Welcome to the site

Well this has been many years in the planning stage. But with commitments outside of work and running my own business for a time. I have now decided to devote much of my time towards my team Southampton FC. When I was creating the site the templates kept on coming up with 'lifelong' and I have to be honest here I have followed Southampton on and off for about 30 years but they were not my first club. So in a way I view things not obsessional with the club as I was used to other clubs and other methods.

So how did my love of Southampton start?

well. I was born in the south but family relocated back to Warwickshire. But the nearesr football team at that time was Coventry City. So many of my family watched the team in the 60s and 70s, I followed the club around 1987-1991, but it was a chance match that I went to watch and I was blown away by the Southampton team at the time. I watched a 2-1 win against Coventry with Le Tissier and Shearer as the scorers. At the time I was really starting to become disillusioned with the Coventry ambition, at the time the club just sort of just levelled off.  So I found myself becoming more intrested in the team, I did follow Chelsea for a time(before all that success) I think I was into football clubs that showed some progression, also at that time I never really truly understood football. I went to University and that was a focus for a while. but my love for Southampton came through when I moved to the Isle of Wight permanent in 1997. There it felt like in everywork place there was a Portsmouth fan. Although it could be argued that its probably 50/50 living there as a southampton fan it felt like a minority. In some places I kept it quiet, senior managers and all that. Acknowledging the Portsmouth scores but really following my club. 

Why the page and why now?

Well I have to say its been quite a ride with the team over the last few years. Relegation after 10 years or so and then promotion followed by relegation. But its been a good journey overall, we have had some really good coaches who havce at time really pushed the team onto better things with limited resources. I found myself looking at the club and viewing things differently. I mean all us fans have our own views on things, but I remember where we were back in 2009-2011 and realise that the club needs to be sustainable and the fact is that players will perform and be sold on. In that way the word progressive can sound like a genre of rock, but really we are a club that sort of looks forward and even though we dont realise it at the time other clubs especially Everton and West Ham are always looking at our players. Mainly due to our youth set up and willingness to sell at the right prices.

Why Now?

Well I have to say in the last few weeks has been the most challenging as a Saints fan due to the the Spygate saga. I think its that which has pushed me to see where the club is. I have found myself commenting on posts on official southampton FC and blogs and been getting critism from fans of the other club. I am very passionate about my club and I feel I have to stand up to it and sort of say enough is enough, we maybe guilty we may not but what ever happens I love the club and will use the platform in a good and positive way.

Location & photos. & page

At the start of this site it will be mostly heavy text as I love around 90 miles away from the ground, most of my games will be away games mostly. I also have to be careful not to use images under copyright. For any photos that are used I will always acknowledge. I  did think about video blogs but feel we are well covered by that with Football Martin, Saints Adam and MatchdayVlogs and countless others.  I am also not great at the visual but I will porobably be involved in podcasts going forward but I feel that the web page is the best way forward..

Contributions

I will aim to work with fans and will always welcome content, from whatever viewpoints

Simon Allen