(Paddy Browne wishes to exercise his rights as the author if this work.

Unless otherwise stated all images on this website are the property of Paddy Browne)

 

 

 

Walsall’s Bescot Stadium, recently re-branded the Banks Stadium, must be one of the easiest football grounds to access, being sited alongside the M6.  For this Saints’ supporter and his family it also has the added benefit of being just over thirty minutes driving time from our Shropshire village.

 

Despite being sponsored by a local brewery, the stadium built in the nineties, does not sell alcohol and offers a very limited range of refreshments for the travelling fan.  However, for a nominal entrance fee Away Supporters can enjoy a pre-match pint and some banter in the very crowded Saddlers Club.

 

Walsall FC takes it nickname, the Saddlers, from the leather trade and can still boast of having over 40 saddle manufacturers in the town, three of whom hold Royal Warrants. 

 

The Saddlers have spent their entire existence outside the top flight of English football.  A fact their Midlands neighbours, Aston Villa, Birmingham City, West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers never let them forget.  Being located so close to such well established clubs meant life has never been easy for Walsall and they recognised a long time ago they would have find income streams other than gate receipts and player transfers in order to survive.  The club has taken full advantage of its position next to one of the busiest motorway intersections and now hosts the largest Sunday Market in the country and much sought after banqueting and conference facilities.

 

For the first ten or fifteen minutes the game looked like being one of those dour December fixtures with both sides anxious not to concede.  As the half progressed the Saints began to dominate the match and it wasn’t long before we were celebrating superb goals from David Connolly and Dean Hammond. In fact, the Saints could have netted another brace just before the interval.

 

As the home side has been enjoying an excellent spell of form we fully expected an onslaught from the Saddlers in the second half. However, it did not materialise, and with the cold Midlands’ rain now drenching the Bescot, the Saints continued where they had left off, and it wasn’t long before Rickie Lambert added to his division-topping goal tally.  Walsall belatedly applied some pressure, bringing more than a few saves from Bartosz Bialkowski before Darren Byfield beat our keeper to chalk up the one hundredth goal of his career.

 

The Saddler, Walsall’s Matchday Programme, warned everyone that the Saints would be in good voice and exhorted the home crowd to raise the roof.  I fear the advice fell upon deaf ears for had we Saints fans not been there then the only noise in the Bescot that afternoon would have been the Christmas shoppers returning home on the nearby M6!

 

Enjoy today’s game and Happy Christmas.

 

Come On You Saints.

 

Paddy Browne.

 

www.theexiledsaint.net 

 

   

 

 

Normally for season ticket holders living in the West Midlands it’s a three-hour drive to St Mary’s to watch the Saints.   Therefore, we had no excuse for not making the hour and forty-five minute trip up to Lancashire to lend our support in Southampton’s bid to improve their points tally and escape the foot of the table.

 

Oldham Athletic, like the Saints, were founder members of the Premiership and also like ourselves underwent the ignominy of administration.  However, the new owners, an American-based consortium, are optimistic and along with the local council are planning to build a £20 million new stadium across town, at Failsworth. An early benefit of their proposals is the commodious car parking next to the visitor’s entrance on what was the site of the old Lookers Stand. A facility much appreciated by the Saints Travel Club whose coaches didn’t arrive until just before kick off!

 

The nearby and away-fan friendly Clayton Green provided fans with a good pre-match pint and the pies available in the ground received the thumbs-up. Boundary Park is a traditional northern football ground with its wide terracing more suited for standing than seating.  Not that this is ever a concern to visiting fans! 

 

There is very little evidence nowadays to show that Oldham was once the world’s largest provider of cotton and textiles with 360 mills all working flat out.   Now modern industrial units are mostly dedicated to the electronic defence industries.

