not the manager). Let's get behind them and let's show the supporters around us our belief that we are Premier League, this season and next.
2

Block8 added 11:05 - Feb 9
Absolutely spot on Nick, we have got to be more vocal than ever over the next home games, whoever is in charge. We have a young team and booing and jeering every error will only lead to more errors, more mistakes and more fear & nervousness! Make your feelings clear after the game but please, please support OUR team (whoever is selected)
COYR
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saintjeff52 added 11:46 - Feb 9
Well said Nick. THE Result is far more important to us than 'fighting' a battle against Jones. Any sort of WIN against one of our 'Bogey Sides' at St. Mary's, would be very gratefully received. It would give all of us a lift, and hope that we can stay up this season.
Good Luck to the Team on Saturday.
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Slacker added 12:35 - Feb 9
100 per cent with your post Nick. We must SUPPORT our team loudly whatever happens in the game. We do have some new talent that might well make a difference.

The Sport Republic will sack Jones if results continue without wins if they can identify anyone willing to take on our situation.
2

SanMarco added 12:42 - Feb 9
Yes - the key thing here is how dire our situation is. The 'well at least if we lose we will get rid of Jones' brigade have to understand that if we lose we will probably walk off the pitch at Stamford Bridge virtually tailed off. Pelligrino was sacked as a total disaster having got 28 points from 30 games. To even get there we need 15 points from 9 games!! Hughes was hailed as a saviour for getting a point per match over 8 matches - any new saviour after the Chelsea game will need far nearer 2 points per game...

The big test will be if we are rubbish from the kick-off and go 1 down early on through an unmarked header...
1

JoeEgg added 12:51 - Feb 9
Fair enough Nick - but make sure the same message gets through to the players! Right from the kick off lets see the same determination and effort from all 11 players!
0

wrathoftazz added 12:53 - Feb 9
I actually feel sorry for Jones... HEAR ME OUT!!

He is in a position he should have NEVER been offered. Maybe, if we were not in the position we are now, it would be worth a shot but that's is 100% of the board.

From Jones View, what did he have to lose? If he did the job, he would become a regular manager in the PL (not an easy feat) if he fails, he's made £6m for doing nothing more than taking a gamble.

I can not think of a single person who wouldnt have done what NJ did amd anyone who says they would are full of BS.

Whilst i agree that we need to support during, it is very difficult when we are paying thousands, for the players, managers ans owners to make MILLIONS. The managers won't care, not with a £6m pay off on the horizon.. the players won't stay if we get relegated, despite its 90% THEIR FAULT, and the board know we will STILL support the club through tickets and merch.

Jones needs to go but so does the board and 50% of the over hyped players
0

landsdownsaint added 13:48 - Feb 9
Theirs a great first 11 available for the wolves game & my fear he ain’t gonna pick it , so from the word go it’s gonna be toxic
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landsdownsaint added 13:50 - Feb 9
Surely he can’t be on 6 million a year ? If he is then he deserves everything that’s coming
-1

Staycalm added 14:27 - Feb 9
Just caught the BBc Football chat with NJ being interviewed around 2pm today.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/64578825

He certainly likes the 'I' word a lot. He seems to be back to justifying himself again and again and again! Hope he can lead us to a win tomorrow but highly skeptical!
0

1962saint added 14:38 - Feb 9
A very good post from a true Saints fan.

Unfortunately I fear that Nick’s plea for unconditional support throughout the game will not happen unless Saints, from the first whistle, replicate the performance seen against Man City.

As pointed out in a previous post from San Marco our position is dire regards the points required to stay up. What makes it worse is looking at the teams in the lower part of the table. Everton (who always stay up and have just beaten Arsenal), West Ham, and Leicester are all likely to get stronger in the 2nd part of the season.
Teams that I would have expected to struggle Brentford, Fulham, and Nottingham Forest are all doing well, especially helped by getting 3 points from us!

Looking for 3 teams to end up below the Saints – Bournemouth (thank goodness we beat them away), Leeds, and Wolves. The latter have won at St Mary’s for the last 2 or 3 seasons, usually against the run of play.
We must beat them on Saturday. NJ did manage to get a win at Goodison so let’s hope!
1

davidargyll added 15:31 - Feb 9
I think everybody is trying to write too much into what we must or mustn’t do on Saturday.
The simple fact is that if we play well then the fans will be pleased and to hell with Jones.
If we play badly then the crowd will be on the players and Jones’ back. And i cannot see the board giving the Clueless One any more leeway.
I hope for the former. But then I am forever having visions of a certain cloud with a number 9 on it…
-1

IWOZTHERE added 15:38 - Feb 9
With the best will in the world it's hard to stop the loud sighs/groans if the crowd sees bad stuff on the pitch. It's an automatic reaction. Same in reverse... more an upsurge in emotion than the intention to be unsupportive.
Somehow we've got to try to treat Jones and the team as separate issues. Easier said than done in practice.
1

SalisburySaint added 08:01 - Feb 10
Spot on Nick, despite everything we need to offer the team our full support throughout the game, and leave the protests to before and after the game.

This is what we did in the Branfoot years and exactly what Everton did when we played there a few weeks ago.
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