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Here we go again folks, the 2026/27 season is upon us. New squad numbers, new keeper(?), will it be another limp exit from the League Cup for the U’s? As a result of the World Cup over the summer, the season proper gets underway with the first round of the Carabao Cup, rather than this fixture being the one shoved in on the first Tuesday of the season. Not that I’m complaining mind you, Southampton have already sold out their allocation, and with home ticket sales slow and steady, there should be approaching 6,000 in the ground for a fixture that usually struggles to attract over 2,000. That attendance will be despite it also being the Sky featured match, kicking off at 5.30pm to avoid the 3pm watershed.
And why are the cameras here? Let’s be honest, probably not because they think there might be an upset – not that it couldn’t happen. It’s solely because this is Southampton’s first game since being kicked out of the Championship play-off final for spying on opponent’s training sessions. Bad enough the headline case was against Middlesbrough ahead of the play-off semi-final (a match which Saints won), but they admitted to two other cases as well, against Oxford and our dear friends Ipswich Town. Middlesbrough were reinstated but lost the final against Hull City. Probably just as well, given the Tigers were threatening legal action if Middlesbrough won.
Form is temporary… There’s not much to discuss with regards to form, unless you count pre-season fixtures (I don’t). Our form going into the last few months of last season was too patchy and inconsistent, even if we did manage four wins out of six in the final run-in. However, even that isn’t relevant, given since then we’ve sold Kyreece Lisbie, and released Jack Baldwin, Owura Edwards, Matt Macey, Arthur Read, JK Gordon, Tom Flanagan (retired) and a whole bunch of other fringe players. Coming in are centre-back Sean Raggett, left-back Jake Leake and central defensive midfielder Paul Digby, with season-long loans for centre forwards Leon Chiwome and our very own Brad Ihionvien and goalkeeper Thimothee Lo-Tutala. More on line-up to come, but as a side note, despite watching the pre-season match streams when available, it’s difficult to run the rule over new players with no names on their shirts, and little or no idea what they look like.
Played for both There are quite a few memorable names on the list, not least Perry Groves, who spent a season with the Saints after a successful six years at Arsenal. George Graham paid the U’s £50k for Perry, daylight robbery by any standard, but money that couldn’t be sniffed at back then. Dean Hammond is another obvious name, eventually sold to the Saints for a reported £250k after the U’s rejected two earlier bids. Dean’s former club Brighton were delighted; they copped for 20% of that as part of their sell-on clause to us.
There is of course another name that can’t be excluded – Phil Parkinson. I’m not 100% certain Parky played a professional game for the U’s, though he was definitely registered as a player, but he did start his playing career with Southampton. Other names include recently released Dominic Gape, who came through Southampton’s development squad, Phil Ifil, and the much-loved Eamonn Collins. Eamonn’s professional career started at the Dell, but the bulk of his football was as an almost ever-present in our U’s conference years under Big Roy.
Head to head To date, we’ve played Southampton 28 times in all competitions, won eight, drawn seven and lost the rest. That doesn’t really tell the whole story though. Back in the 50s we were regular opponents in the old Third Division (South) days, though to be fair with Saints enjoying most of the success. Apart from a solitary League Cup game in 1960, our paths then diverged for the best part of 15 years until Jim Smith’s 1974/75 League Cup run.
Having already despatched Oxford United, Southend United (at Roots Hall) and Carlisle United, the U’s were drawn in the 4th round at home to Division 2 league favourites Southampton, including the likes of Bobby Stokes, Mike Channon and Peter Osgood. Back then our notoriety for cup exploits was well-deserved, and nearly 10,000 (myself included) weren’t disappointed when the U’s held their stellar opponents to a well-deserved 0-0, and a replay at the Dell. I was too young for the replay, but there are possibly some here today who travelled to watch the U’s giving everything on the night, with teenager Barry Dominey heading the winner for us in the 58th minute.
This set up our memorable quarter-final game against Aston Villa in front of nearly 12,000 spectators. Although Alan Little gave the visitors the lead in the 28th minute, it is noteworthy that was the first goal we had conceded in the cup run. Ray Graydon looked to have settled it on the hour with a second, but the U’s didn’t give up, and after immense pressure Froggatt pulled one back in the 84th minute. After that it was just wave after wave of blue and white, but the Aston Villa defence held out and would go on to win the trophy that season.
More recently, it’s also worth noting that during our two Championship seasons we were never defeated by the Saints – winning twice and drawing twice. Some of my better away memories are from both nights at St Mary’s, when the U’s travelling support was off the charts. Sadly, a bricked coach on the way home soured the experience for some of the travelling support following the last visit in September 2007.
Line-up Well, this is a complete finger in the air here – who knows what the thoughts of Danny and Nicky will be following pre-season friendlies, training ground sessions and last-minute signings. I think it’s reasonable to assume we’ll stick with the 4-5-1 approach, or variations thereof, it’s just whether our new players are considered like-for-like replacements or works in progress. The other factor is whether Danny might consider resting one or two for the more important game next Saturday at Accrington. I doubt it, and not with the cameras watching for sure. As far as goalkeeper is concerned, as I expect Lo-Tutala will be our first choice, I have a feeling Danny will give Tom Smith the start, and to be fair, he did well at Stevenage. So, here’s my inaugural pick of 2026/27.
