Away Match Day Thread 21/03/2026 - MDT: Southampton v Oxford United

[Northstandboy]

 

[m]

You don't always unless you pay extra. But the overriding principle is surely don't be a w****r about it.

Never a bad mantra.

 

[m]

You often have to pay extra to choose where you sit on a plane. I hope you're not suggesting that football clubs implement a similar policy?

Not intentionally.

 

[SamLongSlidingTackle]

Sadly there are many fans who simply ignore what the ticket says and sit where they want. They know this will cause issues but couldn't care less.
I had a ticket with 4 mates, all sat together. Upon arrival at my seat a man was in it, preventing me from sitting with my mates. He refused to move. He would not listen to reason and stated he could sit where he wanted. My mates threatened to move him if he did not move and it all became rather heated unnecessarily so. After chatting to a steward nearby the man moved. The problem is there are too many fans at away games that simply show no respect to other fellow fans and feel they have a right to sit wherever they want ,even knowing it will cause issues at some point.

Had the same at swansea away last year, the stewards were asking fans not gather on the stairs and the fan stood behind my dad making him feel uncomfortable so asked him to move politely and he wouldn’t so had to put on my teacher voice
If you were that guy, you were an absolute bath plug.

 

[TailsWeWin]

Speaking as someone who generally couldn't give two fucks where they sit, and can't really imagine getting into an argument either way.

*YOU HAVE THE CHOICE OF CHOOSING WHERE YOU WANT TO SIT ON A PLANE, IT'S NOT THE SAME*

One solution, of course, (and I realise it shouldn’t come to this) is to find your seat 30 minutes before the match starts, BEFORE all the drongos pile in - not difficult as many arrive at 5 minutes before and expect to sit where they want.
Personally I’ve never had a problem but yes, there are some selfish thoughtless pea-brains around (the ones who revel in being selfish “We’re Oxford United: we’ll sit where we want”) as there are in life.

 

[Rach]

We always try to arrive early as I like to be there to give Jamie a shout out when he comes out for his warmup. We head for the seats as shown on our tickets. I've enjoyed the fact that we never know who we're going to sit next to, rather than just always sitting next to the same people (we can do that at home games). Met a lovely couple at Southampton - thanks for the mini egg, if that was you!

 

[Swinny]

We always try to arrive early as I like to be there to give Jamie a shout out when he comes out for his warmup. We head for the seats as shown on our tickets. I've enjoyed the fact that we never know who we're going to sit next to, rather than just always sitting next to the same people (we can do that at home games). Met a lovely couple at Southampton - thanks for the mini egg, if that was you!

Exactly this! My boys don't want to hang about in a crowded concourse watching blokes down pints, so always happy to go and find their seats early at away matches. We sat in our allocated seats on Saturday and had a good chat about the stadium and match etc, and exchanged a bit of chat with those in-front and behind us throughout the game and a good time was had by all.

Whilst he loves going to all matches, I know my youngest gets a little anxious in busier/noisier away crowds so I'm happy to get in a bit earlier than we would for a home match to avoid having to argue the toss over who's seat we're in or whatever.

 

[Essexyellows]

I didn`t sit in my allocated seat.
If I had I would have been in the middle of a family group - 3 adults 2 kids.......... so we shuffled about a bit.
Nobody died, everyone got on.

Insisting people sit/stand in their allocated area is fine if you have CHOICE when booking, we don``t, it seems the ticketing has yet to "catch up" with technology.

The plane comparison is slightly different - you get allocated a seat and, if you wish, can choose other seats. Some companies charge for that option.

All about choice and consequence.............

 

[RgYellows]

My boys don't want to hang about in a crowded concourse watching blokes down pints

Why on earth not?

 

[Yellowecky]

I was in the away ends at Spurs last year, Man United and Chelsea year before. Allocated seating and adhered to at each.

Give it up.
Move on.
Suck the other thumb!

 

[RgYellows]

I was in the away ends at Spurs last year, Man United and Chelsea year before. Allocated seating and adhered to at each.

Do they not make you sit in the home end if you have a season ticket?

 

[Twiggy85]

I understand both sides of the seating debate, went to go to our seats on Saturday- someone was sat there, we just went and ‘sat’ somewhere else. Don’t bother me personally but can understand others may be in different circumstances.
I assume that the reason away fans can’t select seats, is because Southampton in this case give Oxford 3000 tickets to sell. For Oxford fan to select seats I am guessing we would need to access Southamptons system
And therefore purchase direct with Southampton??

 

[Boris]

So you’re asking me, at 62, to give up my seat and sit amongst boisterous youths ?

Mate, I'm 66 and I can't think of anywhere I'd rather sit (stand).

As it happens, my seat on Saturday was right at the back in amongst it, so I was very happy, even when the fat bloke next to me to up both his seat and mine. I just stood in the gangway until he moved at halftime

 

[Toucan]

I didn`t sit in my allocated seat.
If I had I would have been in the middle of a family group - 3 adults 2 kids.......... so we shuffled about a bit.
Nobody died, everyone got on.

Insisting people sit/stand in their allocated area is fine if you have CHOICE when booking, we don``t, it seems the ticketing has yet to "catch up" with technology.

The plane comparison is slightly different - you get allocated a seat and, if you wish, can choose other seats. Some companies charge for that option.

All about choice and consequence.............

