By Mark H & The Clan
June 17 2004

And so to part two of The COYSDC End of Season Poll, (yes, there is more of this to come, but Premiership referees can read this now, as there might be a little surprise later on for you) Best Opposing Player 2003/04 (last season - Jonny Wilkinson)

SIMON SHAW - 17.24%
Paul Volley - 13.79%
Thomas Castaignede - 13.79%
“No one” - 10.34%
Jaco van der Wesyhuyzen - 6.90%

No-one else got more than one vote, but the names to be mentioned were Jamie Noon (Newcastle), Stephen Jones and Robin McBryde (Llanelli), Olly Barkley (Bath), Andre Vos (Quins), and the Wasps quintet of Trevor Leota, Tom Voyce, Stuart Abbott, Ayoola Erinle, and Lawrence Dallaglio.

Massive amount of Waspies in the poll, but then that’s not a surprise, given the season they had. Shaw edges out the criminally under-rated Volley (Sir Clive, you got it just about as wrong as it gets) and Mr Mercurial from Large’s lot.

Your comments

“Shaw - but over the whole season and all matches played by Saints I’m always impressed by Scott Quinnell”
“Simon Shaw (I can’t bring myself to vote for Dallaglio!)”
“Paul Volley - I don't think Wasps are going to realise how significant a loss this is until he's gone. His bravery is astonishing.”
“Tommy Castaignede for 10 minutes”
“Too hard to call - could be any one of half a dozen people, mostly dressed in black”
“Sorry, Mark, no one springs to mind”
“Erinle…pace, power & raw centre talent”
“Leota earlier in the season when he couldn't hit a barn door!”
“Andre Vos, wins games on his own”
“For his influence on the game at FG this season, Stephen Jones”
“Probably Dallaglio. I was also impressed with James Forrester, Stuart Abbott, Josh Lewsey and Henry Paul (and I never thought I'd say that!)”
“…thought Robin McBryde had a great game against us”
“Olly Barkley (at the time, seems to have faded a bit)”




Who most personifies being a Saint? (last season - Matt Dawson)

ANDREW BLOWERS - 27.45%
Budge Pountney - 9.80%
Matt Lord - 7.84%
Renaud Peillard - 7.84%
Jon Phillips - 7.84%
Wayne Smith - 7.84%
Nick Beal - 5.88%
Keith Barwell - 5.22%

Other votes went to (in no particular order) Grant Seely, Geoff Allen, Matt Dawson, Paul Grayson, Dan Richmond, Gary Pearce, and the whole squad.

Unlike last year, I had an idea of what might happen this time around, but I didn’t expect the margin to be so big. The Gloucester game for me summed AB up - whatever the adversity, he was still going to put every part of his body on the line to try and get much desired success. To that extent, Budge being in second isn’t the biggest shock I’ve ever seen (and more of him later in the poll).

Your comments (AB first, then the others in no particular order)

“Blowers, complete commitment, e.g. pinching the ball against Bath which lead to Clarke's try”
“Can’t decide between Lordy and AB. Never give less than 100%. Fearless and fair. Think AB just edges it for his skill levels”
“Andrew Blowers - talented, sporting and humble”
“Blowers - always gives 100%”
“AB…he brings a level of intensity, spirit and will to win second to none when others let there heads drop (which has happened far too often this season) you can rely on Andy to keep playing 'heads up' rugby. If AB had been in the All Blacks team this autumn there’s no way we would of brought home the cup”
“AB really and you don't need to ask, but I chose him last year so I'll go with the wookie this time cos he is always there in the mauls at the breakdown he never lets go!”
“Andrew Blowers. Committed, honest, hard, but a good bloke too”


