IMPORTANT NOTICE

 

The Exiled Saint is a personal, not-for-profit, and non-commercial website. All images and artwork are the property of The Exiled Saint, except where otherwise stated. 

 

Artwork and/or images, other than those of The Exiled Saint, are  sourced from what is generally understood to be the public domain, e.g., “free-ware”, “royalty-free”, using “free-to-download-for-personal-use-only” processes and posted  conditional on not to be "reproduced, republished, disassembled, decompiled, reverse engineered, downloaded, posted, broadcast, transmitted, make available to the public, or otherwise in any way except for this personal and non-commercial purpose".

 

In all cases the Exiled Saint duly recognises the original source and accredits and acknowledge's that source as the “rightful” owner and whenever possible permission was sought before up-loading.

 

The Exiled Saint does not intend or wish to infringe either the copyright or the intellectual rights of any other artist or agency. 

Paddy Browne

The Exiled Saint.

   
nPower Championship Table
29 September 2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

9

9

19

2

Middlesbrough

9

8

19

3

Derby

9

7

19

4

West Ham

9

8

17

5

Brighton

9

4

17

6

Cardiff

9

4

16

7

Hull

9

-1

14

8

Peterborough

9

4

13

9

Crystal Palace

9

2

13

10

Blackpool

9

2

13

11

Leicester

9

0

13

12

Ipswich

9

-4

13

13

Leeds

8

1

11

14

Reading

9

0

11

15

Watford

9

-3

10

16

Burnley

8

0

9

17

Portsmouth

9

-2

9

18

Barnsley

9

-2

9

19

Birmingham

7

-2

8

20

Nott'm Forest

9

-9

8

21

Coventry

9

-4

7

22

Millwall

9

-6

7

23

Bristol City

9

-7

6

24

Doncaster

9

-9

5
  
Table: BBC Sport



   
  

It’s always a pleasure to visit Turf Moor for an away game, where Saints supporters can find handy car parking and a welcoming pre-match at Burnley Cricket Club.


Southampton had to be content with a one-all draw against Burnley; nevertheless, it was enough to retain their leadership of the nPower Championship.  In all honesty Southampton struggled to get out of their half for most of the game’s first period.  Burnley goalkeeper, Lee Grant’s most strenuous effort during that phase was to walk back to the Home Side dressing room!

 

The Clarets continued their onslaught in the second period and about five minutes after the restart were rewarded with a well-worked goal from former Swindon Town striker, and Saints foe, Charlie Austin.  The goal seemed to concentrate the minds of Saints for within minutes they were unlucky not to go level when Rickie Lambert went agonisingly close with a header.  Richard Chaplow, with a no-nonsense attitude, came on as substitute at half-time and it wasn’t long before the midfield and Adam Lallana were buzzing around, testing the Burnley defence.  Connolly and Lambert began to influence the game more and it wasn’t long before the now normal Southampton attacking service took over.  Although the Clarets continued to mount the occasional foray, the ever-solid Fonte, aided by new boy Hooiveldt and the former Burnleyman Danny Fox saw off any real threat to Davis’s goal.  Frazier Richardson and Jack Cork were soon demonstrating their ability to get forward and deliver telling crosses into the opponent’s goal area.

 

On the hour Morgan Schneiderlin took over from skipper Dean Hammond. The Frenchman wasted no time in getting involved and he equalised for the Saints in the eightieth minute.  Most of the eleven-hundred-plus Saints fans would have settled for sharing the points then and there, but such was the visitor’s assault in the final fifteen minutes of play, they felt unlucky that their side had not added at least another three goals.  Their feeling of deprivation was even more pronounced when Referee Taylor failed to notice that Lallana had his shirt pulled when he skipped past a blundering Burnley defender in the penalty area in the closing minute.

 

With Southampton seeing off Birmingham by four goals to one on the previous weekend and progressing further by beating Preston North End 2-1 in the Carling League Cup earlier in the week, confidence at the Club is at an all time high.

 

The Saints visit Cardiff City on Wednesday night.  The Bluebirds are enjoying life in their new ground just a stone’s throw from their old Ninian Park home.  The Principality has always proved problematical in the past with mixed results at both Cardiff and their neighbours, Swansea City, now in the Premiership of course.

