Time For A Permanent Tribute To Markus

Whilst the idea of a flag is a good idea, in the grand scale of things it is not enough

I can understand why the supporters should want to thank Markus Liebherr for coming in and saving the club, however I am not convinced that a flag is either a fitting tribute or a permanent one.

Instead supporters should be demanding that the Itchen Stand be re named the "Markus Liebherr Stand" so that his name is permanently etched on the ground for everyone to see.

But why stop there, we at Southampton have rarely honoured our greats properly in the past and now would be a great time to put that to rights by honouring some of our legends with the other three stands.

First up could be Ted Bates but some would say that with his statue that has already been done, certainly though Lawrie McMenemy should also have a stand named after him, McMenemy took the foundations built by Ted Bates and turned this Club into a force to be reckoned with in the top flight, not to mention our FA Cup win, we have won only one major trophy, surely its right that he is now given the credit that he deserves, when our former Chairman removed McMenemy's picture from the boardroom there was an outcry and demands for McMenemy to be remembered, surely its time that was put right.

That would leave two other stands, ask the supporters and Matt Le Tissier would be the first name to be suggested, not only did he stay loyal to this football club at a time when he could have moved to any club in the country, but at times he dragged us virtually singly handedly out of the relegation zone, had we been relegated in the 90's would St Mary's have ever been built ? would we have spent the last 15 years or so knocking round the lower leagues in a 15,000 capacity stadium ? we will never know, but what we do know is that Le tissier continues to keep Southampton in the spotlight and has been a great ambassador for his adopted City and the football club that bears its name.

Perhaps after those three stands have been named the supporters could vote on the fourth stand, names put forward could be Mick Channon, Terry Paine, Ron Davies to name but three.

I have always been a big advocate of this football club honouring its true legends, I am not against a tribute to Markus Liebherr, I am all for it, but I am for something permanent, not a flag that will have a short shelf life and in a season or so will be tatty and perhaps stuck in a shed somewhere, is that a fitting tribute for Markus ?     

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