“Budge - has given everything over the years, and ultimately it cost him his career as well. Despite all this has managed to keep a smile on his face and will remain a fans favourite for years to come”
“Budge, still smiling through adversity, honourable mention for Renaud who still stuck with us and was instrumental in the win over Agen”
“Matt Lord - Journeyman who is better than that - his sheer bloody-mindedness and commitment”
“JP cos he gets stuck in and also has time for ordinary people…”
“JP he would run through a brick wall for the Saints, he would always be there for a fellow player, he is probably the last of his type (yrs served and games played) we will see and he is mental about the game (if you haven't seen it check out the end of his tribute video as shown at his Testimonial)”
“Renaud - once a Saint, always a Saint”
“Either Renaud, who refused to let his injury get him down, or Nick Beal, who gave his utmost until the very last”
“Bealer. 100% commitment to the last”
“Wayne Smith - gave his all for the club and prepared to front up every time”
“Wayne Smith for instilling the Spurut of being a Saintsman into the players and supporters alike.”
“Seely soldiers on without recognition”
“Uncle Keith, without his vision we would not be where we are today”
“Same answer as last year for the same reasons: Geoff Allen – a perfect link between the professional “entertainment” era & the previous amateur one”
“The squad – have given their all week in week out and are all as approachable and engaging off the field”
“Matt Dawson - have you ever seen anybody so devastated by a career move that is supposed to bear so many advantages”
“Non playing :Keith Barwell – natch
Previous playing : Gary Pearce – saw him play at the Tows benefit game this year. Took it very seriously, played well, socialised well afterwards. I understand he was a good cap’n too! Now see comments about next year’s skip. Current playing : Dan Richmond – despite being No 2, always gives his all (and from what Rob says – loves the place)”




Where will Saints finish next season?

Slightly different format on this one. The majority last time round thought second (38.46%), followed by third (34.62%). As a lot of you have said things like “top two” or “top three”, I’ve taken it to the lowest position suggested by those comments. So, in 2004/05 we will mostly be finishing…

1st - 10.42%
2nd - 50.00%
3rd - 16.67%
4th - 10.42%
5th - 4.17%
6th - 4.17%
“At the end” - 4.17%

You optimistic bunch. My forecast is the one next to bottom, I hope you lot can tip better than I can…

Your comments

“Difficult. Depends how long they take to gel - if they gel quickly, third, possibly second (I think Wasps will win next year, and Leicester are turning around quickly) - if not, mid table and struggling for Euro qualification”
“Top 3 with possibly an extended HC run”
“About fifth. Sadly with so many players departing, I see a season of transition. It’ll take a while (i.e. season after next) for Solomons to get a new team to gel. I can’t see us getting out of the group stages in the HC although with a favourable draw in the PC, we might do something in that. The teams I see ahead of us next year in the league are Wasps, Bath, Gloucester & Leicester with Saracens improving to challenge us a bit”
“Top 4 (above Bath but beware Tigs & Glos)”
“Top 3. A bit of a rebuilding year to come, but I still have high hopes. If we're going to hit it big, I reckon it'll be 2005-06 after Alan Solomons has had a chance to work with the players for some time and do a bit more selective recruitment. Powergen Cup - we should aim for the semi-finals. HC - QF”
“5th or top - we start again and may surprise ourselves and others - but in reality we’ve got to rebuild and rediscover our winning ways”
“4th in the ZP (behind Wasps, Tiggers, Bath), ok run in the PowerGen, quarters in the HC.
Until I see Alan Solomons 'in action' I can't get too excited about next season”




Biggest disappointment (New category)

LLANELLI AT HOME - 38.32%
Budge’s injury - 14.32%
57-20 at Wasps - 13.00%
Renaud’s injury - 10.32%

As last year, a lot of subjects mentioned, with those above being the only ones to get more than one vote. Let’s hope the matrix is wrong and we can avoid that disappointment again next season right now.

Your comments

“Budge. My hero deserved a finer exit from the game”
“Migraine on JP's quiz night!”
“That Saints only start playing when they’re ten points down - the presence of John Leslie in a Saints shirt - going out of the cups early - no Larry and Daws show”
“Llanelli at home in the HC, after a big week in Agen we didn’t deliver against expectations. Budge & Renaud retiring through injury.”
“Losing against Wasps away the other weekend and having to hear it on the radio with Radio Northampton switching to the Cobblers because it was such a massive and by that time inevitable defeat”
“Renaud Peillard ( + saddest)”
“Losing to a Llanelli side we could have beaten especially after winning at Agen“
“Budge’s enforced retirement”
“Being blown away in the ZC semi-final”
“On the pitch - tied between losing to Llanelli at home in the HC, and losing to Wasps. Off the pitch - losing Renaud Peillard before he'd ever done anything for us & Budge Pountney”
“Wasps, play offs…Stuart Barnes still in post at season end”
“Has to be our last trip to wasps, but that trip to Barf at the beginning of the season was pretty disappointing too”
“Smudger going”
“Renaud being forced into retirement”
“Being beaten by Bath in the Powergen Cup”
“Llanelli at home - we'd sung ourselves silly, got soaking wet and again watched our team not do it in a big game”