 

Southampton begin October by entertaining Watford at St Mary’s on Saturday next before taking an enforced break to accommodate the International Season.

 

Come On You Saints!


Paddy Browne

The Exiled Saint

Thu Sep 29 2011 18:09:06 GMT+0100 (GMT Daylight Time)

 Photos: Paddy Browne and Yahoo! Eurosport.

 

* Saints lost to Cardiff 2-1

   

 

Records just keep on tumbling at St Mary’s.  Commiserations must go to those who were unable to get to the Southampton stadium to see the Saints secure their 12th consecutive home against a feisty Nottingham Forest last Saturday.  Southampton FC last achieved that feat in the 1960’s. 

 

There appears to have been a doubt, in some quarters, about Rickie Lambert’s ability to continue his goal scoring in this higher echelon of the game.  Well, the Saints “scoring machine” silenced his critics when he rightfully claimed the Match-ball at the end of the game; just reward for his magnificent hat trick of goals.

 

Southampton started the match briskly enough, but did not have it all their own way.  With the game less than ten minutes old, Forest’s Ishmael Miller broke free on the left flank and quickly passed to the perfectly positioned Matt Derbyshire who immediately slotted home the opening goal.  Not so long ago this would have disheartened the Saints, but not nowadays, for within sixty seconds of the restart, Guly Do Prado and Connolly combined to provide the predatory Lambert with the opportunity to score the first of his three goals.   With the game less than thirty minutes old, Lambert was again active, this time putting the finishing touch to a Do Pardo, Connolly and Lallana combination of moves.

 

However, the Saints dropped their guard and they were once again outwitted on their left by the ever-energetic Derbyshire who laid on an inch perfect pass for Forest’s Polish International, Radodlaw Majewski to shoot past Davis, and gave the visitors the opportunity to go in level at half–time.

 

The second period continued with the same exciting and furious end-to-end football that kept both custodians, Camp and Davis, on their toes, with each having to make some magnificent saves, including a controversial penalty claim from Notts. Forest.  With eight minutes to go, the Saint’s redoubtable scorer struck again, putting the game beyond the visitors reach, with a poacher’s goal, again a header from the back post.

 

Saints supporters departed happy in the knowledge that their talisman continues to add to his tally.  Their team demonstrated once again an unwillingness to lie down despite an early set back.  Their new hastily assembled defence, enforced through injury, appeared to harden quickly.  The Saints can also claim to now have players in all departments who can score goals, and, they’re second in the Championship.

 

What’s not to like!

 

Come On You Saints.  

Photos: Ben Hoskins/Getty/GM.

   


 Last Saturday the Saints consolidated their position at the top of the Championship by beating Millwall, one-nil, in the late summer sunshine at St Mary’s Stadium.  Despite the stunning first-half goal from Brazilian midfielder Guly Do Prado (far right), the Southampton side were made to work hard and long for their victory against a robust Millwall.

 

Southampton continue to break records in this season’s fledging league, for not only did the win keep his team at the top, but manager Nigel Adkins became the first coach to amass 100 points from 45 games.  The last person at Southampton to compare with that feat was Adkins predecessor, Alan Pardew, who accumulated 80 from 45.  One has to go back to the days of Chris Nichol in the 80’s to witness the Saints last unbeaten run of first of four games of the season.  And that was only equalled by that of the 1957/8 season and the legendary Ted Bates.

 

Should these extraordinary proceedings continue then even the most angst-ridden Saints supporters will adopt a “this-is-going-to-be-our-year” attitude, especially after the team’s fantastic mid-week 5-2 win against Ipswich Town.  Both the manager and his team are putting in huge efforts to dispel any complacency amongst the fans, but, after so many frugal years this may turn out to be an almost impossible task.

 

The more knowledgeable supporters are only too well aware how easily life can quickly cease being a bed of roses.  Both at Barnsley, last weekend and against the Lions at St Mary’s on Saturday, the Saints had to overcome sturdy defences as well as some dangerous attacking play on the break. 