I agree with sentiment but the problem comes when somebody is in your seat and they refuse to move and you can not find another seat available. This is precisely what happened to me on Saturday. I arrived at 2.15pm and single seats were very limited. It was either I stand up all game on the steps or ask a steward for help as the person in my seat refused to move.
Also I'm 67 and the person in my seat was about 40

 

[Swinny]

Why on earth not?

To be fair, had I not been driving I might have been one of those blokes and they would have just had to stand there with me!

 

[holdsteady]

When we had (proper) terracing you didn’t get this problem. You wanted a seat you paid extra for one, you wanted to be with your mates you found space for you all, likewise quiet/loud areas etc.

So bring back proper terracing and this won’t be a concern.

 

[SteMerritt]

 

[uptheus]

Given the serous injury to Noa Lang only a few days previous, I think he was quite right to comment.

Have you seen the dangers around our pitch?

It just sounded like sour grapes, and many a club, including ours have done things to disadvantage the opposition e.g. reducing cling length and width of pitch, cold showers, smaller changing rooms.

I remember Karl moaning about a team (Plymouth I think) for playing the music too load in the changing room!! Just shows it’s getting under their skin and had the desired effect!

 

[uptheus]

View attachment 34443

Is that Dick?

 

[Mumyellow]

I don’t know as not been put in that position yet. I’d assume most normal, respectful, adults would move - why wouldn’t they ?

What seat are you in for Portsmouth so I can avoid it

 

[Essexyellows]

Another little aside.........................

Anyone noticed that the programme covered two games? Norwich and Oxford.

Not sure if it is genius in a shrinking market or a bit cheapskate?

 

[SirAndyOfCrosby]

I assume that the reason away fans can’t select seats, is because Southampton in this case give Oxford 3000 tickets to sell. For Oxford fan to select seats I am guessing we would need to access Southamptons system
And therefore purchase direct with Southampton??

You may think so, but no.

I've seen multiple instances this season and last, whereby supporters of other Championship clubs have been able to select specific seats at an away game (via their own site) where we haven't been able to for the corresponding fixture.

I don't know whether it's a compatibility issue, or just a reluctance/time/money thing - but the technology obviously exists and so there is no reason to not do this.

A cursory look at Good Friday fixtures and (bearing in mind most away ends are Sold Out, or I can't access without a log-in) I've found three who offer a choice of specific seat - Swansea @Sheffield United, Blackburn @Birmingham and QPR @Preston.

I seem to recall we could pick the block at Birmingham - but not seats? I don't believe we've ever been able to even select so much as a block at either Preston or Sheffield United, but happy to be corrected.

If others can offer it, we can offer it. It should be no different to selecting a matchday ticket for a home game - just needs the will.

And whilst there might still be the odd person who still 'sits where they want' - he'll soon become the exception rather than the rule.

 

[derek]

Have you seen the dangers around our pitch?

It just sounded like sour grapes, and many a club, including ours have done things to disadvantage the opposition e.g. reducing cling length and width of pitch, cold showers, smaller changing rooms.

I remember Karl moaning about a team (Plymouth I think) for playing the music too load in the changing room!! Just shows it’s getting under their skin and had the desired effect!

There's a minimum distance hoardings have to be from the touchline and Southampton had put additional boards up that were closer than that.

Bloomfield had to get the ref involved before kick off to force the ground staff to move them back to regulation distance.

 

[Deleted member 1417]

I've said it before - if you're going to enforce allocated seating, stewarding in general needs to be far better.
Too often, stewards act like nightclub bouncers rather than focusing on crowd management.

 

[Under The Cuckoo Lane]

Random recollection. Brentford away in the 80s down the side packed with Oxford. Fellow Yellow pissed down my leg.

 

[dickwalton1964]

I've said it before - if you're going to enforce allocated seating, stewarding in general needs to be far better.
Too often, stewards act like nightclub bouncers rather than focusing on crowd management.

What about the fans taking some responsibility rather than making the stewards job more difficult ? I’ve been going to matches for 55 years and it’s more often pissed up, aggressive, brainless fans at fault than it is incompetent stewarding.

 

[dickwalton1964]

Another little aside.........................

Anyone noticed that the programme covered two games? Norwich and Oxford.

Not sure if it is genius in a shrinking market or a bit cheapskate?

To be fair, that’s quite clever thinking. I mean not much can change between a midweek game and a Saturday one so why not double up. I haven’t brought a programme for years, having once been a fairly avid collector.

 

[SteMerritt]

To be fair, that’s quite clever thinking. I mean not much can change between a midweek game and a Saturday one so why not double up. I haven’t brought a programme for years, having once been a fairly avid collector.

My first thought was no, that's not clever thinking at all, because the majority of your programme sales would be to home fans, wouldn't they? And they would only buy one, instead of maybe two if they were completely separate. But then how many people buy a programme these days? Are away fans more likely to buy one because it's a memento of a day out? It might well save a fair bit on printing and production costs.

 

[Boris]

how many people buy a programme these days?

About 8% of the crowd, last time I checked (down from about 15% in 2011), although it's dependent on various factors

 

[SteMerritt]

About 8% of the crowd, last time I checked (down from about 15% in 2011), although it's dependent on various factors

So 800-900 for us at a typical home match. Still a fairly good print run then.

 

[Boris]

So 800-900 for us at a typical home match. Still a fairly good print run then.

Would have turned a small profit too if it hadn't been for the outrageously inflated salary of the former editor