 

Apart from a scare in the opening minutes, defence was the last thing the Saints had on their minds as they went about attacking the Latics’ goal with gusto. Dean Hammond opened the Saints’ account with a lovely header and the 900 plus visitors in the Leesfield Stand are still wondering how Ricky Lambert scored Southampton’s second.  And we’re still reliving Morgan Schneiderlin’s second-half missed opportunity when just the paintwork denied his goal. Few could deny the Latics attempt at a comeback, when their fullback sent in a lovely cross for Abbot to beat Kelvin Davis.

 

There was lots for the Saints travelling support to sing about, but what a thrill to see substitute Michail Antonio, on loan from Reading, take on three Oldham defenders and still whip in a stunning cross which left us “gob-smacked”. However, the best was still to come, as our other substitute, David Connolly, sent us back down the M6 still revelling in having seen the best Saints’ goal in years!

 

Today’s game against the MK Dons should present tougher opposition, nevertheless, with the Saints’ current form, it could be argued we’re in for a great afternoons’ football.

 

Enjoy the Game!

 

Paddy Browne

www.theexiledsaint.net 

 

   
 

 

 

Living in north Shropshire puts at least half a dozen League One away games well within our reach.  In fact as season ticket holders, my family and myself could claim that St Mary’s is our permanent away fixture!   Travelling to Stockport takes less than an hour by rail, but engineering works meant delays could not be ruled out.  Although forced to join the Bank Holiday weekend traffic on the M6 we were lucky in having an escort of the Saints Travel Club coaches from Stoke-on-Trent to Stockport County’s ground!

 

Driving also prevented any serious research into the local brew, Robinson’s Ale.  However, it was nice to see that the Working Men’s club sited right next to the Railway End made away fans welcome.

 

Like Blackpool’s Bloomfield Road, visitors are allocated the open terraces at Stockport’s Edgeley Park.  Whilst not as bracing as the seaside venue it meant any serious chanting and singing by the travelling fans was either dissipated or at times drowned out by aircraft approaching Manchester’s busy International Airport.  It was a little sobering to think that less than a mile away was the scene of the Stockport Air Disaster, when in 1956 an inbound British Midlands Airways’ aircraft crashed with the loss of 74 passengers.

 

More cheerfully, we older football supporters recall that the late George Best scored two goals for County in his three appearances during 1975/76 after his departure from nearby Manchester United.  Stockport also enjoyed an excellent FA Cup run in the mid-nineties by beating Blackburn Rovers, West Ham Utd and ourselves.  Saints did the only decent thing and immediately hired their manager, Dave Jones!

 

All our new boys are beginning to fit into the side and they provide much needed encouragement to a team that has not won a League fixture since the last Bank Holiday, Easter Monday!   

 

Wayne Thomas complemented the always-adventurous Dan Harding, and Neal Trotman & Chris Perry demonstrated that the Saints’ defence is at last beginning to show the determination required for this division.  On-loan Jacob Mellis with our own Adam Lallana provided plenty of pace, but despite the hard working Lloyd James and Dean Hammond, our front men were not always able to take advantage of their efforts largely because of a very skittish cross wind.  Needless to say, the home fans reserved a warm welcome for ex-Hatter Rickie Lambert, especially when he converted our first half penalty. Without being over critical, Referee Carl Boyeson didn’t have a good day officiating the match!

 

Apart from the gut wrenching disappointment of conceding a penalty in the closing seconds of extra time, many of us departed Stockport County feeling the team is still work in progress, however, the Saints were by far the better side on the day.

 

Finally, should you be asked, in a trivia or pub quiz, “Which Football club has its home ground nearest the River Mersey”, remember it’s neither Anfield or Goodison Park, but Stockport County!

 

Enjoy the game today!

 

Paddy Browne

The Exiled Saint

www.theexiledsaint.net 

Please Note.  The above arrticle was written and published in the Saints Matchday Programme of Saturday 5th September, 2009.

 

Photo: Paddy Browne (Does not appear in the programme).

