We did it!

Sometime in 2020 we all sat round and chatted about football on one of our many social nights on zoom interspaced with the odd quiz and a bit of banter. Its a very much needed event and keeps us all on our toes with our quiz knowledge which isn’t record breaking, and we get to check in with our fellow committee members and we can usually tell if somethings up or somethings not quite right or a helping hand is in need.

One evening Mike had an idea with his sister Jackie that we all miss attending the games and we should do something about this. Having just had a committee meeting and most of us scratching our heads where funds were going to come from, our match collections were effectively null and void and watching the matches on TV with no crowd noise was as inspiring as watching paint dry, the crowd noise faired no better.

Then we thought what about the players. Yes we all know that they are getting well paid and this should not affect their performance, but we all know it does. We see the odd glance of the player into the stands of empty seats, no inspiration, no drive, no roar, no vocal offensive criticism of that last pass. The boss claps his hands to gee the players on, having to make up for 32,000 hand claps that have fallen to a whisper.

Results come and go and social media isn’t a nice place in these times. So what should we do to tell the players we are still here, what do we do?

Hence the ‘We Miss You Banner’ is born with the full support of Southampton Football Club. To be displayed at the training ground where every player can see us cheering them on and saying thank you.

With the support of our fans, the donations flooded in, photos downloaded and a banner was born. Your name in lights and that photo you didn’t want the wife to know you submitted on her behalf on a banner in front of the First Team!

Thank you all.

For more information on our ‘We Miss You’ banner follow these links:

A blog of how the banner came about – from one of our members

Close ups pictures of the banner in place at SFC Training Ground, Staplewood, Marchwood

Individual photos of those that are included on the banner

‘Thank you’ board of those involved in bringing this to fruition including a list of all donors

Link to SFC article about the banner

The SDSA