This was going to be one hell of a Red and White weekend and the build up
started by going to the `Monsters of Rock` Tuesday 13th at
Bournmouth.
I have seen Hawkwind , Sabbath, UFO, Thin Lizzy, Stranglers, The Clash, Rush,
BOC, Moorhead AC/DC and led Zeppelin at Knebworth 1979 (great festival) so I knew this was going to be a top
fuckin rock night not for the faint hearted. This isn't ya boy bands its, booze,
loud volume 11 Marshall stack fuckin rock and the line reflected the
anticipation for my Red and White FA Cup weekend.
The bands included: Whitesnake, Gary Moore and Y & T....yes
thats right all in one line up ahhhhh lets fuckin rock.....
I was in my Yellow Saints shirt and we headed off straight for the bar, there
were also other saints fans there with Bournmouth also, the talk of football was
all around. Well what can I say Y & T from 1970s they rocked all
right with the classic track `Black Tiger` and my favorite `Summertime
Girls` ahhh yer I just want to watch the girls go by , its like poetry in
motion`, (that's some of the lyrics for those not in the know) great tack with
superb riff and classic licks. Off to the bar again before Gary Moore gets on
stage, this venue was just right for a pre-FA Cup rock booze up as you could nip
round the corner and get a beer and get back having not missed a whole track.
Gary Moore was superb mixing the tracks by improvising classic rock track into
the gig, some Thin Lizzy end down well. The Marshall stacks pilled up and you
knew Whitesnake were next on, `is this Love`, `Here I go again`
`Fool for your Loving` blasted out, what a great night. This what music
is all about live fuckin rock, I bet Ozzy's dogs would crap all over the boy
bands. So this set the pace for Cardiff and many Saints were going up Friday to
make it a weekend to remember.
On Friday AM at 6.00 am when the journey to Cardiff
started and in no time we were at our destination, a caravan site in which we
will be getting the tent out. It was great to see so many cars and vans decked
out in Yellow and Blue with Saints flags. We pitched up and were now heading off
into the town, we were informed that amongst the 100 odd Saints fans there are 4
Arsenal supporters. We did look hard but were fucked if there was any noise
emitting from the big club fans just like at Highbury Library there just a pile
of shit, I hate those glory hunters, piss off and play in the French league if
the FA Cup is not important to you!! The Southampton Boys were already there and
planning a night on the town, many on the site didn't return till 3.am and still
drinking the beers till 4.00am.
The town was superb loads of pubs close at hand even if a bit on the small side,
hey but I had loads of beer cans with me and was not going to miss out on the
`beers` this time after the Villa `lock out` for many of the `Southampton Boys`.
We looked at the Cardiff Castle and got a informative tour guide round the place
and at the top of the keep you had a great view of the Millennium Stadium if odd
to se such a modern structure against a historic site. A another historic site
was to be found in the town, well bloody hell its 4 Arsenal fans but there not
making any noise oh well better to turn up at Cardiff then to go to Judas FC and
see the shit Hoddle is producing. hey Hoddle while your at it `your gona win
fuck all, fuck all your gona win fuck all `. A pizza was next on the agenda with
some beers and lots of questions from people like `who is in the cup`, I knew
Arsenal were quiet but some of these folk didn`t know the Arse were going to be
here on Saturday, hey you wont notice so dont worry!
As time wore on more and more Saints were in the town, cars were driving through
and the Saints fans were getting into the cup final spirit already. Some had too
much spirit and the sound of `Yellows, Yellows` could be heard all night until 4
am. The next morning I couldn't believe it the day had arrived when Saints will
beat the Highbury Library 3-1 well that was my prediction. The town was buzzing
early am and the pubs filled with Saints fans, although there were Arse fans
around gate 1 area there was no noise as the Library curfew is from 9am till 12
midnight so dont expect any thing from those fans all day. Saints fans on the
other hand were great, O`Neils was packed and in full voice, we left to get into
the ground early and I had my can so could walk round and have a few beers and
the Saints pubs were now packed.