 

 

 

   
 

 

After such a miserable winter a day at the seaside in the early spring sunshine was just what the doctor ordered.  A Saints win would have been nice!

 

Blackpool FC is the furthest of the northern Championship clubs that M6-based Saints supporters need to travel to for our away games.  Along with Burnley and Preston the post-war history of English football would be the poorer without these great clubs.  There won’t be many senior Saints fans who haven’t been caught daydreaming of playing at Wembley with our boyhood heroes, Matthews and Mortenson.  Both played in the Blackpool Final of the Fifties and are commemorated by having the only two completed stands at Bloomfield Road named after them.

 

The Seasider’s ground is being redeveloped and since 2001 visitors are housed in the old East Paddock, or Scratching Shed. Despite collapsing twice in 2005, for stamping Stoke City and Sheffield Wednesday fans, the temporary stand was sturdy enough for the thousand plus Saints fans, albeit open to the elements.  Despite a cold misty day, it was dry for this season’s trip.  Unlike our last visit when we had to contend with coastal squalls of rain, sleet and wind starting five minutes before kick-off. 

 

The Tangerines are to be commended for not rushing into an expensive and extravagant stadium renovation at least until their position in the Championship is more secure.  However, whilst not wanting to appear ungracious, having to pay top prices for such spartan accommodation and facilities is a bit much. In fact, apart from a couple of “portakabin-type” toilets and the ubiquitous burger bar, there are no facilities. 

 

Fortunately, the popular seaside resort is well endowed with nearby pubs and betting shops, the latter were only too pleased to oblige any Saints supporter wanting to place a double; McGoldrick’s gaol for the Saints with Mister McGoldrick, a runner in the 3.45 at nearby Haydock Park.

 

The Saints were unlucky to concede an early goal to DJ Campbell’s dubious penalty.  Playing in a cold penetrating wind on a less than perfect pitch, conditions more familiar to the home side, plus some bewildering decisions from the match officials, made the Saints anything but impressive in the first half.

 

However, the sun came out in the second period warming both supporter and player alike.  Although Kelvin Davies was forced to make a couple of fine saves from the ever-adventurous Campbell, it wasn’t long before McGoldrick slid in a wonderful worked equaliser.  The Saints after being beaten to the second ball for long periods finally began to dominate and were extremely unlucky not to come away with all three points when Surman’s free kick ricocheted off the post in the final minutes of injury time.

 

Let’s hope the Saints will have benefited from the break as a win today could see them break clear from the foot of the table.

 

Oh! At the time of writing, Mister McGoldrick is still out there at Haydock!

 

Come On you Saints!

 

Paddy Browne

www.theexiledsaint.net

 

(First published 4 April 2009)

 

   

 

 

It’s not been the best of times for South Coast football fans this season.  Although the Cherries (Bournemouth) have edged towards safety in League Two, the Seagulls (Brighton & Hove Albion) of League One, like us are embroiled in relegation battles and the Terras (Weymouth) are likely to face financial extinction.   Whilst we may have sympathy for our Dorset and Sussex neighbours, as you might expect the Saints will not be shedding many tears for the blue side of the Solent as they too slide ever closer to a similar fate in the Premiership.

 

Life has been a mixed bag for we Saints supporters since our fall from grace.  Mixed in the sense that we have had a few good days, some bad days, but mostly terrible days.  Was it really only two seasons ago we failed by a single goal, a penalty, against Derby County, to secure a playoff place for our return to paradise, the Premiership?  Last season, like this, we endured our favourite pastime; escapology. 

 

And then there is our other indulgence, change.  All football clubs change players throughout a season, but the Saints go better, we change managers regularly and the boardroom frequently. This season we’ve had street demonstrations and supporter strikes resulting in plummeting attendances. Incidentally, there’s no truth to the rumour that when our new centre-half Jan-Paul Saejis (pronounced Size) was introduced to the fans at St Mary’s, he knew everyone’s first name by half time!  Despite this being a dreadful season, largely because we needed to “let-go” or loan out many of our experienced players, we have at times witnessed some fast-flowing football by our young Saints.