Most memorable moment (last season - Budge’s try at Welford Road)

BEALER’S DROP GOAL AT WELFORD ROAD - 23.08%
Robbie Morris at Saracens - 21.15%
Agen - 11.54%
John Clarke’s try versus Bath - 9.62%
Leicester Nil - 7.69%
The Gloucester fracas - 7.69%

These are the main ones, but there were a number of others as well. We’ve all watched Bealer’s attempts at drop goals over the years, so to drop one from 58 metres would have been memorable whoever it was against. To do it there, in a win, was almost too good. Robbie Morris was just shaded out, but I get the feeling that had he gone in for the try himself rather than offloading brilliantly to Bruce, we may well have had a different winner in this category.

Your comments

“Bealer from the halfway line“
“Nicholas Beal dropped a ………..”
“Drop goals - Bealer at Tiggers & Wilko in Sydney”
“Bealer's drop goal at WR.magnificent!“
“Tied a = Robbie (wing forward prop) at Sarries/Bealers boomer at Wellbad“
“Robbie's breakaway at Sarries”
“that Robbie Morris run to set up Bruce”
“Robbie Morris accelerating down the wing against Saracens away, stepping outside the winger & Bruce scoring the decisive try. Almost as good was the look on the faces of the Fez when the ref blew up for time after we’d held them up on the line at the end”
“Robbie's run and offload at Sarries leading to the try of the season”
“Brucie dancing over a flooded ploughed field at Agen”
“…the final whistle in Agen”
“Going on the pitch after winning in Agen”
“Clarkie doing a number on Baths back line”
“JC’s try against Bath”
“Nilling Leicester“
“Martin Johnson in desperation, on his knees in the dead ball area just in front of the South Stand. Saints score!! Oh, yeh and getting Grewcock & his reserves to clear the dead ball area with Saints advancing towards!”
“Beating Tigers for the second time this season in really bad conditions“
“Sharky's misdemeanour“
“…the scrap in the gloucester game”
“Oriol tackling Michael Stephenson at HQ”
“Same as every year, Geoff Allen on remembrance match day”
“Watching the sun as it began to set on the England players training at Pennyhill Park and suddenly realising that Grayse was a dedicated teacher who quietly gets on with sharing his skills (with Gummybear and Barkley).... So good to see him smiling so much this season.…”
“sorry Mark I've got two Saints ones...
Saints - John Clarke's breakaway try vs. Bath at home in the driving rain.
Saints - Alan Robson's voice failing him when trying to read a supporter's farewell poem to Wayne - tears in everybody's eyes.
England - Wilkinson's drop goal in that final and the reaction in the Rodbar afterwards.”



Have Saints done better, worse or as you expected this season? (Last season - Better 61.54%, As expected 30.77%, Worse 7.69%)

Better - 17.86%
As expected - 53.57%
Worse - 28.57%

“Far better – there was no way we could have foreseen the injuries (Budge, Pelliard et. Al) and have coped remarkably“
“About what we expected”
“About right once we had to accept that Budge and Renaud were no longer available. With those two playing a full season we would have finished second”
“As I expected, and predicted, oh, only half a dozen times throughout the season. Wayne Smith’s gone, John Leslie’s gone - oh, I feel more optimistic about next year already.”
“I expected Wasps to come top, with Gloucester to do well. 3rd place isn't too far off the mark for my expectation (rather than hope) for the season. Automatic European qualification is something we have to aim for as a minimum, and we did it. Powergen Cup - disappointed, but we did play a form team away from home. HC - disappointed. QF is the very least we must do”
“As expected, third is about right as we stand“
“Pretty much as I'd expected given we were in a tough European Group & we had the RWC absentees, plus the forced retirements!”
“Hmm! about the same if we stay 3rd better if we lift the pot!”
“About as expected. I thought we were too light up front to actually win trophies & so it has proved”
“ZP as expected HC slightly worse”
“About the same but i would have expected us to progress in Europe”
“About what I expected. Once again we have lacked consistency and flattered to deceive”
“Pretty much bang on - potential second place ruined by Bath's excellent season. They were away from teams before anyone realised they were no longer relegation material”
“Worse, they could have won it!”
“Worse than I expected at the start of the season, but injuries to key players during the WC proved decisive meant by half way my expectations had lowered and was quite pleased with 3rd and a European place.”
“Worse. Cups were a disappointment though draws were tough”
“Worse – I expected us to win the Premiership”
“Worse - too often we have had silly loses and haven't turned up in the big games”



Is there anything that can be done to improve the “Matchday Experience” at FG?

