Championship 21/03/2026 - Build up: Southampton v Oxford United

[Northstandboy]

St Mary's Stadium
Saturday 21st Mar 2026 @ 1500

 

[JOHN BOY]

Really??? You surprise me

Would you leave Helik out?

 

[holdsteady]

Adult and a child tickets going for tomorrow, £50 face value for the pair and can meet in Southampton somewhere beforehand, dm if you want them,

Adult ticket gone, still kids available for £20.

 

[Eric Blair]

Not a lot, there is the Hindu temple on Radcliffe road, is about £15 cash but id suggest getting there at least 2 hours before KO to get a spot. Also there are a few places that you can park along empress road. My personal suggestion would be to park at west quay shopping centre and have a 30 mins stroll to the ground

A Hindu lady at work used to cook extra food at home and then bring the extra for me and some of the lads in the team to reheat at home. Always had a soft spot for the Hindu religion since then. This has absolutely nothing to do with playing Saints tomorrow.

 

[Mad Dog]

Would you leave Helik out?

He's been playing well recently to be fair, so ordinarily no, not while he's on form.

However, although I know nothing of Saint's frontline, but going off what some have said, if Saints have got some very fast forwards, who will run at the centre backs, and get them on the turn, then Helik might not be the right choice for this game.

Horses for courses...

 

[Eric Blair]

He's been playing well recently to be fair, so ordinarily no, not while he's on form.

However, although I know nothing of Saint's frontline, but going off what some have said, if Saints have got some very fast forwards, who will run at the centre backs, and get them on the turn, then Helik might not be the right choice for this game.

Horses for courses...

Totally right. I love Brown and Helik but whilst they are amazing in the air (Charlton penalty notwithstanding) they are less good against speedy fuckers.

 

[SteMerritt]

I went to the Dell, when we played them in the FA cup, 1989 I think? Lost 1-0

Yeah I was at that. Only thing I remember about the day was we were in a pub with a lot of Oxford, then all of a sudden the local hoolies turned up, put all of the windows in and charged the place. Was certainly an eye opener for a teenager. Dad sensed what was going to happen and got us out the back just before it all kicked off.

 

[Eric Blair]

Yeah I was at that. Only thing I remember about the day was we were in a pub with a lot of Oxford, then all of a sudden the local hoolies turned up, put all of the windows in and charged the place. Was certainly an eye opener for a teenager. Dad sensed what was going to happen and got us out the back just before it all kicked off.

The dad sixth sense is worth its weight in gold.

(Just realised a sixth sense probably doesn’t weigh much but you get what I’m trying to say).

 

[werthersoriginal]

Totally right. I love Brown and Helik but whilst they are amazing in the air (Charlton penalty notwithstanding) they are less good against speedy fuckers.

We collectively are less good against speedy fuckers (take that, auto-censor) though Helik and Brown can head away high balls all day long. We might see Makosso and I'm sure we'll have Mills as a 'false wing back' helping out.

 

[Eric Blair]

We collectively are less good against speedy fuckers (take that, auto-censor) though Helik and Brown can head away high balls all day long. We might see Makosso and I'm sure we'll have Mills as a 'false wing back' helping out.

This “false wing back” thing is really interesting and seems to suit Mills down to the ground. He’s understandably knackered after 70 mins though. How he can move to that position when we don’t have the ball and then still be up the field and an outlet when we do staggers me. And Rowett wanted to loan him out to League One??????

 

[Orkney Islands Yellow]

 

[Essexyellows]

I have more influence than I realise.

 

[Mad Dog]

Yeah I was at that. Only thing I remember about the day was we were in a pub with a lot of Oxford, then all of a sudden the local hoolies turned up, put all of the windows in and charged the place. Was certainly an eye opener for a teenager. Dad sensed what was going to happen and got us out the back just before it all kicked off.

I was only about ten, I remember their goal, a header from a corner right infant of us stood, penned in behind the goal.

I was also blown away at how high the opposite stand behind their goal was on one side, it seemed ridiculously high, to a kid anyway!

 

[Mad Dog]

Yeah I was at that. Only thing I remember about the day was we were in a pub with a lot of Oxford, then all of a sudden the local hoolies turned up, put all of the windows in and charged the place. Was certainly an eye opener for a teenager. Dad sensed what was going to happen and got us out the back just before it all kicked off.

I was only about ten, I remember their goal, a header from a corner right infant of us stood, penned in behind the goal.