 

What is reassuring is the current team’s ability to hang on to an early lead.  The sheer amount of hard work put in by the effervescent midfielders Adam Lallana and David Connolly since the season opened is incredible.   Both needed substituting on Saturday, with new boy Danny Fox 9 (left) and the feisty Belgian Steve De Ridder immediately demonstrating and adapting their strengths to the situation.  Prior to the exchange, team captain Dean Hammond gave way to Morgan Schneiderlin returning to fitness after a lengthy spell.  The young Frenchman gives a depth to Southampton, not only by his skill on the ball, but also by his positional and possessional sense.

 

With no mid-week games to play, (Saints will play either Bristol City or Swindon Town in the next round of the League Cup) Southampton can take a short break before their next game, away against Leicester City tomorrow.  The Foxes are under new management, the former England Coach, Sven-Goran Eriksson and new ownership.   The East Midland side is now owned by Asian Football Investments (AFI) and is sponsored by King Power International, both based in Thailand.

 

Late news: Saints will now play Swindon Town at the County Ground, Swindon, in the Second Round of the Carling Cup on Tuesday 30 August.

 




Photos:  Assoc News & Eurosport.
   



 

The travelling Saints supporters returning from Barnsley in South Yorkshire last Saturday could be forgiven for not letting the old Aristotelian proverb dampen their deservedly high spirits.  They had just seen their side complete its eighth successive game without loss.  True, the record, last accomplished twenty-three years ago, did straddle the end of the last and the beginning of this season.  Nevertheless, it has been such a long time since the fans have seen such a promising start.

 

Although we are barely a fortnight in, the Saints now look a more convincing side, one that promises great contests to come. Sure, the more mature supporters are only too well aware that there is plenty of time for matters to go pear-shaped.   However, the Saints’ opening day emphatic three-one victory over highly fancied promotion hopefuls, Leeds United, was quickly followed by a solid four-one win over Torquay United in the mid-week Carling Cup contest.  Despite a ten-man Southampton having to endure a very nervy final ten minutes against the Tykes, the whole squad still appeared to have a spring in their steps.  A sight not seen since the days of Gordon Strachan.

 

England Under-21 international Jack Cork was recruited during the seasonal break.  Jack, a midfielder, is no stranger to Saints fans, as he spent a half season on loan to us from Chelsea about three years ago, when Southampton was last at this level.   Cork, although an attacking midfielder, showed his versatility, last Saturday, with a display of some a very active defensive work.  Also joining him was the Saints other close season signing, Belgium’s Steve De Ridder.   A winger, De Ridder clearly complements the agility and exuberance of Adam Lallana.  When played alongside Guly Do Prado and our “goal machine”, Rickie Lambert, the Saints are assuredly a handful for any defence the nPower Championship can provide.

 

As far as defensive matters are concerned, centre-back Danny Seaborne slots in nicely alongside the ever-stalwart and reliable Jose Fonte.  Left-back Dan Harding now has former England Under-20 defender, Frazer Richardson at the right-back position.  Both provide a near perfect balance, as the former England Under-20 defender also likes to get forward.

 

With skipper Dean Hammond leading by example, and the dependable Morgan Schneiderlin, now back after injury, Southampton now has a team that has played together for some time and is familiar with each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

 

So, with David Connolly full of ingenuity and guile up front, and the formidable goalkeepers Kelvin Davis and Bartosz Bialkowski, Saints only Premiership survivor, at the back there should be no reason why Southampton FC cannot go on to make more than a half-decent attempt at returning to the top echelon of English football.   More especially when they’re aided & abetted by the likes of Lee Barnard, Radhi Jaidi, Danny Butterfield, Richard Chaplow and new boy Danny Fox. 

 

Tuesday evening’s visit to Portman Road to play Ipswich Town will provide a stern test.  The Tractor Boys are never the easiest of teams to beat.*   Like ourselves, they too have spent a long time out of the Premiership and they are just itching to join their East Anglian rivals, Norwich City, who got promoted last season.  

 

The next home game will be against Millwall and the Saints will be anxious to prove the impregnability of St Mary’s Stadium.   Alas it won’t be too long before that swallow starts assembling with his friends for their long journey to South Africa; wouldn’t it be great if Southampton could improve its record and prove Aristotle wrong before they leave?