 

None of this will dampen our spirits today and let’s be frank here, by allocating the open Eastside to your visitors we know just how damp we maybe!  Not only are Away Saints supporters made of stern stuff but we’ve also seen the better of our team’s results, and beware, we will give you a run for your money!

 

Under Mark Wotte’s management the experienced Jason Euell and Marek Saganowski (the latter recently returned from Champions League duties) are sustaining the youthful flair and pace of McGoldrick and Surman, who are ably supported by the industrious Simon Gillett.    Our skipper and goalkeeper Kelvin Davies, if need be, will once again impress between the sticks, backing up our re-energised defence.

 

So, this season we Saints have had our trials and tribulations, but not even our severest critics can accuse us of being boring.  We may get disappointed, but we don’t do dull or dreary.

 

Whatever our season’s outcome or today’s result, enjoy the game, and watch the Saints Go Marching In!

 

Paddy Browne

The Exiled Saint. 

(First published in Up The Pool! 21/03/09)

 

   

 

 

 

Birmingham City, along with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Coventry City are all Championship clubs within an hour’s drive from our Shropshire village. This means we could not only have pre and post-match pints in our local but also take our eight-year old great-nephew, Jordan, to his first proper football match.

 

Birmingham, England’s second city, in the days of empire was often referred to as the Workshop of the World.  If Brum was the workshop, then Small Heath, where the Blues have their ground, could claim to be its arsenal, for the area was home to British Small Arms (BSA) where the famous Lee Enfield rifle was manufactured.  In more peaceful times, and before the coming of the Japanese, BSA was also the world’s largest maker of motorcycles, including the iconic yellow motorbike and sidecar for the AA rescue service. 

 

Birmingham City FC, the Blues, were among the founding contestants of the Inter City Fairs Cup, the forerunner of today’s EUFA Champions League, reaching the semi-finals twice in 1960 and 1961.  The Blues were also the first English team to play in Milan’s mighty San Siro Stadium, and the only one until Arsenal forty years later.  The Midland’s club were so often nearly-winners of European trophies that for sometime afterwards they were known as Bluenoses; “Always left out in the cold”!

 

St Andrews’s Stadium is a big old ground and has undergone many alterations down the years, none of which improve the comfort for the away fan with its East German styled refreshment area. However finding nearby car parking presented little problem.

 

The Blues, despite the agility of a spirited Southampton, got their goal virtually on the stoke of half time courtesy of a momentarily unmarked Keith Fahey.  During the second period the Brummies provided the not unexpected dour and defensive display that would have tested the Royal Marine Commandos who had given a lurid demonstration of their unarmed combat skills during the interval.  The Saints were neat, passed the ball the well and dominated for long periods to no avail but somehow seemed to lack that spark which had given us hope of escaping the relegation zone despite the efforts of the industrious Euell, Gillett and Saeijs.

 

The Saint’s travelling support is never silent, and fresh from a great mid-week away win at Portman Road were especially ebullient and in great voice when compared to the sparse and almost Trappist home support.  I’m pleased to report that my great-nephew soon learned all the Saint’s chants and songs and sang them in the car as we travelled home up the M54.  However, it was a relief that Referee Martin Atkinson had a good game as I was not looking forward to explaining the usual rendition of “Who’s the (b)anker in the black”! 

 

Paddy Browne,

The Exiled Saint. 

08/03/09

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

There are moments in life that one wishes to last forever and there are those that require instant erasing.  The sight of Kelvin Davis collecting the ball from the back of the Saints goalmouth at Burnley three times in the first eleven minutes last Saturday falls in to the latter category.