As last year, there were just too many to categorise, so here are your views in kind of groups. If you see the word FISH, then it’s an expletive that I’ve deleted. And before you try and guess who was so worked up, it’s more than one person…

The bars
“Shut the bars during the game to stop the people getting up for drinks/loo visits etc”
“Free beer”
“Do not open any bars between k.o and final whistle”
“Yep. Bar service is too slow, and the range is FISH - as have been many of the pints I have been unfortunate enough to sample over the year”
“More (trained) bar staff”
“Better beer as at Headingly + more bar staff on big occasions”
“Clone Claire from Heroes”
“Shorter queues at the bars, toilets and hog roast”
“Better service readiness in the Rodber and Sturtridge bars immediately post-match“
“4 pint jugs in the bars a la Quins”
“More choice of beers - getting the churches stand to sing and - stopping the selfish gits who stand in front of the terrace before the match supposedly watching the warm ups but actually talking to their mates and blocking the view of those of who have taken our places in the terrace.”
“Improve the selection of beers in the bar (old chestnut but why not wheel it out one more time?!)”


The fixtures
“Don't play when I have to work/Joe has mini rugby/ I have a match!”


Other supporters
“I tell you what’d sort things out - a cull, that’s what - especially of the type of FISH I’ve got in front of me who arrives 2 mins before the game, leaves after 35 mins, comes back five mins into the second half, and FISH off at the final whistle. Shows no emotion whatsoever, and every time I do, starts picking on me. One day it came very close to blows. Frankly if they ain’t got the passion I wish they’d stay home.”
“Ask supporters to stay in their seats until h/t or end of the game, and not to keep squeezing past me while the game is in progress. I think I stood up more than I sat in my seat this season. It's really annoying when folks wait until KO to go out to buy food/drink etc. and the weak bladder brigade are another issue. Also, basic good manners to be observed when players from either team are preparing to take kicks at goal. not just the booing etc, but the peeps that walk about in the background behind the goal posts. STAND STILL PLEASE!”
“Allan Robson to bring in 'crowd rousers' people who stand up and show their true colours on there sleeve, get everyone up and singing, don’t pay them, just give them a discount on their season tickets.”
“More education of newly arrived supporters to reduce some of the worse habits we are developing”


The stewards
“Stewards who do their job when peeps start leaving early, i.e. Move along, please!”
“…change ‘em”
“…don’t be heavy handed outside and then lenient inside”
“Stewards to stop splitting the supporters in the South Stand and the end of a match. Those of us West of the goal might actually need to get to the Rodbar!”


The ground/surroundings
“Wish we could “purchase” our standing position on the Gordon Terrace, Block C. Numbered Circles should be placed and we could then spend more time in the bar, rather than standing in the cold just to secure our position.”
“Car parks which work!”
“There is no doubt that ground will have to be extended”
“Car parking”


External influences
“Silverlink (supposedly a sponsor of some kind) to sort the FISH trains out!”


Entertainment/Noise
“A brass band to play oh wendy intermittently when ever they catch their breaths, the kazoo squad, basically the same thing but with kazoo's”
“…free rugby balls kicked into the crowd”
“…more player celebration when we score, go and give a kid a cuddle or something!”
“…more music”
“…dare i say cheerleaders…”
“Bernie to be more aggressive and take the micky more often, occasionally trip up a linesman”
"Hynesy give us a wave" a new chant to be as frequent as oh wendy”
“Ban drums & air horns – we don’t need them – there’s a good enough atmosphere at FG anyway.”
“Importing some professional cheerleaders from the States ;-)”
“I don't get to FG much, but I know what I don't like (and this doesn't apply to the Saints) - stupid pop music whenever anyone scores and over enthusiastic announcers (I know when I'm having a good time, and don't like to be told to start having one).”
“I reckon that some new songs/chants would help. "Wendy" is great to get everyone going, but I don't really like it that much”
“Pre-match jazz & brass bands on the pitch”
“Yeah music when the team comes out. ;-)”


The untouchable
“Ensure Geoff Allen is left to his own devices – possibly his voice synthesised for future generations”
“…get Geoff Allen for every game.”


Right, that’s it for part two. Part three is huge, so look out for that one. And that promised piece for those referees - sorry, I missed it, so now you know how we feel…

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