 

Finally, The Exiled Saint was able to assist a couple of dads by taking photos of their children with Saints Coach/Manager Nigel Adkins.  Unfortunately, one of the fathers forgot to leave his name.  If he'd like a copy of his lad with Mr Adkins, just get in touch via the Contact Me page.

 

Come On You Saints! Paddy Browne

The Exiled Saint

Photos: Paddy Browne

Thu Aug 18 2011 12:02:11 GMT+0100 (GMT Daylight Time)

*  Since posting the above, The Saints beat Ipswich Town 5-2 on Tuesday 16 August 2011.

** Barry Webb, a long time Saints supporter and a member of the Saints Travel club, has just published "we need another goal", a lighthearted account of last season's away games.  If you are interested in buying a copy (£4) just leave your contact details on the Contact Me page.  It's a jolly good read!

   

 

 

 

 

 

 
   

 

 

 

 This weekend Southampton approach their one hundred and twenty-fifth anniversary in better shape than their supporters might have feared at the beginning of season. The sudden death of their owner, Marcus Liebherr and the unexpected and mysterious departure of the management team of Alan Pardew and Dean Wilkins saw the Saints win only two of their first ten games.

 

Despite that shaky start the team soon recovered under the tutelage of the newly appointed coach Nigel Adkins and now sit firmly in the top half of the table.   Adkins, formerly of Scunthorpe United, successfully guided the Ironmen into the Championship as League One leaders with three matches to spare in 2007 and regardless of the North Lincolnshire side’s relegation in the following season, returned them to the second tier via the playoffs in 2009.  In fact he twice took his team to Wembley that year having also won the League Trophy earlier.  

 

Nigel Adkins, a goalkeeper with Tranmere Rovers and Wigan Athletic before a spinal injury ended his playing days, is also a Charted Physiotherapist, and a graduate of the University of Salford with degrees in business management and sports psychology.  Adkins skills appear to be working as the Saints are poised for better things drawing closer to the promotion zone.  near the midway stage of the season.

 

Southampton’s visitors next weekend are Peterborough United.  The Posh, two places above the Saints, and recovering from a recent five-one drubbing by Charlton Athletic, are bound to be keen to regain their promotion prospects back and won’t have any qualms about spoiling the Saints’ official 125th Birthday Celebrations at St Mary’s.   Not that the Saints will have much time to party as they host League leaders Brighton & Hove Albion on the following Tuesday evening.  Uruguayan manager Gus Poyet has declared that nothing will distract the Seagulls from their ambition to win the League as champions, not even the FA Cup.

 

Good results for the Saints at both these fixtures will not only mean Southampton can join the contenders for promotion, but also can relax from their league duties and enjoy their FA Cup Second Round game against Cheltenham at the end of the month.  The fans will also hope for an improvement on the lacklustre display against Shrewsbury Town in the First Round.

 

As the Saints get closer to Christmas, and the mid-way point of the football season, it is also to be hoped that the Club’s talisman, Rickie Lambert, will regain his scoring touch.  Should Southampton see themselves placed near the top six by the New Year then promotion could certainly be on the cards; something for which the Northam's newest supporter Isabel (pictured right) can get excited!

 

Come On You Saints.

 

Paddy Browne

The Exiled Saint.

Fri Nov 19 16:36:03 UTC 2010

Photos; BBCSports and Baddy Browne

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

Less than a month ago, Saints supporters were looking forward with confidence to their opening home game against Plymouth Argyle.  And why not; the previous season had seen their Club saved from near oblivion, and with a new coach, management team and players installed, they eliminated a ten-point penalty, and experienced a wonderful winning day at Wembley.  Southampton had ended the season with a trophy, and had got within sniffing distance of a promotion playoff position in the league.  The future was bright; it was red & white!

 

Although Southampton’s pre-season friendly fixtures didn’t go as well as the fans would have wished, and losing to the Pilgrims on the opening day of the new season, especially by conceding the only goal of the match in the first fifteen seconds of the second half, was bitterly disappointing.  To experienced Saints supporters the results whilst unfortunate were true to form.