 

There are football grounds that may not have state of the art stands, but you are aware the very DNA of football is present; Burnley’s Turf Moor, like Preston’s Deepdale, is one of those venues.  Founder members of the Football League the South Pennine club have a long and influential tradition with names that litter the history of football.  Sure, the seats are wooden, but they are warm on a cold December day, just like the welcome Saints away supporters get when they arrive for a pre-match pint at the Cricket Club next door. Like its football club, Burnley, once a powerful Lancashire cotton town, is undergoing a transformation thanks to newer electronic industries.

 

As for the game itself, well, the less written about our first half performance the better.  However, after the break out came a different Southampton.  The fragility of the first period was forgotten with a now vigorous Saints side playing with more authority and it wasn’t long before Rudi Skacel’s rifled shot gave the travelling fans something to cheer.  As Burnley and England’s cricketing son, David Atherton, often remarks in his Test commentaries, “Get one and you’ll get another”, and true enough, as visitors started to apply pressure and it was on the hour Andrew Surman received a pass from the industrious Euell and fired in a low shot past Keeper Jansen.  With the woodwork denying McGoldrick and Wright-Phillips’ attempts the Saints now dominated the play.  However, Burnley’s audacity in the game’s opening minutes meant they could ride out the storm and gladly accepted their early Christmas present of three points.

 

Having taken thirty-eight points from their nineteen games, the Clarets have rightly earned a place in the playoff zone and it has to be admitted their midfielders, Paterson and Wade, were a joy to watch. Once again it was heart breaking to see our side loose. Nevertheless, and despite what our critics may claim, the Saints played some good football at Turf Moor last Saturday.  It was a pity we had to wait for forty-five minutes to see it.

 

Oh! Did you know that in the film The Ipcress File, the character Harry Palmer, played by Michael Caine, came from Burnley?  Not a lot of people know that!

 

Paddy Browne

The Exiled Saint 

29/12/08

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

To be the only Saints supporters living in a Shropshire village almost entirely populated by Wolves fans means having to endure a fair amount of interesting banter.  To be driving the only car sporting the Saints Red & White in a convoy of Wolves Black & Gold on the half hour journey to Wolverhampton verges on madness.  However, if you’re a fan, you’re a fan!

 

The Molineux is well provided with nearby car parking which is mostly free for evening games.  As advised in the last Saints matchday programme, we avoided the pedestrian subways and some of the pubs on the way to the ground.  Which is a pity for Wolverhampton is blessed with two great breweries, Banks and Marstons, both within a mile of the stadium.  The away fan therefore has to be content with the ubiquitous “euro-fizz” that seems to be supplied at all our football venues.  Maybe because we Saints were fewer in number this season the stewarding was less obtrusive and friendlier on this visit.

 

Last season’s visit saw us enjoy a six gaol win in the sunshine.  Our current form this campaign has equipped us to believe that a repeat victory was highly unlikely.  Under Nigel Pearson’s tutelage the Saints new-found gritty performance provided some cheer at the halfway mark.  At the restart with the injured Kelvin Davis being replaced with Michael Poke making his first team debut between the sticks, I admit to feeling a trifle anxious, especially with Wolves’ Ebanks-Blake’s clinically taken goals.  With Gregory Vignal playing both the hero (a well taken penalty) and villain (a seemingly silly sending off), we travelling fans were more than relieved when Jason Euell delivered his pin-point header in extra time to provide us with a buffer against the drop zone.

 

The fan rivalry between the Saints and Pompey is as nothing when compared to the enmity that divides West Bromwich Albion and Wolves.  Both communities vie for being the capital of the Black Country and each claim to be the barometer of British industry. The Albion boasts of having Adrian Chiles of BBC TV as a supporter, but the Wolves are proud of having the famous composer, Edward Elgar, and Eric Idle, of Monty Python fame, amongst their fans.  Which sums up the Molineux nicely; a solid traditional football ground where funny things can happen.  We Saints have witnessed our Claus Lundekvm score his first goal for the club after nearly a decade of waiting; an astonishing six-nil win to end a bad patch, and on Tuesday evening, a more than respectable recovery from being two goals down and a sending off, to take a draw against an aspiring Wolves side keen to claim a place in the playoffs.

