Although when it opened in 2001 St Mary's as a stadium had a sponsored name, it being called the Friends Provident St Mary's Stadium, the individual stands have always been named after the area behind the stand itself, but that has now changed.

Southampton FC have announced a partnership with local builder Bargate Homes, will become the first-ever Official Stand Partner in St Mary's Stadium's history.

Bargate have been involved with sponsoring Southampton FC since 2023 and have been part of several initiatives in the community created by the club, the latest expansion of the partnership will see Bargate become the Official Chapel Stand Partner of Southampton Football Club, while continuing in its role as Official New Homes Partner.

As part of the agreement, The Chapel Stand will now be referred to as "The Chapel Stand in partnership with Bargate."

Bargate branding will feature prominently throughout the stand and in the Chapel Fan Zone, creating a visible presence at the heart of the matchday experience.

Greg Baker, Chief Revenue Officer at Southampton Football Club, said:

"We're delighted to welcome Bargate as the Official Chapel Stand Partner of Southampton Football Club.

"Over the past three seasons, Bargate has continually demonstrated its commitment to the club, our supporters and our local community. Together, we've delivered a range of initiatives that have made a genuine difference, and we're excited to build on that success through this enhanced partnership.

"As we celebrate 25 years of St Mary's Stadium, it's fitting that the stadium's first-ever stand partnership is with an organisation that shares our south coast roots, our values and our ambition to make a positive impact.”

From a supporter perspective I myself have no problem with renaming stands and it is good that the club have retained the original name of the stand whilst incorporating the sponsors name.

This is very much like when the stadium name was sponsored in 2001, unlike some grounds which bear just the branding of the sponsor as the name such as AFC Bournemouth's Vitality Stadium, it has always been St Mary's Stadium and I hope that the club stick to this way of doing things.

By all means add a sponsors name to a stand or even the stadium itself, but always retain the core original name.

Income from sponsors is a vital part of any football club these days and if we want to survive and prosper we need to adapt and utilise every opportunity ,

All Photos Via Reuters