 

The season had barely got underway when the fans and friends of the Saints were stunned into sadness at the untimely death of Southampton’s saviour and owner, Markus Leibherr.  Although the supporters had only known Markus for a year, his avuncular presence at home games endeared him to all as illustrated by the thousands of floral and other tributes that lay outside the stadium.  Later, supporters not only filled St Mary’s Church in honour of Markus, but the service had to be relayed to an overflow of several hundred fans outside the church.   This was especially poignant as it was St Mary’s Church that founded Southampton FC 125 years ago.  In addition and out of respect for Markus Leibherr the Club’s next opponents, the MK Dons, postponed their home game against Southampton.

 

However, the heavy hearts were soon lifted when on their visit to Bristol’s Memorial Stadium the Saints dished out a four-nil thrashing to Bristol Rovers. Despite their diffident start Southampton looked as if they had returned to their impressive form and confirmed the bookies rating as league favourites.

 

Saints fans had scarcely time to enjoy their euphoria before they were again knocked for six, this time with the news that manager Alan Pardew and his successful coaching team were “relieved of their duties with immediate effect”.

 

With mystery surrounding the management team’s departure supporters could be forgiven for thinking that Southampton had returned to its bad old days.  Matters are hardly helped by a hostile press, still smarting from the newly imposed media restrictions at St Mary’s, making the optimistic mood of four weeks ago evaporate.  Once again there is an unsettling atmosphere at Southampton Football Club. 

 

It’s still early days but the sooner the Saints appoint a new manager who can get the team back to its successful self, the better.

 

August was indeed a wicked month.

 

Come On You Saints!

 

Paddy Browne

The Exiled Saint

 

(Photos; Paddy Browne & PA.)

Tue Sep 7 16:24:03 UTC+0100 2010

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

Markus Liebherr owner of Southampton Football Club died aged 62 on Wednesday 11 August 2010.  The suddenness of his passing came as a huge shock to thousands of Saints supporters whose thoughts are now with his family and friends.

 

It was barely a year ago that the Swiss industrialist saved the Club from extinction and enabled it to remain in the Football League. Although Mr Liebherr was unknown to many of the Saints fans, his marine cranes are a familiar sight in Southampton Docks.   It is reported that he fell in love with the Saints as soon as he set foot inside St Mary’s Stadium and was determined in his ambition to return the Club to the Premiership.

 

Those who knew Markus Liebherr said that although he was a “man of few big words” he loved football and was passionate about “his” Southampton.  He was immensely impressed by the loyalty of Saints supporters.  The number of tributes placed outside St Mary’s Stadium is a clear indication of the fans' reciprocal esteem and gratitude to Marcus.

 

Saints fans everywhere are saddened by his sudden loss.  However, the forty-four thousand plus who were at Wembley Stadium last season will recall with affection the sight of Markus Liebherr sharing in their delight as Club Captain Kelvin Davis held aloft the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.  Markus, busily “snapping” the scene of the Saints triumph, resembled more a doting grandparent at a family wedding, than the billionaire owner of a football club!

 

Mr Liebherr’s generosity saved Southampton FC from disaster in 2009, his investment in the Club and his vision for its future were on a grand scale; and it is understood that even after his death his care for the Saints will continue.

 

He was truly a Saint and will always be remembered with affection and gratitude.

 

Paddy Browne

The Exiled Saint

Thu Aug 12 16:36:52 UTC+0100 2010 

(Photo: Tom Dulat/Getty Images)

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

This time last year Saints fans were despairing as the club dropped for first time into the lower levels of league football.   Few then would have thought that the 2009/10 Season would have been one of Southampton’s most productive for many decades.  In fact there was a period when three-nil winning margins appeared to be the club’s default result.  It’s been a long time since Southampton fans could begin the forthcoming season with such great expectations. 

 

Despite achieving a more than creditable seventh place position and putting a new trophy in the cabinet the Saints ended their season with an anti-climatic air.  The opportunity of gaining a promotion play-off place had disappeared a couple of games earlier, the non appearance of Club saviour Markus Liebherr at the last game, plus the unexplained lack of the matchday programme made for a less than euphoric mood and added to the anxiety.  Surely Southampton FC weren’t going to indulge in another summer of intrigue? 

 

Well that’s in the past and although the pre-season fixtures failed to produce the anticipated results (they never do), nevertheless, despite the recession and the dropping of the club’s credit scheme, some thirteen-thousand supporters have already demonstrated their faith by renewing their season tickets.  Their belief is based on manager Alan Pardew’s astute signings and his achievements with the First Team last season.