 

So, I ask you, what’s football ever done for us!

 

Paddy Browne.

The Exiled Saint

5 March 2008.

 

   

 

 

 

Two of our American Exiled Saints met some of their fellow UK based saints supporters yesterday afternoon for the game against Cardiff City.

 

Pictute taken outside St Marys Stadium after the match.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos Paddy & Gill Browne

Sun Mar 1 16:34:03 UTC 2009

 

   

 

 

 

 

With only one win at St Mary’s so far this season we supporters are beginning to think we will never see our team win another home game.    Some attribute this to team management and tactics.  However, not an insignificant number of fans feel it may be time to recall Cerridwen Dragonoak Connelly, the Pagan witch and an expert on Pagan rituals, who helped ward off evil spirits back in 2001, when we failed to win our matches after removing from the Dell.

 

A Saints fan from East Anglia on the other hand is convinced we will never have any lasting luck until we rename the stadium, St Denys, as it is sited on ground once owned by the Augustinian Priory in 1124, significantly the walls of St Denys were of red brick and white stone.

 

Despite claiming to be otherwise, we football fans are a superstitious lot, especially when it come to clothes and rituals.  Many fans follow a strict order of dressing for the game or insist on that special shirt.  Some always buy their programme from the same vendor, while others would never dream of opening it to read until they return home.  There is a sizable body of opinion which puts the blame squarely on television, as we never seem to do well when our games are televised.  A lifelong Saint’s supporter who sits in the Kingsland Stand, notes our best wins always come after she’s seen a wedding party on her way to the ground.

 

One season ticket holder blames her husband.  “The week before we were relegated from the Premiership he replaced our lovely red car with a blue one”, she claims, “and we’ve not had consistent form since.  And he bought it in Gosport”!

 

At least none of these beliefs are as bizarre as that of Barry Fry, a former manager of Birmingham City, who before the ground opened would take a little pee near each corner flag.  He swore it brought the team luck!

 

 

Superstitions are completely illogical beliefs that have no control over the outcome of any game.

 

Nevertheless, should you be sitting next to a fan that when we fail to score in the first half, exchanges his hat for another in the second period, doesn’t worry; I’m only working my magic for the Saints!

 

Come On You Reds! 

Paddy Browne

The Exiled Saint

 

Fri Jan 23 15:47:19 UTC 2009

 

   

 

 

With less than a couple of weeks left to do your Christmas shopping then the following “hints” for football books may be a bit late, but you never know.  I have avoided the ghost-written “autobiographies” from our current batch of celebrity footballers. I’m denigrating such attempts, but unless the sportsman (sic) has hired a professional sports writer then they invariably disappoint.

 

On top of my list comes “The Guardian Book of Football” edited by Mike Herd. I can wholeheartedly recommend this book.  It covers fifty years of reporting and it’s a bit large to be classified as a stocking-filler, but it has rewarded The Exiled Saint with hours of football reading pleasure.

 

Next on my list is “You’ll Win Nothing With Kids: Fathers, Sons and Football” by Jim White.  Jim White’s book makes for an entertaining read and don’t be too surprised if you find yourself laughing out load!

 

A good little book to accompany those footie yearbooks is “The Knowledge: Your Football Questions Answered” by James Dart.  It’s a proper trivia book and likely to get you thrown out of most supporters pubs!

 

“The Damned United” by David Peace.  This really can claim to be un-putdownable.  It’s a fictionalised account of Brian Clough’s forty-two day reign at Leeds United.   However, it’s only when you have a chance to read my other Clough read, “Provided You Don’t Kiss Me: 20 Years with Brian Clough" by Duncan Hamilton, that you begin to doubt if it’s a work of fiction.  Both, or either, are worth giving and provide an insight to a very talented but deeply troubled football manager.