I was also blown away at how high the opposite stand behind their goal was on one side, it seemed ridiculously high, to a kid anyway!

yeah definitely an easily impressed kid thing!

 

[TobyDavis34]

You forgot "and our record down there is P8 W0 D1 L7".

Yeah further to this - we haven’t played them in the league since 1987!

So - not worth thinking about previous meetings here.

 

[TobyDavis34]

View attachment 34329

I mean it’s basic sports psychology.

Our season does not hinge on this match. The Pompey away game is far more important.

 

[Symp59]

But some points would help tomorrow COYYS

 

[Orkney Islands Yellow]

I'd enjoy the warm embrace of a point at 5pm tomorrow...

 

[Mojofilter]

I'd enjoy the warm embrace of a point at 5pm tomorrow...

I'll be giddy when we manage to pull off all three

 

[bicesterox]

Yeah I was at that. Only thing I remember about the day was we were in a pub with a lot of Oxford, then all of a sudden the local hoolies turned up, put all of the windows in and charged the place. Was certainly an eye opener for a teenager. Dad sensed what was going to happen and got us out the back just before it all kicked off.

I got a glass smashed on the back of my head, got in the ground snd was taken round to the first aid room down the tunnel where they picked bits of glass out, came out of the room just as the teams were coming out so gave it 'come on Oxford' before getting taken back to the awsy end

 

[tomoufc]

I’m sorry but this mentality is exactly why we have other fans saying ‘teams like Oxford’. We are in the same league as them and beat them just a few months ago!
Most clubs in this league have been in the premier league in recent years.

I’m happy for them to say that. Lets their guard down.

 

[holdsteady]

One reason this does have a bit of a cup game feeling is we just haven’t played them much, certainly not recently, never at this ground. I was 8 the last time we played an away league game against them, 47 now, that’s a long, long time ago.

 

[Orkney Islands Yellow]

I'll be giddy when we manage to pull off all three

The embrace could lead to something else...

 

[RgYellows]

I mean it’s basic sports psychology.

Our season does not hinge on this match. The Pompey away game is far more important.

Oh, f**k it then. We will get the twelve points we need to stay up against Pompey. I’ll tell the lads not to bother.

There’s a far cry between the season hinging on this match and the result being something for them “not to worry about”.

We have eight games to earn our right to stay in this league, and you advocate that we spend one of them enjoying a nice day out and trying our best. Like we are in the Championship not through merit and competing amongst equals, but as if we won our place in a raffle.

Against Southampton. Despite them being a team who we already beat this year. Despite us being unbeaten in four games against the current top two. Despite West Brom, one of the teams we might be able to catch, drawing against Southampton and handily dispatching the team above them in the league, in their last two games.

And you think that is good sports psychology? To tell the lads they’re too s**t to compete against this team, and pile all the pressure on to one game?

If our team had your fighting spirit then we’d all still be having nightmares about the time Peterborough beat us 4-0 at London Road in a play off semi final.

We go there to f*****g win. If we don’t win then we pick ourselves up and go all out to win the next one. That’s actual sports psychology, and it’s what you’ll hear our actual professional footballers saying.

 

[m]

Yeah further to this - we haven’t played them in the league since 1987!

So - not worth thinking about previous meetings here.

View attachment 34337

Of course they have no direct relevance but it's nice framing, particularly if you're illustrating the size of the challenge.

 

[Big Ronaldo]

Oh, f**k it then. We will get the twelve points we need to stay up against Pompey. I’ll tell the lads not to bother.

There’s a far cry between the season hinging on this match and the result being something for them “not to worry about”.

We have eight games to earn our right to stay in this league, and you advocate that we spend one of them enjoying a nice day out and trying our best. Like we are in the Championship not through merit and competing amongst equals, but as if we won our place in a raffle.

Against Southampton. Despite them being a team who we already beat this year. Despite us being unbeaten in four games against the current top two. Despite West Brom, one of the teams we might be able to catch, drawing against Southampton and handily dispatching the team above them in the league, in their last two games.

And you think that is good sports psychology? To tell the lads they’re too s**t to compete against this team, and pile all the pressure on to one game?

If our team had your fighting spirit then we’d all still be having nightmares about the time Peterborough beat us 4-0 at London Road in a play off semi final.

We go there to f*****g win. If we don’t win then we pick ourselves up and go all out to win the next one. That’s actual sports psychology, and it’s what you’ll hear our actual professional footballers saying.

Oof. Spirited riposte!
That’s the ticket!!