 

Twenty-ten sees Southampton begin their one hundred and twenty-fifth year in English football against Championship relegated Plymouth Argyle.  The game will give Saints fans an opportunity to view the manager’s close season signings, Frazer Richardson and Danny Butterfield, the defenders expected to fill the void left by the departing Lloyd James and Wayne Thomas; and now that Southampton and Brentford have agreed with the conclusions of the Professional Football Compensation Committee it is hoped that Saints fans will be able to greet the newcomer Ryan Dickson. 

 

Argyle, now under the stewardship of former Saint, Peter Reid, will also be keen to impress their new manager who gave up a lucrative post in charge of the Thai national side. The Pilgrims will also be anxious to get off to a flying start for like Saints supporters they do not want to linger in this division.

 

It is now a case of “Promotion or Bust”

 

Come On You Reds.

 

Paddy Browne

The Exiled Saint.

Wed Aug 4 16:15:17 UTC+0100 2010

Photos: Getty Images and PA 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

When the Exiled Saint last saw the Saints play they enjoyed an emphatic 3-1 win against Exeter City on Boxing Day.  The team was then in the middle of a six-match run of undefeated games at St Mary’s.  The Saints, despite loosing an away game to Colchester United, enjoyed an excellent second half of the season with their only other loss to arch rivals Portsmouth in mid-February.

 

Apart from slip-ups against Tranmere Rovers and Swindon Town, the Saints continue to progress, even scoring five goals in a brace of games, are currently tenth in the table, enter the closing stages of the season with a game in hand and are tantalisingly close to a League One Play-off position.  For a short while so outstanding was Southampton’s advancement without the presence of the Exiled Saint, that future non-attendance was being considered!

 

However, resistance to such temptation was amply rewarded for when the Exiled Saint seated amongst the fans in the national stadium the Saints romped home to a resounding 4-1 victory over fellow finalists Carlisle United last Sunday. It seemed at the final whistle, there was a sense of liberation and relief as if all of football’s bad dreams in the Solent were at last over.  After all the trials and tribulations of recent years, the Saint’s triumph in winning the Trophy seemed to be compensation not just for their fans, but the whole area.

 

To be honest, as games go, it was far from being a “show-stopper”.   The match was barely fifteen minutes old before Carlisle’s central-defender, Peter Murphy “handballed” in the penalty area and provided Rickie Lambert not only with an opportunity to add to his goal tally as the League’s top scorer, but also to set the Saints on their way.    Just before the interval, Adam Lallana added to the Cumbrians woes when, unmarked, he headed past the hapless Collin.  The Saints victory was all but sealed when Papa Waigo struck the ball into an empty net after the Carlisle ‘keeper had parried with an excellent reaction stop.  On the hour mark Michail Antonio put the game to bed when he thrashed a low shot from outside the area.  In the game’s closing moments Carlisle’s Gary Madine headed home a consolation goal. 

 

All of the Southampton squad demonstrated their professionalism on the day.  Most eye-catching was the work of Dan Harding, who for tactical reasons proved he could handle playing in the right-back position as easily as his normal left-back role.  Rickie Lambert deservedly received the Man of the Match award; however, the distinction was wafer thin, as everyone in the Red & White exceeded what had been asked of them.

 

So, although we enter the Easter period in great spirits we have two tough games, against Brighton & Hove Albion and Leyton Orient respectively, which will not be as easy as some of our Club’s more hubristic followers may think.  Should we win these games then perhaps our access to a league play-off position may be more than just aspirational.

 

Come On You Saints.

 

Paddy Browne

The Exiled Saint.

 

Thu Apr 1 16:13:48 UTC+0100 2010

 

Photos:  Paddy Browne,  and AP. 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

As I’ll be undergoing a Coronary Artery Bypass operation within the next couple of days the Exiled Saint will be going “offline” for a short spell.

 

All being well, I hope that both the Saints and myself will be in a better position by the time I come back “online”.

 

Come On You Saints!

 

Paddy Browne

The Exiled Saint.

Mon Jan 18 11:35:26 UTC 2010

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

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