 

If you’ve not the time to browse in a good bookshop (shame on you!) then why not give a magazine subscription?  I doubt if I could face life without my monthly footie-fix that's provided by WSC: When Saturday Comes!  It not only takes a sideways look at our sport but also provides plenty of food for thought.  Oh! It’s not a “lads-mag”!

 

That’s it.  If you’ve had a good read for a present, then do let me know.

 

Have A Pleasant Christmas and a Lucky New Year!

Paddy Browne

The Exiled Saint.

(Photo: Lightbox)

 

Oh! I nearly forgot.  This is not an advertisement, but last week as we Exiled Saints parked the car in BasePoint (A Saints Official Car Park, we poped into Light Box Digital Studios and had our photo taken  It's run by a former "Northam Stand Saint" he made some really great images for us.  He and his partner appear to be very good with children's photos as well.  So if you down at St Mary's in the New Year drop in to see wht's on offer. I've put a link on the Links Page.

 

Tue Dec 9 16:03:02 UTC 2008

 

   

 

 

               

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wed Nov 5 17:33:06 UTC 2008

(Photo BBC News)

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the grounds that the present occupier of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC, is forever informing us that the President of the United States of America is also the “Leader of the Free World”, then it’s time for The Exiled Saint, an inhabitant of the free world, to share his view on the current US Presidential race.

 

I'm aware the whole of America has been kept waiting.  However,based on conversations I had on a short visit to the US earlier this year, watching all three Presidential Debates and a study of the contemporary American political scene, the Exiled Saint has decided to endorse Senator Barack Obama.

 

The Exiled Saint feels it is important to throw his full weight behind the Senator for Illinois as being the candidate with the capability to lead that great country.

 

Besides, Mrs Sarah Palin being only a “heart beat away” from that Office scares me too much!

 

Paddy Browne

The Exiled Saint.

 

Tue Oct 28 13:30:27 UTC 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s an essay topic for the business or economics student, “Are Premiership Football Shirts a Guide to the Credit Crunch?”

 

Three shirt sponsors in the Premier League have collapsed this season, Manchester United’s American Insurance Group (AIG) and West Ham’s the holiday and travel company XL.   Newcastle United’s main sponsor, Northern Rock needed rescuing by the Government last season.  Although the Hammers wasted no time in removing the tour operator’s logo from their shirts, the Magpies and the Red Devils have kept faith with their respective taxpayer-owned businesses.

 

The curse of shirt sponsorship looks like continuing as shares in the JJB Sportswear retailer, who advertise on Wigan Athletics’ playing kit, have halved in value as the company is experiencing financial difficulties.   Kingston Communications’ KCom Group, who built recently promoted Hull City’s stadium and have their Karoo logo on the Tiger’s shirts, are understood to have been involved with Lehman Brothers investment bank which collapsed earlier this month.

 

Stoke City’s main sponsor, the Britannia Building Society, has revealed a 36% fall in profits and Middlesborough’s strip sponsor Garmin who make in-car satellite navigation systems, have said one of their key products is unlikely to be ready in time for the busy Christmas shopping period.

 

Lets’ hope the fortunes of Flybe, the low-coast airline and principal main sponsorship partner to Exeter City, Norwich City and the Saints, fare better in these difficult times. 

Paddy Browne.

The Exiled Saint.

 

Sun Sep 28 13:59:05 UTC+0100 2008

 

(PHOTO Empic)

 

   

 

 

 

Supporting the Los Angeles Galaxy is, in a way, very similar to supporting the Saints. It can sometimes be fulfilling but most times is extremely frustrating.

 

When David Beckham was introduced we were all so excited. We could only imagine the new highs the Galaxy was going to reach. Even though he hardly played the first season due to injury we were going to be the tops. Obviously new players would be coming in, we would be untouchable, the envy of every team in the USA. Teams all across the country sold out for the visit of the Galaxy.

