Leggi Looks At: Southampton
By Leggi
February 27 2008
STB message boarder Leggi is back giving us an insight into Town's opposition on Saturday it's Southampton at St Mary's in The Championship.
SOUTHAMPTON FC
Saturday 1st March, St Mary's Stadium, Kick-off: 15:00
The Saints were founded in 1885 and play their home games at the 32,689 capacity, St Mary's Stadium after leaving The Dell in 2001. Their highest ever League finish is coming Runners-up in the top flight in 1984, they have won the FA Cup once back in 1976, and have also won the division 3 and Division 3(south) titles in 1960 and 1922 respectively.
The team is currently being managed by Nigel Pearson after George Burley's appointment of Scotland manager in February, and Pearson has yet to see his struggling side win, they salvaged a very late point against Scunthorpe on Saturday with an 88th minute penalty and they currently sit 19th in the League ladder, just 5 points from the drop zone and 11 points from 7th placed Town.
The Tractorboys won the first of this seasons encounters at Portman Road, 2-0, with goals from Jon Walters and Pablo Counago, whilst Southampton beat Town in the last meeting at St Mary's just over a year ago, Marek Saganowski first minute goal was enough to beat the blues.
FORM GUIDE
(9th) Ipswich Town P6 W3 D1 L2
(23rd) Southampton P6 W0 D2 L4
Match Fact: The Saints have only won 2 of their last 15 league games.
OUR LEAGUE RECORD AWAY AT THE SAINTS
Played: 27
Won: 9
Drawn: 8
Lost: 10
Goals:
For: 40
Against: 42
Our biggest win came in a live SKY Premiership game in 2001, a Hat-trick from Marcus Stewart at 'The Dell' seeing Town Win by 3 goals to nil. 2-0 is our only win (so far) at St Mary's 2 years ago, Alan Lee with both Town goals. Our heaviest defeat is 3-0 in 1985.
The largest attendance (29,614) turned up to watch a cracker of a game in 2002, Mark Venus and Marcus Stewart (2) on target in a 3-3 draw.
The Lowest gate of just 9,988 watched a 2-2 draw in 1955 Tommy Parker with both Ipswich goals.
Our leading all-time scorers against Southampton are Alan Brazil and Paul Mariner with 6 goals, John Wark, Marcus Stewart, and Ray Crawford each got 5.
12 players have played for both teams, they include, Kelvin Davis, Ricardo Fuller, Mick Mills, Russell Osman, Jermaine Wright, and of course our gaffer Jim Magilton.
Leggi's player to fear: Is Trinidad and Tobago's record goalscorer, the 31-year-old Striker, Stern John, who has scored a massive 61 goals in 80 international games. He signed for Southampton last August from Sunderland in a deal that saw fellow Countryman Kenwyne Jones move to The Stadium of Light. He made his debut in England for Nottingham Forest in 1999 after a successful spell playing Major League Soccer in America and has since played for Birmingham City, Derby County, and Coventry City. Although getting on a bit (in Age) he is still a deadly finisher and has scored 13 goals this season for The Saints and is currently their leading goalscorer.
Leggi predicts: After last weekends poor effort at the League leaders, Stoke, its on to a much easier game at struggling Southampton, The saints are without a win in over 6 games and its high time we got a decent away scoreline, A chance for the new stars from Portman Road to demolish the old ones (Makin, Wright, and Davies) in a game where I can only see one winner, Back to away winning ways for The Tractorboys 4-1 to The good guys.
Leggi is confident of another away victory for Town, how are you feeling?