Substitutes: Lo-Tutala Chiwome Williams Leake Terry Vincent-Young Akande
It goes without saying that this will be a tough game – mid-table League 2 against a side that really should be Premier League. Apart from SpyGate still fresh in everyone’s memories, I don’t think Saints will feel much burden of expectation either. I think it all boils down to how much appetite they have for a proper scrap against a good footballing side backed by the faithful. I think we’ve got enough about us to pull of a shock, so I’m going for a proper Durhamesque 2-1 win for the U’s, Ihionvien to pull us level after conceding early, and Payne to drill home the winner deep in the second half.
Weather watch As befits the start of a football season, it’s going to be proper shirt-sleeve order tomorrow, with a gentle breeze from the south-east, prolonged sunny intervals relieved occasionally by patchy cloud, and not a drop of rain in sight. You all remember rain don’t you? Wet stuff, used to fall from the sky back in the day…
I’m tied up with cricket, but am recording the broadcast.
It’s Colchester versus Chelmsford in Castle Park (start 11:00) so if folk want something to do before the late footie kick off, that’s an option. Beautiful surroundings, great bar, great cricket and a nearby park n ride bus stop to the football stadium.
Free admission. No membership required.
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Saints alive? Not in the JobServe cauldron if Danny can help it on 10:32 - Aug 8 with 4261 views
Also had a goalless encounter with Soton in the League Cup in 82 at Layer Road . How it remained goalless I will never know has a Mersea Island resident pull of countless saves to deny Lyons , Bremner, Allison , Rooster and McD , not a bad attack ! Also on the sacred Layer turf that evening, Alan Ball, Kevin Beattie . The Mersea man - Peter Shilton, showed his class.
Team news announced, and it looks like I've scored 7/11 on the line-up - in the circumstances I'm okay with that. Oscar Thorn straight into the starting XI, Lo-Tutala in goal, and if we assume it's KVY, Tucker, Raggett and Iandolo across the back, Hunt, Terry and Thorn must be forming our midfield, with Anderson and Payne supporting Ihionvien?
The pressure told eventually, but absolutely no disgrace in that performance. As I said in the review, our more important game is at Accy next Saturday, and on this performance we can be optimistic - bravo U's!
It was always going to be hard against a team with a huge budget that nearly reached the Prem last season (and prob would have done if they had not been stupid and spied on Boro)
Solid has can be against team two levels above. Got done by quality cross . Tactic was to take the game has deep has possible with 5-4-1 formation. Outlet from back was very poor , desperately require an experience striker .
A word of thanks to the Col Utd fans that turned up in Castle Park before heading for the football stadium. Thanks for supporting our bar (etc).
Colchester lost to likely 2026 Champions Chelmsford CC in a game where an aggregate of 561 runs were scored including 116 by Colchester skipper, Joe MacGregor, whilst Vikas Agawal trundled 21 overs for merely 2.81 an over, and yet Chelmsford CC still scored at almost six an over.
This was Essex Premier League Cricket at its finest. Despite this defeat Colchester improved their league position having taken maximum batting points from scoring 280. On any other day a winning score, but Chelmsford are an exceptional team.
I’ve now watched a replay of the U’s game and was most encouraged. OK, we lost after two moments of Championship quality. However, other league two teams won’t be as Challenging as Soton.
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Saints alive? Not in the JobServe cauldron if Danny can help it on 14:04 - Aug 9 with 3614 views
Saints alive? Not in the JobServe cauldron if Danny can help it on 17:50 - Aug 9 by bwildered
For curiosity purposes, does anyone have an idea how much the Soton side on field cost that played yesterday ?
According to TransferMarkt (so take with a pinch of salt) their starting XI is valued at just under £64.5m (75.3 Euro). They have apparently agreed to sell Shea Charles (who was on the bench and didn't play) to Fulham in a deal valued at up to £30m. So, in terms of the matchday squad, well over £100m.
Saints alive? Not in the JobServe cauldron if Danny can help it on 19:01 - Aug 9 by wessex_exile
According to TransferMarkt (so take with a pinch of salt) their starting XI is valued at just under £64.5m (75.3 Euro). They have apparently agreed to sell Shea Charles (who was on the bench and didn't play) to Fulham in a deal valued at up to £30m. So, in terms of the matchday squad, well over £100m.
Thanks Wessex, two numpty question thereafter, is this the most expensive side the U’s have faced and wonder who is the most expensive player the U’s have encountered playing on the pitch at that current time ?
Saints alive? Not in the JobServe cauldron if Danny can help it. on 13:08 - Aug 10 by bwildered
Thanks Wessex, two numpty question thereafter, is this the most expensive side the U’s have faced and wonder who is the most expensive player the U’s have encountered playing on the pitch at that current time ?
[Post edited 10 Aug 13:11]
We played Tottenham and Man U in 2019. I imagine both those squads were worth considerably more even going back seven years.
Saints alive? Not in the JobServe cauldron if Danny can help it. on 13:08 - Aug 10 by bwildered
Thanks Wessex, two numpty question thereafter, is this the most expensive side the U’s have faced and wonder who is the most expensive player the U’s have encountered playing on the pitch at that current time ?
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