We got into the ground so our flags could be placed above the corner flag and
central points had already gone. In 1 hours time the whole oh the middle tier
was almost full, there was no room for any flags and by 1 hours before KO Saints
were ballistic. It was just a sea of Yellow and Blue and all Southampton FC. Not
a Arse fan in site, well not more than 2 of em together. By the time it was 3.00
you could have mistaken the game to be over and thought Arsenal Highbury Library
had just been relegated. What a piece of shit they are, they dont get in the
ground till a few minutes before KO and when they do they just sit there glum
faced. As for Saints its was fuckin excellent best atmosphere you will see at a
cup final for years to come, even the corporate at the back were giving it some.
Saints battled well with Baird giving a top quality display. Marsden and Bridge
were not at there best but had a lot of chasing and closing to do. Claus did
some great shirt pulling and to be fair to Henry he didnt go down like he normally
does, but made up for it later with a brilliant Mark Spitz dive. Anders got
forward a lot and couldnt finish two chance for Saints, but he got some great
tackles in. Brett tracked well and could have had a superb equalizer which we
all though was in. Both goalies did thier part with great saves and it was nice
to see Jones and Niemi in goal, Jones even went up for a corner at the end to
try to emulate Niemi's striker skills. Oakley and Anders hustled but could not
create the killer finish, although at time Saints controlled the game in a 20
minute spell and only slack passing and no one on the end of crosses meant Lucky
Arse would scrape through. Telfer showed some fantastic running and skills,
Beattie was giving it all and winning headers but with no power and a lack of
Saints players in the box at the crucial time it was a tough game for Saints to
keep pressing and trying for that goal. Give the Saints team credit they stuck
to the job and there was no cricket score of 4-1 or 6-1 as the bloody idiot
Rodney Marsh predicted (fuck off and stick to your sky cubicle and don't come
out you ugly old git)
A dramatic end to the game saw lucky Arse clear off the line and retain the cup.
At the end none of the Saints fans let we just wanted to make some fuckin noise
for the Saints, and gave a tremendous boo when the Arse went up for the cup, not
for the players but for their shit fans, and the ref/linesman.
The announcer said just before the Arse got the cup that this was the best atmosphere
and the best losers fans he has seen since 6 cup final he has done....and too
right you wont get support like this from the big clubs. Not one Arse fan was
talking about the game after but only to go on about their mobile phone, who
give a fuck about a picture phone and your latest simm, Saints on the other hand
were re-living the game and still enjoying the moment. There were 2 Arse fans
who knew there football and thank us and Saints for fantastic support I think
they were a bit embarrassed to be Arsenal fans, I wished him luck and told em to
get the title of the Mancs.
So there is life in London and their not all geeks, better to be a Saints fan
than a plastic Arse geek!
Saints were fuckin 100%, in the pubs, the town, on the roads, in the ground and
on the Sunday, Highbury Library well what can we say £100m team and expected to
win but piss poor fans.
WELL DONE SAINTS, LETS GET THE FA CUP NEXT SEASON.
AND `WE'RE ALL GOING ON A EUROPEAN TOUR A EUROPEAN TOUR.
You wont see the Skate's attain 8th place, a FA Cup final, a place in Europe and
25+ years in the top flight all in one year, so Saints are still the pride of
the south.
YELLOW YELLOW YELLOW!
Saints: Niemi (Jones 65), Baird (Fernandes 85), Lundekvam, M Svensson, Bridge,
Telfer, A Svensson (Tessem 74), Oakley, Marsden, Beattie, Ormerod. Subs:
Williams, Higginbotham. Booked: Beattie (foul 30) Telfer (foul 59), Marsden
(foul 75), M Svensson (dissent 90)
Arsenal: Seaman, Lauren, Luzhny, Keown, Cole, Ljungberg, Parlour, Gilberto,
Pires, Henry, Bergkamp (Wiltord 76). Subs: van Bronckhorst, Kanu, Toure, Taylor.
Booked: Keown (foul 29) Henry (diving 67)
Referee: Graham Barber Attendance: 73,726
Photos
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| My `Saints Zulus` and Soton Union Jack flags on level 1 | Saints `team hug` | It's all yellow, yellow | Lap of honor |
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| Brett shoots, lucky Arsenal | Niemi injured | Last minute corner | Jones up for corner |