Southampton fans lame portrayal of Newcastle United fans – Let’s just call it a misunderstanding…

Hands up, any Southampton fans who have ever seen a map before.

I am talking specifically here about a map of the UK, of England.

In particular, if Saints fans can point to where three places are.

Those places are Newcastle Upon Tyne, Wembley Stadium and Southampton.

Right, if all you Southampton fans have managed that, hold your fingers in place and I will now explain.

Before any Newcastle United match, I like to have a look at what their supporters are having to say.

Obviously, the bigger the game the more interest I take, a cup semi-final naturally VERY high interest.

With Southampton fans I have noticed a growing trend as tonight’s match got closer, outraged and squealing because Newcastle United fans are so arrogant, they think they are automatically getting to the final and believe this semi-final is a walkover.

The two pieces of ‘evidence’ they are repeatedly recycling and sharing are…

Firstly, Newcastle United fans already making travel / accommodation arrangements for Wembley on the weekend of Sunday February.

Secondly, Newcastle United already singing songs about going to Wembley, winning a trophy, whatever.

Taking the second accusation first.

Newcastle United fans have ALWAYS sang about winning trophies, going to Wembley, going to Europe and so on. We do it because we are dreamers, because we are enthusiastic, because we like singing, because we like enjoying ourselves…no matter what the reality tells us.

Pretty much none of us have seen Newcastle United win any domestic trophy and you will be in your mid-70s now if you were an adult when NUFC last won anything.

We don’t expect to win anything!

We hope to, we dream of it, we sing about it, BUT that is NOT the same as arrogantly thinking anything is a given.

It is a bit like a League Two or even a non-league club’s fans singing about ‘The greatest team, the world has ever seen…’, they aren’t declaring something that is a fact, a certainty, something to be taken so seriously.

Keegan is indeed our king (always will be) and when (IF!!!!) we do get to Europe, we will indeed be singing. The same, dare I say it, if we ever actually win anything. Whether that is February 2023 or whenever.

As for the first bit of ‘evidence’ the Southampton fans put forward.

I refer you back to my finding places on a map.

If you set off at say 3am, you could do Southampton to Wembley Stadium in an hour I reckon.

If you set off at 3am from Newcastle Upon Tyne, you would get to Wembley Stadium sometime that day.

Bottom line is that 90% of Newcastle fans would be travelling great distances and need great planning ahead of it, if NUFC did indeed get to Wembley.

Whilst for 90% of Southampton fans they could get up in the morning, take the dog for a leisurely walk, have a full English, then think about how they choose to get to the final. All else fails, just jump in the car and head up the road for an hour or so. Get to somewhere handy (train station / tube) and carry on their relatively brief journey from there.

Newcastle fans planning / buying accommodation and travel for the final is not arrogance or taking anything for granted, at least not in 99.99% of cases.  It is simply common sense.

When you know tens of thousands of other Geordies will also be descending on the capital, the vast majority also wanting to stay over and party whatever happens, having to plan is pretty much an absolute necessity ahead of this possibility.

Wait until February and the completion of the second leg EVERYTHING will be so much more difficult and expensive to arrange.

In most instances, especially with accommodation, you can just cancel it, so many hotels will come with a free cancellation option or minimal financial penalty / deposit, whilst trains for example, I understand trainline is only £10 to cancel.

It is either zero risk or at worst a very good gamble, book in advance and if Newcastle get through you could save £££, book stuff and Southampton get through and it is either nothing lost or at worst a few quid.

I am more than happy that Newcastle is the furthest Premier League club from Wembley because I love where we live, that is those of us who live in and around the best city in the country. I don’t want to live in or near London BUT I do reserve the right to book stuff in advance if I feel there is the slightest chance of my team playing in a cup final there!