 

The coach was fired at the end of the season. Obviously in the minds of the management he wasn’t up to coaching the great one. In comes Ruud Gullit, the saviour. Unfortunately he can’t manage the team and although we score a ton of goals we let in a lot more and lose more than we win. 

 

Four months on we find ourselves in deep trouble, no wins in 8 games, the general manager and the manager fired, players released and a fan favorite, with no previous management experience promoted to coach in the interim.

 

We now have a team headed up by Beckham, when he is available, supported by a couple of over the hill former players and a cast of youngsters, many not long out of college. Beckham is great; trouble is he plays on a different level to everyone else. No one knows how to read his passes. If they did we would have wrapped up the Western division by now

 

Maybe the Saints and the Galaxy should become sister clubs because the similarities are there for all to see.

 

Like most of you though as a season ticket holder I go to the games come hell or high water because I am a supporter. I love to dream of what could be………. Maybe one day those dreams will come to fruition until then I watch the games and enjoy the action. I still get to see the best players. The only difference is that they play for the other team. 

 

Bob Beal

 

La Habra, California.  

 

(Photo.  Bruce Arena, Galaxy's New Manager. LA Times)

 

Thu Aug 21 12:47:59 UTC+0100 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s not uncommon for ardent bird watchers to travel great distances for a glimpse of our summer visitors. As the new football season resumes it won’t be long before some of us equally dedicated supporters will also be setting off to “bag” a different type of fauna.  As any eager pub quiz contestant will tell you a large proportion of our clubs have nicknames related to the animal kingdom.

 

On any given weekend between August and May, anyone journeying on our motorways may have sightings of “Eagles”, “Magpies”, “Owls” and “Throstles”; the nicknames given to four of our historical clubs, Crystal Palace, Newcastle United, Sheffield Wednesday and West Bromwich Albion.  Even the more humble arterial road system could provide a sight of Leeds United, once called the “Peacocks”, crossing the country for a game against the “Canaries”, at Norwich.

 

The history of giving football teams nicknames extends back to the origins of the club. Many clubs, like our own Saints, were called after local church groups while others developed from local industry where the early supporters were employed, or after the local pub that may have sponsored the original club.  Crewe Alexandra, the “Railwaymen” are also called the “Alex” after the local hostelry.  Or a team’s name might be related to a local landmark, or the nickname may be based on the colour of the strip.

 

Bird life is abundant in the various divisions.  There is a flock of “Robins”; Bristol City, Cheltenham, Swindon Town and formerly Wrexham; Brighton & Hove Albion are the “Seagulls”, whilst Torquay United are content with just being the “Gulls”.  Life in South Wales is a little more exotic with Cardiff’s “Bluebirds” and neighbouring Swansea’s, “Swans”.  Agricultural life has not been neglected, as Bradford City’s “Bantams”, Derby County’s “Rams”, Hereford’s “Bulls” and Tamworth’s “Lambs” will testify.  Nottingham’s “Stags” might once again be at bay in the East Midlands.  It might be unwise to stir-up Watford’s “Hornets” or Brentford’s “Bees”; and Millwall’s “Lions” along with Wolverhampton’s’ “Wolves” are best left undisturbed.

 

Should any of the above get involved with the “Terriers” from Huddersfield Town, Leicester City’s “Foxes” or the “Black Cats” of Sunderland, then I fear fur and feathers would fly!

 

Fish appear to be in short supply, with only Grimsby and Southend being officially named “Mariners” and “Shrimpers” respectively, although Charlton Athletic used to be called the “Haddocks”, named after the fish & chip shop next to their ground.  That only leaves the “Skates”, our South Coast rivals, but let’s not go there!

 

Paddy Browne

The Exiled Saint.

 

Thu Jul 31 12:43:43 UTC+0100 2008